Ubuntu Server Won't Use Swap File

xXCanisLupusXx · 02-15-2009, 05:57 AM

Hi, Basically I'm Still New To Linux, And I Seem To Be Having A Problem With Ubuntu Server Not Using My Swap File(Not Partition), And I Have No Idea Why, Iv Tryed Making A New One And It Still Doesn't Use It,

So I Thought Who Better To Ask Then You Guys =]!
I Know It'l Be Something Small Or Silly.

http://92.13.2.57/871532/swap.png
http://92.13.2.57/871532/ram.png

Thanks In Advance

repo · 02-15-2009, 06:00 AM

Perhaps it doesn' need to swap, since there is enough memory?

xXCanisLupusXx · 02-15-2009, 06:14 AM

I Guess But Isn't The Whole Point In A Swap File To Take Information Out Of Memory That Isn't Being Used Very Often?, Or Does It Only Kick In When Its At A Certain Point?.

Forgive Me I'm An Ex-Microsoft User.

reddazz · 02-16-2009, 09:06 AM

Swap doesn't always get used. I have a system with 768MB ram that I use as a desktop system and the swap is hardly touched.

Code:

free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:        775988     461840     314148          0      27576     233800
-/+ buffers/cache:     200464     575524
Swap:       506036          0     506036

repo · 02-16-2009, 09:24 AM

Hi,

Take a look at
http://www.xenotime.net/linux/doc/swap-mini-howto.txt

metrofox · 02-16-2009, 09:34 AM

There isn't any need of a swap.

Don't worry, my swap doesn't do its job, too. It doesn't need to work

lucky...

Tinkster · 02-16-2009, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xXCanisLupusXx

I Guess But Isn't The Whole Point In A Swap File To Take Information Out Of Memory That Isn't Being Used Very Often?, Or Does It Only Kick In When Its At A Certain Point?.

Forgive Me I'm An Ex-Microsoft User.

Swap indeed only gets active when the kernel "thinks" it
can make better use of the RAM for other purposes. Not
having active swap is a good thing - it means there's
plenty of RAM for caching/buffering available, and there's
no need to try and make any use of RAM other processes
are still holding on to.

Code:

$ free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       1021100     966832      54268          0     216144     258680
-/+ buffers/cache:     492008     529092
Swap:       996020          0     996020

Mine would eventually grow to a few 100K after a few
days of browsing w/o reboot, and viewing images and/or
watching movies.