Ubuntu is pushing the Linux desktop movement forward. Since it’s inception in 2004, Ubuntu has released over 10 versions so far, each one improving on its predecessor. It remains one of those few operating systems, that boots really fast. Still, if you are one of those brave hackers who likes to tune your machine to maximize efficiency, here are a few tricks on how to make Ubuntu boot faster.
Word of caution: These tune ups have been tested on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Haron. I haven’t upgraded it as it has been pretty solid and stable release. So if you’re on a newer(or older) version, I suggest you do some research before applying these tricks. And of course, always keep back ups. Have Fun!
Reducing the boot menu delay
If you dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows on your computer the boot menu appears for 10 seconds, during which you can select either Windows or Ubuntu. If you only have Ubuntu installed, a prompt appears for three seconds telling you that you can hit a key to see the boot menu. You obviously don’t need to wait for the 3 seconds since you have no other OS to boot from. You can eliminate this delay by editing the boot menu configuration file.
$ gksu gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
Then search for the line that reads timeout 10 and change the 10 to 0, to disable the boot menu completely.
Run boot-time scripts in parallel
Whenever Ubuntu boots, it runs several scripts that start necessary background services. By default these are set to run one-by-one but if you have a processor with more than one core, such as Intel’s Core Duo series or AMD’s Athlon X2, you can configure Ubuntu to run the scripts in parallel. This way all the cores are utilized and quite a bit of time can be saved at each boot.
To make the change, type the following to open the necessary configuration file in Gedit:
$ gksu gedit /etc/init.d/rc
Look for the line that reads CONCURRENCY=none and change it so it reads CONCURRENCY=shell. Then save the file and reboot your computer.
Build a readahead profile customized to your machine
Ubuntu ships with a program named ‘readahead’ which allows it cache frequently accessed files to avoid searching around for them at the startup. A default readahead profile is included in Ubuntu but you can create your own, tailored to your system. Here’s how to do it:
- Boot your machine and at the boot loader menu, highlight the Ubuntu entry and press key “e”. This will let you temporarily edit the boot menu entry.
- Use the cursor keys to move the highlight down to the second line that beings kernel and hit “e” again.
- Use the right arrow key to move to the end of the line and, after the words quiet and splash, add the word profile.
- Hit “Enter” and then “b” to boot your computer.
Note that the first boot will be slow because the readahead cache will have to be rebuilt. In subsequent boots, however, you should see speed improvements.
Trimming the GNOME startup programs
Once you’ve logged into the GNOME desktop, you’ll face yet another delay as all the GNOME background software starts. A few seconds can be saved by trimming this list and that can be done using the GNOME Sessions program (System → Preferences → Sessions). Under the Startup Programs tab, look through the list for items you might want to prune. For example, if you’re never going to use Evolution’s alarm function then Evolution Alarm Notifier can be disabled by removing the check alongside it. Be careful. Don’t turn any program off unless you are not sure what it does. For example Volume Manager isn’t related to audio, instead it enables the automatic detection of external storage devices attached to your machine.
Actually, you can install Mono to run .Net programs.
We recently switched from a windows based server to a Linux (Ububtu) based server & have never been happier with our sites performance. I am going to forward these tips to our IT dept. & maybe we can further benefit from the switch.
I am new to Ubuntu & these tips really work. I would recommend that novice users, such as myself, read this article & implement the tricks contained within.
John, the last statement you made is not entirely true. The .Net framework can be installed in Wine under a program called wine-tricks. You can use apt get to install. I actually installed many Microsoft games and software in wine without problems. Your mileage may vary.
Nice tricks. I tried Ubuntu once at a friends house and loved it but I could never figure out how to install it on my own computer. Apparently its not easy. Plus, unfortunately many of the best software programs out there require the .NET framework and cant be run on Linux without VMWare, so I decided to stick with Windows
Thanks a lot for sharing.
It did helped me.
I heard about ubuntu just recently and I found it an intuitive and fast system. It can be used along with other operating systems and your post on reducing the boot delay is useful. In the free ubuntu community also we can get replies to our querries in the Internet Relay chat. So, if any body wants a faster operating system go for ubuntu, it is absolulely free .But if the bandwidth is limited , better get a CD and install it. OK..Have fun.
# use concurrency shell only if your processor has 2 or more cores
[ “`grep -c ‘core id’ /proc/cpuinfo`” -gt 1 ] && sed -i ‘s/^CONCURRENCY=none/CONCURRENCY=shell/g’ /etc/init.d/rc
# stop konsoles
rename ‘s/$/.bak/g’ /etc/init/tty[3-6].conf
Oh can’t wait to try these tips! As we all know, faster is better!