Linux slow on Shuttle SV25

[lgoodbar]

I've installed various recent Linux distros (RH9, Fedora, etc.) on a Shuttle SV25 with a Celeron 1.3GHz, 512MB, 40GB drive.

Linux installs fine. However, I'm experiencing extremely long ping times to the box (200-400ms) and massive CPU utilization from a simple ping request.

Pinging outbound takes 20-25% system. Pinging inbound takes 40-50% system. Combined pinging in/out takes about 50-60% system.

SSHing into the box is very slow, and keystroke echoes take about a second.

Downloading a 3.5MB file over the Internet takes 25 seconds (about 143K/s) on my slow Linux router (300MHz Celeron, 256MB), but takes 179 seconds (about 21K/s). During this time, the Shuttle's CPU is maxed out (99-100%).

I didn't put this under networking as I think this is a systemic issue (but I could be wrong). I know other people use Linux on Shuttles without any problem. Just having trouble deciding if it is a Linux issue (probably not) or a Shuttle BIOS/hardware issue.

This is the first Linux system I've installed that's had such a problem on the outset.

Any help or advice appreciated!

Thanks,
Loyd

PS: Forgot to mention current OS is ClarkConnect based on RedHat 9 (I think) with kernel 2.4.20-30.9.

[Hellmasker]

what network card do u have, i would suspect using the wrong driver so it shavign to work hell hard to get anything done. does any other stuff eg. opening browsers etc seem really slow?

[lgoodbar]

It is an integrated motherboard NIC, Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+. Using Linux drivers 8139too and mii as autodetected during setup.

I don't see anything weird in /var/log/messages except "kernel: spurious 8259A interrupt: IRQ7." The network card is on IRQ11, so this should be unrelated.

[Grim76]

Make sure things like Apache, MySQL, and other various servers that you are not going to use at this time are turned off.

I know I had some slowness issues with my system to start with. However, once I turned all the not needed items off it runs like a dream.

-Grim

[lgoodbar]

Agreed. However, this was a freshly installed system with few running services, text mode only (no X), and simple ping tests use half of a 1300MHz CPU. On my fully loaded 300MHz gateway/firewall system (MySQL, Apache, mail & gateway services) pings don't dent CPU.

While I installed RH 7.2 last night (old I know), I got a sig11. So now I'm running Memtest and will pass the badram=... to the kernel once I get one running with badram support. I can't think that the kernel has TCP buffers in bad memory locations, but this should eliminate possible RAM errors.

Installed so far:
Fedora Core 1 - slow
RedHat 9 - slow
ClarkConnect 2.2 home - slow
Gentoo live CD - slow
RedHat 7.2 - did not install, got sig11

I guess next on my list is Knoppix live CD just to see and maybe FreeBSD.

[lgoodbar]

I just tried FreeBSD 5.2.1-RELEASE, and CPU utilization during pings is greatly reduced. Running the rl driver for ethernet.

Incoming pings are replied in .2-.3 ms, and CPU utilization is about 5%. Outgoing pings use about 8% CPU.

So while the integrated NIC may be inefficient in terms of sharing DMA and interrupts, FreeBSD is doing a better job handling the load than any recent Linux I've tried. It is comparing apples and oranges, but the only difference in configuration is the operating system used.

I'll try to update when I find out more information.

[lgoodbar]

Turns out the integrated network adapter sucks big time. Luckily the Shuttle has a spare PCI, and I got a Netgear card (natsemi driver) in it, works flawlessly. Imperceptible CPU usage during simultaneous outgoing and incoming pings. (100% idle during all ping tests)

Since the BIOS won't let me disable the integrated NIC, I have to resort to modifying the configuration for eth0 for onboot=no.

Workarounds fine.