Bug#773130: [gvfs] gvfsd-metadata stuck on infinite loop. Resulting in Nautilus very slow navigating through directory. "Loading...".

[Francois Carpentier]

Package: gvfs
Version: 1.12.3-4
Severity: important

--- Please enter the report below this line. ---

Steps to reproduce issue

1. Without any action from user, somehow "gvfsd-metadata" store get
corrupt, as a result "gvfsd-metadata" get stuck on an infinite loop.
This happens randomly. If you're not familiar with "gvfsd-metadata",
it's is a process that collects file metadata when you use Nautilus file
browser. I'm assuming "gvfsd-metadata" is part of or related to "gvfs"
package.

2. Use Nautilus for hours or for a few days. Navigate large size
directories with at least 100 files and folders per directory. Folders
are composed of a mix of LibreOffice files, image files, .txt files and
sub-folders.

3. Randomly Nautilus becomes very slow. A "Loading..." icon appears at
the bottom right side of the Nautilus window. Sometime up to 60 seconds
delay between each directly. Same issue when using Nautilus to create
new files or new directories.

4. Expected result is "gvfsd-metadata" store should not get corrupt, and
Nautilus should be faster when navigating directory, creating new files
or creating new folder. By the way this issue is not present with other
similar file browser tools such as gnome-commander 1.2.8.15-3+b1 very fast.

Using
* gvfs: 1.12.3-4
* Nautilus: 3.4.2-1+build1
* Debian: Wheezy 7.7 at 64 bit
* Gnome: Version 3.4.2
* Intel Core: i7-3770S CPU @ 3.10GHz × 8
* RAM: 16 GB

Nautilus settings to reproduce issue #767276
* Find attached screenshots:
** "nautiful-settings-views.png";
** "nautiful-settings-behaviour.png";
** "nautiful-settings-display.png";
** "nautiful-settings-list-columns.png";
** "nautiful-settings-list-preview.png";
*** Note: Those settings did speed up Nautilus a little bit. But did not
fix the issue.
** "nautiful-settings-loading.png";
*** Note: That screenshot shows how the issue looks like

Cause of the issue
* Somehow gvfsd-metadata store got corrupted, as a result gvfsd-metadata
get stuck on an infinite loop. Which in turn significantly affect the
performance of nautilus.

Temporary fix
* Using Terminal as Root, run the following command to remove the
metadata storage, located in: "~/.local/share/gvfs-metadata". Where "~"
is the path to your user directly.
** rm -rf ~/.local/share/gvfs-metadata
* Still using Terminal as Root, run the following command to kill
"gvfsd-metadata" process
** pkill gvfsd-metadata
* Wait a few seconds. Nautilus will be back to its normal speed. Note
that this is just a temporary fix. After a while the bug will be back
again, somehow "gvfsd-metadata storage folder get corrupted again and again.

Things we have tried
* The following Nautilus settings did speed up Nautilus a little bit.
But did not fix the issue.
** "Other Previewable files" -> "Show thumbnails": Never -> "Only for
files smaller than": 100 KB
** "Text Files" -> "Show text in icons": Never
** "Folders" -> "Count number of items": Never
* Rebooting computer temporarily fix the issue. But after a few hours or
a few days issue is back.

Related issues
*
http://iamparv.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/solved-ubuntu-gvfsd-metadata-cpu-high-usage-100/

* http://alicious.com/gvfsd-metadata-seems-unnecessary/
* https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=561904
* http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1421580
* https://bugs.launchpad.net/nautilus/+bug/869793
* http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=103974
* http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6585620
* http://subbass.blogspot.ca/2009/05/is-your-nautilus-slow-to-open.html
* http://askubuntu.com/questions/147682/nautilus-is-very-slow


Note
* Issue was first noticed by numerous users back in 2009


--- System information. ---
Architecture: amd64
Kernel: Linux 3.2.0-4-amd64

Debian Release: 7.7
500 stable-updates ftp.ca.debian.org
500 stable security.debian.org
500 stable ftp.ca.debian.org
500 stable dl.google.com
100 wheezy-backports http.debian.net

--- Package information. ---
Depends (Version) | Installed
=================================-+-=================
libc6 (>= 2.7) |
libdbus-1-3 (>= 1.0.2) |
libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.31.8) |
libudev0 (>= 0.140) |
gvfs-daemons (>= 1.12.3-4) |
gvfs-daemons (<< 1.12.3-4.1~) |
gvfs-libs (= 1.12.3-4) |
gvfs-common (= 1.12.3-4) |


Package's Recommends field is empty.

Suggests (Version) | Installed
============================-+-===========
gvfs-backends | 1.12.3-4
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