Baloo Indexer Causing Plasma Reset?

[PhysicistSarah]

I have an issue that crops up occasionally in which the baloo file indexer basically deadlocks the system (100% CPU) and it becomes unoperable on startup.

Using balooctl disable and using Ctrl + Print Sc + REISUB (With appropriate time spacing between keys)

However, this resets plasmashell and I get the default desktop again.

Restoring from a backup of the .config folder fixes the issue, but is it well known what's happening? How could I fix something like this? Do I need to file a bug report?

[chimak111]

Do I need to file a bug report?

It's free!

Your bug could be

• a valuable contribution or
• a duplicate or, rarely,
• just be ignored

In any case, you've done your bit

[PhysicistSarah]

Filed the report

[jlittle]

I've had this, on Bionic I think. I isolated it to a corrupt baloo index file. IIRC a bug had been filed, and I offered to provide the corrupt file, but I was not asked for it.

The two files are in ~/.local/share/baloo/; delete them and they will be recreated.

Unless you use the file content searching in dolphin i suggest unchecking system settings->search->file search->also index file content. If you don't use search in dolphin at all, uncheck enable file search to stop baloo running, as many here in this forum would advise.

[PhysicistSarah]

Hmm, sounds like baloo has had quite the reputation.

I would have thought that a search indexer wouldn't have so many problems, or if it did another project would have started to rectify them.

[jlittle]

Hmm, sounds like baloo has had quite the reputation.

I would have thought that a search indexer wouldn't have so many problems, or if it did another project would have started to rectify them.

You've quickly nailed it IMO. The baloo project is indeed such a rectification of the previous search framework; the names nepomuk and akonadi have sufficiently negative associations that it seems they were abandoned. From my (limited) perspective baloo is an improvement. I think general file content indexing is a very ambitious goal, owing to the many file formats that are used.

[Snowhog]

Unless one is adamant in doing searches from Dolphin, may I suggest getting and installing Recoll (https://www.lesbonscomptes.com/recoll/). Recoll is, IMO, one of the VERY BEST indexers/search tools around. It's very light and LIGHNTNING FAST once the initial index is created.

[SpecialEd]

I've had this, on Bionic I think. I isolated it to a corrupt baloo index file. IIRC a bug had been filed, and I offered to provide the corrupt file, but I was not asked for it.

The two files are in ~/.local/share/baloo/; delete them and they will be recreated. >>>

This worked like a champ for me. Cheers!