AW: Multi-Processor Usage an Lubuntu 13.10 (64-bit) on MacBook

[Aere Greenway]

On 10/24/2013 01:20 AM, Leszek Lesner wrote:
> Tryout the terminal command
>
> Cat /proc/cpuinfo
>
> If this shows processor 0 and a processor 1 the system recognized two 
> CPUs and is using them.
> The Qsynth through pulseaudio thing is bad as it had (from my 
> experience till pulseaudio 2.0) a bad latency. Use Alsa here instead 
> (needs to suspend pulseaudio first) and test again.
>
I browsed (using the file browser) to /proc, and double-clicked the 
cpuinfo file.

It showed "Intel Core Duo 2" (something like that - I'm going from 
memory), and the number of cores was displayed as 1.  Information 
(options such as pae) was shown only for one CPU.

I then tried booting the Ubuntu 13.04 amd64 live CD.

When I hold down the Options key while powering up, with Ubuntu, there 
are two icons having the round CD icon at the right.  The first of those 
two, is labeled "Windows".   The second is labeled "EFI Boot".

I booted the Ubuntu 13.04 DVD using the first ("Windows") CD icon.

It came up, and ran fine, but system-monitor showed only 1 CPU, and the 
"/proc/cpuinfo" file agreed with that assessment.  There were no desktop 
hangs observed.

I shut it down, and (again holding down the "Options" key when it 
powers-up) this time I selected the "EFI Boot" CD icon at the far right 
of the list.

It immediately showed a text line saying secure boot was not available, 
and then presented me with a text menu with entries (as I recall):

Try Ubuntu
Install Ubuntu
Check Disk for Defects

I chose "Try Ubuntu", and it booted (eventually) directly into Ubuntu 
Unity desktop.  In this case, system-monitor showed two CPU's, and the 
"/proc/cpuinfo" file also showed two cores (and info/options about each 
of them).

However, after awhile running, the desktop hung, and I could not do 
anything further but power down (I did wait quite awhile for it to 
un-freeze).

I then tried the Lubuntu 13.10 amd64-mac live DVD, wanting to try the 
"EFI Boot" option, but only the "Windows" CD icon was available.  On 
booting this CD, only one CPU was available.

I also tried selecting rEFIt on power-up, and it showed the Linux 
penguin icon (for the Linux partition on the hard disk), and also 
another penguin icon at the far right, which when highlighted, indicated 
it was on CD (DVD).  I selected this (far right) icon, and booted it.

When it came up, it had only one CPU (the "/proc/cpuinfo" file indicated 
that the number of cores was "1").  The system did not hang in the time 
I was using it.


Regarding my use of PulseAudio, I install it so that I can access the 
Java Sound (Gervill) synthesizer.  If I don't load PulseAudio (and 
pavucontrol), I cannot use that synthesizer.  On all Ubuntu variants, 
the Java Sound synthesizer expects PulseAudio to be used.

When I re-configured Qsynth to use JACK, there were no more cut-outs on 
the sound.  But I (as always with Linux on this MacBook) would only 
produce audible sound with the laptop speakers - plugging in the 
amplifier cable into the headphone jack effectively shut off all sound.

-- 
Sincerely,
Aere

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