linux extremely slow. almost 10 minutes to boot (hdparam -t : 490.70 kB/sec)

pietchaki · 02-16-2012, 03:33 PM

Hi,
my entire linux is slow, it is taking about 5~8 minutes to load the login screen, and more 3~5 minutes to load my account.

I have a Core i3 350M, 4Gb DDR3 dual channel, hd hitachi 500Gb.
running Linux Mint 12 64bits 3.0.0-12-generic

First I though it could be the distro I was using so I tested Mint 12, Mint 11, Ubuntu 11.10 and Kubuntu 11.04, and all of them run almost fine in live, and very slow when installed in hd.

running some tests I found that with my HD:

Code:

#hdparm -tT /dev/sda
 /dev/sda:
  Timing cached reads:     2 MB in  4.17 seconds = 490.70 kB/sec
  Timing buffered disk reads:   2 MB in  3.59 seconds = 570.03 kB/sec

Code:

#hdparm -i /dev/sda
 /dev/sda:
  Model=Hitachi HTS545050A7E380, FwRev=GG2OA600, SerialNo=TA5511GZH4S6KP
  Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs }
  RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=4
  BuffType=DualPortCache, BuffSize=8192kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
  CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=976773168
  IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
  PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
  DMA modes:  mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 
  UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6 
  AdvancedPM=yes: mode=0xFE (254) WriteCache=enabled
  Drive conforms to: unknown:  ATA/ATAPI-2,3,4,5,6,7

don't know what other info could be relevant, please tell me what I can do.

thx

kbp · 02-16-2012, 03:54 PM

Those speeds seem extremely slow for a hdd by a factor of 60+, try another hard disk.

pietchaki · 02-16-2012, 06:17 PM

I don't have other HDs, and can't buy one either...
this notebook was OK last week, and it was on my desk last 2 months
so I don't think its mechanical failure...

John VV · 02-16-2012, 09:50 PM

mint 12 64 should run fine on that hardware

is this a VM install on virtualbox or VMware with vista as the host OS
if not and you installed it to the drive and Mint IS THE ONLY operating system
then HOW did you install it ?
the settings you used would help

H_TeXMeX_H · 02-17-2012, 01:54 AM

Check the cables to the HDD, and maybe run some diagnostics on the drive, either using smartctl or a manufacturer utility on:
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

pietchaki · 02-17-2012, 04:19 PM

I put my HD in a friend's computer and it was as slow as in my notebook.
seems like I will have to buy another HD...

k3lt01 · 02-17-2012, 06:01 PM

Disable, or remove, ureadahead. It gives a bit of grief sometimes when it is reprofiling. Your hardware specification shouldn't be affected but it is not unheard of.

k3lt01 · 02-17-2012, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H_TeXMeX_H

Check the cables to the HDD

Cables in a notebook?

pietchaki · 02-17-2012, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3lt01

Disable, or remove, ureadahead. It gives a bit of grief sometimes when it is reprofiling. Your hardware specification shouldn't be affected but it is not unheard of.

I used "apt-get purge ureadahead"
but problem persists...

I don't think it's software problem, since this HD have the same bad performance when plugged in other computer.

k3lt01 · 02-17-2012, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pietchaki

I used "apt-get purge ureadahead"
but problem persists...

Have you rebooted it since removing ureadahead?

Quote:

Originally Posted by pietchaki

I don't think it's software problem, since this HD have the same bad performance when plugged in other computer.

It may be hardware and it may be software, ureadahead is just one thing I know does what you have described and it doesn't matter if you put the hard drive in 100 different computers it will still do it.

Have you done a disk benchmark in disk utility?

pietchaki · 02-18-2012, 09:34 AM

yes, I rebooted the system.

In benchmark from disk utility:
"Error benchmarking: helper exited with exit code 1: Device /dev/sda is too slow to benchmark"

cascade9 · 02-18-2012, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3lt01

Cables in a notebook?

Some do have them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pietchaki

I used "apt-get purge ureadahead"
but problem persists...

I don't think it's software problem, since this HD have the same bad performance when plugged in other computer.

As long as you weren't booting the drive you are trying to test, it wont matter if ureadahead is removed or not.

Sounds like you have a failed drive. Not totaly failed, but failed enough that its dropped speed huge amounts. But I'd run the manufacturers diagnostic tests (Hitachi Drive Fitness Test in this case) just to be sure.

Link to the Hitachi d/l page with the Drive Fitness Test-

http://www.hitachigst.com/support/downloads/

pietchaki · 02-18-2012, 09:50 AM

when the system began to slow down, I tried to benchmark but get an error "can't estimate cache size" or something like that.
also in smart data the "Current Pending Sector Count" was 60, now it is 1192...

when plugged as a secondary HD in my friends computer, running windows 7, tried to copy mint 12 DVD iso from my HD to him, the transfer rate began at 900kb/s and slow down to 300kb/s.
copying the same file from his HD to a pen drive get 4~7Mb/s.

H_TeXMeX_H · 02-18-2012, 10:00 AM

I think you should return it as defect if it is under warranty.

k3lt01 · 02-18-2012, 01:12 PM

I agree, looks like you have a drive that is giving up.