This has been tested on 12.04 LTS, 13.04, 14.04, and 16.04 LTS
1. Install Conky
sudo apt-get install conky
2. Configure Conky
sudo nano /home/computername/.conkyrc
3. My Conky config file for 16.04
conky.config = {
-- Create own window instead of using desktop (required in nautilus)
own_window = true,
own_window_type = 'normal',
own_window_transparent = true,
own_window_hints = 'undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager',
background = true,
-- Use Xft?
use_xft = true,
font = 'Terminus:size=10',
xftalpha = 0.5,
uppercase = false,
-- Update interval in seconds
update_interval = 3.0,
total_run_times = 0,
-- Use double buffering (reduces flicker, may not work for everyone)
double_buffer = true,
-- Minimum size of text area
maximum_width = 250,
-- Draw shades?
draw_shades = false,
-- Text stuff
draw_outline = false, -- amplifies text if = true
draw_borders = false,
uppercase = false, -- set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase
draw_graph_borders = false,
default_color = white,
default_shade_color = red,
default_outline_color = green,
-- Text alignment, other possible values are commented
--alignment = top_left,
alignment = 'top_right',
-- Gap between borders of screen and text
gap_x = 12,
gap_y = 48,
no_buffers = true,
cpu_avg_samples = 2,
override_utf8_locale = false,
}
conky.text = [[
${font Arial:bold:size=18}${color Tan1}BackupPC16 $font$color
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}SYSTEM ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
$sysname $kernel on $machine
Uptime $alignr $uptime
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}Processors ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
${color grey90}CPU ${hr 2}$color
${freq}MHz Load: ${loadavg}
CPU1 ${cpu cpu1}% ${cpubar cpu1}
CPU2 ${cpu cpu2}% ${cpubar cpu2}
CPU3 ${cpu cpu3}% ${cpubar cpu3}
CPU4 ${cpu cpu4}% ${cpubar cpu4}
${cpugraph 000000 ffffff}
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}Network ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
ens32 $alignr ${addr ens32}
Inbound $alignr ${downspeed ens32}
${downspeedgraph ens32}
Outbound $alignr ${upspeed ens32}
${upspeedgraph ens32}
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}Top Processes ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
NAME PID CPU% MEM%
${top name 1} ${top pid 1} ${top cpu 1} ${top mem 1}
${top name 2} ${top pid 2} ${top cpu 2} ${top mem 2}
${top name 3} ${top pid 3} ${top cpu 3} ${top mem 3}
${top name 4} ${top pid 4} ${top cpu 4} ${top mem 4}
${top name 5} ${top pid 5} ${top cpu 5} ${top mem 5}
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}Memory ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
MEM $alignc $mem / $memmax $alignr $memperc%
$membar
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}HDD ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
/ $alignc ${fs_used /} / ${fs_size /} $alignr ${fs_free_perc /}%
${fs_bar /}
swap $alignc $swap / $swapmax $alignr $swapperc%
${swapbar}
]]
3. My Conky config file for 12.04 and 14.04
# UBUNTU-CONKY
# A comprehensive conky script, configured for use on
# Ubuntu / Debian Gnome, without the need for any external scripts.
#
# Based on conky-jc and the default .conkyrc.
# INCLUDES:
# – tail of /var/log/messages
# – netstat shows number of connections from your computer and application/PID making it. Kill spyware!
#
# — Pengo
#
# Create own window instead of using desktop (required in nautilus)
own_window yes
own_window_type terminal
own_window_transparent yes
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
background yes
# Use Xft?
use_xft yes
xftfont HandelGotD:size=9
xftalpha 0.5
# Update interval in seconds
update_interval 3.0
total_run_times 0
# Use double buffering (reduces flicker, may not work for everyone)
double_buffer yes
# Minimum size of text area
minimum_size 200 5
maximum_width 250
# Draw shades?
draw_shades no
# Text stuff
draw_outline no # amplifies text if yes
draw_borders no
uppercase no # set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase
draw_graph_borders no
default_color white
default_shade_color red
default_outline_color green
# Text alignment, other possible values are commented
#alignment top_left
alignment top_right
# Gap between borders of screen and text
gap_x 12
gap_y 48
no_buffers yes
cpu_avg_samples 2
override_utf8_locale no
TEXT
${font Arial:bold:size=20}${color Tan1}BackupPC $font$color
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}SYSTEM ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
$sysname $kernel on $machine
Uptime $alignr $uptime
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}Processors ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
${color grey90}CPU ${hr 2}$color
${freq}MHz Load: ${loadavg}
CPU0 ${cpu cpu0}% ${cpubar cpu0}
CPU1 ${cpu cpu1}% ${cpubar cpu1}
${cpugraph 000000 ffffff}
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}Network ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
eth0 $alignr ${addr eth0}
Inbound $alignr ${downspeed eth0} kb/s
${downspeedgraph eth0}
Outbound $alignr ${upspeed eth0} kb/s
${upspeedgraph eth0}
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}Top Processes ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
NAME PID CPU% MEM%
${top name 1} ${top pid 1} ${top cpu 1} ${top mem 1}
${top name 2} ${top pid 2} ${top cpu 2} ${top mem 2}
${top name 3} ${top pid 3} ${top cpu 3} ${top mem 3}
${top name 4} ${top pid 4} ${top cpu 4} ${top mem 4}
${top name 5} ${top pid 5} ${top cpu 5} ${top mem 5}
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}Memory ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
MEM $alignc $mem / $memmax $alignr $memperc%
$membar
${font Arial:bold:size=10}${color Tan1}HDD ${color DarkSlateGray} ${hr 2}$font$color
/ $alignc ${fs_used /} / ${fs_size /} $alignr ${fs_free_perc /}%
${fs_bar /}
swap $alignc $swap / $swapmax $alignr $swapperc%
${swapbar}4. Set Conky to Autostart from the GUI by going to “Startup Applications and Preferences” and having it start the code “conky &”