lubuntu-qa team mailing list archive

["Ali Linx (amjjawad)" <amjjawad@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

Few days ago, I have sent this test report:
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/lubuntu-users/2013-June/004638.html

It has been agreed to re-do the same test using different approaches so
there you go:


*Differences from the previous test report (
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/lubuntu-users/2013-June/004638.html):*

   1. HDD1: Seagate IDE 80GB has been disconnected - Power Cable
   disconnected and Data Cable Disconencted.
   2. HDD2: Samsung IDE 20GB is the the only working HDD and has been set
   to Master (was previously Slave).
   3. Installation Type: http://i40.tinypic.com/14jx9h4.jpg

*Note:*
Please note that, there are two different options when installing Lubuntu:

   - If Hard Disk is empty and there is no partitions at all:
   http://i40.tinypic.com/14jx9h4.jpg
   - If Hard Disk is NOT empty: http://i40.tinypic.com/2iazx2v.jpg

In my test, I have first wiped the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) before starting to
install :)

*If you are interested how I did that?*

   1. From "Try Lubuntu Without Installation, I used GParted to wipe the
   HDD - Create New Partition Table - after I set swap to off because GParted
   will not allow you to create new partition table while one of the
   partitions is mounted.
   2. Rebooted the machine and choose "Install Lubuntu".



*Information:*

   - Test for: saucy-desktop-i386.iso
   - Daily build: 17-June-2013
   - Media: LiveCD
   - Burned: using Xfburn at 10x Speed
   - Tested on: Real Hardware


*Machine Hardware Details:*

   - Desktop Computer
   - Intel Motherboard
   - CPU: Hyper Threading 64-bit Intel Pentium 4 @3.06GHz
   - Cache: L1: 16KB - L2: 1MB
   - RAM: DIMM DDR 200 MHz 512MB
   - Graphics: Radeon Xpress 200 Host Bridge (built-in)
   - HDD: Samsung IDE 20GB - *Wiped and has no partitons at all*
   - CD/DVD Drive
   - *From BIOS*: http://i44.tinypic.com/a4ug5s.jpg



*Test Case  242MB RAM*
*
*
*Information:*

   - RAM used by the OS: 242MB only -- Onboard Video Memroy Size = 256MB [
   http://i44.tinypic.com/a4ug5s.jpg]
   - HDD: Samsung 20GB IDE wiped with no partitions at all
   - Installation Media: LiveCD
   - LiveCD Booting Menu: Selecting 'Install Lubuntu' From the LiveCD Boot
   Menu
   - Installation Type: Erase Disk and Install Lubuntu.


*Notes:*

   - Installation Period (time): From Selecting 'Install Lubuntu' from the
   Boot Menu until the last reboot at the end of the installation process, the
   time period of this installation was *43* minutes.
   - The installation Process was *'very slow' *at the 7 steps of
   installation (9-10 mins), specially Installation Type Step, Where Are You
   Step, Who Are You Step (5 mins only on this step).
   - On the very same machine, I have done these tests (
   https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/lubuntu-users/2013-June/004638.html)
   using 'Something Else' installation Type and the installer was much faster
   on the 7 steps that required a human actions.
   - Despite the great slowness as described above, the installer never
   crashed during any step whatsoever - this is a one try test.


*Results:*

   - The installation has been done successfully - *100% PASS*
   - Time Rating: *LONG* - *40 - 45 minutes* from the very beginning
   (booting, menu, etc) to the very end (taking the LiveCD out and reboot).
   - Slowness Rating: *SLOW -VERT SLOW* - Something Else approach as per my
   Test Report 2 is Faster than 'Erase Disk and Install Lubuntu' approach on
   this test report.
   - zRAM Rating: *100% Helpful* - it was a very wise decision to add it.
   zRAM has made a great noticeable difference. In this very test, if zRAM
   wasn't enabled by default, 100% this test would have failed and crashed.


*My Recommendation:*

   - Overall Rating for this experience/test is *5/10*.
   - *I do recommend to set the limit of 256MB RAM as the Minimum RAM required
   to install Lubuntu 13.10 From the Desktop ISO using a LiveCD.*
   - My Test is done on 242MB RAM, not 256MB and IMHO, the 14MB difference
   could make a bit of improvement to the time (less than 40mins) but I *do
   NOT* recommend to set the Minimum RAM required to install Lubuntu 13.10
   to anything below 256MB. That should be the Red Line.
   - 256MB is NOT going to be the recommended option for New Users, but
   rather the Minimum. IMHO, we should mention clearly:


   1. *Minimum* RAM required to install Lubuntu 13.10 is 256MB
   2. *Recommended* RAM required to install Lubuntu 13.10 is 384MB - I will
   explain later why :)



*Conclusion/Summary*

   1. Lubuntu 13.10 can be installed 'successfully' on 256MB of RAM *(and a
   bit below but we are NOT going below 256MB)* from LiveCD without
   problems, without crashes, etc.
   2. 'Something Else' is FASTER than 'Erase Disk and Install Lubuntu' -
   See also:
   https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/lubuntu-users/2013-June/004638.html
   3. *The Minimum *RAM Required to Install Lubuntu 13.10 from a LiveCD is
   256MB.
   4. *The Recommended* RAM to install Lubuntu 13.10 from a LiveCD is 384MB.
   5. Adding zRAM was very very very helpful and it was a very wise
   decision :)
   6. Test done according to the agreed standards that Lubuntu Team has
   discussed and agreed on which are described here:
   https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Lubuntu/LowRamTesting#How_To_Test


*End of Test Report 3*

=  = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = =
= = = = = = =  = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = = = = = = =


Thank you so much for reading this report :)

-- 

"All of us are smarter than any one of us."

*Best Regards,*
*amjjawad <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/amjjawad/>*
*Start Ubuntu<https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu/CommunicationsTeam/WOWLubuntu/StartUbuntu>
*
*
*
*Test Machine1: ASUS F3F Laptop - Intel Core Duo T2350 @ 1.86GHz with 489MB
RAM*
*Test Machine 2: Desktop - Intel P4 Hyper Threading (2 Logical CPUs) @3GHz
- 512MB DDR 200MHz RAM*