KDE, Stability of Manjaro

[BG405]

@oldtux

distro hoping

Possiby not as far off there as you might think!

[tracyanne]

I’m using Manjaro with KDE Plasma, stable. I installed the Minimal version in September 2020.

It has been rock solid.

██████████████████  ████████   tracy@daphne 
██████████████████  ████████   ------------ 
██████████████████  ████████   OS: Manjaro Linux x86_64 
██████████████████  ████████   Host: W54_W94_W955TU,-T,-C 
████████            ████████   Kernel: 6.6.46-1-MANJARO 
████████  ████████  ████████   Uptime: 10 hours, 44 mins 
████████  ████████  ████████   Packages: 2112 (pacman), 23 (flatpak) 
████████  ████████  ████████   Shell: bash 5.2.32 
████████  ████████  ████████   Resolution: 1366x768 
████████  ████████  ████████   DE: Plasma 6.0.5 
████████  ████████  ████████   WM: kwin 
████████  ████████  ████████   Theme: Breeze-Dark [GTK2], Breeze [GTK3] 
████████  ████████  ████████   Icons: breeze [GTK2/3] 
████████  ████████  ████████   Terminal: konsole 
                               CPU: Intel Pentium N3540 (4) @ 2.160GHz 
                               GPU: Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Graphics & Display 
                               Memory: 3151MiB / 7822MiB 

                                                       
                                                       

I use only the LTS Kernels, and make minimal theme changes.

My partner is also using KDE Plasma on her Manjaro install on a StarLabs Starlite

██████████████████  ████████   margy@hilda 
██████████████████  ████████   ----------- 
██████████████████  ████████   OS: Manjaro Linux x86_64 
██████████████████  ████████   Host: StarLite 1.0 
████████            ████████   Kernel: 6.6.46-1-MANJARO 
████████  ████████  ████████   Uptime: 2 days, 13 hours, 46 mins 
████████  ████████  ████████   Packages: 1361 (pacman) 
████████  ████████  ████████   Shell: bash 5.2.32 
████████  ████████  ████████   Resolution: 2160x1440 
████████  ████████  ████████   Terminal: /dev/pts/1 
████████  ████████  ████████   CPU: Intel N200 (4) @ 3.700GHz 
████████  ████████  ████████   GPU: Intel Alder Lake-N [UHD Graphics] 
████████  ████████  ████████   Memory: 7935MiB / 15839MiB 
████████  ████████  ████████
                                                       
                                                       

She’s very happy with it, her usage is fairly similar to yours. Previously she had an old HP 5110, which had overheating issues… the fan had stopped working, but ManjaroKDE Plasma stable had worked perfectly for the 4 years she had been using it.

[oldtux]

@tracyanne

I’m using Manjaro with KDE Plasma, stable. I installed the Minimal version in September 2020.

It has been rock solid.

Same here. I installed the minimal ISO and KDE as well.

But I see your processor is Intel Atom.
This is AFAIK a much weaker processor than I3 even. Right?

How is its performance compared to I3?

[linux-aarhus]

@oldtux

I tried EndeavourOS they converted to systemd boot. which I found was really nice.

It is fairly easy to accomplish on Manjaro as well.

• [How To] Convert to systemd-boot

Or if you want to get real dirty - creating a unified kernel, sign it, enroll into secure boot.

Hint: sbctl is in the repo

• Unified Extensible Firmware Interface/Secure Boot - ArchWiki

I prefer to name it verifed boot - as it is only as secure as the user makes it

• [root tip] [Utility Script] Encrypted Manjaro Linux using Verified Boot

[oldtux]

@linux-aarhus

It is fairly easy to accomplish on Manjaro as well.

• [How To] Convert to systemd-boot

Well, this might be a good change to make.
Do we really need Grub? I have only Manjaro and will never dual boot.

Systemd boot will be safer than Grub and faster in boot? I have two kernels by the way just in case.

Does Grub offer something systemd boot doesn’t have considering my use case?

[linux-aarhus]

@oldtux

Does Grub offer something systemd boot doesn’t have considering my use case?

It has been discussed before - Manjaro uses grub as default because it supports MBR boot and dual-boot with other systems then MS Windows

• grub offers BIOS/MBR boot - systemd-boot is EFI only
• grub offers direct ISO boot - not so easy with systemd-boot
• grub offers multiboot with other OS - systemd does too - but only Windows (if I remember correct)

I use grub on my workstation - simply because it is default - and fairly easy to handle.

On my laptops I have setup encryption and locked the system down with a unified and signed kernel image enrolled in secure boot - subseqently the firmware is password protected.

This is a onetime operation - only with kernel change I have to manually intervene.

[Mirdarthos]

@oldtux

Does Grub offer something systemd boot doesn’t have considering my use case?

I don’t think so.

There was a whole discussion and reason why Manjaro is using Grub as default, but that’s something you’re free to change if you wish.

[oldtux]

@linux-aarhus

grub offers direct ISO boo

Wow. I wonder if I got it correct.
Does this mean I just download an ISO of a Linux distro and boot from this ISO file? Like ventoy for example?

How to do that?
Would it automatically detect new iso files and boot from them?

[Mirdarthos]

This should answer your questions:

[HowTo] Boot Manjaro ISO directly with GRUB

Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ We are all familiar with burning live usb stick to boot our Manjaro isos. That is useful when you are installing manjaro on a new machine. However, if you already have linux installed with grub, there is a better way to boot Manjaro iso files. I usually do this when I test new iso files for a new release or when I need to use a rescue system because one of my experiments rendered my installation unbootable. You can boot the .iso file directly from your hard drive without burn…

[oldtux]

@Mirdarthos

This should answer your questions:

Wow! I just had a fast reading of the link.
I will try to do it.
Much better than Ventoy.
I can then distro hop and try different distros or even same distro with different desktops.

You know what guys, as I said I have been on Linux since 2000 and on many forums since then. I never learned that much in just those few hours.

The most amazing community I ever found and the most amazing distro.

[Mirdarthos]

@Kobold

I personally stay away from 2 Kernel ways… i never had a problem with just the latest LTS Kernel… it saves also download time/SSD Weariness after each update.

Maybe. I myself also have only the one kernel installed.

But I have seen it recommended and that’s why I recommend always having two kernels installed. So that one can be a backup if something goes wrong. (As was the case not too long ago where a Wifi driver accidentally got left out. Accidents happen.)

[tracyanne]

@oldtux

How is its performance compared to I3?

Absolutely no idea. It performs good enough for my needs, Some Python programming, Photo processing with DigiKam and RawTherapee and Hugin, Watching Videos, and Music.

[oldtux]

@tracyanne

Some Python programming, Photo processing

Wow! This is really impressive.
You do Python programming as well?
This is really interesting.
I played with python for some time. It is really interesting.

[tracyanne]

@oldtux

You do Python programming as well?

I’ve programmed in lots of languages since the 1980s.

[owburp]

After some frustrations with a few updates while I was still new to Manjaro, I came across a couple of forum posts by @akin2silver and @koshikas that led me to this process for all my updates. This removed the likely source of many of the update problems (relying on pamac-gui) I encountered and it solved the obstacle of losing the laptop’s wifi access to the network while updating in TTY. Even though there is a way to log off the Plasma desktop and get access to wifi in TTY, I found this procedure simpler to follow.

The first part is while you are still in Plasma, using Yakuake (or Konsole) –
Run sudo pacman-mirrors -f 5 [this will update the mirror list with 5 fastest up to date mirrors]
Run sudo pacman -Syuw [this will only download the update packages]

Now that the updates have been downloaded (but NOT installed yet), save and close any open applications
Logout [press Ctrl+Alt+Del and then click logout]
At the Login screen, press Ctrl+Alt+F3 for TTY3
Login on TTY with your username/password
Run sudo pacman -Su [this will install the packages you just downloaded]
When the update has completed,
Run systemctl reboot

Don’t forget to run a pacdiff -s once you’ve logged back in.

And one more thing to keep in mind. I had to find out the hard way so perhaps I can spare you the problems (some requiring a reinstall) that I ran into. Don’t fall behind with updates. You might get away with skipping or missing one, but it’s best not to make it a habit. Check this forum regularly and watch for update announcements. I usually check the forum posts for the problems that are being discussed, to see how posters are solving them, before I actually do the updates myself.

[oldtux]

@owburp

After some frustrations with a few updates while I was still new to Manjaro, I came across a couple of forum posts by @akin2silver and @koshikas that led me to this process for all my updates.

I generally prefer updating through bash.
I have bookmarked your post to update accordingly.

Amazing community. Never learned that much on any forum since I started Linux in 2000!

[Mirdarthos]

@owburp

Check this forum regularly and watch for update announcements.

Easiest way, I’ve found, is to instal and use the Matray application:

pamac install matray

Edit:

@oldtux

I generally prefer updating through bash.

Same.

I have created a small script to help with that. See:

GitHub - Mirdarthos/manjaro-update-helper: a Helper script for updating Manjaro.

and:

My Universal Manjaro Update Helper

Hi Everyone. TLDR; I made an update helper script for performing updates, and generating a precompiled forum post if there were errors. Give it a go. Link and installation instructions below. After spending quite some time on here, on the forum, I started noticing a pattern when updates happen. Usually after the update, when support is being asked, the people trying to help always have to request the same information. Hence me thinking that it can be scripted, seeing as it’s so repetitive. A…

and:

MUMUH V8 released

I do realise this has been quiet and it looks as if it has been abandoned. However, it hasn’t. But there was a snag that I really did struggle with. I considered abandoning it many, many times. I finally got the answer to that, though, so It’s back. I think. This version brings a complete change in the way a log file is generated. It keeps the logs in RAM until the end, when it flushes it to the disk. This ensures two things, according to me: those with SSD disks will have less wear on the…

</ShamelessPlug>

[oldtux]

@Mirdarthos

pamac install matray

This is for updating the system?
Is it manual and safe as what @owburp mentioned?

I understand a rolling release can introduce some issues sometimes. I repeatedly confirm I care about stability and reliability not the latest software.
My point in a rolling release is mainly to install only one time and forget about it.

What are the differences?
Edit:
I apologise. I read about matray. So my question is not valid. My bad. Sorry!

[Mirdarthos]

@oldtux

This is for updating the system?

Nope. This is just to install the matray app, a small notification app that notifies you if there are updates available, other news:

https://i.imgur.com/dm8RYOZ.png

[owburp]

@oldtux

Amazing community.

It truly is!! Just before I ended my distro hopping with Manjaro, I too was on MX Linux (I still am on one rather old laptop that maxed out at 4G RAM). I loved Dolphin Oracle’s YouTubes and his participation on the MX Linux forum. But this Manjaro Forum really impressed me with its helpful caring and competent community.

@Mirdarthos

Easiest way, I’ve found, is to instal and use the Matray application

Yep, I think I have that on one of my machines, but I spend so much time on the forum that I probably catch the update posting before matray ever has a chance to pop up.