Is this normal?

[termin]

I would just like to ask about the cpu usage of ubuntu. It normally uses less memory (130MB minimum. 300MB maximum) using gnome. (but my main environment is e17, which uses only 120-150 MB.) However, the cpu usage is insane, comsuming 50-80% of cpu. (regardless of desktop environment.) Is there a reason for this. I've used different distro's of linux for a long time now,(2 years) and it's like this for every single one that I've tried. There is a attachment of gnome-monitor showing the cpu usage in e17 (which uses the same amount for gnome). Is this amount normal?

[Basher101]

You should check your processes. It looks like one is bugging and taking all the CPU. Run the System Monitor and click on the Tab Processes and then click on % CPU to display the processes that take up most of the CPU. Try to end them and see if that resolves your issue. Also please post what the process is that takes up the CPU

[termin]

Oh, sorry, heres the attachment.

[Basher101]

Yes thats your system monitor. Now on the top of it you have those tabs there - click on Processes and on % CPU for it to display the process with the highest CPU load

[termin]

here's the result of the %cpu (see attachment.)
thanks again for the fast reply.

[Basher101]

Now this seems odd. What version of Ubuntu do you use and what is your Graphics card? Also run this in a terminal in the background

top

it will display the processes with the highest cpu load (not all are listed in the system monitor)

[termin]

I'm using natty narwhal.
My specs:
gpu: nvidia geforce 4 mx 4000
cpu: pentium4 3.06 GHZ
mem: 3GB

[Basher101]

Your hardware looks decent enough. Run the command in the background and just look what process takes the CPU load up

[termin]

top displays this:

[Basher101]

If you use natty why do you have gnome 3 installed? Looks like its the gnome 3 session that takes up so much CPU. Try logging out with the fallback session or gnome classic (gtk 2.3x) and run the command again (or look in the system monitor)