/var/log/messages: "Use a HIGHMEM enabled kernel"
 

Are there pre-compiled kernels for memories over 1 G?

I'm using a system with over 1 G of memory, running Etch, and I'm looking for a way to use all my physical memory.

I understand I could enable highmem and re-compile the kernel, but I'm hoping there are other options. Are there?

IIRC the standard Etch kernel is already HIGHMEM enabled. I happen to have 1 GB RAM also (2x 512 MB) but it shows up as 1 GB perfectly. Open a rootterminal (or issue the su command in a normal terminal) and issue the commandThis gives you the total of installed RAM in your system. If you omit the pipe you'll get info on all memory in the system.

free told me I had only the 906792 kB, so I knew it wasn't enabled. I have 512 MB plus a 1GB I installed last week. At the time, Fedora showed 1.4 GB total. It's shared with the video RAM.

This was the default on the net install.

These lines were in /var/log/messages:

Found it: linux-image-2.6-686-bigmem Install with apt or aptitude:

Excellent, Dutch Master. I appreciate your help.

It gave errors, and doesn't look like it's installed.

Apparently, it's missing the source package?

You'll need the tools to create a initrd image. The initrd tools have been evolved to cramfs. The package you'll need is called cramfsprogs, install it as you tried the linux-image. Actually, you could install both at the same time, just add the cramfsprogs to the line:This will install both the tool and kernel :)

This returns similar messages:

Do you have yaird installed? If so remove it and install initramfs-tools (which I thought was the default tool.)

You might have a problem since apt if trying to complete your last request first.

If so then grab it from http://packages.debian.org/cgi-bin/d...=all&type=main and use dpkg to install it.

Then use apt-get install -f

If it still insists on yaird then check if yaird is installed (but it shouldn't care.)

OK, I did have yaird. Removed it and installed initramfs... Here are the results. The same result with aptitude.

OK, sorry, I didn't see your edit at first.

Unfortunately, it looks like the same messages again:

Dutch Master, JackieBrown - I appreciate your help, but I'm going to look at other alternatives for now.

I have one computer, so I have now set up a dual boot to always have a working system when needed. A new net install of Debian is here and running well; I'm in it now.

Will post info on how this goes.

Good thinking! But you really didn't have too ;) Just install a virtual machine (VMWare, Qemu) running Debian and experiment to your heart's content. If you screw it up, remove the image and start from scratch again. When you choose Qemu, (which is in the Etch repo's btw ;)) make sure you install the KQemu kernel module as well. It really improves the speed of Qemu...

Thanks for the advice, DM. I've run VMWare under Fedora and PCLOS and it's neat. Somehow, I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, though. I like the total immersion of actually running an OS / necessity being the mother of invention.

Anyway, I did play around with Debian a little in VM so I'm starting from the top of the instructions. I'll keep posting here, probably over the next week.

edit: Well, that was much easier than I was expecting. Thought I had to learn to compile, but the full memory is there on reboot!

Thanks so much for your help, DM.