Tips and tweaks for reducing Linux startup time

Ready Set Go

Article from Issue 246/2021
Author(s):

Today's Linux systems boot faster than ever, but many users still get impatient waiting for that first glimpse of desktop. These tweaks will help you get a faster start from the bootloader and kernel.

CPUs, RAM modules, and storage media keep getting faster, but today's Linux systems are still a little too slow at startup for many busy users. With a few useful tools and a little knowledge of the Linux environment, you can shave some seconds from the startup process. Read on for some insights.

systemd-analyze

The systemd-analyze tool supplied with systemd gives a first impression of where time is being wasted. The time option outputs the total startup time and shows what portion of that time is used for firmware, bootloader, kernel, and user space:

systemd-analyze time

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