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Nautilus sometimes spins and doesn't load everything in a dir (even a small dir)

mx flag
user2671688

I often find that when I browse around my local disk using nautilus, it will not display everything, and just shows a little spinner icon. This isn't just for large directories. Sometimes, even a folder with 2-3 files will cause it to behave like this (maybe show 2 files and spin permanently, instead of showing all 3).

If I just back up one directory and go back, it usually reloads immediately.

I sometimes worry it's that my disk is starting to have issues, but I've never seen any other tools (e.g. command line utilities like ls) hang on me like this.

Should I be worried about my disk, or is this just a bug in Nautilus? Perhaps there's a cache I can clear, or maybe even some indexer I can perma-kill, assuming it won't really hurt performance. I keep my display in "list" view, so it's not like it needs to read pictures to create large icons or anything.

EDIT(2021-07-17): Adding some data requested in comments:

free -h
              total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:           31Gi       5.1Gi        15Gi       164Mi        10Gi        25Gi
Swap:         4.0Gi          0B       4.0Gi

SMART Data output: SMART output

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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
Something is wrong. Log into a different user account (create one if you need to) and see if the same problem occurs. Also show me `free -h` and screenshots of the `Disks` application's **SMART Data** window. Report back. Start comments to me with @heynnema or I'll miss them.
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mx flag
user2671688
@heynnema thanks! Updated post with the data - have not yet created the other user, will get to it a bit later. Things look pretty ok, though not sure what Data Address Mark Errors are.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
While waiting for your results testing under a different user account, I created an initial answer for you to follow. Report back.
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
Not a hardware issue. It is a bug with nautilus I also experience now and then.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@vanadium If you have similar Nautilus problems, then your machine needs some kind of software repair also. If you like, start a new question with the details, and I'll try to help.
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
Thank you! I don't think this is likely, though. You would need to work on two different Del XPS machines. Of course, they both could be broken ;-) Nevertheless, I will follow up carefully here.
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
@heynnema I just learned that my file system was last checked on 20 oktober! It thus appears that nowadays, a system file system is not anymore automatically checked! So I am increasingly believing you are hitting the nail here!
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@vanadium Check your /etc/fstab and make sure boot disk checks are enabled. Start a new question if you wish.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 Status please...
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
@heynnema They are by default. Still, by default, a deep check is never done anymore because max mount count and max mount duration are both disabled. I find this default configuration a bit worrying.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@vanadium Where are you seeing these values? And what is meant by *"my file system was last checked on 20 oktober"*?
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
`sudo tune2fs -l <your partition>` indicates "Last checked:" date, and I tested and confirm that that is the last date of a *full* check (not just a quick check that the journal is clean: that action is not recorded).
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@vanadium To continue this discussion, we should start a new question :-)
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@vanadium Please see Update #1 in my answer. It may help you with your similar problem :-)
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
@heynnema I suspect this bug https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/nautilus/-/issues/1887, which has just recently been filed over at Gnome for Files 40. The bug report indicates when it happens and includes steps to reproduce it, which I can perfectly. Despite it is for 40, I strongly suspect that that is the bug that I experience for years already. Glad I can pinpoint it better now.
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
@user2671688 Edit on previous comment: I cannot reproduce this on a (quite fresh) installation of 20.04. Please try the steps to reproduce the issue as indicated in https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/nautilus/-/issues/1887 on your system. Similar issue also raised here: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1359166/ubuntu-20-04-2-file-manager-doesnt-show-some-files
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@vanadium Please review Update #1 in my answer. I had OP log into a different user account, and the problem couldn't be recreated... meaning the problem is specific to their normal login directory. I had outlined a number of possible suspect folders. Also, you can't recreate the problem on a fresh 20.04. But we haven't heard from OP since Aug 3, so I don't know if they tried any of Update #1.
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
@heynnema I am investigating right now, and indeed, it is related to having a big thumbnail cache. Wiping the cache causes the issue to disappear. I am about to put the cache back to see whether the problem reappears.
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Score:1
heynnema avatar Ubuntu
ru flag
heynnema

We've proven that logging into a different user account solves the problem. This isolates the problem to something in your normal user account.

Let's first check your file system...

  • boot to a Ubuntu Live DVD/USB in “Try Ubuntu” mode
  • open a terminal window by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T
  • type sudo fdisk -l
  • identify the /dev/sdXX device name for your "Linux Filesystem"
  • type sudo fsck -f /dev/sdXX, replacing sdXX with the number you found earlier
  • repeat the fsck command if there were errors
  • type reboot

Update #1:

Let's try and find out what's in your normal user directory that is causing the problem.

Step #1:

Next, let's try the quickest things first... in terminal...

  • cd ~/.config # change to the .config hidden folder

  • mv nautilus nautilus.HOLD # rename a folder

  • Log out

  • Log in

  • Retry Nautilus

  • If that doesn't fix the problem, you can always rename the folder back.

Step #2:

  • cd ~/.cache # change to the .cache hidden folder

  • mv thumbnails thumbnails.HOLD # rename a folder

  • Log out

  • Log in

  • Retry Nautilus

  • If that doesn't fix the problem, you can always rename the folder back.

Step #3:

If the first two quick fixes didn't help, we'll have to try something slightly more difficult.

There are three critical folders in your /home directory that can cause problems... .cache, .config, and .local.

We'll start with .cache...

  • rename the .cache folder to .cache.HOLD
  • IMMEDIATELY log out
  • log in
  • a new .cache folder got recreated at log in time
  • see if the problem is resolved
  • if it is resolved, then something in the .cache.HOLD folder was causing the problem
    • move items from .cache.HOLD folder back into the new .cache folder...
    • BUT DO NOT REPLACE EXISTING ITEMS in the new .cache folder.
  • if it is not resolved, then the .cache.HOLD folder is not the culprit, and we need to put it back
    • to restore the original .cache folder...
    • rename .cache to .cache.NEW
    • rename .cache.HOLD to .cache
    • IMMEDIATELY log out
    • log in
    • move/delete the .cache.NEW folder
    • consult with me for the next steps... (.local, then .config)
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mx flag
user2671688
Thanks, will do this after getting a backup tomorrow morning. I assume, since I have all SSD, that I should only do the first step (fsck), and ignore anything under the "bad block" heading.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 Correct. We don't bad block a SSD. I've removed that from my answer. Is your SSD really 5 years old? Have you tested under another user account yet?
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mx flag
user2671688
Haha yes, my SSD is really that old. I got this system in 2014 sometime, and it's suited my needs nicely. I've been having trouble reproing even on the current user. I *think* it might only happen for media files (the place I see it most consistently is with directories where I generate/update png files). If I just `cat /dev/urandom > <filename>`, in some dir, I cannot repro.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 Status please...
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mx flag
user2671688
life got in the way for a while, plus my external hard drive died, so need to get a new one to back up before doing this.
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mx flag
user2671688
sorry to keep you waiting, finally got around to this. fsck didn't complain about anything. The first time I ran it, there were 5-6 "extent tree could be narrower", where I accepted the default option, and then it failed with "file system was modified", and then I reran, and it just output the 5 passes (rather quickly), and printed that it's 2.0% non-contiguous and the number of blocks.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 The "extent tree" messages were errors, but the "file system was modified" is normal after fixing the previous errors. The non-contiguous message is ok too. Reboot, and see if the Nautilus problem returns.
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mx flag
user2671688
It's still happening. This isn't happening with all folders, just ones where updates happen behind the scenes. For this specific case: I'm running a deepfake on the cloud, and I periodically download a training preview image using gsutil, which overwrites an existing png file with a new one. Then, when I go into that directory using nautilus, there's a chance it will flake out and I need to back out and re-enter. Due to the manner in which this repros, I'm more and more convinced that this a Nautilus bug, and not a filesystem issue.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 Look for files with strange names, or that start with a . to make it hidden. You'll have to enable "Show Hidden Files" in Nautilus to see them. Are there a lot of files in these folders? If so, you may have to tweak a parameter for Nautilus to be able to handle the quantity.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 Did you ever check if the problem occurs when logged into a different user account? I requested that on July 17.
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mx flag
user2671688
There are no hidden files in those folders. The specific example I've been playing with currently has two files. Reproing with a different user would require duplicating quite a bit of setup. Can you provide both answers you'd give (one if I can reproduce with the other user, and one if I can't)? I've already tried clearing my ~/.cache/thumbnails, since I saw that recommended elsewhere. Is there any other local stuff that would look different/cleaner under a fresh user?
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 You don't need to create the exact circumstances that causes the problem. Just log into or create a new user, and try Nautilus on different folders, and see if you get the same problem. Report back.
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mx flag
user2671688
Ok. I tried and I was not able to reproduce it.
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 Give me a minute to update my answer...
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 Status please...
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@user2671688 Status please...
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
@heynnema Step #2 applies for me. Even more chirurgically: .cache/thumbnails is the culprit if it gets too large. There are 55221 files in my thumbnails/normal, and if only that folder is cleared, all is good.
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vanadium avatar
cn flag
vanadium
It is not fixed, it is a workaround. You could also edit your answer to focus more on the specific cause - Step 1 should be deleted, in Step 2, only .cache/thumbnails needs deletion. Will upvote nevertheless ;)
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heynnema avatar
ru flag
heynnema
@vanadium In your case, it is **fixed**. Having a .thumbnails folder(s) with 55221 thumbnails is an **abnormal** situation, and could only have gotten that large after years of system use. No wonder Nautilus was having problems. For other users the bad file/folder might be different. Deleting that folder is no more a workaround than tuning /swapfile size or tweaking vm.swappiness for a system-specific configuration. Anyway, I've updated my answer as per (some of) your suggestions :-)
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