# Strange cpu usage

## Insane-boy

Hello all:)I've just installed gentoo from stage then I installed kde from package cd.Now my gentoo is up and running but there is a one problem.When I try to make something my cpu is usage to FULL MAX and my pc is timely not responding..Can this problem be solved?

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## XenoTerraCide

Compiling is a very CPU intensive process. about the only thing I think you could do is nice make. that way other things take priority over it. also check to make sure your hard drive has dma turned on. 

```
hdparm /dev/hdx
```

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## mmbrothers

If you are talking about make in the context of portage you can also try adding

```

PORTAGE_NICENESS="15"

```

to your make.conf.  Of course, you should change the niceness to match your needs.

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## XenoTerraCide

I didn't know you could nice it in the make.conf. learn something new everyday.

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## Insane-boy

 *XenoTerraCide wrote:*   

> Compiling is a very CPU intensive process. about the only thing I think you could do is nice make. that way other things take priority over it. also check to make sure your hard drive has dma turned on. 
> 
> ```
> hdparm /dev/hdx
> ```
> ...

 

Dma is on.I've just checked it.

Also i tried with PORTAGE_NICENESS but there is no result..

I discover my cpu is using to full on all processes.. not only in portage make.I don't know how to solve this problem.My cpu i pii but before i was with slackware and there is no any problems with cpu usage.

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## XenoTerraCide

is it full when your not emerging?

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## XenoTerraCide

when I am emerging something I always have a full CPU. but I don't have any 'lag'.

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## msid

I don't know if it is a DMA problem. I had a similar problem, especially when emerge was doing hard drive intensive tasks and the interaction with the system was a nightmare. Try giving:

```
hdparm /dev/hda
```

and see if DMA is enabled for the hard drive. If not it means that you need to ad support for your chipset and recompile the kernel.

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## XenoTerraCide

*smacks forehead* I can forgive someone for not reading an entire thread when it's more than a page long. But when it's '6' post long you should read it. I already suggested that, and Insane-boy said that he checked it and that's not it.

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## msid

Sorry, you are right   :Confused:  I am just sleepless for 3 days now and I didn't notice. My mistake.

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## XenoTerraCide

Hint: get some sleep.

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## Insane-boy

I replaced kde 3.4 with kde 3.3.The system is smaller better but it still "lag" when i start a proccess.In my old slack i was recompiled the kernel and i saved its conf.. so my kernel 2.4.31 is with old config file from 2.4.29.I use stage3-x86 and kernel-2.4.31.Maybe this problem is in stage or kernel?

PS:I'm with Pentium2 CPU

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## XenoTerraCide

yeah... check for this

```
Processor type and features  --->

Timer frequency (1000 HZ)  --->
```

 It's probably set at 250 bump it to 1000 and it should help. if not solve your problem. I forgot about that.

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## Insane-boy

i have no such option in kernel 2.4.31

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## XenoTerraCide

right sorry. that's a 2.6.13+ thing. The 2.4 kernel was before me. sorry I can't help you, if that's the issue and I've exhausted my other ideas.

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## Insane-boy

I solved my problem..I changed my kernel with vanilla-source 2.4.31 and for the moment all is fine.Thanks to all who try to help  :Razz: 

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## padoor

i too want to install 2.4.31 kernel

but how did u do it?

though i found it in the cd distfiles emerge gentoo-sources emerges only the 2.6.12

please tell me how to do it.

and it was saying something about not compatible or so

please give me an idea.

 :Surprised:   :Surprised:   :Surprised:   :Surprised:   :Surprised: 

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