Make A Choppy Desktop Feel Smooooth

[F37U5G0D]

I had a problem recently in which when I was loading a website the mouse would get sticky. Taking slightly longer than it should to move instead of gliding smoothly across the screen. This problem was especially bad if I tried to load two or more pages. Then I noticed that if I did anything that was processor intesive I got the same effect It is difficult to explain but if you have this problem I am sure you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Anyway it took me a while to find a good answer but I finally did! If you set Xorg's nice value to -1 you will make it more important than any other process. Xorg is what draws the mouse (and the windows). If you go to /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config and change the last line from "nice_value = 0" to "nice_value = -1" and reboot you will be greated by a smooth as glass desktop.

Bottom Line (forgive the pun)

Change /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config from "nice_value = 0" to "nice_value = -1"

[Tadeas]

Great advice, thanks!

However I have a little problem with it. It did work some time ago, but recently I've noticed, that Xorg starts with nice 0. It's probably after some upgrade (I'm running Sid), but I dunno which as it could be quite long between the change and between I've noticed. Anybody knows what could be wrong?

[garrincha]

Great advice, thanks!

However I have a little problem with it. It did work some time ago, but recently I've noticed, that Xorg starts with nice 0. It's probably after some upgrade (I'm running Sid), but I dunno which as it could be quite long between the change and between I've noticed. Anybody knows what could be wrong?

Run this as root:

Code: Select all

dpkg-reconfigure x11-common

[craigevil]

# Xwrapper.config (Debian X Window System server wrapper configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by the post-installation script of the x11-common
# package using values from the debconf database.
#
# See the Xwrapper.config(5) manual page for more information.
#
# This file is automatically updated on upgrades of the x11-common package
# *only* if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of that package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command as root:
# dpkg-reconfigure x11-common
allowed_users=console

The line "nice_value = 0" is not there.

[Mr B]

The line "nice_value = 0" is not there.

If you run:-

Code: Select all

# dpkg-reconfigure x11-common

- you should get the option to edit the "nice" value....

[craigevil]

The line "nice_value = 0" is not there.

If you run:-

Code: Select all

# dpkg-reconfigure x11-common

- you should get the option to edit the "nice" value....

The only option it asks about is console users.

[gnudude]

The line "nice_value = 0" is not there.

it is in my lenny install

The only option it asks about is console users.

it asks me a few things including nice value

are you running debian or sidux?
what priority is your debconf set for?

[craigevil]

Ok so is it "nice_value = -1" or without the quotes?

[Mr B]

This is the contents of my /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config

# Xwrapper.config (Debian X Window System server wrapper configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by the post-installation script of the x11-common
# package using values from the debconf database.
#
# See the Xwrapper.config(5) manual page for more information.
#
# This file is automatically updated on upgrades of the x11-common package
# *only* if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of that package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command as root:
# dpkg-reconfigure x11-common
allowed_users=console
nice_value=-1

On my Squeeze "dpkg-reconfigure x11-common" gives this:-



Followed by this screen after the selection has been made:-

[Tadeas]

It didn't ask me too. In Sid (not Sidux)

[gnudude]

what about

dpkg-reconfigure -plow x11-common

[pendrachken]

Just renice the server when / if needed.

Use ps ax | grep X

to find your PID of the Xserver/s and
renice -n -1 PID1 PID2 etc etc....

That way if you don't need the GUI to be more responsive it won't try to grab more processor time, just renice it if it starts acting up.

[Tadeas]

what about

dpkg-reconfigure -plow x11-common

Didn't change anything... It still asks only who is allowed to start X (root only, console users only, anybody)

[Penguin Skinner]

'dpkg-reconfigure x11-common' lets me set nice value; running Deb testing.

[dbbolton]

Has anyone dared to try anything lower than -1 ?