Ubuntu 12.04 slow performance

Question

Just installed Ubuntu 12.04 64-bit on my ACER 5742 laptop. The performance is really slow.

While browsing pictures in Google, occasionally my system just freezes for about 5 seconds. Also, installing applications takes a lot of time. For example, installing "Skype" took me about 30 min or so.

In October, I installed earlier version of Ubuntu, and that version did not display any of these symptoms, so my laptop isn't to blame. And, my laptop's specs aren't that bad:

Model: Acer 5742g
Processor: Intel Pentium P6200 2.13GHz (duo-core)
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon HD6370M, 512 MB
RAM/Memory: 6GB 1066Mhz
Hard drive:: 500GB (5200 RPM)

I tried both a USB HDD and my 5200 RPM 500GB HDD.

I installed all the drivers that were displayed in Additional Drivers. But still, there is no improvement in performance.

Is it better to just install earlier version of Ubuntu or what?

Solution 1

unity 3d (default ubuntu interface) probally is too heavy for you, try a diffrent Desktop Enviorment and Window Manager, like LXDE, or XFCE

you can get a lxde enviorment with your current install by installing the lubuntu-desktop package

sudo apt-get install lubuntu-desktop

or for xfce- xubuntu-desktop

sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop

you could also try gnome-panel package for a more traditional pre 11.04 like interface (like gnome2)

Solution 2

Another alternative: Try to change unity 3d to 2d by clicking on the "unitysymbol" at the loginscreen (next to your login name).

Malte

Comments

[Admin]

Had same problem but I have change Unity for 3d to 2d and it looks to be work fine, lets hope it stays this way, else i will go back to version 11.10.

[tpei]

Why don't you try using Unity 2d, which is like unity 3d with a little less of the fancy effects.