KDE from login, why is it so slow?

Posted by Unusual_Pride_6480@reddit | linux | View on Reddit | 7 comments

I don’t think this breaks rule 1 but if it does I am sorry it’s unintentional I’m looking for a general discussion around what is going on between login and first paint Anyway exactly as that says, is gnome like this last I remember windows once logged in is pretty quick but it’s been years since I’ve used windows at this point Why is some of this not loaded by systemd or other init systems before login?

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7 Comments

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TheCrustyCurmudgeon@reddit

You need to define what "slow" means to you in terms of a length of time. Once you log in to the SDDM screen, the following things happen: 1. Display manager authenticates the user and initiates the desktop session. 1. The session manager (startplasma-wayland) begins starting essential KDE processes, which includes setting up user environment variables and mounting encrypted home directories if so configured. 1. KDE core services like system tray, panels, and compositors (KWin) are started and Plasma loads applets, backgrounds, and restores previous session state if configured. 1. Additional desktop elements like icons, widgets, and shortcuts are rendered. 1. The desktop is ready for use once all these elements are displayed and input devices are fully recognised. In some cases, delays can happen due to loading priorities, hardware recognition issues, session configuration problems, or delayed initialisation of certain Plasma components. Check your system logs (journalctl) and review your display manager configurations might identify issues.

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Unusual_Pride_6480@reddit (OP)

So I have an old laptop from turning on to login it’s around 14 seconds from login to first paint it’s around 16 even with delayed next cloud, discover and another service. So why can’t essential kwin and KDE services start while on the login screen without loading user data suhh ch as icons and widgets? There’s no actual issues it’s more the philosophy of this ordering I’d like to get into to. I hope that all makes sense and thank you for taking the time to reply so thoroughly

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TheCrustyCurmudgeon@reddit

>So why can’t essential kwin and KDE services start while on the login screen without loading user data suhh ch as icons and widgets? Because the login screen (SDDM) is not your desktop environment (DE), but a login screen that can be used as the login manager for almost any desktop environment on Linux. Linux supports multiple Desktop Environments and the user selection of DE doesn't happen until the login page, which means that the DE is not initialized until the user is authenticated (See Step #1).

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Unusual_Pride_6480@reddit (OP)

But surely once the display manager and de is chosen there a lot that can be done without loading user data. Sorry to be clear I'm not complaining it just got me thinking about it

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TheCrustyCurmudgeon@reddit

Multi-user/multi-desktop system; nothing can be loaded until a user is authenticated and DE chosen, default DE notwithstanding. What would be the point of loading all the parts of one DE only to find that the user isn't actually using the "default" DE with this login, but is going to use another; now we have to unload the assumptions and start over loading the actual DE selection, so we increase the time from login to desktop. Similarly, what would be the point of assuming that every user is going to use the default DE every time they log in? Same issue. With Windows vendor lock, it's 100% certain that Windows is the desktop environment that any user will be using any time they logon.

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cla_ydoh@reddit

Try turning off you splash screen, and you might notice what is taking time to load. Or it speeds things up a tad.

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