[SOLVED] any need to clean/ re-install LM19.2 after + 1 year

[Pepper-Mint-Patty]

We wonder if there is any need to clean/ re-install LM19.2 after having used it for more then 1/2/3 years. Of course we always kept updating.
We remember something like that from the Windows days.

[Moem]

In one word, no. There is no need.

[Aztaroth]

If everything works fine, don't think about it. Only a dramatic drop in performance or recurrent crashes could justify a clean reinstall.
However, check your version's EoL. Maybe you'll have one day to use another version to benefit from security upgrades (my wife's computer runs 'Tricia' 19.3 and EoL is 04/2023. Perhaps Tina''s EoL is the same).

[Moem]

Perhaps Tina''s EoL is the same.

It is. All 19.x versions lose support at the same time.

[ivar]

FWIW, my Lenovo from 2015 runs better now than it did when I installed it 6 months ago.

as for cleaning, I'd think it may be wise to clean out old updates after running for a while..?
https://itsfoss.com/free-up-space-ubuntu-linux/

[kc1di]

Cleaning the system may not be needful. But I like the idea of keeping Mint clean here is a page that tells you how to do it safely.
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.c ... -mint.html
Enjoy!

[Hoser Rob]

I think the issue here is the Windows need to defrag the disk, which is not necessary in Linux. The ext4 file system used by Mint is a journaling system so it organizes itself much better than ntfs.

[ThaCrip]

I think the issue here is the Windows need to defrag the disk, which is not necessary in Linux. The ext4 file system used by Mint is a journaling system so it organizes itself much better than ntfs.

I don't know how true it is, but one site I read said to only defrag EXT4 once it reaches 20% fragmentation. but I also heard as long as you have a fair amount of free space it's much less likely to get fragmented all that much in the first place.

[Larry78723]

I don't know how true it is, but one site I read said to only defrag EXT4 once it reaches 20% fragmentation. but I also heard as long as you have a fair amount of free space it's much less likely to get fragmented all that much in the first place.

Not true. There is no need to ever defrag an EXT4 partition.

[djph]

I don't know how true it is, but one site I read said to only defrag EXT4 once it reaches 20% fragmentation. but I also heard as long as you have a fair amount of free space it's much less likely to get fragmented all that much in the first place.

Not true. There is no need to ever defrag an EXT4 partition.

Technically speaking, one "should" defragment an ext4 filesystem after it's been running at 90%+ of its capacity for some time (and no, a one-off "this log grew to 100 GiB and now I ran out of space" won't really be a problem).

But at that point, you're either going to be considering a new drive because the existing one is too small; or blowing away the whole thing because it's been a couple of release cycles and that's just easier than cleaning out the cruft.

[Hoser Rob]

I don't know how true it is, but one site I read said to only defrag EXT4 once it reaches 20% fragmentation. but I also heard as long as you have a fair amount of free space it's much less likely to get fragmented all that much in the first place.

Not true. There is no need to ever defrag an EXT4 partition.

+1. Just look up how to defrag in a Linux environment. It's ridiculously complex, and if it were necessary someone would have simplified it a long time ago.

[DAMIEN1307]

+1. Just look up how to defrag in a Linux environment. It's ridiculously complex, and if it were necessary someone would have simplified it a long time ago.

It is NOT necessary, and It is not Ridiculously complex, But rather, it is Ridiculously easy to do on LM 18.xx and 19.xx versions, (Never tried it on 20.xx versions)...(See defrag command at end of post)...DAMIEN

I think the issue here is the Windows need to defrag the disk, which is not necessary in Linux. The ext4 file system used by Mint is a journaling system so it organizes itself much better than ntfs.

Not true. There is no need to ever defrag an EXT4 partition.

The above two statements are TRUE.

Take Note: I DO NOT recommend defragging an ext4 drive, ever.

Defrag Command

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sudo e4defrag /dev/sda1

[DAMIEN1307]

If you find a need to clean out any of the usual detritus, these are safe commands to use to do so by copy and paste, one at a time, into your terminal...I might do this every couple of months or so and have very little to clean up...If you have never done these, you might find quite a bit the first time, but very little thereafter...DAMIEN

Kernel and other Cleanups after Deletions:

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sudo apt autoclean

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sudo apt autoremove --purge

Clear the Thumbnail Cache:

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

Clear Miscellaneous Detritus:

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

Clear DNS Cache:

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sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches

Flush Journald:

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sudo journalctl --rotate

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sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=1s

Do this last one ONLY if you are using an SSD drive:

Manual SSD TRIM:

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sudo fstrim -av

[MAlfare]

We wonder if there is any need to clean/ re-install LM19.2 after having used it for more then 1/2/3 years. Of course we always kept updating.
We remember something like that from the Windows days.

I installed WIN95 ONE time and used it till W98 came out, which I installed ONE time and used it until its EOL.
No need to install WIN or LINUX more than once if you don't fill your installation with rubbish

[Petermint]

The ext4 file system used by Mint is a journaling system so it organizes itself much better than ntfs.

NTFS is a journaling file system so that is not the reason for them being different.

When you upgrade from 19.x to 20.x, perform a clean install. Clean installs are good when you continually add applications to try them out. Clean installs are good when you test dozens of USB Wifi devices and have drivers installed for every one. Clean installs are good when you have a list of every application you need and end up with a new version of every one, which you get with the jump from LM 19 to LM 20.

Just refer to your list of all the things you installed in LM 19.

Well, you might not have a list. There are ways to list installed packages, investigate what each package does, then delete the ones you no longer use. There are ways to delete old Linux kernels, co requisite packages no longer needed, and all sorts of junk. It is equivalent to going through your spice cabinet and throwing out the ones that are too old plus the XXX chilli that gives you indigestion plus the weird ones with too much salt. A once per year spring clean is good.

And spring clean the fans!

[Pepper-Mint-Patty]

Ok i understand there is no need. Whenever i feel the need i will try DAMIEN1307 commands.

[SimonPeter]

If you find a need to clean out any of the usual detritus, these are safe commands to use to do so by copy and paste, one at a time, into your terminal...I might do this every couple of months or so and have very little to clean up...If you have never done these, you might find quite a bit the first time, but very little thereafter...DAMIEN

Kernel and other Cleanups after Deletions:

Code: Select all

sudo apt autoclean

Code: Select all

sudo apt autoremove --purge

Clear the Thumbnail Cache:

Code: Select all

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

Clear Miscellaneous Detritus:

Code: Select all

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

Clear DNS Cache:

Code: Select all

sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches

Flush Journald:

Code: Select all

sudo journalctl --rotate

Code: Select all

sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=1s

Do this last one ONLY if you are using an SSD drive:

Manual SSD TRIM:

Code: Select all

sudo fstrim -av

Superb guide.

[Petermint]

sudo fan -cycle vacuum

[ivar]

I installed WIN95 ONE time and used it till W98 came out, which I installed ONE time and used it until its EOL.
No need to install WIN or LINUX more than once if you don't fill your installation with rubbish

For my own windows machines, I've ran them for years without reinstalling. (Mostly because I'm lazy, lol)

But one main difference in my experience is that my windows pcs gets slower as several years of updates piles up. While my linux boxes performance seems to stay the same , or even get better with updates

[RollyShed]

Cleaning? Absolutely, definitely, Yes.

Switch OFF, remove the power cable, take the cover off and with a good strong vacuum cleaner and brush, clean all of the dust out of fans and heat-sink grills. If compressed air is available possibly a better way of doing it.

If you were meaning software then the question is why? Dust and dirt don't effect it, it isn't windows which need cleaning often.