LinuxQuestions.org - Weird cache / buffers problem

Hello friends

I have a problem with buffers and cache.

Box 1: 512MB RAM, CentOS 4.1, kernel 2.6.9-11.EL
Box 2: 1GB RAM, CentOS 4.2, kernel 2.6.9-22.0.1.EL

In all other respects identical. I just moved my site from 1 to 2, kept everything exactly the same. Load on 1 averaged about 0.04, but on 2 it averages 0.50. Crazy considering 2 is the better machine!

I believe it's due to buffers / cache, which I think are causing HDD reads to queue up.

Note these outputs from 'free' - box 1:

Code:

            total      used      free    shared    buffers    cached

Mem:        515108    394228    120880          0      49700    279080

-/+ buffers/cache:      65448    449660

Swap:      1052248          0    1052248

And box 2:

Code:

            total      used      free    shared    buffers    cached

Mem:      1031740    178676    853064          0        144      23044

-/+ buffers/cache:    155488    876252

Swap:      1052248      14816    1037432

Tell me that isn't WEIRD for a well loaded server. Tiny buffers and cache!

I've looked everywhere but can't find a tweak for forcing larger buffers + cache. What can I do short of attempting a kernel downgrade? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.