Xfce running slow

[monere]

Guys... guys??

I think I may have done something to my Linux because everything is running soooooo slow.

Initially, I thought it was the browser (Palemoon), cause I have added some extensions to it and now there are moments (MANY of them each day) when the sites I'm accessing simply won't load (they return the usual "problem loading page" error). It doesn't matter which sites / pages I'm trying to open up (youtube, gmail, various forums, etc.), they would all not load..... BUT, here's the thing: sometimes they load instantly, other times they won't load at all until after 1-2 minutes have passed. So, it can't be the browser, especially since (read the next paragraphs)...

The Software Manager takes FOREVER to install measly applications, too. For example, right now I'm trying to install the Docky application and here's the thing: I've clicked on "install" some 10-15 minutes ago and it's still at 10% or so, and it's only a 3 MB application, damn it! I could understand applications like Handbrake, or others that are 1 GB large... I could understand those applications taking longer to install, but a 3 MB application?? Come on!

And it's not only this, either. Over the last 3 days I have installed and uninstalled software like crazy since I'm constantly testing and searching for the best mp3 player, the best internet browser, the best whatever... So, I'm installing and uninstalling stuff like a maniac

Well, although I have uninstalled Firefox (actually, I think this has been installed alongside the Mint installation), Opera, Amarok, Banshee and many other stuff that I don't even remember of, some of those programs still appear in their corresponding sections in the Mint menu, and it's both weird, and unnormal. For example, I have installed the Opera browser, and then, minutes later I have uninstalled it because its interface was a blatant copy of Chromium, and I can't deal with plagiarism. It just irks me. But anyway, even though I have uninstalled Opera its icon is still in my Mint menu, under the "Internet" section. Why the hell is Opera still there if I uninstalled it?? And so is Amarok, and probably other software, too. It's just not right... and I don't know how to get rid of these?

So yeah, these are my problems, and I'm not sure the sluggishness has anything to do with the internet browser, but rather with my Mint installation. I have Mint 19 Xfce installed, by the way.

Oh, one more thing: yesterday after I have taken Firefox down using "sudo apt purge firefox" in the terminal it's told me - after the purge has been complete - that some files couldn't have been removed, and it's shown me a location of those files and the location is /usr/lib/ if I remember correctly, and I checked that location and there are indeed still some folders left in there that are related to firefox. Well, shouldn't the purge command have removed those files, too?? If it shouldn't have, should I just go ahead and remove them manually? Or how do I get rid of unnecessary files, because it really bothers me, you know...

I think my Mint needs a bath (like a purge command or something that wipes out entire files and folders that I don't need anymore)

So anyway, please let me know what to do cause there's already 20 minutes now and the Docky app is still at 10%...

Cheers!

EDIT: oh, the youtube videos, too... they play for 4-5 minutes, then they suddenly stop so they can buffer for 2-3 minutes (it takes 3 freaking minutes to buffer another 5 minutes' worth of content *smh*), then they play again for another 4-5 minutes after which they stop again to buffer for 2-3 more minutes, and so on. It's so freaking annoying, and this has never happened to me before, both under Windows or Linux. So, it's DEFINITELY something wrong with my current installation of Mint... probably

[monere]

Come on! Help a fellow Linuxer out of his misery. Pretty please!

[richyrich]

More pertinent information is needed for anyone to be able to help.

Please use this command in the Terminal, copy the entire output, and paste it back here in a reply between the Code tags (</> button along the top of the Reply window)

inxi -Fxz

[monere]

More pertinent information is needed for anyone to be able to help.

Please use this command in the Terminal, copy the entire output, and paste it back here in a reply between the Code tags (</> button along the top of the Reply window)

inxi -Fxz

Hi, here's the code

Code: Select all

System:    Host: monere-H97M-D3H Kernel: 4.15.0-33-generic x86_64
           bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
           Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 (Gtk 2.24.31) Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine:   Device: desktop Mobo: Gigabyte model: H97M-D3H v: x.x serial: N/A
           BIOS: American Megatrends v: F3 date: 06/03/2014
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i3-4360 (-MT-MCP-) 
           arch: Haswell rev.3 cache: 4096 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 14799
           clock speeds: max: 3700 MHz 1: 1586 MHz 2: 1796 MHz 3: 2199 MHz
           4: 2008 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GK106 [GeForce GTX 660] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
           drivers: nvidia (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
           Resolution: 1440x900@59.89hz
           OpenGL: renderer: GeForce GTX 660/PCIe/SSE2
           version: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 390.48 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 NVIDIA GK106 HDMI Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
           Card-2 Intel 9 Series Family HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Card-3 C-Media CMI8788 [Oxygen HD Audio]
           port: c000 bus-ID: 05:01.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-33-generic
Network:   Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCIE Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: d000 bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: enp3s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (50.2% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST1000DX001 size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 48G used: 28G (61%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda6
           ID-2: /home size: 249G used: 21G (9%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda7
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 10.49GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
           fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C gpu: 0.0:36C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 199 Uptime: 17:32 Memory: 2011.4/7895.9MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.3.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.191) inxi: 2.3.56 

[richyrich]

From what I see, the one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb . .

...Over the last 3 days I have installed and uninstalled software like crazy...

I think my Mint needs a bath (like a purge command or something...

Suggestion only; Make a list of the software that you DO want, save your important stuff to an external source, and do a fresh install.

[monere]

From what I see, the one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb . .

...Over the last 3 days I have installed and uninstalled software like crazy...

I think my Mint needs a bath (like a purge command or something...

Suggestion only; Make a list of the software that you DO want, save your important stuff to an external source, and do a fresh install.

Um... neither solution is possible because... 1) I'm still not sure which software I want as I'm testing stuff left and right to see how each software looks like, and how it behaves on my computer, and 2) I don't have any external sources. I mean, I do have a 3.73 GB USB stick, but I can\t put too much on that stick from a 1 TB hard disk

Anyway, thanks for trying to help. For unknown reasons today the system has run smoothly, even if I programs like opera still appear in the Mint menu, but everything else has run pretty fast, and I didn't do anything to fix it cause I don't know what to do anyway

Still, I'm gonna wait for more replies and if nothing comes up in the next 3-4 days I'll either continue using this system for a few more months, or if it starts behaving nasty again I might take it down and do a fresh install like you've said. The only problem that's holding me back to be honest is the fact that my PC is dual-booting Mint 19 and Windows 8, and there's TON of stuff under Windows that I simply can't delete should I re-format and re-install Linux. Not to mention that some helpful chap on this forum has just helped me fix my bootloader 2 days ago, cause otherwise I wouldn't have been able to even dual-boot anymore given that the bootloader was broken as hell. Problems, problems, problems... I'll see what I can do about all this. Thanks for trying to help

[Moem]

programs like opera still appear in the Mint menu

Do any options come up if you rightclick them? 'Uninstall', for example? Or is there a menu editor that you can use to clean house? (I don't use XFCE much so I don't know).

[monere]

programs like opera still appear in the Mint menu

Do any options come up if you rightclick them? 'Uninstall', for example? Or is there a menu editor that you can use to clean house? (I don't use XFCE much so I don't know).

There is no "uninstall" option. Just these options:

- Opera (this one is greyed out, so I can't select it);
- New Private Window;
- New Window;
- Add to Favorites;
- Add to Desktop;
- Add to Panel;
- Edit Application;

And if I click on "Edit Application" I can only edit its name, description, command, working directory, icon, and whether or not it should run in terminal or startup notifications. That's all I can do under "edit application", so I can't remove this in any way, shape, or form

[Moem]

Do any options come up if you rightclick them? 'Uninstall', for example? Or is there a menu editor that you can use to clean house? (I don't use XFCE much so I don't know).

There is no "uninstall" option.

Right, too bad. That leaves my second question.

[monere]

Do any options come up if you rightclick them? 'Uninstall', for example? Or is there a menu editor that you can use to clean house? (I don't use XFCE much so I don't know).

There is no "uninstall" option.

Right, too bad. That leaves my second question.

Not sure what a menu editor is (probably an app that removes entries from the menu??)... I haven't seen one, well, I haven't even searched for one cause I didn't think about it, but I will take a look through the software manager and see if I can find one.

I was wondering, however.... do these orphaned entries in the menu affect the running of Linux, or are they harmless? They still bother me visually, but if they have no impact on the behavior of the system I'm willing to let it go, cause it's better than re-installing Linux. What do you think?

[DAMIEN1307]

Clear the Thumbnail Cache

rm -v -f ~/.cache/thumbnails/*/*.png ~/.thumbnails/*/*.png

rm -v -f ~/.cache/thumbnails/*/*/*.png ~/.thumbnails/*/*/*.png

Cleanups after Deletions/Removals/Purges

sudo apt autoremove

dpkg -l | grep '^rc' | awk '{print $2}' | sudo xargs dpkg --purge

dpkg -l | grep '^rc' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs sudo apt-get purge

[monere]

Clear the Thumbnail Cache

rm -v -f ~/.cache/thumbnails/*/*.png ~/.thumbnails/*/*.png

rm -v -f ~/.cache/thumbnails/*/*/*.png ~/.thumbnails/*/*/*.png

Cleanups after Deletions/Removals/Purges

sudo apt autoremove

dpkg -l | grep '^rc' | awk '{print $2}' | sudo xargs dpkg --purge

dpkg -l | grep '^rc' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs sudo apt-get purge

Ran all 5 commands, but only the 2nd in the list didn't seem to do anything (didn't return any message / result inside of the terminal, the terminal just added a new row after I had pressed ENTER). Also, the opera entry is still in the menu but I'm assuming I have to restart the computer, or??

[DAMIEN1307]

that is what the second one was supposed to do...yes, i always reboot after something like that myself...when rebooted, try to right click on opera or any other icon left over just to see if by right clicking on it you will see a "remove" or delete prompt.

[monere]

that is what the second one was supposed to do...yes, i always reboot after something like that myself...when rebooted, try to right click on opera or any other icon left over just to see if by right clicking on it you will see a "remove" or delete prompt.

No change. Just rebooted seconds ago and the bloody opera icon still stays nice and comfy in my menu. And no removal option of any kind is available, either

[richyrich]

Here is the terminal command to open the Menu Editor. Drill down the tree structure on the left pane till you find those offending items, click it, and in the right pane you will see the Hide toggle.

menulibre

PS: No, I don't know why there isn't a launcher for it in the menu . .

[monere]

Here is the terminal command to open the Menu Editor. Drill down the tree structure on the left pane till you find those offending items, click it, and in the right pane you will see the Hide toggle.

menulibre

PS: No, I don't know why there isn't a launcher for it in the menu . .

Yeah, I was just playing with this menu right now.

I saw that "hide" button and I toggled it to ON, but it doesn't do anything. Also, there is a gear icon in the toolbar of MenuLibre that says "Test Launcher". I clicked on it to see what happens, and it actually opens up Opera, even though Opera is removed from my computer

Also, before opening up Opera a pop-up windows has appeared asking me for a password to unlock the "Default Keyring". This popup has appeared 2-3 times in a row, even though I had no idea what the password is, so I clicked "cancel" each time, 3 times in total, because that window had appeared 3 times in a row like I said. After I clicked on "cancel" for the 3rd time it has indeed opened up the Opera browser inside of that "test launcher" window. How is this even possible??? Could it be that I still have Opera installed on my computer, even though I have clearly and manually typed "sudo apt purge opera" into the terminal 3 times already and agreed to removing all files (which were ZERO files anyway, cause the terminal hasn't found any files for Opera since the browser has been supposedly removed)?? I don't understand anything anymore

[Moem]

I was wondering, however.... do these orphaned entries in the menu affect the running of Linux, or are they harmless? They still bother me visually, but if they have no impact on the behavior of the system I'm willing to let it go, cause it's better than re-installing Linux. What do you think?

Even if the applications are still there, they do not affect anything when they are not running. That is why I'm keeping Firefox even when I do not use it. I can remove it from my menu if I so desire.

[monere]

I was wondering, however.... do these orphaned entries in the menu affect the running of Linux, or are they harmless? They still bother me visually, but if they have no impact on the behavior of the system I'm willing to let it go, cause it's better than re-installing Linux. What do you think?

Even if the applications are still there, they do not affect anything when they are not running. That is why I'm keeping Firefox even when I do not use it. I can remove it from my menu if I so desire.

How I wished I had that possibility, too!

[Moem]

I can remove it from my menu if I so desire.

How I wished I had that possibility, too!

It seems that you do.

[monere]

I can remove it from my menu if I so desire.

How I wished I had that possibility, too!

It seems that you do.

I mean, I know about that menu, it's just that it doesn't work... like many other things on my computer apparently. For example, right now I'm creating some mindmaps with the "Labyrinth Maps" program that I've found with the Software Manager, and while the mind maps are awesome they are nowhere to be found on my computer when I save / export them. They can only be seen if I open them with the program itself, but if I manually go to the location where I've saved them there is absolutely no mind map anywhere. Even the program can't see the folders on my computer, it only sees the home/monere location (monere is the name of my folder), but when I open up that location THROUGH the program there is a big nothingness (just blank space everywhere)

There's twilight zone / Bermuda triangle level stuff going on with my computer, I'm telling you...

I'd like to ask something if you know... right now my computer is partitioned like this: the first 3 partitions are NTFS (so they can run Windows), and the next 3-4 partitions are put under an EXTENDED partition that runs Linux. If I use Gparted to format the Windows partition - therefore turning that NTFS partition to a Ext4 one - does this mess the partitions of my hard disk up and renders my current Linux installation unusable??

In other words, I'm thinking of formatting the Windows partition from NTFS to Ext4, and then move this newly formatted partition to the end of the HOME partition of Linux, but I'm not sure if this is possible since the Windows partition is sda2 while the Linux partition is sda7. So, there's 4 other partitions between these 2 partitions that I wanna merge, and I'm not sure if this is possible without messing up my entire system and not be able to even log into Linux anymore after I do this. Can you please tell me if this is possible?