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deans mega tweak list for a default install of etch/gnome
deans mega tweak list for a default install of etch/gnome
This is my tweak list on default installs of etch with gnome, some of them are system tweaks but most are gnome tweaks. Some are performance tweaks, some are simply preference tweaks. Dig thru and you might find a nugget....or not!
---------
disable screensaver
Desktop>Preferences>Screensaver
uncheck 'Activate screensaver when session is idle'
click close
--------------
tweak nautilus to make it use less resources and operate in a more common way
edit>preferences>
Behavior tab
check single click
check always open in browser windows
uncheck ask before emtying trash
check Include a delete command
Display tab
None
None
None
Preview tab
Text Files
show text - never
show thumbnails - always
Other Previewable Files
Only for files smaller than - 1MB
Sound Files
Preview sound files - never
Folders
Count number of items - never
Then I close that, close nautilus, reopen nautilus.
View>
uncheck Statusbar
uncheck Side Pane
uncheck Main Toolbar
---------------
setup pmount
I press alt+f2 which brings up the 'run application' box and I type in gksu gedit which starts up gedit with root powers. Then I open /etc/pmount.allow and add /dev/hda1 to that file, save it, close it. This allows me to access my data partition in nautilus.
-------------
auto login using gdm
Desktop>Administration>Login Window
Security tab
check Enable Automatic Logon
select user
----------
edit menu.lst to change the colors, remove extra entries, trim boot messages and add
press alt+f2 which brings up the 'run application' box and I type in gksu gedit which starts up gedit with root powers. Then I open /boot/grub/menu.lst and:
remove the single user mode entry
edit colors
#background or foreground(?) - black blue green cyan red magenta brown light-gray
#foreground only-dark-gray light-blue light-green light-cyan light-red light-magenta yellow white
#You can prefix blink- to foreground if you want a blinking foreground color.
#letters and line border(foreground)/big box(background) hi-lite_letters/hi-lite_bar
color light-gray/blue black/light-gray
get rid of the long scrolling fly-by boot messages by adding quiet and vga=### to the kernel line. Here are a few vga modes:
640x480 785
800x600 788
1024x768 791
1280x1024 794
Should look something like this when you get done:
title Debian full etch quiet vga
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-4-686 root=/dev/hda7 ro quiet vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-4-686
savedefault
If I want [OK] [FAIL] startup messages then I
apt-get install usplash
apt-get remove usplash
---------
tweak epiphany to gain some screen real estate, and stop downloading and opening everything, and to make fonts decent, and disable ipv6
edit>preferences
general tab - uncheck auto download and open files
fonts&style tab - uncheck let web pages specify their own fonts, minimum size 9
privacy tab - uncheck allow popups, uncheck enable java, temp files space = 3 mb
right-click toolbar > customize toolbars
toolbar button labels - icon only
drag buttons that I dont want off the button-toolbar like zoom, bookmarks, history, spacers,
drag addressbar to button-toolbar, and add newtab button
type in about:config
ipv6
disable set to true
--------------
disable ipv6
edit /etc/modprobe.d/aliases
change
alias net-pf-10 ipv6
to
alias net-pf-10 off
----------
save a little resources
edit /etc/inittab
find this section and place a # in front of a few of them
1respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1
#2:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty2
#3:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty3
#4:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty4
#5:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty5
#6:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty6
--------
free some space, now and future by installing and using localepurge
apt-get install localepurge
run localepurge in a terminal
--------------
dash as default sh, faster/smaller maybe?
apt-get install dash
then I
dpkg-configure dash
and choose yes
-------------------
tweak panel
-remove the Menu Bar, add a Main Menu
right click on the Menu Bar and choose 'Remove From Panel'
right click on a empty space on the panel and choose 'Add To Panel' and choose 'Main Menu'
-get rid of anything on the panel that is not wanted
right-click and choose 'Remove From Panel' anything you wish to remove from the top panel
-change from top/bottom panels to just a top panel
right click an empty space on the top panel and choose 'Add To Panel'
then choose the following
Window List
Workspace Switcher
(and any other applets that look yummy)
right-click on empty space on the bottom-panel and choose 'Delete This Panel'
-auto-hide the panel
right-click on empty space on the panel and choose 'Properties' checkmark Autohide
-make the panel icons bigger
right-click on empty space on the panel and choose 'Properties' adjust size to 36
group my icons near the center of the panel, put switcher on one end and clock on the other
---------------
tweak the gnome startup/session
Desktop>Preferences>Session
Session Options tab
uncheck 'Show splash screen on login'
Current Session tab (dont remove any that you need)
click on vino-session, click Remove (vino is a remote session tool)
click on gnome-cups-icon, click Remove (printing system icon?)
click on update-notifier, click Remove (software update notifier)
click on bluetooth-applet, click Remove (bluetooth applet)
click on nm-applet, click Remove (network manager applet)
click APPLY
Startup Programs tab
click on bluetooth-applet, click Disable
click on update-notifier, click Disable
click on nm-applet, click Disable
-----------------------
disable services that aren't needed/wanted
apt-get install rcconf or one of the other similar tools
run rcconf in a terminal and disable a lot of things I dont need/want like:
ifupdown
wpa-ifupdown
bittorrent
cupsys
rsync
openbsd-inetd
----------
remove a couple things
I find the network-manager tool to be a case of overkill for a basic single network connection so I remove it. You can still configure your network interface using the Network Settings tool.
open root terminal
apt-get remove network-manager network-manager-gnome
I also remove the dbus interface to dhcp and the dhcp client, and I install pump. I like pump better and I do not have to see the ISC startup messages.
apt-get remove dhcp3-client dhcp3-common dhcdbd
apt-get install pump
------------------
install file-rc, Alternative boot mechanism using a single configuration file
apt-get install file-rc
-------------------
muck with the settings in gconf to tweak gnome
System tools>Configuration editor
(kill animations)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for enable_animations
in the bottom window select the first entry and uncheck the box in the top window
in the bottom window select the second entry and uncheck the box in the top window
repeat for all the entries in the bottom window (excluding the schemas)
(who needs tooltips)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for tooltips
in the bottom window select the first entry and uncheck the box in the top window
(why highlight launchers?)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for highlight_launchers
in the bottom window select the first entry and uncheck the box in the top window
(reduce resources)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for reduced_resources
in the bottom window select the first entry and check the box in the top window
(Kill the Desktop since a desktop should not have icons or be a usable folder)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for show_desktop
in the bottom window select /apps/nautilus/preferences/show_desktop
in the upper window uncheck the box
(get that panel to hide a bit quicker)
hide_delay
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for hide_delay
in the bottom window select /apps/panel/toplevels/top_panel_screen0/hide_delay
in the upper window double click that entry and set value to 250
(get that panel to unhide a bit quicker)
unhide_delay
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for unhide_delay
in the bottom window select /apps/panel/toplevels/top_panel_screen0/unhide_delay
in the upper window double click that entry and set value to 250
(make the hidden panel a bit more hidden)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for auto_hide_size
in the bottom window select /apps/panel/toplevels/top_panel_screen0/auto_hide_size
in the upper window double click that entry and set value to 1
(change double-click on titlebar to shade the window)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for action_double_click_titlebar
in the bottom window select /apps/metacity/general/action_double_click_titlebar
in the upper window double click that entry and set value to toggle_shade
(disable gnome drawing the desktop background)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for draw_background
in the bottom window select /desktop/gnome/background/draw_background
in the upper window uncheck the box
--------
remove Desktop folder from showing in nautilus
open a terminal and use the command
echo Desktop >> .hidden
---------
right-click the workspace switcher on the panel and choose preferences
reduce number of workspaces
-----
customize gnome-terminal by editing profile
------
install nautilus-gksu
---------
remove a bunch of junk
-------
--------
---------
disable screensaver
Desktop>Preferences>Screensaver
uncheck 'Activate screensaver when session is idle'
click close
--------------
tweak nautilus to make it use less resources and operate in a more common way
edit>preferences>
Behavior tab
check single click
check always open in browser windows
uncheck ask before emtying trash
check Include a delete command
Display tab
None
None
None
Preview tab
Text Files
show text - never
show thumbnails - always
Other Previewable Files
Only for files smaller than - 1MB
Sound Files
Preview sound files - never
Folders
Count number of items - never
Then I close that, close nautilus, reopen nautilus.
View>
uncheck Statusbar
uncheck Side Pane
uncheck Main Toolbar
---------------
setup pmount
I press alt+f2 which brings up the 'run application' box and I type in gksu gedit which starts up gedit with root powers. Then I open /etc/pmount.allow and add /dev/hda1 to that file, save it, close it. This allows me to access my data partition in nautilus.
-------------
auto login using gdm
Desktop>Administration>Login Window
Security tab
check Enable Automatic Logon
select user
----------
edit menu.lst to change the colors, remove extra entries, trim boot messages and add
press alt+f2 which brings up the 'run application' box and I type in gksu gedit which starts up gedit with root powers. Then I open /boot/grub/menu.lst and:
remove the single user mode entry
edit colors
#background or foreground(?) - black blue green cyan red magenta brown light-gray
#foreground only-dark-gray light-blue light-green light-cyan light-red light-magenta yellow white
#You can prefix blink- to foreground if you want a blinking foreground color.
#letters and line border(foreground)/big box(background) hi-lite_letters/hi-lite_bar
color light-gray/blue black/light-gray
get rid of the long scrolling fly-by boot messages by adding quiet and vga=### to the kernel line. Here are a few vga modes:
640x480 785
800x600 788
1024x768 791
1280x1024 794
Should look something like this when you get done:
title Debian full etch quiet vga
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-4-686 root=/dev/hda7 ro quiet vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-4-686
savedefault
If I want [OK] [FAIL] startup messages then I
apt-get install usplash
apt-get remove usplash
---------
tweak epiphany to gain some screen real estate, and stop downloading and opening everything, and to make fonts decent, and disable ipv6
edit>preferences
general tab - uncheck auto download and open files
fonts&style tab - uncheck let web pages specify their own fonts, minimum size 9
privacy tab - uncheck allow popups, uncheck enable java, temp files space = 3 mb
right-click toolbar > customize toolbars
toolbar button labels - icon only
drag buttons that I dont want off the button-toolbar like zoom, bookmarks, history, spacers,
drag addressbar to button-toolbar, and add newtab button
type in about:config
ipv6
disable set to true
--------------
disable ipv6
edit /etc/modprobe.d/aliases
change
alias net-pf-10 ipv6
to
alias net-pf-10 off
----------
save a little resources
edit /etc/inittab
find this section and place a # in front of a few of them
1respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1
#2:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty2
#3:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty3
#4:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty4
#5:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty5
#6:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty6
--------
free some space, now and future by installing and using localepurge
apt-get install localepurge
run localepurge in a terminal
--------------
dash as default sh, faster/smaller maybe?
apt-get install dash
then I
dpkg-configure dash
and choose yes
-------------------
tweak panel
-remove the Menu Bar, add a Main Menu
right click on the Menu Bar and choose 'Remove From Panel'
right click on a empty space on the panel and choose 'Add To Panel' and choose 'Main Menu'
-get rid of anything on the panel that is not wanted
right-click and choose 'Remove From Panel' anything you wish to remove from the top panel
-change from top/bottom panels to just a top panel
right click an empty space on the top panel and choose 'Add To Panel'
then choose the following
Window List
Workspace Switcher
(and any other applets that look yummy)
right-click on empty space on the bottom-panel and choose 'Delete This Panel'
-auto-hide the panel
right-click on empty space on the panel and choose 'Properties' checkmark Autohide
-make the panel icons bigger
right-click on empty space on the panel and choose 'Properties' adjust size to 36
group my icons near the center of the panel, put switcher on one end and clock on the other
---------------
tweak the gnome startup/session
Desktop>Preferences>Session
Session Options tab
uncheck 'Show splash screen on login'
Current Session tab (dont remove any that you need)
click on vino-session, click Remove (vino is a remote session tool)
click on gnome-cups-icon, click Remove (printing system icon?)
click on update-notifier, click Remove (software update notifier)
click on bluetooth-applet, click Remove (bluetooth applet)
click on nm-applet, click Remove (network manager applet)
click APPLY
Startup Programs tab
click on bluetooth-applet, click Disable
click on update-notifier, click Disable
click on nm-applet, click Disable
-----------------------
disable services that aren't needed/wanted
apt-get install rcconf or one of the other similar tools
run rcconf in a terminal and disable a lot of things I dont need/want like:
ifupdown
wpa-ifupdown
bittorrent
cupsys
rsync
openbsd-inetd
----------
remove a couple things
I find the network-manager tool to be a case of overkill for a basic single network connection so I remove it. You can still configure your network interface using the Network Settings tool.
open root terminal
apt-get remove network-manager network-manager-gnome
I also remove the dbus interface to dhcp and the dhcp client, and I install pump. I like pump better and I do not have to see the ISC startup messages.
apt-get remove dhcp3-client dhcp3-common dhcdbd
apt-get install pump
------------------
install file-rc, Alternative boot mechanism using a single configuration file
apt-get install file-rc
-------------------
muck with the settings in gconf to tweak gnome
System tools>Configuration editor
(kill animations)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for enable_animations
in the bottom window select the first entry and uncheck the box in the top window
in the bottom window select the second entry and uncheck the box in the top window
repeat for all the entries in the bottom window (excluding the schemas)
(who needs tooltips)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for tooltips
in the bottom window select the first entry and uncheck the box in the top window
(why highlight launchers?)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for highlight_launchers
in the bottom window select the first entry and uncheck the box in the top window
(reduce resources)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for reduced_resources
in the bottom window select the first entry and check the box in the top window
(Kill the Desktop since a desktop should not have icons or be a usable folder)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for show_desktop
in the bottom window select /apps/nautilus/preferences/show_desktop
in the upper window uncheck the box
(get that panel to hide a bit quicker)
hide_delay
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for hide_delay
in the bottom window select /apps/panel/toplevels/top_panel_screen0/hide_delay
in the upper window double click that entry and set value to 250
(get that panel to unhide a bit quicker)
unhide_delay
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for unhide_delay
in the bottom window select /apps/panel/toplevels/top_panel_screen0/unhide_delay
in the upper window double click that entry and set value to 250
(make the hidden panel a bit more hidden)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for auto_hide_size
in the bottom window select /apps/panel/toplevels/top_panel_screen0/auto_hide_size
in the upper window double click that entry and set value to 1
(change double-click on titlebar to shade the window)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for action_double_click_titlebar
in the bottom window select /apps/metacity/general/action_double_click_titlebar
in the upper window double click that entry and set value to toggle_shade
(disable gnome drawing the desktop background)
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for draw_background
in the bottom window select /desktop/gnome/background/draw_background
in the upper window uncheck the box
--------
remove Desktop folder from showing in nautilus
open a terminal and use the command
echo Desktop >> .hidden
---------
right-click the workspace switcher on the panel and choose preferences
reduce number of workspaces
-----
customize gnome-terminal by editing profile
------
install nautilus-gksu
---------
remove a bunch of junk
-------
--------
Last edited by MeanDean on 2007-09-13 13:18, edited 2 times in total.
One tweak I use is to have the kernel console on a dedicated virtual terminal (in your case, I'd go tty2, for me it's tty4). Ensure that your kernel has support for console on virtual terminal (VT_CONSOLE in kernel config), and boot it with console=tty4 (or 2...). That way, if you're working in a terminal, you don't get inundated with kernel messages every time you plug something in.
Another note: when editing menu.lst, if you edit the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST section (the #kopt= line and the #defoptions= line), and run update-grub afterwards, changes will remain between kernel upgrades.
By the way, why do:
...?
Another note: when editing menu.lst, if you edit the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST section (the #kopt= line and the #defoptions= line), and run update-grub afterwards, changes will remain between kernel upgrades.
By the way, why do:
Code: Select all
apt-get install usplash
apt-get remove usplash
Last edited by detly on 2007-09-13 03:30, edited 1 time in total.
The only (easy) way I have found to get cool [OK] [FAIL] messages at boot.detly wrote:By the way, why do:Code: Select all
apt-get install usplash apt-get remove usplash
I do a lot of those things. Personally, I like the Destop folder. Since I dual boot 32 and 64-bit systems, it makes it easy to find things that I want to move from one side to the other.
I'd like to do this one:
I'd like to do this one:
...but I don't have any such menu options. I think you install gnome-desktop-environment which I do not. Maybe that's where it comes from. Next time I reboot, I'll take a look in the gdm Session options. The splash screen is a bit irritating, espesially since it doesn't go away until I do a mouse-click somewhere.tweak the gnome startup/session
Desktop>Preferences>Session
Session Options tab
uncheck 'Show splash screen on login'
Debian-Lenny/Sid 32/64
Desktop: Generic Core 2 Duo, EVGA 680i, Nvidia
Laptop: Generic Intel SIS/AC97
Desktop: Generic Core 2 Duo, EVGA 680i, Nvidia
Laptop: Generic Intel SIS/AC97
You should have that....but either way gconf-editor can take care of that too!rickh wrote: I'd like to do this one:...but I don't have any such menu options. I think you install gnome-desktop-environment which I do not. Maybe that's where it comes from.tweak the gnome startup/session
Desktop>Preferences>Session
Session Options tab
uncheck 'Show splash screen on login'
system tools>configuration editor
edit>find
checkmark both boxes
search for show_splash_screen
in the bottom window select /apps/gnome-session/options/show_splash_screen
in the upper window uncheck the box
- Telemachus
- Posts: 4574
- Joined: 2006-12-25 15:53
- Been thanked: 2 times
Nice set of tips, Dean. Thanks. Two quick things - First, like Rickh I didn't have the option to disable the splash screen from the System -> Preferences -> Session location. I suspect he's right that it has to do with gnome-core vs. gnome-desktop-environment. Second, when you choose to use reduced resources, does everyone else get a grid painted onto every window you are moving on the screen? Reduced resources = good; grid on moving windows = visual headache. In any case, thanks for the tips. I definitely picked up a few keepers. PS - Love the new avatar.
nice avatar huh! heavily inspired (copied) by your avatar obviouslyTelemachus wrote:Nice set of tips, Dean. Thanks. Two quick things - First, like Rickh I didn't have the option to disable the splash screen from the System -> Preferences -> Session location. I suspect he's right that it has to do with gnome-core vs. gnome-desktop-environment. Second, when you choose to use reduced resources, does everyone else get a grid painted onto every window you are moving on the screen? Reduced resources = good; grid on moving windows = visual headache. In any case, thanks for the tips. I definitely picked up a few keepers. PS - Love the new avatar.
wire grid windows when moving is normal, I actually like it but I am strange..