Linux Running Slow/Linux 101 Docs
 

Linux (Mandrake) is running 5-6 times slower than XP. Read all posts concerning this subject.
I don't know how to do any of the things suggested in those posts. I guess someone could recommend a simple user guide to teach me how and where to execute those utility commands.
The problem is that I have to learn how to fix the problem before I can learn how to use the program. Sort of crazy, don't you think?
From what I'm reading, it's not anything that was done wrong on installation. Below are my specs; maybe someone can find something not compatible and save me time and frustration. Besides, if this is going to become a project for me, I'll sooner just go back to using XP solely and just forget about Linux - it's just an OS, for God's sake!

K6-III 500 MHz (flashed)
Award Modular BIOS v4.51pg
512 MB SDRAM
nVidia GeForce2 Graphics

Primary partition created (12 G) on 2nd hd, formatted EXT3
No swapfile was asked to be created during install
Using KDE 3.4

Btw, ran Knoppix 4.0 a few months ago from CD and speed was fine. Didn't use it because there wasn't a resolution choice for 800x600. Icons and print were too small and couldn't make them larger.

What version of Mandrake are you using? Maybe it would be worth trying another distro. If I remember correctly, Knoppix can be installed to the hardrive like a normal distro. Alternatively, Ubuntu is a very good distro for newbies.

--Ian

in my experience...a p3 500mhz processor is a bit slow to be running kde which can be a totally bloated environment to run. the swap shouldn't be a problem, cuz you have 512 of ram. i have 512 of ram as well, and my swap is never touched. what i did when i ran suse on a p3 was to use a lighter window manager. fluxbox is quick and zippier, and fully configurable, although it's something you need to get used to. being new can be a bit daunting, but if you stick with it and are willing to learn as you go, you should be fine :)

i've never used mandriva/madrake, but i would think it's the same as the others...you might have a choice of which windows manager to use when you boot. look around and see if they aren't already installed. suse and slackware install a few by default, so i would think man would too.

as for a nice tutorial...rute is an excellent start...