5 Essential Linux Commands to Quickly Identify System Slowdowns

If you are facing sluggishness on your Linux system, it may stem from hardware issues. Here are five crucial commands to help you diagnose and address these slowdowns effectively.

1. iostat

The iostat command helps you monitor CPU and I/O statistics for devices and partitions. You can assess the workload of devices and analyze transfer rates to identify bottlenecks. Pay attention to these three metrics:

• %util: This indicates the percentage of time a disk is busy handling requests. A value over 80% suggests a bottleneck.
• await: The average time for I/O requests to complete. A high value signals a slow or problematic disk.
• svctm: The average service time for I/O requests; elevated numbers imply slow response times.

To install iostat, use:

• For Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install sysstat -y
• For Fedora: sudo dnf install sysstat -y

2. iotop

Similar to iostat, iotop provides real-time monitoring of disk activity rather than static reports. This command displays processes and their impact on system resources, allowing you to identify the culprits consuming excessive resources.

To use iotop, you must run it with sudo permissions:

• For installation:
  • Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install iotop -y
  • Fedora: sudo dnf install iotop -y

3. dstat

The dstat command is a powerful monitoring tool that provides real-time statistics of various system resources, including disk I/O. It merges functionalities of iotop and iostat, making it highly effective for checking Disk Read/Write activity.

You can install it with:

• Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install dstat -y
• Fedora: sudo dnf install dstat -y

You can limit your reported data with:

• CPU stats: dstat -c
• Disk stats: dstat -d

4. sar

The sar command records and reports system activity. It’s more complex than the previous commands, as it utilizes options for detailed reports. For example, to view CPU statistics every two seconds for three sets, use:

sar -u 2 3

5. smartctl

For checking the health status of your drives, use smartctl. Focus on these two key attributes in its report:

• Reallocated_Sector_Ct: High numbers suggest potential drive failure.
• Seek_Error_Rate: A high value indicates issues locating specific data, which could signify damage.

By leveraging these five commands, you can troubleshoot and ameliorate slowdowns in your Linux system efficiently. For further help, consult the manual pages (man command) for detailed information on each command.

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