Does installing a linux distro clean a disk?

Hi @4dandl4 Daniel et ALL :slightly_smiling_face:

Can we nail this speed, hardware age HDD vs SSD drives once and for all…?
Lets start with the old girl: - HP G60-120EM Intel® slow T5800 Core™ Duo 2.00Ghz 3.00 GB RAM with Hitachi 2.5 inch SATA 250GiB HDD which has over 130 thousand bad sectors.
Boot time Trisquel v8 34 seconds or v9 encrypted drive 50 seconds. Proof - … :face_with_monocle:
Analyze-01

Hard Drive now encrypted v9 installation defaults used - proof… :face_with_monocle:

Now lets bring it all together with proof of CPU and HDD performance… :face_with_monocle:

As we can all see there is no problem and we can see the efficiency of Trisquel in the real world with only 1.1GiB being required with video running - this is what ubuntu and mint need without anything loaded let alone running.
As Mina pointed out @R_G possibly never even read the basics of Trisquel installation as you can read they would recommend mini-Trisquel for such a low spec computer.
Does anybody know how to use and interpret Benchmark…?

@Andy2…On my Trisquel dual boot with Windows Vista, it takes Trisquel 53 seconds to reach a
usable desktop, it takes Vista 43 seconds. Boot time data for Trisquel does not make any sense
unless it is compared to another OS. Really, @Andy2, Trisquel is not Linux saving grace for older
PC’s. If one likes the Trisquel environment, then use it!!!

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Does anyone know how to read the output of smartctl /etc/sda ?

Here are, in parts, the output for the DELL LATITUDE d830 HDD…

I may not be interpreting correctly, but
since WHEN_FAILED column is empty
all attributes values never went over their threshold.

Since it displays only the 5 last errors and they all have 266 hours (11 days + 2 hours) the data may be irrelevant so I did leave them in this post.


smartctl 7.1 2019-12-30 r5022 [x86_64-linux-5.8.0-38-generic] (local build)
Copyright © 2002-19, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Hitachi Travelstar 5K160
Device Model: Hitachi HTS541612J9SA00
Serial Number: SB2D41E4KGVL1E
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca 51ef1077e
Firmware Version: SBDOC70P
User Capacity: 120,034,123,776 bytes [120 GB]
Sector Size: 512 bytes logical/physical
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: ATA/ATAPI-7 T13/1532D revision 1
Local Time is: Wed Jan 20 01:36:50 2021 EST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

[ … ]

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x000b 100 100 062 Pre-fail Always - 0
2 Throughput_Performance 0x0005 100 100 040 Pre-fail Offline - 0
3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0007 230 230 033 Pre-fail Always - 1
4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0012 096 096 000 Old_age Always - 6816
5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 100 100 005 Pre-fail Always - 0
7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000b 100 100 067 Pre-fail Always - 0
8 Seek_Time_Performance 0x0005 100 100 040 Pre-fail Offline - 0
9 Power_On_Hours 0x0012 023 023 000 Old_age Always - 33854
10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0013 100 100 060 Pre-fail Always - 0
12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 096 096 000 Old_age Always - 6801
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate 0x000a 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 105
193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0012 037 037 000 Old_age Always - 637068
194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0002 196 196 000 Old_age Always - 28 (Min/Max 15/52)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 3
197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0022 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0008 100 100 000 Old_age Offline - 0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x000a 200 253 000 Old_age Always - 411
223 Load_Retry_Count 0x000a 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0

[ … ]

First here is what cat /etc/lsb-release says :
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=20.10
DISTRIB_CODENAME=groovy
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION=“Ubuntu 20.10”

Yes @Mina, I installed kUbuntu on that HP d830. :smiley:

Here is the result of the same command systemd-analyze blame on the DELL LATITUDE d830.

I think the culprit was samba.
Before the operation, boot time was :

roger@roger-Latitude-D830:~$ systemd-analyze time
Startup finished in 8.574s (kernel) + 2min 34.970s (userspace) = 2min 43.545s
graphical.target reached after 2min 34.947s in userspace

roger@roger-Latitude-D830:~$ systemd-analyze blame
1min 26.351s nmbd.service
43.512s man-db.service
28.130s udisks2.service
26.743s networkd-dispatcher.service
23.005s NetworkManager-wait-online.service
21.107s accounts-daemon.service
18.441s polkit.service
18.357s ModemManager.service
17.755s avahi-daemon.service
17.742s bluetooth.service
17.546s NetworkManager.service

After these four commands :
sudo systemctl stop nmbd
sudo systemctl disable nmbd
sudo systemctl mask nmbd
reboot

boot time is now :

roger@roger-Latitude-D830:~$ systemd-analyze time
Startup finished in 8.509s (kernel) + 1min 4.806s (userspace) = 1min 13.315s
graphical.target reached after 1min 4.788s in userspace

roger@roger-Latitude-D830:~$ systemd-analyze blame
30.708s snapd.service
28.899s networkd-dispatcher.service
28.419s udisks2.service
22.195s accounts-daemon.service
17.474s polkit.service
16.909s avahi-daemon.service
16.904s bluetooth.service
16.828s NetworkManager.service
16.708s NetworkManager-wait-online.service

https://www.samba.org/samba/docs/current/man-html/nmbd.8.html

http://www.nongnu.org/man-db/

https://core.docs.ubuntu.com/en/stacks/disk/udisks2/docs/

Do you need all that crap?

Consider running such stuff only on-demand. Then you con considerably reduce boot times.

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Dear @4dandl4 Daniel - If not too much trouble could you paste in your computer specification, Trisquel software and version, and a terminal running systemd-analyze screen shot - thanks. Else we do not know what you are referring to.

Quite right, and I would add - fully installed on the same computer too. Thought I had done all that already…? Oh yes fully installed on same Dell E6420 here …

Think we have all been thrown off course by Roger not reading page one and installing full version on slow old 1GiB machine.
Page one says - “Trisquel Mini, a lightweight version for older machines and netbooks. Based on the LXDE desktop environment and a selection of resource-saving applications to bring new life to your hardware…” Not too difficult to understand, is it…?
Would be great if Roger would install this and give computer to a deprived family, school or charity. :ok_hand:

So Daniel, are we now in agreement…?

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@Andy2Trisquel 9 Review
Read my Trisquel review and it will and it will state my feelings on Trisquel
and all I need to know. Have good day my friend, I will be in the attic
installing a new ac system, wish it was as easy as installing Linux.

Primo,

I believe these services were installed from within the Kubuntu.iso I downloaded from their website


The only three install I have made were
smartmontools
gnome-disk-utility
inxi
to be able to see components the way I see them under Linux Mint.

Secundo,
I also believe that I should be able to use a computer without fussing over its OS.

Tertio,
How can I make a service available and not starting them at boot.

Dear @Andy2
i do not know where you got this idea as the Latitude d830 is not 1Gb machine. Please, see what inxi says :
CPU: Dual Core Intel Core2 Duo T7250 (-MCP-) speed/min/max: 798/800/2001
MHz Kernel: 5.8.0-38-generic x86_64 Up: 2h 43m
Mem: 644.8/3922.8 MiB (16.4%)
Storage: 111.79 GiB (8.0% used)
Procs: 161 Shell: Bash inxi: 3.1.07

Thank you.

Then you need to pick the right OS with the right configuration, before the installation.

By starting them manually, only when you need them.

I am not picking here.
I am using Mint Mate on a ASUS Tek Vento and will not change.
I am also testing and evaluating other distros
on
these 5 machines

1 DELL Latitude D830
1 HP G60-550CA
1 HP p6506f
2 DELL Latitude e4310
I am having troubles when the distro does not fit into the machines.
That is all.

How do I stop the starting at boot ?

Dear @R_G … you have us all confused…We are talking GiB RAM n’est pas?


As we can all clearly see I was getting the 1GiB RAM from yourself and Daniel at #17 - this 1GiB RAM shows that you clearly need mini-Trisquel or similar as @Mina and I have advised you. Also…

inxi commands are not recognised on both of my laptops. :nerd_face: and I do not wish to modify.

Perhaps Cnet is not the bible @Andy2 :smiley:
You alone are confused @Andy2 and that is because you do not want to look at the facts.

CPU: Dual Core Intel Core2 Duo T7250 (-MCP-) speed/min/max: 798/800/2001
MHz Kernel: 5.8.0-38-generic x86_64 Up: 2h 43m
Mem: 644.8/3922.8 MiB (16.4%)
Storage: 111.79 GiB (8.0% used)
Procs: 161 Shell: Bash inxi: 3.1.07

Ah let us have a look to see at which post you highlighted that your D830 was different to the one Cnet tested - and that is because you do not want to look at the facts.
Still at the end of the day it remains a confusing mystery as to how you could install a slick, fast and efficient distro onto a decent Dell and get it to run sooo sloooow…?

@Andy2
While you take that look ( since you need it ) I am about to assert
that the d830 slowly boots because its disk is slow. I am presently investigating this. I must say that the disk was already noisy when I bought the used Latitude d830 back in 2014.

But since I am deaf I did not care.

The Latitude d830 was fabricated in September 2007.

BTW, and FYi, here is the result of the free command :

    total    used    free shared  buff/cache available

Mem: 4016988 501880 2858580 87796 656528 3201820
Swap:2097148 0 2097148

It shows how much memory the computer has wile presently running Kubuntu.

P.s. I reinstalled Trisquel on a Latitude e4310. It boots fast but, of course, without wifi. Even the TL-WN725N does not work.

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Hey Roger that is interesting :nerd_face: - 501880 used is not bad especially compared to ubuntu-16 at 729592… Old HP G60 at 386000…! @easyt50 Howard has many posts showing LIGHT distros (with supposed LIGHT DE’s) slightly heavier on resources than full Trisquel…

By the way the reason I use that gnulinux web page video for testing isn’t because I’m an addict but it is something everyone can access without the complexities, cookies and scripts of YTube thus providing a level playing field for comparisons. FsF and gnulinux web pages do not use cookies thereby exposing the lie of strictly necessary cookies of other web sites - it’sFOSS included…!

I have not used Kubuntu myself but plenty here at it’sFOSS do use it. Trust you are not using KDE…? I am thinking of taking a quick full installation look at mini-Trisquel on the Dell as I am soon to BleachBit or Format the Dell’s SSD as I have now tested the full monty v9 and have the HP Notebook as my everyday workhorse.

Yes - we both know it does not work - h-node org confirms this…
So did you look at the Think-Penguin dot com Wifi section …? I don’t need Wifi really but would be sure to check out their stuff first as it is tested and guaranteed to work. Think I will raise a Topic on this hardware issue as many people at it’sFOSS seem to have blinkers on when it comes to gnulinux - pity; as the solution is soooooooo easy… :yum:

https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-wireless-n-usb-adapter-gnu-linux-tpe-n150usb

Some photos and specs from an old article may be of interest…?

It’sFOSS - calling international rescue :crazy_face: :space_invader:

hope all this helps with your quest(s) :face_with_monocle:

Thank you @Andy2
I have tried all these distro
kubuntu-20.10-desktop-amd64.iso
manjaro-xfce-20.2.1-210103-linux59.iso
linux-lite-5.2-64bit.iso
Linux-Mint 19 (Tessa) MATE-64bit.iso
trisquel_9.0_amd64.iso
pclinuxos64-kde5-magnum-2020.1015.iso
debian-10.7.0-amd64-netinst.iso
archlinux-2021.01.01-x86_64.iso
MX-19.3_x64.iso

on
HP p6506f
HP G60-550AC
2 DELL Latitude e4310
DELL Latitude D830

and the one I daily use is
linuxmint-20-mate-64bit.iso
on ASUS Tek Vento ( no wifi ) just wired via electrical circuit to the router downstairs )

For the moment, I will not pursue this exchange due to our opinionated interest-divergence.
Regards,

Dear Roger -
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink…! :wink:

Best Wishes - Take care :mask: