Optimizing AntiX Boot Time (Blinking Underscore Issue)

If your AntiX Linux system takes too long to boot, showing a blinking underscore for an extended period, the culprit might be NVIDIA graphics drivers. I recently faced this issue and drastically improved my boot time by removing NVIDIA drivers. Here’s a simple guide to help you optimize your AntiX boot time!

Why Boot Time Is Slow

A slow boot with a blinking underscore often points to graphics driver issues, especially with NVIDIA cards. Incompatible or misconfigured NVIDIA drivers can delay the graphical interface from loading. Switching to the open-source nouveau driver can make your system boot much faster.

Step-by-Step Fix

These steps assume you’re working from a normal AntiX session with a terminal. You can copy and paste the commands below to speed up your boot.

1. Open a Terminal

• Launch a terminal from the AntiX menu or press Ctrl+Alt+T.

2. Check for NVIDIA Drivers

• See if NVIDIA drivers are installed:

  dpkg -l | grep nvidia
  

• This lists any NVIDIA-related packages (e.g., nvidia-driver).

3. Remove NVIDIA Drivers

• Uninstall all NVIDIA packages and their configs:

  sudo apt-get remove --purge 'nvidia.*'
  

4. Clean Up Residual Files

• Remove leftover NVIDIA configuration files:

  sudo find /etc -name '*nvidia*' -exec rm -rf {} +
  

5. Remove Unused Dependencies

• Clean up orphaned packages:

  sudo apt-get autoremove
  sudo apt-get autoclean
  

6. Check Xorg Configurations

• Remove any NVIDIA-specific Xorg files:

  sudo find /etc/X11 -name '*nvidia*' -exec rm -rf {} +
  

7. Reboot

• Restart your system to apply changes:

  sudo reboot
  

8. Verify the Fix

• After rebooting, check which graphics driver is in use:

  lspci -k | grep -EA3 'VGA|3D|Display'
  

• Look for nouveau (or another driver) in the output, confirming NVIDIA drivers are removed.

My Results

After running these steps, my AntiX system went from a painfully slow boot to starting up in seconds! The blinking underscore was gone, and the open-source nouveau driver worked perfectly. I didn’t need to blacklist NVIDIA modules, but you can search for “blacklist NVIDIA AntiX” if you encounter issues.

Tips

• Backup: Save important files before making changes, just in case.
• Still Slow?: If boot time remains slow, check for other issues like GRUB misconfigurations or disk errors.
• Reinstall NVIDIA Drivers: If you need NVIDIA drivers later, install them via sudo apt install nvidia-driver or NVIDIA’s website, ensuring compatibility with your GPU.

Final Thoughts

This simple fix made my AntiX system boot lightning-fast, and I hope it works for you too! If you run into problems or have questions, leave a comment below, and I’ll try to help. Happy Linux tweaking!