Can't get anything done, what happened to Mint?

[germeten]

Hello;

A tech support person migrated me to Linux Mint over a year ago. Initially I was satisfied, even happy. But since then, my
productivity has declined sharply. The software seems to be perpetually updating or defragging, using up resources and
locking up activity until it's finished, usually for hours, sometimes for days. The only solution is rebooting which works
sometimes, others not. God forbid if I'm working on a document when this happens, I lose function and ability to save it.
Better I stay off the internet or any browser when working on documents but often that's not practical.

The updates change settings and require reinstallation of apps and add-ons, a real pain. I had ad-blockers installed but
now ads get through and increase time for pages to load. I'm prompted that my computer negatively effects zoom meetings
that I try to participate in.

I was told I have too many tabs open which is surely true, but many professional people are visual and use tabs as
sight bookmarks and need them at hand. Our behaviour is unlikely to change because we have work to do and don't think
like programmers. It would be a big help if firefox coders would write scripts to only open active tabs and not ALL tabs.

I can't afford a faster computer right now. Anyway the trouble seems to be software related.

[RIH]

The software seems to be perpetually updating or defragging, using up resources and
locking up activity until it's finished, usually for hours, sometimes for days.

To say that is not normal behaviour is a huge understatement.
Yes, it is possible to get daily updates for part of the system (especially after new vulnerabilities have been found) but these take seconds to install.
For example, I have recently completed the major update from Mint 20.1 to 20.2 & that took less than 15 minutes to complete - including restarts.

It sounds like there is something seriously wrong with your system. I would suggest that you reply back here with some system output as indicated by this post.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=83444
With particular regard to item 5..

[DAMIEN1307]

The software seems to be perpetually updating or defragging

Im confused by what you mean by "defragging"...Linux Mint is Not Windows...There is no disk defrag program installed in LM since it doesnt need to defrag its hard drive on a periodic schedule as Windows needs to, since LM does not suffer from disk fragmentation like windows...DAMIEN

[cretsiah]

The description given sounds like an under powered x64 system with low ram memory.

for instance i had a Lenovo 1.6ghz 64-bit cpu with 8gig ram under 64 bit operation windows 7 or linux with Systemd on ran like a bag of codswallop....

running 64-bit linux with openrc made it usable and functional ....just....

running 32-bit linux with pae? (extend ram memory reader) made it even better

[RollyShed]

Windows 10 -
The software seems to be perpetually updating or defragging, using up resources and
locking up activity until it's finished, usually for hours, sometimes for days. The only solution is rebooting which works
sometimes, others not. If working on a document when this happens, loss of function and ability to save it.
The updates change settings and require re-installation of apps and add-ons, a real pain.

Yes, that's Windows. That never happens with Linux Mint on the many installations I've done.

The last time I saw Windows doing that? Yesterday on a laptop that will have Linux Mint installed when she brings it round with an SSD to install.

[Hoser Rob]

The description given sounds like an under powered x64 system with low ram memory....

That was my thought, maybe swap hell.

The OP needs to post useful info, copy/paste the text output of inxi -Fxz run in the terminal.

[germeten]

Thank you for the advice. I did what you said...

Code: Select all

owner@owner-FQ515AA-ABA-a6620f:~$ inxi -Fxxxrz
System:    Host: owner-FQ515AA-ABA-a6620f Kernel: 4.15.0-147-generic x86_64
           bits: 64 gcc: 7.5.0
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.9 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu4) dm: lightdm
           Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine:   Device: desktop System: HP-Pavilion product: FQ515AA-ABA a6620f serial: N/A
           Mobo: PEGATRON model: Benicia v: 1.01 serial: N/A
           BIOS: American Megatrends v: 5.29 date: 08/21/2008
           Chassis: Hewlett-Packard type: 3 serial: N/A
CPU:       Dual core Pentium E5200 (-MCP-) arch: Penryn rev.6 cache: 2048 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 9999
           clock speeds: min/max: 1200/2500 MHz 1: 1585 MHz 2: 1538 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel 82G33/G31 Express Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:29c2
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
           drivers: intel (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1280x1024@60.02hz
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel G33
           version: 1.4 Mesa 20.0.8 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:293e
           Card-2 Intel driver: USB Audio usb-ID: 005-002 chip-ID: 8086:0808
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-147-generic
Network:   Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCIE Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: e800
           bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
           IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 531.1GB (62.2% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST3500413AS size: 500.1GB serial: <filter>
           ID-2: USB /dev/sdb model: USB_2.0_FD size: 31.0GB serial: <filter>
Partition: ID-1: / size: 458G used: 306G (71%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
RAID:      System: supported: N/A
           No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
           Unused Devices: none
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 47.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Repos:     Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/inkscape_dev-stable-bionic.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/inkscape.dev/stable/ubuntu bionic main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/inkscape.dev/stable/ubuntu bionic main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
           deb http://packages.linuxmint.com tara main upstream import backport
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-security main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ bionic partner
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/rvm-smplayer-bionic.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/rvm/smplayer/ubuntu bionic main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/rvm/smplayer/ubuntu bionic main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/skype-stable.list
           deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.skype.com/deb stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/tor.list
           deb https://deb.torproject.org/torproject.org bionic main
           deb-src https://deb.torproject.org/torproject.org bionic main
Info:      Processes: 211 Uptime: 18:21 Memory: 2215.9/3935.3MB
           Init: systemd v: 237 runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.5.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.201 running in gnome-terminal-) inxi: 2.3.56 
owner@owner-FQ515AA-ABA-a6620f:~$

[germeten]

I lost all my add-ons including video downloaders and pop-up blockers months ago,
the updates lose everything, so it's like running Windows with no firewall or AV.

[rene]

Note; while 4G is little these days and certainly it's as such a possibility you are just loading the system up too heavily or are experiencing the effect of a memory leak...

What I'd first check in this case is HDD trouble. Old Seagate HDD = red flag. If you post the output of, after sudo apt-get install smartmontools,

Code: Select all

sudo smartctl -A /dev/sda

they we may see an issue. "We" since I'm personally off to bed but I wanted to say this now before that 4G has no one even consider it. Can say that generally your system is good enough; I use a (other than through it having an SSD) similar system also with 4G as a secondary Mint desktop daily.

[motoryzen]

I lost all my add-ons including video downloaders and pop-up blockers months ago,
the updates lose everything, so it's like running Windows with no firewall or AV.

-- Sorry to sound argumentative, but Mint updates have never "lost" anything for me..even back when I first began using Mint in very late 2010 off and on since then for 10 years until went 100% a year ago. Most often in the Linux world, and Yes..I speak from personal brain-fart experience here ( lol ), it's the end user doing something he or she doesn't understand first (instead of researching that update or idea first and checking with others and slowing down to question something), that ultimately ends up causing a problem.

When you talk about

Lost all my video addons and pop up blockers

..please specify what you mean. I'm wonder if your a Chrome Browser user or Firefox user and you mean chrome web store extensions or Firefox addon's. If that is the case, what's the problem involving going back to searching for those addons/extensions at the same places you got them from the beginning and re -add them back? Is something legit preventing you from doing so?

***back on the point of trying to pinpoint the problem **

If you're still running the same original HDD ( as it might appear to be giving your Inxi report) that came with that 2006-2008 era machine, if it's starting to experience any failure related problems. I don't think you must upgrade your entire system yet. However, replacing that HDD with a Samsung 860 evo 500GB ssd is a reasonably cheap and great upgrade option for you that you'll immediately notice an overall speed benefit in every task.

If you decide to go that route, you can always first use Foxclone to do a system disk clone ( obviously target a separate spare storage drive that is the same 500GB in size already formatted to EXT4 - The developer = AndyHM and is often active on this site helping others ), and then when you get the ssd...connect it internally, connect the Foxclone backup drive, boot into Foxclone using the thumb drive you prepped using the site's instructions and do a Disk clone restore targeting the new ssd. Then power the system off, unplug the Foxclone thumb drive and backup drive, and power it back on, and you're off to the races.

Regardless one thing that might help a little is using a program called " cpupower-gui" and set "all cores" to Performance mode. You're on a desktop. Thus is not like battery power remaining is an issue unlike on a laptop for someone on the go often.

[germeten]

Hello, thank you for all the input. I am operating on a budget and must contract for upgrade service, not computer literate enough
to do them myself. The service tech said nothing he could do would solve my too many open tabs. The add-ons go away with
every update of the software, which seems continuous and I just got exasperated and fatigued with it; when I did reinstall the
(firefox) add-ons they didn't work like they once did. Image capture, video-downloaders, pop-up and ad blockers quit working.
Seems software upgrades are often just the opposite. FF displays none of the apps it once did, I have to go look for them. I'm just
a computer/software user looking for reliability in the work I do without having to intuit or read the mind of programmers.

[Arch_Enemy]

I don't see any mention of how much RAM you have.

The cheapest way to boost performance is to upgrade RAM, to the system max.

If you have a lot of RAM, look in the root (/) directory and see if there is a swap (click view: show hidden files)

As root (sudo) delete the swap. go to /etc/fstab and put a # in front of the line that says SWAP.

You need at least 8G of RAM for this to work. The more, the better.

Post the MODEL NUMBER of your HP and I'll try to help further.

That automatic SWAP is a PITA.

[Moonstone Man]

... I'm just a computer/software user looking for reliability in the work I do ...

If you want stability then you ought to consider that you are using a computer that is at least 13 years old, and that means it is not up to dealing with either a modern operating system or what the internet throws at your machine. As soon as you push that machine beyond what you bought it for it's time to replace it.

[Arch_Enemy]

Is this a laptop or a desktop?

The laptop maxes out at 8G ram, the desktop has 4 RAM slots. Maybe.

Some have 2...

[Arch_Enemy]

... I'm just a computer/software user looking for reliability in the work I do ...

If you want stability then you ought to consider that you are using a computer that is at least 13 years old, and that means it is not up to dealing with either a modern operating system or what the internet throws at your machine. As soon as you push that machine beyond what you bought it for it's time to replace it.

If he can add more RAM he may get some relief...

[Moonstone Man]

If he can add more RAM he may get some relief...

It is a 64bit CPU, albeit very early, so yes, I agree. However the OP did say budget was limited, so perhaps zram is in order. That would effectively give him or her close to 8GB.

[Arch_Enemy]

-- Sorry to sound argumentative, but Mint updates have never "lost" anything for me..even back when I first began using Mint in very late 2010 off and on since then for 10 years until went 100% a year ago. Most often in the Linux world, and Yes..I speak from personal brain-fart experience here ( lol ), it's the end user doing something he or she doesn't understand first (instead of researching that update or idea first and checking with others and slowing down to question something), that ultimately ends up causing a problem.

Never ran Arch, did you?

[RollyShed]

when I did reinstall the
(Firefox) add-ons they didn't work like they once did. Image capture, video-downloaders, pop-up and ad blockers quit working.

Which ad blocker? "ublock origin" ?
Which video downloader? "Easy Youtube Downloader" ?
Image capture? How? Usually a right click and "Save image".

As said, an old machine. An old one is OK for simple work, email and a tab or two open in a browser, write a document, a spreadsheet, but that's it.

[Arch_Enemy]

If he can add more RAM he may get some relief...

It is a 64bit CPU, albeit very early, so yes, I agree. However the OP did say budget was limited, so perhaps zram is in order. That would effectively give him or her close to 8GB.

Mine is an 11 YO Xeon...Had no issues until the last Firefox "upgrade"...

But I also have 20G of RAM...

And it's a Quad Core...

[Arch_Enemy]

when I did reinstall the
(Firefox) add-ons they didn't work like they once did. Image capture, video-downloaders, pop-up and ad blockers quit working.

Which ad blocker? "ublock origin" ?
Which video downloader? "Easy Youtube Downloader" ?
Image capture? How? Usually a right click and "Save image".

As said, an old machine. An old one is OK for simple work, email and a tab or two open in a browser, write a document, a spreadsheet, but that's it.

The new version of Firefox is completely fuc...er...SCREWED.

What a PITA...