Slow KDE application launch due to network activity

[T. 'Nifty New Hat' Mitchell]

On Fri, Jun 18, 2004 at 12:30:32AM +0200, Joan Moreau wrote:
> 
> I installed FC2 on a Dell Inspiron 300m, and it works perfectly.
> 
>    Except one thing : When I enable any of the network interfaces 
> (wireless (centrino) or wired (module tg3)), it becomes very slow to 
> launch applications under KDE, where as the CPU usage keeps low and no 
> problem in text mode...
> 
> Any clue ?

Only a guess.

When you bring up the  network interfaces 
you trigger  differences in host name resolution.

The most common host name lookup is for localhost and this lookup is
critical for stuff on the desktop and X in general.

If this is the issue, one possible solutions is:

   /usr/sbin/nscd - name service cache daemon

See /etc/nscd.conf; 

Check for it...

  # chkconfig --list | grep nscd

My guess is easy to test and does not require a reboot.

  # up2date install nscd
  # chkconfig nscd on
  # service nscd restart  #I use restart perhaps it is already on.

now test.

  # service nscd stop

and test again.

If you do not see any value you can 
  # service nscd stop
  # chkconfig nscd off

Remember the first 'launch applications under KDE'
will prime the cache.  The second application launch
(even a different application) will tell you.  Tinker
with simple games or xterm to test.

The Nutshell DNS bind  book discusses how important it is to have a local
authoritative lookup for both localhost and reverse lookups on the
127. net.  Using a caching daemon is much simpler than setting up
named with a local SOA (start of authority) for localhost.localdomain.


I just played with this and nscd can absolutely make stuff on the
desktop pop open quicker.  Give it a try.


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