HD activity in 10.04

[Basil Chupin]

On 25/01/2011 16:21, Arnaud G wrote:
>
> *From:* Basil Chupin <blchupin at iinet.net.au>
> *To:* ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> *Sent:* Tue, January 25, 2011 12:35:57 AM
> *Subject:* Re: HD activity in 10.04
>
> On 25/01/2011 12:20, Arnaud G wrote:
> > *From:* Colin Law <clanlaw at googlemail.com 
> <mailto:clanlaw at googlemail.com>>
> > *To:* "Ubuntu user technical support, not for general discussions" 
> <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com <mailto:ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com>>
> > *Sent:* Mon, January 24, 2011 5:11:28 PM
> > *Subject:* Re: HD activity in 10.04
> >
> > On 24 January 2011 20:48, Arnaud G <lepelerin2002 at yahoo.com 
> <mailto:lepelerin2002 at yahoo.com> <mailto:lepelerin2002 at yahoo.com 
> <mailto:lepelerin2002 at yahoo.com>>> wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > How can I monitor  the HD activity at startup  in Ubuntu 10.04?
> > > When I start up my laptop, sometimes the HD activity goes on for
> > > approximately 2-3 minutes.
> > > It's not always the case.
> > > It's often before I can login. The gdm is loaded but so much HD 
> activity I
> > > cannot even move the pointer or enter my credentials.
> > > It sometimes does the same in a non gdm environment.
> > > Once the HD activity is back to normal, it's OK.
> >
> > Have you tried bootchart to see if it provides any useful information?
> >
> > Colin
> >
> >
> > no I did not, just installed it and will see if I can find something 
> strange when it happens again.
>
> Have you counted the number of reboots between this occurring?
>
> Linux OSs will check the file system after so many reboots (because 
> Linux is meant to run for years without being rebooted, when the 
> system is rebooted after X times the s/ware thinks that there is a 
> problem with the file system).
>
> If I remember correclty, but I do not vouch for my memory, Lucid 
> (10.04) checks the file system for errors after 10 reboots but 
> Maverick now after (?)20 reboots.
>
> There is a file where you can control this number but I don't recall 
> it (and without going thru all my notes).
>
> BC
>
>
> I did disable the check on reboot and no effect. Thank you for the 
> pointer anyway.

OK, at least this one is out the way :-) .

Another question: does the HD (activity) light stay on after you have 
logged on and all HD activity has stopped?

Reason why I asked is that my wife's computer (a desktop) was doing 
similar to what you are stating your laptop is doing- it would take a 
long time to come up with the logon screen because the HD was "doing 
something". But after she logged on, and the system did what the system 
has to do, the HD activity light would stay on! Rebooting the system 
would normally restore normality - but occasionally it would take 
several reboots to achieve this.

I transferred her HDs to another, spare, computer and since then she has 
not had this problem - power up the computer, get the logon screen, 
logon, and the HD activity light does not stay on (after the systems has 
done what the system has to do :-) ).

I have no explanation for this except that the mobo on the previous 
computer had, or some part of it, reached its senility age and needed 
viagra or something...... :-)

BC


(PS Sorry, Boss, I mentioned "viagra" - I hope that this is OK? :-[ .)

-- 
Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.