Starting game reboots session

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

It was a fresh install, from CD, and fully updated. I'm not trying to make absolute comparisons between computers as a solid diagnosis, although I have listed those differences specifically in an earlier post. But I do find it strange that performance of this machine would fall in the toilet simply going from Ubuntu to Kubuntu, unless Kubuntu is dramatically more dependent on cpu speed and RAM. My daughter probably had fifty games loaded here that she used to play, and now anything with complex graphics is unusable. Worked yesterday...crippled today. Does that make sense to you? No other problems evident in the install.

[Snowhog]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Well, Feisty is using a more modern kernel, and so, memory resource requirements of that kernel and its processes could be more demanding. I'm guessing here. If you have the means to add an additional 256M to your daughters PC to bring the RAM up to 512M, I'd be curious if the performance doesn't improve.

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Well, I can understand that angle. I could buy more RAM and may do so... the max for this machine is 512MB. I'm a sort of old-school mechanic however, so it's my nature to adjust instead of replace whenever possible. Until at least it seems evident that buying more RAM is the answer. Maybe I just need to sleep on it awhile and see if any other ideas pop up.

[Snowhog]

Re: Starting game reboots session

My suggestion was to 'add' additional RAM (256M chip if the PC has the extra slot) or to 'replace' with a 512M chip, and in both case, "if you had the chip(s) laying around" to use. Wasn't implying that you go out and buy the RAM, but if that is the only option available to you, a 256M chip or a 512M chip isn't very expensive these days.

I understand your 'old school' point of view on this though. I too, like to 'know why' before I just 'go out and buy.' Hmm, a rhyme!

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Well here's an update. I upgraded the RAM to the maximum- 512MB, and the system recognizes the additional memory. Performance with 3D games is the same: unusably bad. A test with glxgears shows exactly the same frame rate as before: 115 FPS.

Clearly, I don't understand this stuff very well but I have made an observation that might be pertinent. My PC works great with 3D games and other graphics with only 768MB RAM. When I look at the Kinfocenter display there is an entry for OPENGL. When I check my daughter's PC there is no OPENGL in the list at all. Both computers use the same graphics card.

I don't really understand the whole graphics acceleration thing or even what OpenGL really is. Can anyone help me figure this out? Is there something I have to install or enable somehow?