Help with Ubuntu on an iMac

demkantor

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A bit over a year ago now I needed to set up my daughter with a computer for distance learning, I used my mother's old iMac from around 2011 I think. 8gib memory, i5-2400s 2.5ghz x4, running Ubuntu 20.04 without a hitch, love it, works great
fast forward and my youngest is in kindergarten now, wants to be like big sister with a computer, got an iMac from a friend that's very similar, I think it's late 2009 or 2010. Also 8gib memory but cpu is a dual core Intel e7600, so yeah a bit less powerful but should be good.
Problem is there are long pauses in operations, especially opening Firefox, to the point it isn't useable - what's the best way to troubleshoot? 20.04 Ubuntu installs fine and depending on what we do it works good, just don't go online I guess... Just installed 21.10 to see if that could help, but I'm thinking may just be best to use a lighter weight distro... I would just prefer them to have a similar experience using a computer so they can help each other out - appreciate any advice here!
 


I running Ubuntu 20.04.3 on this desktop with only 4 gig of memory and a e7500 processor and it's painless.

Code:
ubuntu@Dell-OptiPlex-380:~$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Kernel: 5.11.0-38-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A Desktop: Gnome 3.36.9
           Distro: Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS (Focal Fossa)
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 380 v: N/A serial: <filter>
           Mobo: Dell model: 0HN7XN v: A01 serial: <filter> BIOS: Dell v: A02 date: 08/27/2010
CPU:       Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo E7500 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Penryn rev: A
           L2 cache: 3072 KiB
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 11704
           Speed: 1596 MHz min/max: 1600/2933 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1596 2: 1596
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel 4 Series Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel
           bus ID: 00:02.0
           Display: wayland server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: i915 resolution: 1024x768~60Hz
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel G41 (ELK) v: 2.1 Mesa 21.0.3 direct render: Yes
Audio:     Device-1: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.11.0-38-generic
Network:   Device-1: Broadcom and subsidiaries NetLink BCM57780 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe vendor: Dell
           driver: tg3 v: kernel port: ece0 bus ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 37.25 GiB used: 7.18 GiB (19.3%)
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD400BD-75JMA0 size: 37.25 GiB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 35.92 GiB used: 7.18 GiB (20.0%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 35.0 C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:      Processes: 182 Uptime: 2h 35m Memory: 3.74 GiB used: 963.6 MiB (25.1%) Init: systemd
           runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 inxi: 3.0.38
ubuntu@Dell-OptiPlex-380:~$

What is graphics adapter or graphics card because weak graphics will load the processor down.

To many browser extensions can slow a browser down.

Copy and paste this command in the terminal
Code:
inxi -Fxz
Copy and paste the output from that in a post.

Someone with more Linux knowledge than I will be by.


Welcome to the forum.
 
I running Ubuntu 20.04.3 on this desktop with only 4 gig of memory and a e7500 processor and it's painless.

Code:
ubuntu@Dell-OptiPlex-380:~$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Kernel: 5.11.0-38-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A Desktop: Gnome 3.36.9
           Distro: Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS (Focal Fossa)
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 380 v: N/A serial: <filter>
           Mobo: Dell model: 0HN7XN v: A01 serial: <filter> BIOS: Dell v: A02 date: 08/27/2010
CPU:       Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo E7500 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Penryn rev: A
           L2 cache: 3072 KiB
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 11704
           Speed: 1596 MHz min/max: 1600/2933 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1596 2: 1596
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel 4 Series Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel
           bus ID: 00:02.0
           Display: wayland server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: i915 resolution: 1024x768~60Hz
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel G41 (ELK) v: 2.1 Mesa 21.0.3 direct render: Yes
Audio:     Device-1: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.11.0-38-generic
Network:   Device-1: Broadcom and subsidiaries NetLink BCM57780 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe vendor: Dell
           driver: tg3 v: kernel port: ece0 bus ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 37.25 GiB used: 7.18 GiB (19.3%)
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD400BD-75JMA0 size: 37.25 GiB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 35.92 GiB used: 7.18 GiB (20.0%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 35.0 C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:      Processes: 182 Uptime: 2h 35m Memory: 3.74 GiB used: 963.6 MiB (25.1%) Init: systemd
           runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 inxi: 3.0.38
ubuntu@Dell-OptiPlex-380:~$

What is graphics adapter or graphics card because weak graphics will load the processor down.

To many browser extensions can slow a browser down.

Copy and paste this command in the terminal
Code:
inxi -Fxz
Copy and paste the output from that in a post.

Someone with more Linux knowledge than I will be by.


Welcome to the forum.


Thanks!
Hate to do this but I'm attaching a pic of the output since I can't get any browser to work. I looked to see if any proprietary graphics drivers were installed and at least according to the softy center no, so I'm assuming I'm using an open source driver that isn't playing nice?
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20211024_170305122.jpg
    PXL_20211024_170305122.jpg
    2.7 MB · Views: 219
Code:
maddie@maddie-iMac:~$ inxi -Fxz
System:
  Kernel: 5.13.0-20-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.2.0
  Desktop: GNOME 40.5 Distro: Ubuntu 21.10 (Impish Indri)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Apple product: iMac10,1 v: 1.0 serial: <filter>
  Mobo: Apple model: Mac-F2268CC8 serial: <filter> UEFI: Apple
  v: IM101.88Z.00D0.B00.1802021905 date: 02/02/18
CPU:
  Info: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo E7600 bits: 64 type: MCP
  arch: Penryn rev: A cache: L2: 3 MiB
  flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 12205
  Speed: 3051 MHz min/max: 1596/3059 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 3051 2: 3051
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP7A [GeForce 9400] vendor: Apple driver: nouveau
  v: kernel bus-ID: 03:00.0
  Device-2: Apple Built-in iSight type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-4:3
  Display: wayland server: X.Org 1.21.1.2 compositor: gnome-shell driver:
  loaded: nouveau note: n/a (using device driver) resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz
  OpenGL: renderer: NVAC v: 3.3 Mesa 21.2.2 direct render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP79 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  v: kernel bus-ID: 00:08.0
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.13.0-20-generic running: yes
  Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 15.0 running: yes
  Sound Server-3: PipeWire v: 0.3.32 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP79 Ethernet driver: forcedeth v: kernel port: 21e0
  bus-ID: 00:0a.0
  IF: enp0s10 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR928X Wireless Network Adapter
  vendor: Apple AirPort Extreme driver: ath9k v: kernel port: 1000
  bus-ID: 04:00.0
  IF: wlp4s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Apple Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR HCI type: USB driver: btusb
  v: 0.8 bus-ID: 4-1.1:3
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 1.2
  lmp-v: 2.1
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 9.71 GiB (2.1%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Seagate model: ST3500418ASQ size: 465.76 GiB
  temp: 49 C
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 456.89 GiB used: 9.7 GiB (2.1%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
  ID-2: /boot/efi size: 511 MiB used: 7.8 MiB (1.5%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/sda1
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 2 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) file: /swapfile
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nouveau temp: 60.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 1198
Info:
  Processes: 243 Uptime: 4m Memory: 7.51 GiB used: 1.07 GiB (14.2%)
  Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: N/A Packages: 1709 Shell: Bash


got brave installed and it works so long as i dont resize window... which makes it look like graphics drivers are at fault
 
Logout of Ubuntu and then try selecting "Ubuntu on Xorg" instead of using Wayland. See the the screenshot.
2021-10-24_19_21_26.jpeg

How does Firefox react when you are using an Xorg session?
 
also im seeing no additional drivers available in software & drivers -> additional drivers... assume i can manually install? just not sure what ones
 
well I see nothing wrong with the Fxz report
the graphics are using the kernel drivers, things may improve if you install proprietary drivers.
 
also im seeing no additional drivers available in software & drivers -> additional drivers... assume i can manually install? just not sure what ones
Yes you can also try that but I know that the proprietary Nvidia drivers aren't working fully correctly yet with a Wayland session. So I would first log into an Xorg session to see how Firefox reacts than, if it still reacts the same as before, then go to additional drivers, select the Nvidia driver and hit apply so that it downloads and installs it. Then reboot and login to an Xorg session to see how Firefox reacts then, you can then also see how Firefox reacts with the Wayland session for a comparison?
 
Yes you can also try that but I know that the proprietary Nvidia drivers aren't working fully correctly yet with a Wayland session. So I would first log into an Xorg session to see how Firefox reacts than, if it still reacts the same as before, then go to additional drivers, select the Nvidia driver and hit apply so that it downloads and installs it. Then reboot and login to an Xorg session to see how Firefox reacts then, you can then also see how Firefox reacts with the Wayland session for a comparison?
Xorg still is freezing, know where do I get the proper nvida drivers?
 
Xorg still is freezing, know where do I get the proper nvida drivers?
In the search menu, search for the word "driver", then select "Additional drivers", from there select the Nvidia driver and then select "Apply. It will then download and install the drivers, after which you will have to reboot.
 
if you search "GeForce 9400 linux drivers" you will find it, BUT there are also problems with using Legacy drivers with later Linux kernels [they do not play nicely togeather]
 
Code:
maddie@maddie-iMac:~$ hwinfo --gfxcard --short
graphics card:                                                 
                       nVidia MCP7A [GeForce 9400]

Primary display adapter: #6
maddie@maddie-iMac:~$ sudo lshw -C display
  *-display                 
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: MCP7A [GeForce 9400]
       vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
       version: b1
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
       configuration: driver=nouveau latency=0
       resources: irq:28 memory:d2000000-d2ffffff memory:c0000000-cfffffff memory:d0000000-d1ffffff ioport:1000(size=128) memory:d3000000-d301ffff
maddie@maddie-iMac:~$

ok, ill try the new drivers, if no good ill search for old, thanks!
 
sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall = no drivers found for installation
I did just instal nvidia-driver-460 will test this
 
ok so far so good, looks like i may have it fixed! things are running smooth and so far no freezing!!!
anyone with something similar, old imac maybe 2010 or 2009 with the GeForce 9400 gpu here is my latest output running inxi -Fxz
Code:
maddie@maddie-iMac:~$ inxi -Fxz
System:
  Kernel: 5.13.0-20-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.2.0
  Desktop: GNOME 40.5 Distro: Ubuntu 21.10 (Impish Indri)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Apple product: iMac10,1 v: 1.0 serial: <filter>
  Mobo: Apple model: Mac-F2268CC8 serial: <filter> UEFI: Apple
  v: IM101.88Z.00D0.B00.1802021905 date: 02/02/18
CPU:
  Info: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo E7600 bits: 64 type: MCP
  arch: Penryn rev: A cache: L2: 3 MiB
  flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 12205
  Speed: 1592 MHz min/max: 1596/3059 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1592 2: 1592
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP7A [GeForce 9400] vendor: Apple driver: N/A
  bus-ID: 03:00.0
  Device-2: Apple Built-in iSight type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-4:3
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.13 driver: loaded: fbdev,nouveau
  unloaded: modesetting,vesa resolution: 1920x1080~77Hz
  OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 12.0.1 128 bits) v: 4.5 Mesa 21.2.2
  direct render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP79 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  v: kernel bus-ID: 00:08.0
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.13.0-20-generic running: yes
  Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 15.0 running: yes
  Sound Server-3: PipeWire v: 0.3.32 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP79 Ethernet driver: forcedeth v: kernel port: 21e0
  bus-ID: 00:0a.0
  IF: enp0s10 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR928X Wireless Network Adapter
  vendor: Apple AirPort Extreme driver: ath9k v: kernel port: 1000
  bus-ID: 04:00.0
  IF: wlp4s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Apple Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR HCI type: USB driver: btusb
  v: 0.8 bus-ID: 4-1.1:3
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 1.2
  lmp-v: 2.1
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 11.89 GiB (2.6%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Seagate model: ST3500418ASQ size: 465.76 GiB
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 456.89 GiB used: 11.88 GiB (2.6%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
  ID-2: /boot/efi size: 511 MiB used: 7.8 MiB (1.5%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/sda1
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 2 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) file: /swapfile
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 43.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 1197
Info:
  Processes: 218 Uptime: 3m Memory: 7.51 GiB used: 1.18 GiB (15.7%)
  Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 11.2.0 Packages: 1849
  Shell: Bash v: 5.1.8 inxi: 3.3.06

although seeing driver: N/A looks bad to my eyes its not freezing anymore installed this driver:
Code:
sudo apt install nvidia-driver-418
rebooted and as of now its looking good!

thanks to all who came in and helped out! love the linux community!!
 
Copy and paste this command in the terminal to see if the Nvidia driver is installed.
Code:
lsmod | grep nvidia

If no output is displayed than copy and paste this command in the terminal.
Code:
lsmod | grep nouveau

Whichever displays an output is the driver that is installed and running.
 

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