[Jodavaho.io] — Josh Vander Hook

Created with chatgpt + my own notes.

System Analysis

1. Check Boot Time:

   • Use systemd-analyze to see the total boot time.
   • Use systemd-analyze blame to see which services take the longest to start.
   • Use systemd-analyze critical-chain to understand the critical path.

2. Check Boot Logs:

   • Review the logs with journalctl -b to identify errors and warnings.

Hardware and BIOS/UEFI

3. Update BIOS/UEFI:

   • Ensure your BIOS/UEFI is up to date.
   • Check BIOS/UEFI settings for any boot-related options (e.g., Fast Boot).

4. Check Hardware:

   • Ensure all hardware components (RAM, SSD/HDD) are functioning correctly.

Services and Applications

5. Disable Unnecessary Services:

   • Use systemctl disable <service> to disable unneeded services.
   • Use systemctl mask <service> to prevent services from starting.

6. Remove Unnecessary Applications:

   • Use sudo apt-get remove <application> to uninstall unneeded applications.
   • Use sudo apt-get purge <application> for a thorough cleanup.

File System and Storage

7. Check Disk Usage:

   • Use df -h to check for any partitions that are almost full.
   • Use du -sh /path/to/directory to find large files and directories.

8. Optimize File System:

   • Use sudo e4defrag / for ext4 file system defragmentation.
   • Use sudo tune2fs -O fast_commit /dev/sdX for ext4 optimizations.

9. Check for Disk Errors:

   • Use sudo fsck /dev/sdX to check and repair filesystem errors.

Kernel and Drivers

10. Update Kernel and Drivers:
    • Use sudo apt-get update and sudo apt-get upgrade to ensure you have the latest updates.
    • Use ubuntu-drivers autoinstall to install the recommended drivers.

Startup and Grub

11. Optimize GRUB:

    • Edit /etc/default/grub and set GRUB_TIMEOUT to a lower value (e.g., 2 seconds).
    • Run sudo update-grub after making changes.

12. Reduce Kernel Load:

    • In /etc/default/grub, add quiet splash to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT for a quieter boot.

Swap and Memory

13. Optimize Swap Usage:

    • Adjust vm.swappiness in /etc/sysctl.conf to a lower value (e.g., 10).

14. Check Memory Usage:

    • Use free -h to check RAM usage.
    • Use top or htop to monitor active processes and their memory consumption.

Network and Connectivity

15. Disable Unused Network Services:

    • Disable services like NetworkManager-wait-online.service if not needed.
    • Use systemctl disable NetworkManager-wait-online.service.

16. Optimize Network Settings:

    • Edit /etc/network/interfaces to configure network interfaces for faster boot.

Miscellaneous

17. Disable Unused TTYs:

    • Edit /etc/systemd/logind.conf and set NAutoVTs=1.

18. Use a Lightweight Desktop Environment:

    • Consider switching to a lighter desktop environment like Xfce or LXDE.

19. Profile Your Boot:

    • Use systemd-analyze plot > bootchart.svg to create a visual representation of the boot process.

Regular Maintenance

20. Clean Package Cache:

    • Use sudo apt-get clean to clear the package cache.

21. Remove Old Kernels:

    • Use sudo apt-get autoremove to remove old kernel versions.