LM Going Super Slow

[all_spice]

So when I first installed Linux Mint, is was slow, then after updates, and whatever else it does, it went super fast. Now it is going so slow, I can almost not even use it.

To give an example, if I click on a folder, it could literally take about 3 minutes to open.

I did the swap tendency 60-10 trick, but that did not seem to do anything.

Anything? Thanks guys.

[DAMIEN1307]

could you please enter, (copy and paste) the following code into your terminal/command prompt and post it here so we can all see what we are working with in order to help you further?...DAMIEN

Code: Select all

 inxi -Fxz

[all_spice]

Code: Select all

stem:    Host: all_spice Kernel: 4.13.0-43-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: ASUSTeK (portable) product: K42F v: 1.0
           Mobo: ASUSTeK model: K42F v: 1.0
           Bios: American Megatrends v: 502 date: 07/29/2011
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i3 M 350 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 9044
           clock speeds: max: 2266 MHz 1: 2261 MHz 2: 2261 MHz 3: 2260 MHz
           4: 2261 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.10hz, 1366x768@59.79hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ironlake Mobile
           GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 18.0.0-rc4 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.13.0-43-generic
Network:   Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
           driver: ath9k bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: wlp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: JMicron JMC250 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: jme v: 1.0.8 ports: 8100 8000 bus-ID: 07:00.5
           IF: enp7s0f5 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 5001.0GB (13.2% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST1000LM048 size: 1000.2GB
           ID-2: USB /dev/sdb model: External_USB_3.0 size: 3000.6GB
           ID-3: USB /dev/sdc model: External_USB_3.0 size: 1000.2GB
           ID-4: /dev/mmcblk0 model: N/A size: 4.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 803G used: 575G (76%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda3
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 16.78GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-0
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 69.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 220 Uptime: 40 min Memory: 1703.4/7766.6MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35

[all_spice]

Old system, I know. But as I understand, LM can run on less. Also, it runs Win7 perfectly fine. But not Win10, despite what MS says.

Thank you.

[all_spice]

Oh, yeah, no more thumbnails either. That is strange.

[all_spice]

And no file size listed under any of the Properties.

[Mute Ant]

"cpu: 69.0C " is the only datum I see that's outstandingly bad... full of dust and cat hairs maybe?. Overheating is a simple cause of Calculus Interruptus when the CPU takes a break to allow the temperature to come down a bit. A simple fan+heatsink keeps the temperature increase to less than 20'C, so something needs attention in your hardware if the CPU is up at 69'C.

[michael louwe]

@ all_spice, .......

.

.
Try unplugging the 3TB external USB hard-drive.

You have a 2011 Legacy BIOS computer which usually uses ms-dos/MBR disks/drives which are limited to 2TB in size and 4 Primary partitions.
....... GPT disks are not such limited but installing LM on GPT disks in a Legacy BIOS computer requires extra procedures, eg a bios-grub boot partition.

[DAMIEN1307]

I concur as well with both michael louwe and mute ant with their observations i never keep external HDD devices plugged in and active at all times, only when i need something from them and as far as the heat situation, 69 degrees C is to high even for an intel CPU which tends to run higher heats than AMD (my AMD is running at 9 to 10 degrees C as im typing this) ideally, you should be in the 46 to 54 midrange for your CPU...my intel units run at about those heat ranges normally...definitely clean out the dust bunnies, and check to see if the internal fan is actually still running and clean and clear...sometimes you may need to re-apply thermal paste to the heat sink attached to the CPU, ive done that a number of times on intels i3s over 7 years old with satisfying results...between the extra internals and the excessive heat, this could slow down the system mightily...DAMIEN

[all_spice]

"cpu: 69.0C " is the only datum I see that's outstandingly bad... full of dust and cat hairs maybe?. Overheating is a simple cause of Calculus Interruptus when the CPU takes a break to allow the temperature to come down a bit. A simple fan+heatsink keeps the temperature increase to less than 20'C, so something needs attention in your hardware if the CPU is up at 69'C.

Just went through it all and cleaned it real good recently. First cleaning it has had in almost a decade. It has survived 3rd world pollution, 105F heat year round, 99% humidity, floods, typhoons, a few plastic-eating ant infestations, and one angry night of too much drinking(and a punch).

Was fine before Linux.

I love Linux and want to make it work.

[all_spice]

@ all_spice, .......

.

.
Try unplugging the 3TB external USB hard-drive.

You have a 2011 Legacy BIOS computer which usually uses ms-dos/MBR disks/drives which are limited to 2TB in size and 4 Primary partitions.
....... GPT disks are not such limited but installing LM on GPT disks in a Legacy BIOS computer requires extra procedures, eg a bios-grub boot partition.

So Linux does have a problem using more than one external HDD? That is a huge bummer.

Any idea how to do a bios-grub boot partition? Sorry, I am old.

Curious though, why was it working fine at first if there was a problem?

[all_spice]

I concur as well with both michael louwe and mute ant with their observations i never keep external HDD devices plugged in and active at all times, only when i need something from them and as far as the heat situation, 69 degrees C is to high even for an intel CPU which tends to run higher heats than AMD (my AMD is running at 9 to 10 degrees C as im typing this) ideally, you should be in the 46 to 54 midrange for your CPU...my intel units run at about those heat ranges normally...definitely clean out the dust bunnies, and check to see if the internal fan is actually still running and clean and clear...sometimes you may need to re-apply thermal paste to the heat sink attached to the CPU, ive done that a number of times on intels i3s over 7 years old with satisfying results...between the extra internals and the excessive heat, this could slow down the system mightily...DAMIEN

I have to keep them plugged in. If I plugged and unplugged them every few minutes, my old frail USB ports would fall out. Besides, it would be a paint to get up and plug everything in every time I need something.

Curious. Why does Linux make the CPU so hot? And it seems like a big pain to run Linux if I have to re-glue my CPU and all that....

[DAMIEN1307]

its not linux that makes it run hot as you can see by my temps i posted and im running a full blown desktop with all the horns bells and whistles...in fact i run 5 of my own personal computers including laptops...i do see by one of your posts though that your computer has had a tough, rough life...just like with people, rough and tough living will catch up to us as well as our machines when not maintained...again i would be looking at its heat issue...when you first turn it on it probably works ok until you use it for just a short time and then it screws up, that is until it rapidly begins to get hot...thats when things go wacko...been there done that and have and will always fix it before the inevitable total failure that will happen if it continues...DAMIEN

[Joe2Shoe]

Just plug a powered USB hub into the computer's USB port, then plug/unplug devices from the hub. That way, your USB ports will stay intact.

[michael louwe]

@ all_spice, .......

So Linux does have a problem using more than one external HDD? That is a huge bummer. .

.
It's not Linux per se. Legacy BIOS computers using ms-dos/MBR partition table for the hard-disks/drives, can only utilize disks that are not more than 2TB in size and have not more than 4 Primary partitions. In your case, the 3TB external USB hard-drive cannot be used. Only the 1TB external USB hard-drive can be used.

For a Legacy BIOS computer to use GPT(= GUID Partition Table), in your case, you need to convert the disks/drives from ms-dos/MBR to GPT, eg by using GParted, and reinstall the OS accordingly ... viewtopic.php?t=223015

[all_spice]

its not linux that makes it run hot as you can see by my temps i posted and im running a full blown desktop with all the horns bells and whistles...in fact i run 5 of my own personal computers including laptops...i do see by one of your posts though that your computer has had a tough, rough life...just like with people, rough and tough living will catch up to us as well as our machines when not maintained...again i would be looking at its heat issue...when you first turn it on it probably works ok until you use it for just a short time and then it screws up, that is until it rapidly begins to get hot...thats when things go wacko...been there done that and have and will always fix it before the inevitable total failure that will happen if it continues...DAMIEN

It runs fast and cool though on Windows. Well, it was coming in at 50 degrees the other day. Still cooler. And still fast.

Maybe I updated something or installed something I should not have?

Unless Linux Mint is just so much more of a system hog than Windows 7?

[all_spice]

Just plug a powered USB hub into the computer's USB port, then plug/unplug devices from the hub. That way, your USB ports will stay intact.

Good idea. I got one of those, but it does not allow external HDDs! Probably just cheap Chinese stuff My $1 mouse and $3 keyboard are awesome though!

The thing is, I need to use both drives at the same time a lot. Like right now I am in the process of consolidating some redundant files. Need both running.

What really gets me is that they WERE working fine, and then just stopped.

I am planning on cleaning the drives and formatting them. Doesn't Linux like a certain format? Not sure if it will help, but I was planning on doing that anyway.

[all_spice]

@ all_spice, .......

So Linux does have a problem using more than one external HDD? That is a huge bummer. .

.
It's not Linux per se. Legacy BIOS computers using ms-dos/MBR partition table for the hard-disks/drives, can only utilize disks that are not more than 2TB in size and have not more than 4 Primary partitions. In your case, the 3TB external USB hard-drive cannot be used. Only the 1TB external USB hard-drive can be used.

For a Legacy BIOS computer to use GPT(= GUID Partition Table), in your case, you need to convert the disks/drives from ms-dos/MBR to GPT, eg by using GParted, and reinstall the OS accordingly ... viewtopic.php?t=223015

I am lost. Sorry, I am old fart. You are saying my computer cannot use a 3TB drive? Because I have been using it for years. Or is the dual OS what is causing the problem? Also, why were both drives working totally fine for the first few days or so? Sorry, I know I am a noob. But I am bright. I will learn at least.

Will converting my disks delete the data on them? And will they still run on Windows? I have not given that up yet. Mostly for the ease of games. But we'll see.

Reinstall Linux? Just so the peripherals will work? Do I have to reinstall Linux any time I want to plug in something to a USB port? That seems cumbersome.

I think all the talk I heard about how great Linux runs on old computers defines old differently than I do...

Oh the tutorial is for single booting. Yeah, sorry, I still do have Windows, the second-class OS, on there for now. Not ready to go all the way yet. Currently it only has some games. That is the only reason it is alive. Still have not got a single old game to work on Linux

[michael louwe]

@ all_spice, .......

.

.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whats-di ... ive-tiwari (What’s the Difference Between GPT and MBR When Partitioning a Drive?)
http://www.overclock.net/forum/355-ssd/ ... n-mbr.html (How to create a 4TB partition in MBR?)
https://community.wd.com/t/4tb-on-mbr-a ... t/208765/5

Converting the disk from ms-dos/MBR to GPT will wipe out all data on it.

Seems, Win 7 cannot be installed on a GPT disk of a Legacy BIOS computer, ie only on a ms-dos/MBR disk of a Legacy BIOS computer.

[Spearmint2]

When it slows down, do you see the hard drive light stay on a lot? If so, maybe some inode corruption and needs to boot into recover mode and run a surface check with fsck on it, or you can do that also from Terminal/Konsole.

Code: Select all

e2fsck -f -c -v /dev/sd*

where the * is for the drive designator such as sda sdb sdc,