Ubuntu for Non-Geeks, 4th Edition

My Computer Is Running Slowly

Certain tasks take up lots of computing power and cause your computer to run slowly. Burning a CD, installing software, and converting music files to a different format all tend to strain your system, so you shouldn't be surprised if things feel a little sluggish when something like that is running. But what if your computer is running slowly even if you're not running anything intensive? You can investigate the cause of the slowdown by selecting System ▸ Administration ▸ System Monitor to open the System Monitor. Select the Resources tab, and check your CPU (processor) usage—if it's around 100 percent, then a program running in the background is probably responsible for the problem (for example, the one in Figure 21-14 ...