Ubuntu 11.04 Boot Performance Compared To Past Releases

Beginning with the IBM ThinkPad R52 with its Intel Pentium M 1.86GHz processor, the oldest system being tested, the boot performance in Ubuntu 11.04 is far from being at the fastest point it has been. Ubuntu 9.04 booted the fastest with a time of just 18 seconds while the low point was Ubuntu 9.10 at 64 seconds. In Ubuntu 10.04 this boot speed regression was targeted when it dropped to 37 seconds and in Ubuntu 10.10 was reduced to 28 seconds. With Ubuntu 11.04 Beta 2 the time is in at 29 seconds. The maximum disk throughput had also varied significantly between releases.

8.04: 27 seconds / 24 MB/s
8.10: 29 seconds / 24 MB/s
9.04: 18 seconds / 28 MB/s
9.10: 64 seconds / 22 MB/s
10.04: 37 seconds / 61 MB/s
10.10: 28 seconds / 30 MB/s
11.04: 29 seconds / 34 MB/s