Need more memory...
Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: Need more memory...
started by: QmQ
Posted by QmQ on July 31 2005,10:27
Hi 
I've discovered that DSL has a slight problem when it comes to low memory computers. (or at least mine low memory computers).
The thing is I have a Laptop (COMPAQ Armada E300) with 128MB of RAM and when I try to run DSL with toram + gcc1.dsl (no matter whether I remaster with the .DSL file on the CD or load it manually) the computer comes to to complete hold (OK, one in five times it manages to go to runlevel 1). I've put the post here for I have also verified this on a PC.
I know that's memory's the issue cause on my 'big' PC [512MB] everything's fine.
Moreover, I know that it's not specificly GCC. For example Frozen Bubble is 18MB (GCC is 15) and it also hangs the computer up when in toram mode [in normal mode it's OK, though trying to load both GCC and Frozen Bubble causes the hang again
]How can I get more memmory? I just want DSL in toram with gcc! That's all. I need no sound and other extra stuff.
I don't even need X provided that I'm left with 2 consoles (bashes or whatever to call it) and some normal editor (not vi, I hate vi :P )
What to do?
Posted by mikshaw on July 31 2005,14:19
1) Add more RAM to your machine (one of the easiest hardware upgrades to do, provided the new ram is compatable with the old and with the motherboard).or
2) Create a swap partition or swap file on your harddrive. This will act in a similar fashion to ram, although a little more slowly.
Posted by QmQ on July 31 2005,14:48
I can't do neighter - it's a company laptop... :/The idea was for me to have a working Linux under which I could write C++ programs for I prefer using Linux to Windows when it comes to coding.
I'm not really allowed to alter anything in it [company policy] - they treat us like idiots you know. I can just "use it". So you see... That's not the way. If 'twas mine I'd just install Linux there
Is there no other way? Maybe some cheatcode to remove things that load at boot? [like sound and forth]
BTW, how to check memory state in text-mode? What command?
Posted by mikshaw on July 31 2005,15:09
The command to check your ram is "free". The output would be something like this:| Code Sample |
total used free shared buffers cached Mem: 255880 251932 3948 0 94456 55588 -/+ buffers/cache: 101888 153992 Swap: 1052104 4596 1047508 |
...except that it would probably look neater than that in a console =o)
The "used" and "free" amounts included cached memory, which is freed when needed, but currently stores previously-used data for quick retrieval.
I can't think of any other way to increase the base amount of memory/swap available without changing the system, but there are a few boot options available to limit what is loaded. Check out the boot/F2 file, or press F2 at the boot prompt.
EDIT: changed F3 to F2
Posted by QmQ on July 31 2005,15:21
I'll try right away, thanks I never said I didn't want to change the system
Posted by QmQ on July 31 2005,15:51
By system I meant the DSL distro of course
Posted by mikshaw on July 31 2005,18:36
ah...and by system I mean the computer & harddrive
Posted by kopsis on July 31 2005,18:50
| Quote (QmQ @ July 31 2005,10:48) |
| Is there no other way? Maybe some cheatcode to remove things that load at boot? [like sound and forth] |
Don't run "toram". The toram option copies the entire compressed volume from the CD into RAM which means you're automatically going to lose 50MB of RAM right there. Remember that it's not copying individual files, it's grabbing the entire compressed filesystem image (you can't leave anything out). Without "toram" it will just access all that stuff from CD. You'll see a slight performance hit but if what you're looking to do is run gcc at the console then you won't be using much out of the base distro anyway.
The only real downside is that you can't take the CD out. If that's an issue, plug in a USB memory stick and do a poorman's install to that. Boot with the LiveCD then the system will switch over to running off USB and free up your CD-ROM drive.
Posted by mstrhelix on July 31 2005,19:07
i would trypboot: dsl 2
this will boot up into text mode only and i also wouldn't run toram
unless you have to. You will need that ram for other things like compiling your c++ code. I would also recomend the NANO editor if you are a VI hater.....
Good luck
Posted by QmQ on July 31 2005,21:46
Well, I kinda like toram for it's speed but I must admit that I've been using it in 'normal' mode for a few hours today and it was fast enough, so it's OK Never before have I just sat and tried to work like that
Thanks for help everyone.
I'll just stick with normal mode in the end
Posted by mikshaw on Aug. 01 2005,01:18
If you have or get a USB stick, you could install frugal DSL on that...should run quite a bit faster than the CD.
Posted by QmQ on Aug. 01 2005,01:23
I've got one, but it's 64MB, so no way to put DSL + gcc there. Nevermind though. Let's leave it as is.Nevertheless, I'd really like to install emacs since I'm going to be using X after all and emacs is my most favorite editor. Is there a .dsl with it? [couldn't find one
]If not the only way's to remaster, right?
Nevertheless, thanks for all your help guys
Posted by mgmont on Aug. 01 2005,02:16
I have a suggestion. You could add a swap file if you are willing to purchase a usb hard drive. They make very small (physically) hard drives with about 2 to 4 gigs of space that plug into the usb port. You could partition on of these with a swap partition and also have some extra file storage room.. Actually, you could also partition it so you could put DSL on it also. I have seen these on sale at Frys for about $70 at times. You could use a flash memory pin drive, but it would probably die a premature death due to the number of writes if used as swap.
Posted by cbagger01 on Aug. 01 2005,02:47
You can still use your 64MB drive.Put DSL on the 64MB drive and then burn the gcc1.dsl file to a CD-R disk or better yet save it to somewhere on your hard drive like C:\
If your drive and laptop both support USB2.0 , DSL will run very fast from this device. Similar to a frugal hard drive install and much faster than a livecd normal mode.
Posted by mikshaw on Aug. 01 2005,02:54
Another thing you can do is boot with "dsl dma".This may improve the read speed of the cdrom drive. I know it works for multimedia, but I don't know what difference there may be with a standard data CD.
Posted by cbagger01 on Aug. 01 2005,03:40
It works for data CDs too, but the performance boost is not as great because the DSL programs are scattered throughout the \KNOPPIX\KNOPPIX compressed filesystem and this means that the drive head must jump around alot and this delay is bigger than the delay caused by lack of DMA. DMA is great at improving throughput and reducing CPU load but it doesn't improce CDROM random access time.
Posted by QmQ on Aug. 01 2005,10:00
I'm always using DMA, just never wrote about it cause 'twasn't relevant at that time I'm hesitating with this frugal thingy... The CD version is quite cool, and it works fast enough cause it put's the programs I'm using into memory or something and they run very fast
Besides the laptop is USB 1.0 and I'm also pretty certain that it's not set to boot from USB, AND I'm sure, that I, as "just a mere user who surely has not the fu**iest idea about what they're doing", can't access BIOS to set it. Stupid, I know. Yet true...
So I'll just stick with my stick
[data] and CD [DSL].Nevertheless, I'd still like emacs very much... Any ideas how to add it? Is there a way to do so without remastering? Maybe I can't (somehow?) make a .dsl package of it?
Posted by cbagger01 on Aug. 01 2005,16:13
Try the Zile.dsl extension in the Apps section of the MyDSL repository.Zile is a slimmed down version of EMACs.
You can always try to build an emacs extension using the deb2dsl script and clivesay's howto pdf document.