Is it possible to get Debian10 to show MiB instead of MB

[Marie SWE]

Hi all
I have used google and also asked on a Swedish forum, but i have not found the solution.. how do I change so my computer use MiB (1024) instead of MB (1000) ?
I have manage to change in Caja so it shows MiB(IEC-units) but the system still use default MB value..

Then you might be wondering why use an old system.. I do have many old retro computers in my network(as a hobby) and it is easyer when all computers show the same file sizes and use the same value(1024). So I do not have to convert to verify things....... a convenience factor, so to speak

Is this possible to get Debian buster to use MiB(1024) as default base system value?

I thank you all, for all your answers in advance.

Debian Buster non-free.. Xfce

[Hallvor]

If you want to use free, you could always create an alias to the correct command. Other than that, sorry.

Edit: free -m will show mebibytes by default. What are you using?

Code: Select all

hallvor@debian-mini:~$ free --help

Usage:
 free [options]

Options:
 -b, --bytes         show output in bytes
     --kilo          show output in kilobytes
     --mega          show output in megabytes
     --giga          show output in gigabytes
     --tera          show output in terabytes
     --peta          show output in petabytes
 -k, --kibi          show output in kibibytes
 -m, --mebi          show output in mebibytes
 -g, --gibi          show output in gibibytes
     --tebi          show output in tebibytes
     --pebi          show output in pebibytes
 -h, --human         show human-readable output
     --si            use powers of 1000 not 1024
 -l, --lohi          show detailed low and high memory statistics
 -t, --total         show total for RAM + swap
 -s N, --seconds N   repeat printing every N seconds
 -c N, --count N     repeat printing N times, then exit
 -w, --wide          wide output

     --help     display this help and exit
 -V, --version  output version information and exit

For more details see free(1).

[ticojohn]

That's really interesting. I use XFCE and just looked at at my drive using Thunar. It absolutely shows drive usage in MiB (1MiB=1024KiB). Also looked at the System Monitor and it shows memory usage in GiB (1Gib=1024MiB) and network traffic in MiB. Can't imaging why you would be seeing 1MiB=1000KiB.

[stevepusser]

I remember XFCE added it as an option in the past few years...which versions are each of you using?

[ticojohn]

I remember XFCE added it as an option in the past few years...which versions are each of you using?

I'm using XFCE4. Now on Bullseye. But I don't ever remember XFCE, or any other desktop system, not using 1024 for 1K. It's kind of a computer (binary) standard thing, isn't it? I mean even back in 1976 when I was programming an IMSAI 8080 in machine code 1K was 1024. Maybe I'm too old to remember correctly.

[Marie SWE]

That's really interesting. I use XFCE and just looked at at my drive using Thunar. It absolutely shows drive usage in MiB (1MiB=1024KiB). Also looked at the System Monitor and it shows memory usage in GiB (1Gib=1024MiB) and network traffic in MiB. Can't imaging why you would be seeing 1MiB=1000KiB.

I don't see MiB as 1000... it shows MB as is in 1000 value

[ticojohn]

That's really interesting. I use XFCE and just looked at at my drive using Thunar. It absolutely shows drive usage in MiB (1MiB=1024KiB). Also looked at the System Monitor and it shows memory usage in GiB (1Gib=1024MiB) and network traffic in MiB. Can't imaging why you would be seeing 1MiB=1000KiB.

I don't see MiB as 1000... it shows MB as is in 1000 value

I think Buster uses the Thunar file manager, but I'm not sure. If know that you can open Thunar, edit preferences, and select show file size in binary. Don't know if that's what you're looking for, but maybe. Perhaps other file managers have a similar preference setting.

[Marie SWE]

I remember XFCE added it as an option in the past few years...which versions are each of you using?

Xfce4.12.4

System monitor shows in unit MB and Caja shows it in MiB
on inxi it shows in MiB... and when i download Firefox shows in MB
System monitor show my data-disk is 550.9GB
Caja show my data-disk is 513.1GiB
GUI program Disks show my data-disk is 551GB
Gparted show my data-disk is 513.06 GiB

My computer seems to be schizophrenic hehehe

I tried to upload a print screen on what I wrote above... but the site didn't agree with my attachment.... Error= Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached.

Here is my inxi

Code: Select all

~$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: Big-i3 Kernel: 4.19.0-14-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.12.4 Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Desktop Mobo: Intel model: H310 serial: <filter> 
           UEFI [Legacy]: American Megatrends v: 5.12 date: 04/09/2019 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i3-8100 bits: 64 type: MCP 
           arch: Kaby Lake rev: B L2 cache: 6144 KiB 
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 28800 
           Speed: 1000 MHz min/max: 800/3600 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1212 2: 1683 
           3: 1243 4: 1278 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel 8th Gen Core Processor Gaussian Mixture Model driver: i915 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1440x900~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel UHD Graphics 630 (Coffeelake 3x8 GT2) 
           v: 4.5 Mesa 18.3.6 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel 200 Series PCH HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
           bus ID: 00:1f.3 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.19.0-14-amd64 
Network:   Device-1: Realtek RTL8101/2/6E PCI Express Fast/Gigabit Ethernet driver: r8169 
           v: kernel port: e000 bus ID: 01:00.0 
           IF: enp1s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
           IF-ID-1: tun0 state: unknown speed: 10 Mbps duplex: full mac: N/A 
Argument "300gb" isn't numeric in numeric eq (==) at /usr/bin/inxi line 11407.
Use of uninitialized value within @row in pattern match (m//) at /usr/bin/inxi line 11447.
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 1.20 TiB used: 147.65 GiB (12.0%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD3200AAJS-60M0A0 
           size: 298.09 GiB 
           ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Hitachi model: HDS721010CLA332 size: 931.51 GiB 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 121.60 GiB used: 25.79 GiB (21.2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 25.00 GiB used: 1.31 GiB (5.2%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 36.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Info:      Processes: 259 Uptime: 27d 10h 04m Memory: 7.71 GiB used: 3.93 GiB (51.0%) 
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 Shell: bash v: 5.0.3 
           inxi: 3.0.32 

[Marie SWE]

That's really interesting. I use XFCE and just looked at at my drive using Thunar. It absolutely shows drive usage in MiB (1MiB=1024KiB). Also looked at the System Monitor and it shows memory usage in GiB (1Gib=1024MiB) and network traffic in MiB. Can't imaging why you would be seeing 1MiB=1000KiB.

I don't see MiB as 1000... it shows MB as is in 1000 value

I think Buster uses the Thunar file manager, but I'm not sure. If know that you can open Thunar, edit preferences, and select show file size in binary. Don't know if that's what you're looking for, but maybe. Perhaps other file managers have a similar preference setting.

I tried open Thunar preferences.. but there is no settings/options for MB/MiB

[CwF]

I tried open Thunar preferences.

you missed it, on the first tab 'Display'
...midway down a tickbox "Show file size in binary format"

[Marie SWE]

I tried open Thunar preferences.

you missed it, on the first tab 'Display'
...midway down a tickbox "Show file size in binary format"

I really don't have that option... and i can't upload a printscreen on it. I have the swedish thunar version 1.8.4
But I do not use thunar due to lack of network options, so if thunar don't works with MiB that doesn't matter so much.
it is more that the basic system needs to use MiB, so that all other programs that depend on the system's default value show the correct value in MiB instead of the current MB so my computer doesn't seems to be schizophrenic

[Marie SWE]

If you want to use free, you could always create an alias to the correct command. Other than that, sorry.

Edit: free -m will show mebibytes by default. What are you using?

Code: Select all

hallvor@debian-mini:~$ free --help

Usage:
 free [options]

Options:
 -b, --bytes         show output in bytes
     --kilo          show output in kilobytes
     --mega          show output in megabytes
     --giga          show output in gigabytes
     --tera          show output in terabytes
     --peta          show output in petabytes
 -k, --kibi          show output in kibibytes
 -m, --mebi          show output in mebibytes
 -g, --gibi          show output in gibibytes
     --tebi          show output in tebibytes
     --pebi          show output in pebibytes
 -h, --human         show human-readable output
     --si            use powers of 1000 not 1024
 -l, --lohi          show detailed low and high memory statistics
 -t, --total         show total for RAM + swap
 -s N, --seconds N   repeat printing every N seconds
 -c N, --count N     repeat printing N times, then exit
 -w, --wide          wide output

     --help     display this help and exit
 -V, --version  output version information and exit

For more details see free(1).

I never ever use the terminal... unless the system is broken, so I'm forced to use the terminal if GUIs doesn't works.
I am a GUI person

[ticojohn]

So, if you execute the lshw command from a terminal, does the show show the memory in GiB or GB? I know that you don't like using the terminal, but I'm just curious. You might need to install the lshw package. As a fellow GUI user by preference, just open the Synaptic package manager, enter your root password, and search for lshw. Then select for installation and apply. Or don't do it. I'm just curious and want to help you out.

[Marie SWE]

So, if you execute the lshw command from a terminal, does the show show the memory in GiB or GB? I know that you don't like using the terminal, but I'm just curious. You might need to install the lshw package. As a fellow GUI user by preference, just open the Synaptic package manager, enter your root password, and search for lshw. Then select for installation and apply. Or don't do it. I'm just curious and want to help you out.

That one showed GiB
*-memory
description: System memory
physical id: 0
size: 8GiB

but when it downloaded the package the download showed in kB/s
I know this is in swedish.. but terminal showed this on apt install
Läs:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian buster/main amd64 lshw amd64 02.18.85-0.1 [254 kB]
Hämtade 254 kB på 0s (757 kB/s)

Edit
in my post earlier i wrote
System monitor shows in unit MB and Caja shows it in MiB
on inxi it shows in MiB... and when i download Firefox shows in MB
System monitor show my data-disk is 550.9GB
Caja show my data-disk is 513.1GiB
GUI program Disks show my data-disk is 551GB
Gparted show my data-disk is 513.06 GiB

The system seems to be schizo... one moment it is MB and on another it is MiB

[CwF]

I have the swedish thunar version 1.8.4

1.8.4 does have the tickbox...?
For network thunar works well if you install the helper 'gigolo'

[Marie SWE]

I have the swedish thunar version 1.8.4

1.8.4 does have the tickbox...?
For network thunar works well if you install the helper 'gigolo'

Gigolo that program doesn't give right clik share folder in thunar? or does it?

edit
But i like Caja as file manager.. I have it om my LMDE computer as well

[CwF]

seems to be schizophrenic

But i like Caja as file manager.. I have it om my LMDE computer as well

Yes, I see!

[ticojohn]

I have the swedish thunar version 1.8.4

1.8.4 does have the tickbox...?
For network thunar works well if you install the helper 'gigolo'

Gigolo that program doesn't give right clik share folder in thunar? or does it?

edit
But i like Caja as file manager.. I have it om my LMDE computer as well

@Marie SWE, I just installed Caja on one of my systems. I believe I found what you are looking for. Click Edit > Preferences > Display. You should see and option to Show file sizes in IEC units. The default appears to be to display in base 10 (GB). IEC will display in binary (GiB), Hope this helps.

[Marie SWE]

@Marie SWE, I just installed Caja on one of my systems. I believe I found what you are looking for. Click Edit > Preferences > Display. You should see and option to Show file sizes in IEC units. The default appears to be to display in base 10 (GB). IEC will display in binary (GiB), Hope this helps.

Thank you for your answer and for taking the time to install caja to test it out.
But as I wrote in my first post, I have solved the problem in caja.. the problem still is the system ground value that has MB value.. so diferent programs that use the system's value seems to becomes a bit schizophrenic, so I get mixed values of MB and MiB in different situations.

as i wrote in another post as examples
System monitor shows in unit MB and Caja shows it in MiB
on inxi it shows in MiB... and when i download in Firefox shows in MB
System monitor show my data-disk is 550.9GB
Caja show my data-disk is 513.1GiB
GUI program Disks show my data-disk is 551GB
Gparted show my data-disk is 513.06 GiB

and in this list i can add when i install something with apt install it lists in MB value both file size and download speed
So I think it is fair to say that i have a schizophrenic computer hehe

[ticojohn]

ARGH! My bad for not reading and comprehending all of your posts. So can we back up to a previous suggestion I made? If you have lshw installed you could open a terminal and execute that command to show your system hardware. In the terminal type lshw | more and it should display something like the following

Code: Select all

john@debian:~$ lshw | more
WARNING: you should run this program as super-user.
debian                      
    description: Computer
    width: 64 bits
    capabilities: smp vsyscall32
  *-core
       description: Motherboard
       physical id: 0
     *-memory
          description: System memory
          physical id: 0
          size: 7936MiB
     *-cpu
          product: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4460  CPU @ 3.20GHz
          vendor: Intel Corp.
          physical id: 1
          bus info: cpu@0
          size: 1537MHz
          capacity: 3400MHz
          width: 64 bits

We might then have a better idea of what is going on. You'll notice that on my system it is showing memory size in IEC units (7936MiB). If your system is showing in MB, then we'll need to see if there is some system setting that needs to be changed. And I have no idea at this time what it may be. But I will do some searching. If you don't have lshw installed, just open the Synaptic package manager, search for lshw, select it for installation, then click on the apply icon.