pkg_add -Uu insanely slow on powerpc/macppc

[ctps]

hi,

does anybody know why updating packages via pkg_add -Uu on a macppc is so insanely slow? does it have difficulties with perl or what?

i use the same ftp as with my amd64/i386 installs and they take 10 minutes with updating and the macppc needs 4 hours.

just happened again after upgrade from 5.8 to current 5.9
happens to me since my first install on this old laptop, which was 5.6

internet connection/bandwidth is fine and other actions on this laptop don't take long either

any ideas?

[jggimi]

Hello, and welcome!

I don't have a macppc machine to test with. But I'll ask a few questions, in the hopes that the answers might indicate possible areas for further research or analysis.

1. How many network hops between the macppc platform and the package mirror? You didn't mention it, and traceroute(8) can tell you.
2. What is the end-to-end latency for the macppc platform to the package mirror? You didn't mention it, and ping(8) can provide this.
3. What is the NIC you are using for network connectivity? What speed is the media connecting with? The ifconfig(8) command can produce this information.
4. What network protocol are you using? This is determined by either your installpath URL definitions in a pkg.conf(5) file, or URL definitions in a $PKG_PATH environment variable.
5. Are you seeing any local network errors? The -i option of netstat(1) will tell you if there are errors. Non-zero values for input or output packets indicates a network problem, if you are using wired Ethernet, but are very common on WiFi.

[Oko]

My hunch will be that your macppc hardware is dying. In particular HDD.

[jggimi]

I don't have any hunches, which is why I asked so many questions -- including the question about the NIC in use, because the bm(4) NIC has known issues.

[LeFrettchen]

I may be wrong, but it looks like this : http://openbsd-archive.7691.n7.nabbl...-td276600.html

[jggimi]

That fix was committed in August of 2015, after 5.8. But ctps reported the problem happened with a recent snapshot.

[ctps]

i have that machine in my office and will answer your questions tomorrow jggmi
thank you all so far!

[ctps]

Originally Posted by jggimi

1. How many network hops between the macppc platform and the package mirror? You didn't mention it, and traceroute(8) can tell you.
2. What is the end-to-end latency for the macppc platform to the package mirror? You didn't mention it, and ping(8) can provide this.
3. What is the NIC you are using for network connectivity? What speed is the media connecting with? The ifconfig(8) command can produce this information.
4. What network protocol are you using? This is determined by either your installpath URL definitions in a pkg.conf(5) file, or URL definitions in a $PKG_PATH environment variable.
5. Are you seeing any local network errors? The -i option of netstat(1) will tell you if there are errors. Non-zero values for input or output packets indicates a network problem, if you are using wired Ethernet, but are very common on WiFi.

1. 17 ftp-prod-srv04.it.su.se (77.238.36.56) 29.516 ms 29.035 ms 28.398 ms
2. 64 bytes from 77.238.36.56: icmp_seq=5 ttl=50 time=27.859 ms
3. gem0: media: Ethernet autoselect (100baseTX full-duplex)
4. PKG_PATH=ftp://ftp.eu.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/packages/powerpc/
5. nope, looks good

[e1-531g]

In regard to fourth: can you try http?
I have been and am using still one of these two mirrors:

cat /etc/pkg.conf                                                            
#installpath=http://ftp.fr.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/packages/amd64/
installpath=http://ftp.hostserver.de/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/packages/amd64/

Of course adjust for powerpc/macpc

[ctps]

There we go, switched to http and it checks all my packages in under 2 minutes (no updates, but still)

Is this something to worry about and should i post it somewhere?

[jggimi]

FTP is an ancient protocol that predates TCP/IP and the Internet. Due to how it is structured, it presents numerous problems for modern networks. Performance is just one of of its many problems.

Its use should be avoided when other protocols are available.