To measure is to know your iso – ArcoLinux LTS project

July 2019 we started the project ArcoLinux LTS.

LTS in the linux world stands for Long Term Support and it has to do with your linux kernel.

Check out the Arch Wiki here.

Sometimes users have hardware that  will not be supported with the very last build of the kernel.

They require the linux-lts kernel.

Normally you would think they can reboot after an installation and go to a TTY environment and use the script to install the linux-lts kernel from the folder  ~/.bin.

However that is not always the case.

Some of these computer just get stuck upon reboot.

We hope that this LTS project will solve such issues.

The live iso has the newest kernel and will boot up but at the end of the installation the linux-lts will be installed from the iso itself.

Therefor there is no need to have an internet connection.
The linux-lts kernel is on the iso.

A great time to improve
calamares and compare iso’s

In order to compare installations I did the following

  • used always the same hardware and the same SSD – use of the ssd bay
  • used the same type of usb and the same usb connector on the pc
  • installation time : stopwatch starts when I power up the computer – typo’s and all included – every time the same settings – GPT installation every time
  • bootup time : stopwatch starts when I press Enter on the grub line
  • the folder /var/lib/pacman/sync is checked to see what will happen if you do not have internet – creation of databases? ok = means the files are present – nok = means the files are not present
  • no INT means no internet available – lan cable unplugged
  • every time – erase disc – no swap
  • when no internet then no pacman databases available – just type update when you have internet
 
Iso version Installation time (sec) Bootup time (sec) Pacman Sync
ArcoLinux 4:58 8 ok
ArcoLinux no INT 5:06 8 nok
ArcoLinuxD 2:30 8 ok
ArcoLinuxD no INT 2:31 8 nok
 
Iso version Installation time (sec) Bootup time (sec) Pacman Sync
ArcoLinux LTS 5:11 8 ok
ArcoLinux LTS no INT 5:14 8 nok
ArcoLinuxD LTS 2:46 9 ok
ArcoLinuxD LTS no INT 2:51 9 nok

Conclusion

Under 5 minutes you have your OS installed

Your os boots up under 10 seconds

installing the linux-lts takes a few seconds extra

no internet required

linux-lts is on the iso

LTS stands for long term support