Firefox Running Slow in Linux

[Daniel B. Thurman]

Arthur Pemberton wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 6, 2009 at 12:28 PM, Clemens Eisserer <linuxhippy at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> The problems with FireFox "beeing slow" has two different reaons:
>>
>> 1.) FireFox UI is slow / Scrolling is slow:
>> Your video driver does not accalerated XRender well, or is slow for
>> other reaons. (While scrolling and running top, is FireFox eating all
>> the CPU or Xorg?)
>>     
The system I have is a ClientPro DX5000, Mobo=Intel `Outrigger', PIII -
(1) 866MHz, 133FSB, 256MB RIMM Ram, PATA 200GB HD, w/2GB swap.

I found that FF w/256MB system RAM puts my system in high swap and
extremely slow system response (mouse movement is really jerky).  The vCard
that I have is a GeForce 7600, so that is not the problem, but imo, the 
lack of
system memory?

Killing FF greatly restores system performance.  It seems that the minimum
system RAM should be no less than 512MB, perhaps? Of course, more RAM
is needed if more services/apps are added to the original installed 
baseline.

Of course, with 256MB RAM, there is no way for me to do F10 installation
off the CD/DVD, it falls flat and very badly at that.  RIMM memory is 
expensive
and so I held back ($59.99/512MB and I need 2, so that pushes it up 
closer to a new
Duo-core mobos with much newer/faster hardware/options and better 
performance)

I'm pretty sure more RAM would greatly improve performance, and FF 
should be Ok.

I surmise this because FF seems to require a lot of system memory, as I 
have  another
ClientPro PIII - 667Mhz, w/ onboard Nvidia TNT (32MB ram), but with 
512MB system
RAM and FF works fine and is faster performing than on the DX5000.

>> FireFox just sends drawing commands to the X-Server, if the drivers
>> are broken its not FireFox fault.
>>     
>
> So one needs a highend, fully supported video card to scroll properly
> in Firefox/Linux?
>   
Hard to say, as performance is first dependent on the Mobo: CPU/RAM/FSB 
and then the vCard,
or so I think.