How to make my PC faster

what kind of pc is it ? what os is installed ? what kind of processor does it have ? how much ram ? what kind of hdd ? what are you trying to make faster ?

Once we get the specs we can advise.

PC is a no brand.
Kubuntu 10.4 32 bit installed.
Intel (R) Processor
I do not know how much RAM
I do not know what kind of ndd
it has.

Is there a command that will
give me all of the answers you
need?

Cevin

actionparsnip i am going to unsubscribe from this one . hope you can help these people .

You can probably find these informations in the KDE equivalents of GNOME System Monitor and Disk Utility. I don't use KDE/Kubuntu so unfortunately I can't tell you exactly what to look for.

Here's a command to list the information of your CPU: cat /proc/cpuinfo

http://www.kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php this is where you need to go to get kubuntu help

Here is his info on his PC:
description: Desktop Computer
    product: PROD00000000
    vendor: OEM00000
    width: 32 bits
    capabilities: smbios-2.3 dmi-2.3 smp-1.4 smp
    configuration: boot=normal chassis=desktop cpus=1
  *-core
       description: Motherboard
       product: MS-7103
       vendor: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
       physical id: 0
     *-firmware
          description: BIOS
          vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
          physical id: 0
          version: 6.00 PG (09/15/2005)
          size: 128KiB
          capacity: 448KiB
          capabilities: isa pci pnp apm upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect socketedrom edd int13floppy360 int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video acpi usb agp ls120boot zipboot
     *-cpu
          description: CPU
          product: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.66GHz
          vendor: Intel Corp.
          physical id: 4
          bus info: cpu@0
          version: 15.4.1
          serial: 0000-0F41-0000-0000-0000-0000
          slot: Socket 478
          size: 2666MHz
          capacity: 4GHz
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 133MHz
          capabilities: boot fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe x86-64 constant_tsc up pebs bts pni dtes64 monitor ds_cpl tm2 cid cx16 xtpr
          configuration: id=0
        *-cache:0
             description: L1 cache
             physical id: 8
             slot: Internal Cache
             size: 32KiB
             capacity: 32KiB
             capabilities: synchronous internal write-back
        *-cache:1
             description: L2 cache
             physical id: 9
             slot: External Cache
             size: 1MiB
             capacity: 1MiB
             capabilities: synchronous external write-back
     *-memory
          description: System Memory
          physical id: 17
          slot: System board or motherboard
          size: 512MiB
          capacity: 2GiB
        *-bank:0
             description: DIMM SDRAM Synchronous
             product: None
             vendor: None
             physical id: 0
             serial: None
             slot: A0
             size: 512MiB
             width: 64 bits
        *-bank:1
             description: DIMM [empty]
             product: None
             vendor: None
             physical id: 1
             serial: None
             slot: A1
     *-pci
          description: Host bridge
          product: 661FX/M661FX/M661MX Host
          vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
          physical id: 100
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
          version: 11
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          configuration: driver=agpgart-sis latency=32
          resources: irq:0 memory:e8000000-ebffffff
        *-pci
             description: PCI bridge
             product: SiS AGP Port (virtual PCI-to-PCI bridge)
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 1
             bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: pci bus_master
             resources: ioport:d000(size=4096) memory:ec000000-ec0fffff memory:e0000000-e7ffffff(prefetchable)
           *-display UNCLAIMED
                description: VGA compatible controller
                product: 661/741/760 PCI/AGP or 662/761Gx PCIE VGA Display Adapter
                vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
                version: 00
                width: 32 bits
                clock: 66MHz
                capabilities: pm agp agp-3.0 cap_list
                configuration: latency=0
                resources: memory:e0000000-e7ffffff(prefetchable) memory:ec000000-ec01ffff ioport:d000(size=128)
        *-isa
             description: ISA bridge
             product: SiS964 [MuTIOL Media IO]
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
             version: 36
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: isa bus_master
             configuration: latency=0
        *-ide
             description: IDE interface
             product: 5513 [IDE]
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 2.5
             bus info: pci@0000:00:02.5
             logical name: scsi0
             logical name: scsi1
             version: 01
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: ide pm bus_master cap_list emulated
             configuration: driver=pata_sis latency=128
             resources: irq:16 ioport:1f0(size=8) ioport:3f6 ioport:170(size=8) ioport:376 ioport:4000(size=16)
           *-cdrom
                description: DVD writer
                product: DVDRW SHW-160P6S
                vendor: LITE-ON
                physical id: 0
                bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
                logical name: /dev/cdrom
                logical name: /dev/cdrw
                logical name: /dev/dvd
                logical name: /dev/dvdrw
                logical name: /dev/scd0
                logical name: /dev/sr0
                version: PS01
                capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r
                configuration: ansiversion=5 status=nodisc
           *-disk
                description: ATA Disk
                product: ST380215A
                vendor: Seagate
                physical id: 1
                bus info: scsi@1:0.0.0
                logical name: /dev/sda
                version: 3.AA
                serial: 9QZD2LFK
                size: 74GiB (80GB)
                capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
                configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=000eb673
              *-volume:0
                   description: EXT4 volume
                   vendor: Linux
                   physical id: 1
                   bus info: scsi@1:0.0.0,1
                   logical name: /dev/sda1
                   logical name: /
                   version: 1.0
                   serial: 2b507d12-a2bf-4a29-90fb-2109e3280ab8
                   size: 73GiB
                   capacity: 73GiB
                   capabilities: primary bootable journaled extended_attributes large_files huge_files dir_nlink recover extents ext4 ext2 initialized
                   configuration: created=2010-06-10 18:45:43 filesystem=ext4 lastmountpoint=/�$1��0��5t�rܔ7�u^ �U/��7�~!��������������0��77�a modified=2010-06-10 19:42:17 mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro,barrier=1,data=ordered mounted=2010-06-11 14:45:44 state=mounted
              *-volume:1
                   description: Extended partition
                   physical id: 2
                   bus info: scsi@1:0.0.0,2
                   logical name: /dev/sda2
                   size: 1361MiB
                   capacity: 1361MiB
                   capabilities: primary extended partitioned partitioned:extended
                 *-logicalvolume
                      description: Linux swap / Solaris partition
                      physical id: 5
                      logical name: /dev/sda5
                      capacity: 1361MiB
                      capabilities: nofs
        *-multimedia
             description: Multimedia audio controller
             product: AC'97 Sound Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 2.7
             bus info: pci@0000:00:02.7
             version: a0
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=Intel ICH latency=64 maxlatency=11 mingnt=52
             resources: irq:18 ioport:e000(size=256) ioport:e800(size=128)
        *-usb:0
             description: USB Controller
             product: USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 3
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.0
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64 maxlatency=80
             resources: irq:20 memory:ec124000-ec124fff
        *-usb:1
             description: USB Controller
             product: USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 3.1
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.1
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64 maxlatency=80
             resources: irq:21 memory:ec120000-ec120fff
        *-usb:2
             description: USB Controller
             product: USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 3.2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.2
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64 maxlatency=80
             resources: irq:22 memory:ec121000-ec121fff
        *-usb:3
             description: USB Controller
             product: USB 2.0 Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 3.3
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.3
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=64 maxlatency=80
             resources: irq:23 memory:ec122000-ec122fff
        *-network
             description: Ethernet interface
             product: SiS900 PCI Fast Ethernet
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 4
             bus info: pci@0000:00:04.0
             logical name: eth0
             version: 90
             serial: 00:13:d3:cd:d8:bf
             size: 100MB/s
             capacity: 100MB/s
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list rom ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
             configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=sis900 driverversion=v1.08.10 Apr. 2 2006 duplex=full ip=192.168.0.17 latency=64 link=yes maxlatency=11 mingnt=52 multicast=yes port=MII speed=100MB/s
             resources: irq:19 ioport:e400(size=256) memory:ec123000-ec123fff memory:20000000-2001ffff(prefetchable)
        *-storage
             description: RAID bus controller
             product: RAID bus controller 180 SATA/PATA [SiS]
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 5
             bus info: pci@0000:00:05.0
             version: 01
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: storage pm bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=sata_sis latency=128
             resources: irq:17 ioport:e900(size=8) ioport:ea00(size=4) ioport:eb00(size=8) ioport:ec00(size=4) ioport:ed00(size=16) ioport:ee00(size=128)
     *-scsi
          physical id: 1
          bus info: usb@1:2
          logical name: scsi4
          capabilities: emulated scsi-host
          configuration: driver=usb-storage
        *-disk
             description: SCSI Disk
             physical id: 0.0.0
             bus info: scsi@4:0.0.0
             logical name: /dev/sdb
             size: 3933MiB (4124MB)
             capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
             configuration: signature=221e5780
           *-volume
                description: Windows FAT volume
                vendor: ALiOS1.0
                physical id: 1
                bus info: scsi@4:0.0.0,1
                logical name: /dev/sdb1
                version: FAT32
                serial: 30a3-239e
                size: 3932MiB
                capacity: 3932MiB
                capabilities: primary bootable fat initialized
                configuration: FATs=2 filesystem=fat

Ok so you have 512Mb RAM. You can install LXDE. It is a lighter desktop and uses less resources. Definately makes systems faster.

You can also run:

gksudo gedit /etc/sysctl.conf

add this line:

vm.swappiness=5

Save the new file and close gedit.

Should make the system stay in RAM more, should make things smoother.

OK I got you, so If I buy more RAM
that would speed it up to correct?

Thank you

Oh god yes. The more ram you have the more the system will be able to use for applications and use swap less, but also more can be used for disk cache to make drive access faster. RAM is also VERY cheap so go for it.

I'll do that.
I thought more RAM would work.
Put till then can I install LXDE on
his PC. I just put it in there but it
did not install.

OR is there an buntu that uses
less RAM for now to kick his PC
in gear?

LXDE will mak your Ubuntu use less RAM.I fully recommend it. There is even a release based on LXDE named Lubuntu which is LXDE based and hopes to get officilstatus.