Score:0

Is startup of Ubuntu Server faster than Ubuntu Desktop?

co flag

I mainly have to use the terminal, but the problem is that my Ubuntu 20.04 Desktop startup is slow. It takes time to load after Ubuntu and manufacturer's logo shows up.

Does Ubuntu Server consume less RAM than Desktop, and does it provide faster login?

us flag
*my Ubuntu desktop 20.04 startup is slow* --- Try lighter variants like Xubuntu and Lubuntu.
Score:5
ng flag

Ubuntu server does not have a desktop environment, so there is less to load and fewer things to keep in memory.

Naturally, a system with no desktop environment to load will run faster and use less RAM.

If you install a desktop environment on top of Ubuntu server there will likely be no noticable difference.

cn flag
But on the other hand, a server typically has services / daemons running like a web server, a mail server, a database server and so forth. Those can take quite some time to start up. So I don't think you can generally say "server boots faster than desktop" or the other way around. It depends largely on the specific setup and other factors (like what amount of data the daemons have to handle etc.).
Nmath avatar
ng flag
@Henning Ubuntu desktop can also run all of the same services. Are you suggesting that OP would run all these extra services just because they aren't using desktop? It's very obvious that OP is asking which is faster, all other things being equal. This comment defies logic
cn flag
Isn't a typical use case for a server to provide services? I'm just saying that a desktop environment might not be the only time consuming software that might come into play. So "a server doesn't have a DE, therefore it will be faster" isn't necessarily true. But the question is closed anyway.
Nmath avatar
ng flag
No, Ubuntu server does not run a web/email server or similar unless explicitly installed and set up. A desktop is heavier than all of those things anyway. It's obvious that the OP is asking if switching to Ubuntu server will reduce their boot time and memory load. The main difference between Ubuntu Server and Ubuntu Desktop is that the server version does not have a desktop environment. Your comments seem to be trolling behavior or at the very least, deliberately argumentative and contrarian, refusing to accept the common sense and reasonable interpretation of the question being asked.
Nmath avatar
ng flag
If you were to compare Ubuntu Desktop running a web server and email server with Ubuntu Server running the same services, Ubuntu Server would use less RAM and start up faster. The question implies all things being equal. To argue otherwise is confusing and not productive.
deepanshu avatar
co flag
Pressing Ubuntu in grub menu should take me to terminal only. That's all I want. I did went to root prompt in recovery and then login to my account with su, but people advised against that.
deepanshu avatar
co flag
@Henning Pressing Ubuntu in grub menu should take me to terminal only. That's all I want. I did went to root prompt in recovery and then login to my account with su, but people advised against that.
cn flag
@deepanshu In that case, it might be enough to keep the display manager from automatically starting at boot, for example `systemctl disable display-manager.service` (with root privileges). At the next boot, the display manager (by default gdm3, IIRC) shouldn't be started, and you _should_ automatically go to a console tty. But I haven't thoroughly tested this, so use with caution ;)
deepanshu avatar
co flag
@Henning thanks, I did that and it works great. But it hangs for a bit though which is not a problem (showing failed to load kernel modules). I created a script 'display start|stop' to start gdm when needed. Finally this saved 200Mb approx RAM.
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