Xubuntu Power-off Q

[HavocXphere]

I've got Xubuntu on an ancient laptop that I use for writing notes in Openoffice.

Do I really need to do a proper shutdown every time or can I get away with just killing the power?

 

[MyWorld]

You are looking for serious trouble with not doing a proper shut down.

 

[HavocXphere]

You are looking for serious trouble with not doing a proper shut down.

With Windows yes, but with linux?

 

[.Froot.]

More with Linux than with Windows. I'm talking both from experience and from professional knowledge here.
Rather do a safe shutdown than a "halt", as it is called in Linux.

 

[HavocXphere]

More with Linux than with Windows. I'm talking both from experience and from professional knowledge here.
Rather do a safe shutdown than a "halt", as it is called in Linux.

Damn. Whats the worst that can happen? My data is on a flash anyway so I could always just re-install Xubuntu & OO right?

 

[.Froot.]

You could lose any and all data written or changed in the last session. Including on your flash if it is still in the drive when the computer is just "switched off". It may also screw up your OS a little. I'd definitely do a proper shutdown. Better for your hardware, too.

 

[HavocXphere]

You could lose any and all data written or changed in the last session. Including on your flash if it is still in the drive when the computer is just "switched off". It may also screw up your OS a little. I'd definitely do a proper shutdown. Better for your hardware, too.

Ok. Final Q:

If I eject the flash then it should flush the write cache thingie right?

 

[MyWorld]

Why do you not want to do a proper halt?
It's not like you have to sit there waiting for it to finish.

At most it could only take a few seconds to a minute? If there is a service that causes the halt process to be dragged out then find it and fix it or do not use said service?

 

[.Froot.]

Ok. Final Q:

If I eject the flash then it should flush the write cache thingie right?

Yeah, if you eject the flash (DO NOT JUST UNPLUG IT) properly, then it is safe to do a halt without losing any of your data, as you have mentioned. But nevertheless still bad for your pc.

BTW, "halt" is a console term used in Linux which is the same as doing a mass-ctrl+alt+delete on all processes. Not all that good but still beter than just unplugging.

 

[HavocXphere]

Yeah, if you eject the flash (DO NOT JUST UNPLUG IT) properly, then it is safe to do a halt without losing any of your data, as you have mentioned. But nevertheless still bad for your pc.

BTW, "halt" is a console term used in Linux which is the same as doing a mass-ctrl+alt+delete on all processes. Not all that good but still beter than just unplugging.

Thanks. *goes of to google halt*

It's not like you have to sit there waiting for it to finish.

No. Exactly that is my problem. The laptop is so old that it does not switch off itself. ie I have to wait for it to shut down (which takes forever) and then I have to press the button.

Thanks guys