Tools
Preparing boot trace
- Build image squashfs_trace using script for remastering live CDs: ./scripts/remaster-live-cd.sh kubuntu.iso ./customize-dir-examples/squashfs_trace/
- Run this CD. After boot open apps which are most commonly used
(for example: look through menus, open home directory and a browser).
- Copy file /dev/.squash.log to file squashfs.log. Then copy it to your workstation (using for example scp).
- Cut file names from log using first script, save it to files.list.
- Sort files by first access using second script - save it as rootfs.sort in customization directory.
Experiments
First, naive approach - laying out files by first access
Base Kubuntu live CD version: RC1
ISO image with bootchart (
torrent)
ISO image with changed layout and with bootchart (
torrent)
Files:
Bootcharts:
- Desktop - Athlon 1.2 Ghz, 256 MB RAM: Kubuntu with bootchart (1:52s, 1:53s), optimized CD with bootchart (1:30s, 1:33s)
- Laptop - Celeron 2.4 Ghz, 240 MB RAM: Kubuntu with bootchart (2:08s, 2:07s), optimized CD with bootchart (1:52s, 1:52s)
Manually measured time until desktop (strictly speaking Kicker) appears:
- Desktop - Athlon 1.2 Ghz, 256 MB RAM: Kubuntu with bootchart (3:44, 3:54), optimized CD with bootchart (2:47, 2:47), plain Kubuntu (3:22, 3:25), plain optimized CD (2:22, 2:22)
Sorting by first access, but moving readahead files closer to the edge
Results are worse for about 10 seconds.
Bootcharts:
- Desktop - Athlon 1.2 Ghz, 256 MB RAM: Kubuntu with bootchart (1:52s, 1:53s), optimized CD with bootchart (1:40s, 1:40s)
Next steps