Input lag with Cinnamon 64bit

[jerm1027]

Hello, I've had this problem for a now and I can't seem to figure it out. The only pattern I've noticed (but can't confirm), is that the issue occurs after idle/lock-screen. Both the mouse and keyboard are very sluggish, but the animations are still smooth. It's almost impossible to navigate the pointer, and I have to wait for characters to appear while i'm typing.

Specs:
2500k @ 4.2GHz
8GB DDR3-1866
64GB OCz Agility 3
Radeon HD 5830
Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon x64
Razr Deathadder mouse (3500 DPI) and Razr Arctosa Keyboard.

I've glanced over other posts, but the problems don't seem to be quite like mine. I did peak into system resources and noticed that cinnamon is constantly using >60% of one core. I'm running the latest updates as of this post.

Any help figuring this out is much appreciated.

[jerm1027]

Update: The problem occurs over time. I've been actively using the computer and hasn't gone to lock screen and now my keyboard/mouse just lagged up.

[Fajah]

I just started getting some input lag today using Mint 13 KDE on a Lenovo Thinkpad T-61. I thought that it may be from some software I recently installed that may be hogging some memory but after un-installing all of it, I'm still getting lag. I don't know what's causing it for all was fine up until today.

[jerm1027]

I just started getting some input lag today using Mint 13 KDE on a Lenovo Thinkpad T-61. I thought that it may be from some software I recently installed that may be hogging some memory but after un-installing all of it, I'm still getting lag. I don't know what's causing it for all was fine up until today.

Well that blows another one of my theories out of water. I suspected it was Cinnamon, but if you're having problems with KDE, it suggests it's something else within Mint. I've never had this problem with any other Ubuntu derivative.

[DrHu]

Some application or background process is holding (not releasing memory well!) or the time and the applications running or specific applications are retaining RAM and possibly have a higher priority
--you could try renice every so often
http://linux.about.com/library/cmd/blcmdl8_renice.htm

and see if you still get the slowed response to your particular set of activities (application that are running or backgrounded!)

If you can, you could also try nice to manage the priorty of the process/application you need to have such a priority
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nice_%28Unix%29

For interest, you could have a look at the kernel scheduler, but Linux desktops today use a pre-emptive scheduler which improves desktop OS responses (foreground usually)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel

A T61 is an older notebook, I would probably ask first: how much RAM is installed
http://www.cnet.com/laptops/lenovo-thin ... 42903.html
--I see the max RAM is 4GB, not that much for a 64bit OS version, more RAM really helps Linux a lot in terms of performance
--you might get better performance using a 32bit OS install with PAE extension, if you want to partition the RAM (and assuming it is at MAX 4GB) to get the most space for the user applications..

Also check the SWAP space being used, or use top or htop to check: if you have plenty of RAM free, you won't have any swap space being used..
http://linux.about.com/od/commands/l/blcmdl1_top.htm
http://thegeekylinux.blogspot.ca/2011/0 ... nitor.html
--maybe some more data can be shown, why it may be considered better?

[jerm1027]

Some application or background process is holding (not releasing memory well!) or the time and the applications running or specific applications are retaining RAM and possibly have a higher priority
--you could try renice every so often
http://linux.about.com/library/cmd/blcmdl8_renice.htm

and see if you still get the slowed response to your particular set of activities (application that are running or backgrounded!)

If you can, you could also try nice to manage the priorty of the process/application you need to have such a priority
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nice_%28Unix%29

For interest, you could have a look at the kernel scheduler, but Linux desktops today use a pre-emptive scheduler which improves desktop OS responses (foreground usually)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel

A T61 is an older notebook, I would probably ask first: how much RAM is installed
http://www.cnet.com/laptops/lenovo-thin ... 42903.html
--I see the max RAM is 4GB, not that much for a 64bit OS version, more RAM really helps Linux a lot in terms of performance
--you might get better performance using a 32bit OS install with PAE extension, if you want to partition the RAM (and assuming it is at MAX 4GB) to get the most space for the user applications..

Also check the SWAP space being used, or use top or htop to check: if you have plenty of RAM free, you won't have any swap space being used..
http://linux.about.com/od/commands/l/blcmdl1_top.htm
http://thegeekylinux.blogspot.ca/2011/0 ... nitor.html
--maybe some more data can be shown, why it may be considered better?

Resources aren't scarce (by any stretch) with my machine, and the performance doesn't degrade; The animations are smooth, programs open and close very timely, and the system is still very responsive aside from input. Could resource scheduling be an issue? Also and I don't have this problem with any other Ubuntu derivative.

[Fajah]

First, I would like to thank DrHu for the info and links. After reading through the material, I decided to try htop to see what was going on. As it turned out, rtkit-daemon seemed to be an issue. Apparently, rtkit-daemon has a tendency to call upon pulse audio. Deletion of the file, and whatever I else could find related to the addition sound files I had installed to enable midi, greatly reduced the lag, However, it was still there. A further examination via via htop showed that elements of the KDE desktop itself seemed to be having a negative affect.

As a test, I booted from my Mint 13 KDE (64 bit) live DVD. The lag was there. I then booted from both my 32 and 64 bit Mint 13 Mate DVD's. In both cases, there was no lag. I would have tried Cinnamon, but persistent toolbar issues related to video acceleration has kept me away from it.

My solution..... a clean reinstall of Mint 13 Mate 64 bit. In the end, it's allot easier and faster to do than trying to diagnose what issues within the KDE environment is causing the lag. It may just be that my computer likes only Mate.

[jerm1027]

Just posting an update. I just gave Mint 14 64bit Cinnamon a whirl and there is no input lag. Very snappy! I'm impressed.