I just built a computer and decided to give Linux a try. I have some techie friends who are helping me work through problems, but they aren't using Linux. My computer seemed to be running with some lag, so I checked system monitor and found that compiz is using 43% of my CPU (Friend told me this meant that my CPU is doing the graphics processing). Is this the result of a bad driver, or something else?

Specs of computer:
Graphics Card
>http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814202021

CPU
>http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...MRNqR6SgS6M.Yw

MoBo
>http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...Z.3JL_jNr3P3pQ

Thanks.

Which driver do you use for your videocard?

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When I am idle on my desktop screen and have system monitor on (you probably know, but its pretty much task manager) my CPU is running at 30%. Also when in idle and using system monitor the #1 process using the most CPU is called compiz (does that mean anything to any one?)
I believe the driver I am running is called Gallium 0.4 on llvmpipe (LLVM 3.2 128 bits)
I do not know much about what that is I am just copying over what Ubuntu says its running.

Compiz is the window manager used by Ubuntu's Unity desktop environment. If your driver is Gallium over llvmpipe indeed all the 3D work is done by the CPU. Normally the radeon driver should do the work over the videocard, but support for the HD7xxx series in that driver is currently not really good. I would recommend to install the AMD drivers, using the Additional Drivers function that can be found in the Software Sources application in your system settings.

edit: beat me to it.

When going into additional drivers there are 3 choices:
>Using X.Org X server--AMD/ATI display driver wrapper from xserver-xorg-video-ati (open source, tested)

>Using Video driver for the AMD graphics accelerators from fglrx (proprietary)

>Using Video driver for the AMD graphics accelerators from fglrx-updates (proprietary)



(Currently the first one is selected)



Which one?

Use the one from fglrx-updates, that should be the newest version.

All right It is applying changes now. will post when they take effect. thanks for the quick replies.

BTW any 1 know a quick way to get Skype. I tried from their site, but it wont open I just get an error message.

I installed the update, and began opening pages/ placing them on 1/2 screen b/c that was really laggy last time. It seemed to work quite well. As I was using the computer different windows stopped responding and eventually the entire system stopped, other than my mouse cursor. (This happens WAY too often to me, is it something that I am doing?) so i hit the restart button on my case. After the computer restarted i loged in and the login screen looked normal, but once i reached my desk top there are black bars running the border of my screen about an inch or so on all sides, and I do not have my toolbar on the left side, or the bar at the top. I do see one of my files that is on the desktop in the space though.

What went wrong?

was able to manipulate the menus and get back to old drivers, did not fix the problem.

If all else fails this is a new computer with not much on it I can grab the thumb drive I have and re install Ubuntu+drain hard drive.

Which version of Ubuntu are you running?
Also, have you tried if the videocard works as it should with a different OS?
Have you tried to configure the monitor/screen using AMD's Catalyst Control Center?

I am running 13.04 (the most recent)
What different OS should I try?
I have not used catalyst control center yet.


Like i said if i start up the computer now it is does not function. Ubuntu opens, but no task bar.

should I re install and work from there? (b/c i do like Ubuntu other than the troubles it looks nice and seems simple)

(I am using laptop to get on the forums)

EDIT: I am open to using a diffident Distribution of Linux. (I am a casual user and am, for now, unable to write code, so any new distro needs to be rather basic.

Ubuntu should be fine and it usually should work with your hardware. Reinstalling may indeed be the fastest way to solve your problem, after that check again which driver is used and maybe try one of the other options.

Can't do what I did the first time to install the OS.
last time I plugged in the USB and once powered up I hit F12 and entered boot menu. from there I selected USB and it gave me options to run it off the stick or install, or install and erease what is on the HDD.
Now if i plug it in restart computer, hit F12 and choose the USB option it just takes me to the login screen.

So I guss the question is how do I get the current OS off.

If it is simple type it up and I will follow the directions, but if it is rather difficult could you talk me through it over skype? (I'll email you my skype name)