Question about the avahi-daemon

[utu]

.
I note on syslog, using Knoppix 7.2 LiveUSB, there is always a time-out at boot,
waiting for avahi to do something.

Also, there's this note which seems tempting:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/40292...e-avahi-daemon

Is there any reason NOT to disable the avahi-daemon if one doesnt need
to access network services?

[Werner P. Schulz]

Within Knoppix 7.2 avahi-daemon isn't enabled per default.

With "/etc/init.d/avahi-daemon status" you'll get the message:
Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD Daemon is not running

[utu]

(from the link in post #1)
dbus[991]: [system] Failed to activate service 'org.freedesktop.Avahi': timed out

This means that it failed to connect to the service since it's not running. The 30 seconds you spend waiting is not because the service is starting, is because another process expects the service to be running when dbus tries to access the key. If you want to really stop Avahi you should instead remove the package:

sudo apt-get remove avahi-daemon

There isn't a sane way to deactivate the daemon without messing with other networking services.
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answered Jan 9 at 17:41
Braiam
22.7k124187

Similar to my situation.

[utu]

Perhaps here are more clues (typical syslog beginining at end of startup and getting on-line):

Jun 30 06:39:27 Microknoppix NetworkManager[2616]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IPv6 Configure Timeout) started...
Jun 30 06:39:27 Microknoppix NetworkManager[2616]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IPv6 Configure Timeout) complete.
Jun 30 06:39:45 Microknoppix dbus[2492]: [system] Failed to activate service 'org.freedesktop.Avahi': timed out
Jun 30 06:58:34 Microknoppix -- MARK --
Jun 30 07:18:34 Microknoppix -- MARK --
Jun 30 07:29:28 Microknoppix NetworkManager[2616]: <warn> nl_recvmsgs() error: (-33) Dump inconsistency detected, interrupted
Jun 30 07:58:34 Microknoppix -- MARK --
Jun 30 08:18:34 Microknoppix -- MARK --
Jun 30 08:27:24 Microknoppix dbus[2492]: [system] Activating service name='org.freedesktop.UPower' (using servicehelper)
Jun 30 08:27:24 Microknoppix dbus[2492]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.UPower'

[Werner P. Schulz]

I've read the link you've posted; but the question there has been, how to deactivate avahi-daemon. In Knoppix the daemon isn't active.

But it isn't worth to wail over avahi. In my example of syslog you can see the last successfull action of dbus at 17:24:32. Many things happen in the intervall from 17:24:32 to 17:24:49. (There is no printer connected to Knoppix.)

At 17:25:03 I get the "failed" message from dbus. Therefore the "lost" time is about 14 seconds for me.

Jun 30 17:23:59 Microknoppix syslogd 1.5.0#6.2: restart.
<snip>
Jun 30 17:24:32 Microknoppix dbus[2059]: [system] Activating service name='org.freedesktop.nm_dispatcher' (using servicehelper)
Jun 30 17:24:32 Microknoppix dbus[2059]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.nm_dispatcher'
Jun 30 17:24:38 Microknoppix kernel: [   49.241598] lp0: using parport0 (interrupt-driven).
Jun 30 17:24:38 Microknoppix kernel: [   49.241609] lp0: console ready
Jun 30 17:24:38 Microknoppix kernel: [   49.360701] ppdev: user-space parallel port driver
Jun 30 17:24:38 Microknoppix udev-configure-printer: add /devices/pnp0/00:07/printer/lp0
Jun 30 17:24:38 Microknoppix udev-configure-printer: Failed to get parent
Jun 30 17:24:38 Microknoppix udev-configure-printer: add /module/lp
Jun 30 17:24:38 Microknoppix udev-configure-printer: Failed to get parent
Jun 30 17:24:49 Microknoppix NetworkManager[2184]: <info> (wlan0): IP6 addrconf timed out or failed.
Jun 30 17:24:49 Microknoppix NetworkManager[2184]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IPv6 Configure Timeout) scheduled...
Jun 30 17:24:49 Microknoppix NetworkManager[2184]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IPv6 Configure Timeout) started...
Jun 30 17:24:49 Microknoppix NetworkManager[2184]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IPv6 Configure Timeout) complete.
Jun 30 17:25:03 Microknoppix dbus[2059]: [system] Failed to activate service 'org.freedesktop.Avahi': timed out

[utu]

(It) isn't worth (it) to wail over avahi. (The) the "lost" time is (only) about 14 seconds for me.

Greetings, Werner.

Thanks for your comments.

I have to admit my boot time now takes (only) 71 seconds,
but IIRC, when my LiveUSB was 'new' it only took 50 seconds.

71 seconds is only considerable when compared to my Win7
which still gets online in 50 seconds.

The reference suggests maybe 30 seconds are lost on an avahi timeout.

I'm not aware what I've done to add 21 seconds,
but it looks like perhaps I'm not handling avahi correctly.
Maybe it should be ON by default in my case.

[Werner P. Schulz]

71 seconds is only considerable when compared to my Win7
which still gets online in 50 seconds.

This times are of no use. You have to messure the time from booting Windows7 or Knoppix up to the time you can really work with an OS: for example the end of start and stop of notepad within Windows or leafpad within Knoppix. And you have to differ,if you ar booting an OS from HD or USB-srick.

Jun 30 06:39:27 Microknoppix NetworkManager[2616]: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IPv6 Configure Timeout) complete.
Jun 30 06:39:45 Microknoppix dbus[2492]: [system] Failed to activate service 'org.freedesktop.Avahi': timed out

In your example I see a delay time of about 18 seconds.

[Werner P. Schulz]

In the meantime I did some measurings using my laptop, always from boot the OS to stop of the editor:

Knoppix 7.2 on USB stick 8GB => 44 sec.
Knoppix 7.3 on USB stick 8GB => 36 sec
Knoppix 7.2 HD install => 34 sec.
Windows 7 => 57 sec.

Knoppix 7.3 is optimized with its boottime In comparison with 7.2. And what I've seen: within 7.3 avahi-daemon is also not running, but dbus doesn't look and wait for avahi. But don't ask me, if we also can have this behaviour in 7.2.

[utu]

Thanks again, Werner.
Perhaps 7.4 will improve things a little for me.