Joomla is very slow or unresponsive - Joomla! Forum - community, help and support

hello new joomla , very slow @ times , other times nothing have refresh page in order response joomla.  have included system info in post containing version numbers , not.

i got warning session directory being unwritable in web based install installed joomla anyhow.  seems work things happen very or not @ all.  using amd 1200 700mb of ram should lots of power joomla when use top monitor server activity not alot going on ie system not straining keep never higher 10% cpu usage.

please , thank in advance

php built on:  freebsd new.computerking.ca 6.2-stable freebsd 6.2-stable #0: sun mar 18 16:54:21 mst 2007 root@backup1.computerking.ca:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/king1 i386
database version: 5.0.37
php version: 5.2.1
web server: apache/2.2.4 (freebsd) dav/2 php/5.2.1 suhosin-patch mod_ssl/2.2.4 openssl/0.9.7e-p1
webserver php interface: apache2handler
joomla! version: joomla! 1.0.12 stable [ sunfire ] 25 december 2006 01:00 utc
user agent: mozilla/5.0 (x11; u; freebsd i386; en-us; rv:1.8.1.1) gecko/20061224 firefox/2.0.0.1
relevant php settings:
joomla! register globals emulation: off
register globals: off
magic quotes: on
safe mode: off
file uploads: on
session auto start: off
session save path: none
short open tags: on
output buffering: off
open basedir: none
display errors: on
xml enabled: yes
zlib enabled: yes
disabled functions: none

it sounds more host has throttled transfer speeds. have found few this. can offer nice package find have pathetic transfer speeds....