Tombuntu

Eliminate Slow Boots Because of Disk Checking

If you have been using Ubuntu for a while, you probably know that after 30 boots Ubuntu runs a check on the hard disk. This “Fsck” check slows down booting a lot. AutoFsck runs the check on shutdown instead, and asks you if it is a good time first. If the occasional slow boot is a problem for you, AutoFsck is perfect.

The disk check runs has always been fairly quick on my two desktops, so it does not bother me. But running the check on shutdown makes a lot more sense. Most of the time there is no hurry to shutdown a PC. However, when a user starts up a computer, they usually want to use it as soon as they can. The developer of AutoFsck thinks that it should be included in Ubuntu 7.10, which I think is a great idea.

It’s really quite simple, every time you shut down, AutoFsck finds information on your disks. Every linux partition has two important number associated with it, one is the number of times it has been mounted, the other is the number of times it is allowed to before being checked. AutoFsck looks at these, and if your drives are due for checking it asks if you want to check them. If you say yes, your drives are checked and your computer shuts down. If you say no, AutoFsck will ensure that the check will not run next time at boot. You will then be asked again the next time you shut down.

Archived Comments

Tristan Rhodes

Thanks for the info, I agree that this is a much better way to do things. What I rebooted my laptop right before a big presentation (to make the projector work) and I had to sit through the fsck in front of my boss!

Jason Brower

YEAH! I have been waiting for something like this for a long time. Let’s get this thing in Gutsy!
Probably WAY to late by now though.
For us laptop users, we would like to do our checking when we are not on battery. And my check of the main partition takes 10 minutes. I would REALLY like to get to my presentation, but have to let everyone see my computer checking it self in text mode, while I tell people how great linux is. Not a very comfortable situation.
Jason

dnd61

I have been waiting for 5 to 6 minuts to start Ubuntu. It start slowly.Are there any way to solve this problem.

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