How to make X startup faster ?

wearetheborg · 03-30-2009, 12:31 AM

Debian Lenny AMD64
Dell precision M6400 laptop with nvidia 2700M, 1920x1200
nvidia drivers, compiled into kernel.

Works great, except that X takes up a long(ish) time to load up. I'm currently trying to reduce my bootup time.
Currently its 27s of which 7s is just for X to startup

I get the feeling that the monitor is being probed everytime and this is wasting time.

I added my resolution to the xorg.conf file, it did not help

Code:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder62)  Thu Feb  5 00:08:50 PST 2009

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "type1"
    Load           "freetype"
    Load           "glx"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       28.0 - 33.0
    VertRefresh     43.0 - 72.0
    Option         "DPMS"
    Modeline "1920x1200_50.00"  158.08  1920 2032 2240 2560  1200 1201 1204 1235  -HSync +Vsync
    Option      "PreferredMode"   "1920x1200_50.00"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes       "1920x1200_50.00"
  EndSubSection
EndSection

Mega Man X · 03-30-2009, 01:29 AM

Are you using some desktop effects of any kind? Because at least for me, in Ubuntu, Gnome with effects on takes a couple of extra seconds to start, so I disable it (besides, I found it ratter buggy and pointless).

You are also using a Nvidia card. Do you get the Nvidia logo when X starts? If you do, you could disable it by adding this line under Section "Device" on you xorg file:

Option "NoLogo"

Good luck!

farslayer · 03-30-2009, 08:13 AM

Disable Xorg's autodetection of video devices.

http://sparc86.wordpress.com/2009/02...nfig-function/

Code:

Section “ServerFlags”
     Option “AutoAddDevices” “False”
EndSection

ignore probed EDID data and just use specified mode..

Code:

Section “Screen"
    Option "UseEdid" "False"
EndSection

Not sure if that will help or not.. but I think that is what you are asking for. In addition to Mega Mans suggestion.

Let us know if any or all those suggestions speed things up or just break X for you

wearetheborg · 03-30-2009, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mega Man X

Are you using some desktop effects of any kind? Because at least for me, in Ubuntu, Gnome with effects on takes a couple of extra seconds to start, so I disable it (besides, I found it ratter buggy and pointless).

You are also using a Nvidia card. Do you get the Nvidia logo when X starts? If you do, you could disable it by adding this line under Section "Device" on you xorg file:

Option "NoLogo"

Good luck!

Yes, I am using gnome effects, but I'm only timing bootup till the login screen.

I was getting the nvidia splash screen, and your line did disable it, but it has not decreased the boot time (or maybe decreased it by 0.5s, I could not tell).

farslayer, X was still working under the ServerFlags option, but again no improvement in startup time.
With the UseEdid flag, I just got a blank black screen (powered).

Here is what happens when X is trying to start during bootup:
4 s black screen (powered)
2 s black screen (unpowerd)
2 s nvidia splash screen and gdm login menu.

Thanks guys

makuyl · 03-31-2009, 01:44 PM

What about Option "NoDDC" under nvidia device section to disable ddc probing?

wearetheborg · 03-31-2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makuyl

What about Option "NoDDC" under nvidia device section to disable ddc probing?

Tried it, no effect.

What does the NoDCC option do ?

makuyl · 04-01-2009, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wearetheborg

What does the NoDCC option do ?

Stops ddcprobing the video card and monitor for modes and syncs. Probably it doesn't happen on every X start anyway, but it was worth a shot.