Removing Desktops and Killing Processes?

[Guest amunoz]

I'm new to Linux and chose to install Mandriva One Spring 2007 (64-bit version.) Everything seems ok (better than some of the other distributions I installed.) Matisse even loaded up without a hitch (although that thing with the cube isn't running.) I did all of the recommended updates suggested (by the system) last night.

 

There just seem to be two problems:

 

1. I can't reduce the number of virtual desktops. There are presently nine (as indicated by the nine rectangles in the lower right corner of the screen, and the desktop pager on the lower panel.) I really just need two, but when I change it to two using kdesktop (which is currently showing me as having only one desktop?) I end up with eighteen. I guess it figured I wanted two for each of the original nine? Selecting three gets me 27, accordingly.

 

So, what bit of software is telling it (Mandriva? KDE?) that there should be nine desktops in the first place?

 

2. The mouse pointer is constantly animating (blue dots orbiting black arrow) from the moment I log on (it's not animated at the log on screen.) This leads me to believe that there's some (a lot?) of background processes constantly going on. I've activated the runaway process monitor and it's giving me a ... happy face. I know using top from the terminal will give me a list of running processes. What would be some things I don't want to see there? Here's what it said as I typed this.

 

top - 18:43:30 up 10:39, 1 user, load average: 0.01, 0.06, 0.07

Tasks: 94 total, 1 running, 93 sleeping, 0 stopped, 0 zombie

Cpu(s): 0.7%us, 0.3%sy, 0.0%ni, 99.0%id, 0.0%wa, 0.0%hi, 0.0%si, 0.0%st

Mem: 2049744k total, 870388k used, 1179356k free, 152336k buffers

Swap: 4088500k total, 0k used, 4088500k free, 386904k cached

 

PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND

6733 amunoz 15 0 187m 24m 5592 S 2 1.2 0:51.36 FvwmCompositor

1 root 16 0 3700 580 496 S 0 0.0 0:00.89 init

2 root RT 0 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 migration/0

3 root 34 19 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 ksoftirqd/0

4 root RT 0 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 watchdog/0

5 root RT 0 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 migration/1

6 root 34 19 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 ksoftirqd/1

7 root RT 0 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 watchdog/1

8 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.05 events/0

9 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 events/1

10 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.01 khelper

11 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 kthread

15 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.06 kblockd/0

16 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 kblockd/1

17 root 14 -5 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 kacpid

97 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 kseriod

146 root 20 0 0 0 0 S 0 0.0 0:00.00 pdflush

 

(waitasecond ... where Firefox and Gaim? They were both running!)

 

Performance doesn't seem to be taking a hit ... but it still has me concerned. Any other ideas?

 

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Edited May 26, 2007 by amunoz

[AussieJohn]

To reduce the number of desktops you need to go into KDE Control Centre........Desktop.........Multiple Desktops and make the change there. Easy Peasy.

 

Cheers. John.

[{BBI}Nexus{BBI}]

CTRL+Esc will bring up KDE System Guard. Use the drop down box to select own process for a list of what you are running. Using top you press u then type your username.

Edited May 27, 2007 by {BBI}Nexus{BBI}

[Guest amunoz]

To reduce the number of desktops you need to go into KDE Control Centre........Desktop.........Multiple Desktops and make the change there. Easy Peasy.

 

Cheers. John.

 

I wish! KDE Control Center seems to be under the impression I only have one desktop, whereas the pager says I have nine.

[AussieJohn]

I think it means you have some corrupted packages rather than a settings problem.

 

Despite the views of one or two members about re-installation, I think you would do well to do a reinstall. I have found that often just doing a dummy reinstall will fix a lot of problems so maybe try that first. Especially considering how little time it takes and also especially if you want to spend more of your time using your computer rather than spending most of it trying to fix it.

 

I would try burning a fresh copy of the OS, making sure it is done at the slowest speed practicable.

 

Cheers. John.

[Mhn]

I think it is Metisse that makes the nine desktops. Haven't used it myself, so I don't know if there is a Control Center or similar for it.

[ffi]

I think it is Metisse that makes the nine desktops. Haven't used it myself, so I don't know if there is a Control Center or similar for it.

correct, right click the window border to adjust metisse settings.....