Understanding swap partitions - SOLVED!
After testing it to the max...the memory restart restored the CPU functioning. Not having to reboot the OS is all I care about. To get a freeze wasn't easy...25 tabs, several videos..over an hour of u tubes. That's about all I can ask for on an old dell with 1gig RAM. (the main issue has always been CPU...and is more related to flash than FF).
edit: right now I'm running 70 java jars and FF with 10 tabs, and had no problem running a utube video despite a long load time. Another tab opened right up for writing this response....nothing bogging down. All because of swap..176M being used. Remember the myth about java using too much ram?
Next, I turned off my swap file, ran about 20 jars and tried to load FF. FF wouldn't load, and the computer froze, requiring a reboot. That should quell the swap dispute. It's all about ram management, which the kernel handles very well if you give it the right tools.
edit: right now I'm running 70 java jars and FF with 10 tabs, and had no problem running a utube video despite a long load time. Another tab opened right up for writing this response....nothing bogging down. All because of swap..176M being used. Remember the myth about java using too much ram?
Next, I turned off my swap file, ran about 20 jars and tried to load FF. FF wouldn't load, and the computer froze, requiring a reboot. That should quell the swap dispute. It's all about ram management, which the kernel handles very well if you give it the right tools.
- RetroTechGuy
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I've noticed that when FF (or some accessory for FF) eats the majority of the RAM, that Youtube videos will no longer play. It will display the Youtube page, but just a black box where the video goes.jpeps wrote:After testing it to the max...the memory restart restored the CPU functioning. Not having to reboot the OS is all I care about. To get a freeze wasn't easy...25 tabs, several videos..over an hour of u tubes. That's about all I can ask for on an old dell with 1gig RAM. (the main issue has always been CPU...and is more related to flash than FF).
edit: right now I'm running 70 java jars and FF with 10 tabs, and had no problem running a utube video despite a long load time. Another tab opened right up for writing this response....nothing bogging down. All because of swap..176M being used. Remember the myth about java using too much ram?
Next, I turned off my swap file, ran about 20 jars and tried to load FF. FF wouldn't load, and the computer froze, requiring a reboot. That should quell the swap dispute. It's all about ram management, which the kernel handles very well if you give it the right tools.
A RAM purge (using the script references earlier), a refresh of the screen will restore playing.
No, I haven't had FF crash the OS yet. I have had it bog things down to the point where I thought I might have to crash it to get out... Once in a great while, I've had trouble opening a terminal in order to run my script.
Typically I can get just purge the RAM, and close FF gracefully.
Oh, regarding swap... I have a 1.2 GB swap on this machine. It doesn't very often dig into the swap -- it seems that FF only likes RAM...I don't see it overflowing into the swap partition.
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RetroTechGuy wrote:
A RAM purge (using the script references earlier), a refresh of the screen will restore playing.
No, I haven't had FF crash the OS yet. I have had it bog things down to the point where I thought I might have to crash it to get out... Once in a great while, I've had trouble opening a terminal in order to run my script.
Typically I can get just purge the RAM, and close FF gracefully.
The script purges the cache
Code: Select all
Mem: 676196K used, 358316K free, 0K shrd, 74116K buff, 288476K cached
Mem: 341576K used, 692936K free, 0K shrd, 3800K buff, 65044K cached
Code: Select all
18833 6729 root R 619m 61% 0 100% /mnt/sda2/firefox/firefox
Code: Select all
18833 6729 root S 444m 44% 0 5% /mnt/sda2/firefox/firefox
Oh, regarding swap... I have a 1.2 GB swap on this machine. It doesn't very often dig into the swap -- it seems that FF only likes RAM...I don't see it overflowing into the swap partition.
I've notice that also. FF does it's own thing (i.e, wants all your active RAM). As noted above, however, swap will provide the RAM you need by getting it somewhere else.
I suspect there could also be some downsides to clearing the general cache vs just handling FF.
- RetroTechGuy
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Weird, jpeps...
On my system, I just ran it:
At the moment, I do have FF and Thunderbird open. But it does a similar response with just FF running.
On my system, I just ran it:
Code: Select all
Initial free space
total used free shared buffers
Mem: 969868 821240 148628 0 30472
Swap: 1228964 2388 1226576
Total: 2198832 823628 1375204
clearing cache
Final free space
total used free shared buffers
Mem: 969868 461860 508008 0 1080
Swap: 1228964 2388 1226576
Total: 2198832 464248 1734584
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Yes, similar to what I posted. Looks like you're using some swap as well. Check out info for the browser though, which includes CPU usage. I think the kernel will take what it needs from the cache anyway, so probably it's unnecessary to clean it ? It certainly doesn't restore resources the way restarting the browser does.
- RetroTechGuy
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Mine doesn't seem to pound the CPU too badly, it just gobbles RAM... Here is top, sorted for memory:jpeps wrote:Yes, similar to what I posted. Looks like you're using some swap as well. Check out info for the browser though, which includes CPU usage. I think the kernel will take what it needs from the cache anyway, so probably it's unnecessary to clean it ? It certainly doesn't restore resources the way restarting the browser does.
Code: Select all
26730 5756 root S 436m 46% 0 6% firefox
5648 5647 root S < 158m 17% 0 2% X :0 -br -nolisten tcp
28126 26730 root R 85236 9% 0 11% /initrd/pup_ro4/opt/firefox-16.0.2/plugin-container /usr/
5756 1 root S 40380 4% 0 0% /usr/local/apps/ROX-Filer/ROX-Filer -p /root/Choices/ROX-
27396 5756 root S 30648 3% 0 0% geany
10604 5756 root S 29680 3% 0 0% roxterm
6458 1 root S 18352 2% 0 0% fbpanel
Code: Select all
Initial free space
total used free shared buffers
Mem: 969868 757472 212396 0 60548
Swap: 1228964 2780 1226184
Total: 2198832 760252 1438580
clearing cache
Final free space
total used free shared buffers
Mem: 969868 310924 658944 0 576
Swap: 1228964 2780 1226184
Total: 2198832 313704 1885128
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- RetroTechGuy
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Yeah, I'm running an Athlon 2200. But when the RAM gets full, she's "toast"...jpeps wrote:You can get rid of the plugin container.
I loaded it up for testing. Restart clears it (also gives back additional ram beyond clearing the cache). You might have a more powerful CPU.Mine doesn't seem to pound the CPU too badly, it just gobbles RAM... Here is top, sorted for memory:
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Nothing any of us will need to worry about for much longer. A cheap replacement for my Dell Inspiron costs $399, retail. It's available only with 64 bit, and comes with a minimum of 4 gigs SDRAM with a 500 gig hard drive. This is just a basic starter machine for doing your homework on before you have a real job.RetroTechGuy wrote:
Yeah, I'm running an Athlon 2200. But when the RAM gets full, she's "toast"...
Running a pc with Athlon 2200, 1Gb ram, youtube vids crash every time with or without swap.RetroTechGuy wrote:Yeah, I'm running an Athlon 2200. But when the RAM gets full, she's "toast"...jpeps wrote:You can get rid of the plugin container.
I loaded it up for testing. Restart clears it (also gives back additional ram beyond clearing the cache). You might have a more powerful CPU.Mine doesn't seem to pound the CPU too badly, it just gobbles RAM... Here is top, sorted for memory:
My old Inspiron 700m (1.6Ghz) 1Gb ram, runs great;
no swap needed.
I use Htop to watch ram and cpu usage.
Inspiron 700m, Pent.M 1.6Ghz, 1Gb ram.
Msi Wind U100, N270 1.6>2.0Ghz, 1.5Gb ram.
Eeepc 8g 701, 900Mhz, 1Gb ram.
Full installs
I use full installs.jpeps wrote:For how long?rjbrewer wrote:
Running a pc with Athlon 2200, 1Gb ram, youtube vids crash every time with or without swap.
My old Inspiron 700m (1.6Ghz) 1Gb ram, runs great;
no swap needed.
700m has been running 3+ days.
Using Wary5.3, Seamonkey 2.61
It does not accumulate ram use over time.
Running streaming Youtube video, a video file, radio stream
and murga forum at same time, ram use is under 400mb
according to htop.
Cpu can max to 100% without slowing the vids or
overheating.
Inspiron 700m, Pent.M 1.6Ghz, 1Gb ram.
Msi Wind U100, N270 1.6>2.0Ghz, 1.5Gb ram.
Eeepc 8g 701, 900Mhz, 1Gb ram.
Full installs
Well, if you're up to 400mb and 100% CPU usage, there's not much more your computer can handle. Try some tests like opening about 20 tabs, or running some programs like Open Office (above, I ran 70 instances of java jars to watch swap management). UTubes are pretty user friendly. I test with some Vanguard webcasts that tend to stall midway through without the right setup.rjbrewer wrote: 700m has been running 3+ days.
Using Wary5.3, Seamonkey 2.61
It does not accumulate ram use over time.
Running streaming Youtube video, a video file, radio stream
and murga forum at same time, ram use is under 400mb
according to htop.
Cpu can max to 100% without slowing the vids or
overheating.
- RetroTechGuy
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BTW, I missed this. What does that mean?jpeps wrote:You can get rid of the plugin container.
I'm running FF as a .sfs (which helped my frugal save file space a lot).
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- RetroTechGuy
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Is it possible that you have a bad RAM stick? Perhaps when FF (and Youtube) try to consume all your memory, you hit the bad spot and it pukes. Otherwise you don't run into it...rjbrewer wrote:Running a pc with Athlon 2200, 1Gb ram, youtube vids crash every time with or without swap.RetroTechGuy wrote: Yeah, I'm running an Athlon 2200. But when the RAM gets full, she's "toast"...
My old Inspiron 700m (1.6Ghz) 1Gb ram, runs great;
no swap needed.
I use Htop to watch ram and cpu usage.
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Go into about:config, search for "ipc" and disable the plugins. They're resource hogs. I'm guessing the SFS saves your settings in the .mozilla folder. I run a hard copy from my HD with a /root linkRetroTechGuy wrote:BTW, I missed this. What does that mean?jpeps wrote:You can get rid of the plugin container.
I'm running FF as a .sfs (which helped my frugal save file space a lot).
- RetroTechGuy
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Thanks, I just turned them off. We'll see if that helps.jpeps wrote:Go into about:config, search for "ipc" and disable the plugins. They're resource hogs. I'm guessing the SFS saves your settings in the .mozilla folder. I run a hard copy from my HD with a /root linkRetroTechGuy wrote:BTW, I missed this. What does that mean?jpeps wrote:You can get rid of the plugin container.
I'm running FF as a .sfs (which helped my frugal save file space a lot).
Yes, the SFS still saves junk in .mozilla, but it doesn't store the FF code in the save file (first time I'd had 3 green bars in a long time) -- and I also moved that out into /root/home/puppy528/ (where I store all my 5.28 junk).
I run all frugals -- and just recently got around to dumping all of the 4.31 saves, and the 5.20 saves...
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