evolution-data-server

[johnnymcc9]

I'm running LM 21.1 Cinnamon on a 8GB system and want to put it on a 4GB system. This led me to try and remove unused processes. The last post on this that I could find is 12 years old so it seems that there may be more knowledge out there now about the evolution-data-server package.

Does anyone know what would happen if I removed evolution-data-server and evolution-data-server-common? It appears to have four processes running at all times. LM doesn't come with Evolution installed and I never installed it.

[t42]

Does anyone know what would happen if I removed evolution-data-server and evolution-data-server-common

removing evolution-data-server-common should deinstall cinnamon. Leave it as is unless you like to deal with complications.

But you can remove evolution-data-server and switch off in Startup Applications the Evolution Alarm Notify option.

[johnnymcc9]

Thanks! Without removing anything, I have no entry for Evolution Alarm Notify entry in Startup Applications. Will it show up in Startup Applications if I remove evolution-data-server?

My goal is to remove unused processes, not so much to save disk space.

[nachlese]

This led me to try and remove unused processes.

That system will still run fine with 4GB instead of 8GB - provided you have swap.
That evolution-data-server process isn't going to cause you any trouble or in other words: removing it will not change much if anything.

Or you could use the Xfce edition where this is not a requirement by default.

a datapoint:
my "machine" has 8GB of RAM and thus, all my VM's run on half of that: 4GB
... Mint Cinnamon is running just fine on 4GB

all of the VM's do - any Linux, and Windows as well (with some restrictions, certain Apps require the OS to have more than 4GB and they will not run if there is just 4GB - Windows itself, however, will work. Last tested with Windows 10)

[t42]

I have no entry for Evolution Alarm Notify entry in Startup Applications.

There is a lot of hidden items in the startup applications.
There is a reason they are hidden but it is possible to make them visible:

Code: Select all

sudo sed -i "s/NoDisplay=true/NoDisplay=false/g" /etc/xdg/autostart/*.desktop

[johnnymcc9]

Or you could use the Xfce edition where this is not a requirement by default.

Good idea! I will try this. Too late for my Cinnamon machine (8GB) but I'll try it on my 4GB machine.

[Hoser Rob]

What you want to do there is one of the best way to break Linux in existence. Linux is way, way more modular than WIndows and there are a gazillion processes running in the background al the time. Just because they're unused when you're looking doesn't mean they won't be needed soon.

[johnnymcc9]

What you want to do there is one of the best way to break Linux in existence. Linux is way, way more modular than WIndows and there are a gazillion processes running in the background al the time. Just because they're unused when you're looking doesn't mean they won't be needed soon.

I agree the risk is high and won't be doing anything like that on my main desktop. I installed LM Xfce on my spare machine that only has 4GB and since it doesn't matter how broken it gets I deleted evolution-data-server. Everything seemed to still work, but it's kind of irrelevant at this point since I don't like Xfce anyway. I'm considering the issue closed and I appreciate all the help. I don't remember if this forum requires marking issues/threads as closed/solved.