What are your favorite "tweaks"? It's new install time!

[SteveRiley]

How long from grub to kdm, and how long from login to desktop? Also, what is the model of your SSD?

Power on to GRUB: 5 sec
GRUB to KDM: 3 sec
Login to desktop: 2.5 sec

Info on SSD

steve@x1:~$ [B]sudo hdparm -I /dev/sda[/B]
ATA device, with non-removable media
  Model Number:       TOSHIBA THNSNC128GCSJ                   
  Serial Number:      81LS11MLTMAZ
  Firmware Revision:  CJLA0201
  Transport:          Serial, ATA8-AST, SATA 1.0a, SATA II Extensions, SATA Rev 2.5, SATA Rev 2.6

[dibl]

b

Power on to GRUB: 5 sec
GRUB to KDM: 3 sec
Login to desktop: 2.5 sec

That's a very fast setup -- nice!

I'm typing this on a Toshiba NB205 netbook, in which I put an OC Vertex II about 2 years ago when they first came out. It's about 7 seconds from power on to grub, about 8 seconds from grub to greeter, and then some 20 seconds for the KDE desktop to settle in. I'm not sure why that last step is so laggy -- I think it might relate to negotiating the wireless link to my router. Here are the technicalities:

root@tosh205:/home/don# hdparm -I /dev/sda

/dev/sda:

ATA device, with non-removable media
        Model Number:       OCZ-VERTEX2                             
        Serial Number:      OCZ-9290YAGQRH50XN20
        Firmware Revision:  1.35

root@tosh205:/home/don# inxi -v2
System:    Host: tosh205 Kernel: 3.2-9.towo.2-siduction-686 i686 (32 bit) 
           Desktop: KDE 4.7.4 Distro: siduction 11.1-rc One Step Beyond - kde-lite - (201112212155)                                                             
Machine:   System: TOSHIBA product: TOSHIBA NB205 version: PLL20U-00201D serial: 79264533K                                                                      
           Mobo: TOSHIBA model: KAVAA version: 1.00 serial: 0123456789AB Bios: TOSHIBA version: V1.90 date: 01/15/2010                                          
CPU:       Single core Intel Atom CPU N280 (-HT-) clocked at 1667.00 MHz        
Graphics:  Card: Intel Mobile 945GME Express Integrated Graphics Controller     
           X.org: 1.11.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) tty size: 80x37 Advanced Data: N/A for root                                                      
Network:   Card-1: Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) driver: ath9k                                                                          
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller driver: r8169                                                                 
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 40.0GB (1.7% used) 1: OCZ                            
Info:      Processes: 136 Uptime: 13 min Memory: 405.5/2017.2MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.29

[SteveRiley]

Here's my X1:

steve@x1:~$ [b]inxi -v5[/b]
System:    Host x1 Kernel 3.2.0-18-generic x86_64 (64 bit) Distro Ubuntu 12.04 precise
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i5-2520M (-HT-MCP-) cache 3072 KB flags (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) 
           Clock Speeds: (1) 800.00 MHz (2) 800.00 MHz (3) 800.00 MHz (4) 800.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller X.Org 1.11.99.903 Res: 1366x768@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer Mesa DRI Intel Sandybridge Mobile  GLX Version 3.0 Mesa 8.0.1
Audio:     Card Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller driver snd_hda_intel
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Version 1.0.24
Network:   Card-1 Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 driver iwlwifi
           Card-2 Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection driver e1000e
Disks:     HDD Total Size: 128.0GB (10.7% used) 1: /dev/sda TOSHIBA_THNSNC12 128.0GB 
Partition: ID:/ size: 30G used: 3.5G (13%) fs: ext4 ID:/home size: 80G used: 9.4G (13%) fs: ext4 
           ID:swap-1 size: 9.39GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 42.0C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 2153 
Info:      Processes 161 Uptime 4:20 Memory 858.5/7869.9MB Client Shell inxi 1.4.15

To speed up KDM-to-desktop, I've configured the session manager to start with an empty session and I've disabled a number of startup services. It's curious that your wireless NIC is delaying the start of your desktop...here, I notice that wireless config happens after the desktop first paints itself.

[dibl]

Right -- the wicd indicator does indeed show the green bar some seconds after the desktop is painted. But, knowing that the basic networking service was set up during boot, I THINK maybe the process of acquiring the wireless signal and validating the WPA key is going on while all the huffing and chugging to load the KDE desktop is in process. Just a guess -- it could also have to do with that Intel 945GME and desktop effects. I really haven't spent 10 minutes trying to speed it up. I know there are charting tools to let a person examine the startup process, but I've got more pressing things to do with my time. Most of time I just put it to sleep, anyway.

I should also time my desktop, which runs on an OCZ RevoDrive (not the RD 3, unfortunately). It's pretty fast too, but I don't reboot it more than I have to. I'll post back as soon as I have a chance to reboot it with a clock in hand.

[dibl]

OK, rebooted the big rig. Power button to grub was 47 seconds, however that is extended a lot as it has to get past the Asus BIOS splash, then it has to go to the OCZ RevoDrive's BIOS screen, then after that times out it has to go to the Marvell 9128 SATA controller's BIOS, then after that times out it has to take a look at the CD in the drive and see if it's bootable ..... then it puts up grub.

Grub to greeter was about 15 seconds, login to desktop was about 11 seconds. This system is on ethernet, versus the netbook and the laptop which are wireless, that's why I suspect the wireless acquisition is involved in the delay on those two.

root@imerabox:/home/don# hdparm -I /dev/sda

/dev/sda:

ATA device, with non-removable media
        Model Number:       OCZ-REVODRIVE                           
        Serial Number:      OCZ-Q17BKCW4VFG6ZBG7
        Firmware Revision:  1.35    
        Transport:          Serial

root@imerabox:/home/don# inxi -v2
System:    Host: imerabox Kernel: 3.2-9.towo.2-siduction-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit) 
           Desktop: KDE 4.7.4 Distro: aptosid 2011-02 Ἡμέρα - kde-lite - (201107131633)                                 
Machine:   Mobo: ASUSTeK model: P6X58D-E version: Rev 1.xx serial: 107017670002065                                      
           Bios: American Megatrends version: 0602 date: 03/24/2011                                                     
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7 CPU 950 (-HT-MCP-) clocked at 4217.006 MHz                                           
Graphics:  Card: nVidia GF100 [GeForce GTX 480] X.org: 1.11.4 driver: nvidia tty size: 120x73 Advanced Data: N/A for root                                                                                                                       
Network:   Card: Marvell 88E8056 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller driver: sky2                                         
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 2136.5GB (3.6% used) 1: OCZ                                                                  
           2: OCZ 3: WDC_WD1002FAEX 4: KINGSTON_SS100S2 5: WDC_WD1002FAEX                                               
Info:      Processes: 276 Uptime: 7 min Memory: 1178.9/5966.4MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.29

[SteveRiley]

Power button to grub was 47 seconds, however that is extended a lot as it has to get past the Asus BIOS splash, then it has to go to the OCZ RevoDrive's BIOS screen, then after that times out it has to go to the Marvell 9128 SATA controller's BIOS, then after that times out it has to take a look at the CD in the drive and see if it's bootable ..... then it puts up grub.

Yuck! While some of that appears unavoidable, perhaps you can readjust your boot order so that the default doesn't scan the (probably empty) optical drive?

Here's my boot information:

steve@x1:~$ sudo [B]efibootmgr -v[/B]
BootCurrent: 0013
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0013,0006,0007,000A,0009,000B,000C,0008,000D
Boot0000  Setup                                                                                                                      
Boot0001  Boot Menu                                                                                                                  
Boot0002  Diagnostic Splash Screen                                                                                                   
Boot0003  Startup Interrupt Menu                                                                                                     
Boot0004  ME Configuration Menu                                                                                                      
Boot0005  Rescue and Recovery                                                                                                        
Boot0006* USB CD        030a2400d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b86701296aa5a7848b66cd49dd3ba6a55
Boot0007* USB FDD       030a2400d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b6ff015a28830b543a8b8641009461e49
Boot0008* ATA HDD2      030a2500d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b91af625956449f41a7b91f4f892ab0f602
Boot0009* ATA HDD0      030a2500d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b91af625956449f41a7b91f4f892ab0f600
Boot000A* USB HDD       030a2400d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b33e821aaaf33bc4789bd419f88c50803
Boot000B* PCI LAN       030a2400d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b78a84aaf2b2afc4ea79cf5cc8f3d3803
Boot000C* ATAPI CD1     030a2500d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25baea2090adfde214e8b3a5e471856a35403
Boot000D* ATA HDD3      030a2500d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b91af625956449f41a7b91f4f892ab0f603
Boot000E* IDER BOOT CDROM       ACPI(a0341d0,0)PCI(16,2)ATAPI(0,1,0)
Boot000F* IDER BOOT Floppy      ACPI(a0341d0,0)PCI(16,2)ATAPI(0,0,0)
Boot0010* ATA HDD       030a2400d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b91af625956449f41a7b91f4f892ab0f6
Boot0011* ATAPI CD:     030a2400d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25baea2090adfde214e8b3a5e471856a354
Boot0012* PCI LAN       030a2400d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b78a84aaf2b2afc4ea79cf5cc8f3d3803
Boot0013* ubuntu        HD(1,28,100000,6ead9c9b-5ed2-46a0-80ad-e53905c57b4a)File(\EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi)

Notice the BootOrder line: the first item is "ubuntu," which points to the partition containing the boot loader. No waiting: bam! The OS starts loading right away. On the rare occasion I want to change this, I have to time my [F12] during the UEFI load. Not a problem.

I suppose if I used a desktop, boot speed wouldn't matter to me so much. But since my computing tools consist of a pair of laptops, optimizing this aspect has been a fun and rewarding exercise.

Two notes:

(1) The above example -- running a command to list my machine's boot behavior -- is an example of why I am growing to like UEFI. Note, of course, that I mean only UEFI 2.0. My ongoing struggles with that silly Samsung tablet from the //build/ conference, which supports only EFI 1.0, have convinced me that that 1.0 truly sucks.

(2) This week I've been in DC on a biz trip, the first one with my svelte X1 rather than my behemoth T520. This laptop, unlike the other, is unburdened with a corporate-ish Windows 7 VM. And I've survived! Woo hoo! Nirvana approaches, bit by bit

[dibl]

Yuck! While some of that appears unavoidable, perhaps you can readjust your boot order so that the default doesn't scan the (probably empty) optical drive?

Yeah, I should have done that a year ago -- I never boot a CD anymore. I only reboot this box when a new kernel is installed.

(1) The above example -- running a command to list my machine's boot behavior -- is an example of why I am growing to like UEFI. Note, of course, that I mean only UEFI 2.0. My ongoing struggles with that silly Samsung tablet from the //build/ conference, which supports only EFI 1.0, have convinced me that that 1.0 truly sucks.

This Asus P6X58D-E is probably the last BIOS-based motherboard I'll have. The advent of EFI 18 months ago was part of what motivated me to build a new system using technology that I understand, as my experience with the first version of new technology is rarely fully satisfactory. So, no surprise that EFI 1.0 is sucky -- happily I can wait until the bugs and capabilities issues are worked out.

[oshunluvr]

why would you ever use zenity for something for dolphin? kdialog my friend , then upload that to kde-look.org so we can install it via get new stuff (you only have to upload the .desktop file)[/code]

You know, this was an old function I wrote a couple of years back. I looked info kdialog, but I think I like notify-send better (install package libnotify-bin). Change the Exec line in my previous post to read:

Exec=notify-send -i "dialog-ok" "Checksum" "`md5sum %F`"

Below are the different results: Zenity, Kdialog, notify-send

Thanks for the suggestion Sithlord!

EDIT: Just in case anyone wanted this, I posted it on kde-look.org under ServiceMenus.

[Teunis]

Yes it's that time of the year again
And because I received my new Lenovo W520 laptop with i7-2760QM processor, 8 GB of RAM and dual Intel and nVidia (Optimus) video cards.
I retained the Win-7 install in a minimal partition and added two installs of 12.04, one for experimenting and the other for daily use.
Though I must say the experiments haven't yet broken anything so that side is now in daily use.

I don't need many tweaks but the root actions for Dolphin are surely No. 1!
No. 2 is the addition of the QuickAccess Browser button on the panel.
Then I change a lot of hot keys, like in Gwenview, to work directly without the need of Ctrl or Shift.
I set menu hot keys to start the main applications via the Meta (Windows) key, like Meta+t for Thunderbird.
The cwp weather applet is my favourite on any desktop and on an an external monitor I use Conky.

For my work I need (Win3.1 era) 16-bit reporting software and that's run in a VB with a lean Extreme Gamers install of WinXP, the Win-7 Pro Virtualisation can't run it anyway plus the VB negates a need to reboot.

[MoonRise]

Dibl, SR;

Thanks for the pointer to INXI. Never knew about that script. That is great information it reports in a handy way. Thanks!

[Snowhog]

inxi is a truly amazing script. Inxi is a full rewrite, by h2 and trash80, of the locsmif's infobash script. (see inxi :: a full featured system information script)

This is one of the very first 'scripts' that I download/install on a new version of *buntu. I've donated to h2 numerous times to support his efforts. I'm a believer that if I am using another's work, even though "free", I need to 'repay' the efforts of the programmer(s) with what ever I feel comfortable giving.