Linux – How to determine the Linux box’s performance bottleneck

linuxperformance

I recently installed Ubuntu 9.04 (First time Linux desktop user) on my new netbook.

There is only a little additional software (Skype, Dropbox, AVI/MP3 Codecs), and the OS updates – and already the system hangs and gets real slow every now and again.

Maybe it just feels slow because I've moved from Google Chrome on a desktop to Firefox on a notebook; but there's definately a bottleneck – and according to the System Monitor it's not the CPU.

Before investing in a SSD, I'd like to know:
what software would you recommend I use to determine this bottleneck?

Here's the specs:
RAM: 2GB DDR2 800MHz.
CPU: Intel Atom N270 @ 1.60GHz.
GPU: Integrated.
HDD: 150GB SATA Hitachi HTS54501.

I've already checked the threads
Tools to find bottlenecks in hardware configuration
& Will I see performance benefits from an SSD in my laptop?
and they didn't quite answer my question.

Thanks.

Best Answer

Check the utilization of the following things besides the processor,

  1. The 2GB RAM (if you are beyond 80%-90%, you need more of it)
    • Swap space (If you find more than 30%-40% utilization, Disk I/O may slowing you down)
    • Disk I/O (journaling and disk access speed may be holding you)

Checking Disk I/O is a good idea,
I'd also suggest checking the notes in EvilChookie's answer (+1 there),
particularly because you have an Atom based system.
An idle processor could also be a processor waiting for data/instructions.

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