The GNOME desktop in Linux offers the System Monitor tool for tracking processor activit...

The GNOME desktop in Linux offers the System Monitor tool for tracking processor activity. In this project, you learn how to use the System Monitor tool.

To monitor processor usage using the System Monitor tool:

1. Click Applications in the top Panel, point to System Tools, and click System Monitor. On some systems with the GNOME desktop, there may be more than one listing under System Tools for System Monitor. If the one you select does not produce a window as in Figure 3-5, try a different System Monitor selection under System Tools.

2. Ensure that the Resources tab is displayed (see Figure 3-5).

3. If your computer has more than one processor, you’ll see a color coded line for each processor in the CPU History section of System Monitor (Figure 3-5 shows there are two processors). How many processors does your computer have?

4. Notice the Memory and Swap History section of System Monitor. The Memory information shows the amount of memory that is currently in use out of the total amount of memory. In Figure 3-5, 168.8 MiB (or MB) or 8.4 % of the total memory is in use in a computer having 2 GiB (or GB) of RAM. What are the memory statistics for your computer?

5. Click the System tab in System Monitor.

6. Notice the memory and processor information about your computer and record this information. What is the Linux kernel version?

7. Close the System Monitor window.