Xorg Start Time

leokent · 2009-02-22 16:30:58

How long should xorg take to start after the startx command has been given? The Fedora Project have apparently got their startup time down to around 1 second (OneSecondX). I takes a good 7 seconds on my machine, is this normal? (This is without installing any window manager apart from X.)

Thanks,
Leo Kent

Lexion · 2009-02-22 17:19:57

What kind of machine do you have? If it's old, then it is normal.

lucho · 2009-02-22 17:51:25

The machine must be extremely old to attribute such delay on the oldness only. Like say 486.

Try to run directly the X server (without startx)
if its still slow then the problem is in it.
if not, then startx does something
if its the startx, see what exactly does it do (its a shell script)
For example you can comment it line by line to find the offending part.

If its an binary executable (like the X server itself) that is causing the delay, its more complex.
You can try strace to see what system calls does it do and and does this suggest something to you.
Maybe it is waiting for some (network?) timeouts

Check the CPU usage during the delay.
If it is caused by some timeout(s) then the CPU usage should be low.

Try to isolate the problem
Hope that helps

Last edited by lucho (2009-02-22 17:53:23)

leokent · 2009-02-22 18:40:20

I have a 2.1Ghz Core2Duo with 3GB of RAM and nVidia 8400 so it's not really what you would call old.

@lucho: Thanks, I will investigate and report back.

BinkyTheClown · 2009-02-22 18:49:14

Did you write your hostname in /etc/hosts? Should be a line like this:

127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost yourhostname

This is known to speed up the Xorg startup process.

leokent · 2009-02-22 19:01:00

@Binky: I have already tried that, it did make a difference but I am still at 7 seconds when running "X".

How can I monitor what the CPU is doing when starting X, with top?

BinkyTheClown · 2009-02-22 19:21:45

Yes, with top. And you can also install bootchart, it generates an image of the boot process, perhaps it is useful to you.

Btw, do you use a ~/.xinitrc file? Please post it.

Last edited by BinkyTheClown (2009-02-22 19:24:06)

Arch Linux

#1 2009-02-22 16:30:58

Xorg Start Time

#2 2009-02-22 17:19:57

Re: Xorg Start Time

#3 2009-02-22 17:51:25

Re: Xorg Start Time

#4 2009-02-22 18:40:20

Re: Xorg Start Time

#5 2009-02-22 18:49:14

Re: Xorg Start Time

#6 2009-02-22 19:01:00

Re: Xorg Start Time

#7 2009-02-22 19:21:45

Re: Xorg Start Time

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