How di I make Opensuse Faster? (+ wifi problem)

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Hi, I’m new to Opensuse and KDE and I don’t know all it’s features, I’m running it on a old laptop (Acer Aspire 3000), it isn’t very powerful! The performance is ok for now, but I know it can do better with some tweaks, I’ve manged to figure out a few things by my self but I’m sure someone can give me some better advise!! So, how do I make Opensuse 12.1 KDE faster?

Also, the integrated wifi device doesn’t work!

Mobile AMD Sempron™ Processor 3300+
SiSM760GX Chipset
1GB Memory
SiSM760GX integrated 3D graphics controller with 64MB shared RAM
Broadcom Wireless LAN 802.11b+g wlan

#2

Please open a terminal
Post result of

/sbin/lspci -nnk
#3

00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 760/M760 Host [1039:0760] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: agpgart-amd64
00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SG86C202 [1039:0002]
00:02.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS963 [MuTIOL Media IO] [1039:0963] (rev 25)
00:02.1 SMBus [0c05]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS961/2/3 SMBus controller [1039:0016]
Kernel driver in use: sis96x_smbus
00:02.5 IDE interface [0101]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 [IDE] [1039:5513]
Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0083]
Kernel driver in use: pata_sis
00:02.6 Modem [0703]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] AC’97 Modem Controller [1039:7013] (rev a0)
Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0083]
Kernel driver in use: snd_intel8x0m
00:02.7 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS7012 AC’97 Sound Controller [1039:7012] (rev a0)
Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0083]
Kernel driver in use: snd_intel8x0
00:03.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.1 Controller [1039:7001] (rev 0f)
Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0083]
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:03.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.1 Controller [1039:7001] (rev 0f)
Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0083]
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:03.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 2.0 Controller [1039:7002]
Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0083]
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:04.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS900 PCI Fast Ethernet [1039:0900] (rev 91)
Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0083]
Kernel driver in use: sis900
00:06.0 CardBus bridge [0607]: Texas Instruments PCI1510 PC card Cardbus Controller [104c:ac56]
Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0083]
Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
00:0b.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4318] (rev 02)
Subsystem: AMBIT Microsystem Corp. TravelMate 2410 [1468:0312]
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration [1022:1100]
00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map [1022:1101]
00:18.2 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller [1022:1102]
00:18.3 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control [1022:1103]
Kernel driver in use: k8temp
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 661/741/760 PCI/AGP or 662/761Gx PCIE VGA Display Adapter [1039:6330]
Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0083]

Graphics are not so good, but I guess it also because it is an old cheap graphics card!

#4

Your graphics will never be any good with SIS device

You wireless will work if you down load this
(removed file for download for legal reasons)
Extract the folder b43
Place it in
/lib/firmware

If a folder b43 already exists in /lib/firmware delete it and replace with the one I gave you

You may then need to do
sudo /sbin/modprobe -v b43

#5

Ok, wifi works now, thank you!! But it isn’t good enough to receive the signal (I’m quite far from my router), so for now it is useless… I forgot about SIS devices, I remember I used to have problems also on win xp. Well, it’s ok, thanks again for the help!

#6

On 12/23/2011 11:16 AM, kickokim wrote:
>
> Ok, wifi works now, thank you!! But it isn’t good enough to receive the
> signal (I’m quite far from my router), so for now it is useless… I
> forgot about SIS devices, I remember I used to have problems also on win
> xp. Well, it’s ok, thanks again for the help!

As for the wireless, if you have a weak signal and your computer has USB2 ports,
you might try an Alfa AWUS036H, which is available on E-bay for $26.49 with free
shipping. That is a “buy it now” price - you might do better in an auction. The
device contains a Realtek RTL8187L chip, which is supported by Linux, and it
requires no external firmware.

With my copy, I can connect to APs in my neighborhood that regular wireless
adapters do not even see when scanning.