HOWTO: Reducing boot time in Breezy using InitNG

[temcat]

Attention: The latest info in InitNG can be found on https://wiki.ubuntu.com/InitNG.

This HOWTO is outdated. I stopped to maintain it, since I was running Windows exclusively for some time, and then decided I can live with classical init as it is.

Frustrated with the long boot time in Breezy and want to do something about it? Here comes the remedy! Meet InitNG - a new generation init program that is able to reduce your boot time by a third to a half. Below are step-by-step instructions how to do it on your system.

IMPORTANT: InitNG is pretty much work in progress, and not all things may work. Currently it does everything I personally want, but it may not be the case for you - your success depends on the combination of hardware and software you use. Suggestions, fixes, hacks and workarounds offered by people will be incorporated in this HOWTO.

1. Download InitNG version 0.3.3-2 from http://alioth.debian.org/download.ph...3.3-2_i386.deb

2. Install it:

sudo dpkg -i initng_0.3.3-2_i386.deb

3. Change the content of dbus.i file in /etc/initng/daemon to this:

http://bugzilla.initng.thinktux.net/...ment.cgi?id=69

4. Change the content of hald.i file in /etc/initng/daemon to this:

http://bugzilla.initng.thinktux.net/...ment.cgi?id=70

5. Set up gdm/kdm to load on default runlevel. To do that, run

sudo ng-update add daemon/gdm default

if using Gnome, or

sudo ng-update add daemon/kdm default

if using KDE.

6. Set up coldplug to run on system runlevel (we need this to have working sound - thanks Bitmastro!):

sudo ng-update add system/coldplug system

7. OPTIONAL: Set up various things that you may or may not need.

7.1. Start ADSL modem on boot (when using eciadsl driver)

7.1.1. Create a file called eciadsl.i with the following content:

service system/eciadsl {
    need = system/initial system/mountfs system/usb
        
start {
    /usr/local/bin/eciadsl-start
}

stop {
    /usr/local/bin/eciadsl-stop
}
}

7.1.2. Put this file in /etc/initng/system directory.

7.1.3. Set ADSL service to start on default runlevel:

sudo ng-update add system/eciadsl default

7.2. Start Jack audio daemon on boot (if you don't know what it is, you most likely don't need it).

7.2.1. Create a file called jackd.i with the following content:

service daemon/jackd {
	need = system/initial system/mountfs system/coldplug system/alsasound
	daemon = /usr/bin/jackd
	daemon_args = -R -d alsa -d hw:0
}

Note that parameters (daemon_args) listed here are only an example - you should set them according to your needs.

7.2.2. Put this file in /etc/initng/daemon directory.

7.2.3. Set Jack daemon to start on default runlevel:

sudo ng-update add daemon/jackd default

7.3. Start wireless connection on boot (thanks Manny C!).

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...1&postcount=55

This worked for a specific configuration mentioned in the post referenced above. Let me know if it works for you.

7.4. More scripts for setting up other useful things can be found here (thanks Samuel!):

http://forum.initng.thinktux.net/vie...8855c0184409a7

8. Set up GRUB for booting with InitNG. To do that, edit /boot/grub/menu.lst. Find an entry that looks like

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-9-686
root (hd0,8)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9-686 root=/dev/sda9 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-9-686
savedefault
boot

Your actual entry may look slightly different, but it must be the option that you normally choose to boot into Ubuntu.

Insert an identical entry below. Remove the word 'splash' from the 'kernel' line in the newly created entry and append 'init=/sbin/initng' to that line (without quotes). Replace 'Ubuntu' word in the 'title' line with something like 'Ubuntu (InitNG)'.

9. Reboot and choose 'Ubuntu (InitNG)' in Grub boot menu.

After that, the system should correctly boot, and you should be able to login to Gnome/KDE. In my case the actual boot time reduced by 25 sec (from 65 sec to 40 sec). Your results may vary, depending of your configuration.

If something does not work, you can always boot into your normal configuration - just choose the boot option that you cloned in the Grub menu. Meanwhile, here's some fixes suggested by the kind people in this thread:

* If you have problems with ACPI, frequency scaling etc., try these quick links:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...1&postcount=27 (thanks Maecenas!)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...8&postcount=30 (thanks Rob2687!)

If you don't need ACPI, you can turn it off altogether:

sudo ng-update delete daemon/acpid default

* To make NVidia modules load (by mounting volatile kernel modules), do as prescribed here:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...6&postcount=29 (thanks Meralon!)

Have Fun.

[DoeRayMe]

I had my adsl modem start up everytime i start my computer before, now its stopped, how do i get that working again? thanks though, its really fast now

[temcat]

Originally Posted by DoeRayMe I had my adsl modem start up everytime i start my computer before, now its stopped, how do i get that working again? thanks though, its really fast now

Someone has to create .i file for running this service or adjust the existing /etc/initng/net/net.i file. Maybe I'll do it later for eciadsl.

[blakken]

thanx very much for the tip ,it's really nice although my internet interface had to be manually started with ifup eth1 command!any idea how to make this little script?

[DutchR_PW]

This looks great, but I have two little questions:

- Does it still have the splash screen (USplash or whatever it's called)?
- Does it also work in Hoary?

[DoeRayMe]

Originally Posted by temcat Someone has to create .i file for running this service or adjust the existing /etc/initng/net/net.i file. Maybe I'll do it later for eciadsl.

Thanks i would appriciate that, as i use eciadsl

[temcat]

Originally Posted by DutchR_PW - Does it still have the splash screen (USplash or whatever it's called)?

I disbled usplash by removing the word 'splash' from 'kernel' line, because it didn't worked (switched to console somewhere in the middle).

Originally Posted by DutchR_PW - Does it also work in Hoary?

No idea - I have only Breezy

[DoeRayMe]

Problem, I get this error when i reboot

failed to initialize HAL!

btw, found out its to do with my usb modem being plugged in, hope the eciadsl thing gets sorted soon, not rushing of course

[temcat]

Originally Posted by blakken thanx very much for the tip ,it's really nice although my internet interface had to be manually started with ifup eth1 command!any idea how to make this little script?

1) Look at the content of /etc/initng/net/net.i

2) Read the relevant socuments in /usr/share/initng

3) Edit net.i file

4) Run

sudo ng-update add net/net default

5) Post your net.i file here if you had success!

[temcat]

Originally Posted by DoeRayMe Problem, I get this error when i reboot failed to initialize HAL!

Have you changed the dbus.i and hald.i files as prescribed? Check again, do it if you haven't and run

sudo ng-update add daemon/dbus default
sudo ng-update add daemon/hald default

just in case.