I'm currently running Mandrake 9.1 with WindowMaker as my window manager on an old PII400 box w/256Mb RAM. When I first start X Windows after powering up, my memory consumption is around 100-110 megabytes, and it is very fast. However, after a couple of hours, during very light computer usage (just copying some floppies and stuff), memory consumption increases to 200-240 megs. Does anyone know what might be causing this?

Perhaps this will help.

# Memory and swap information
cat /proc/meminfo
free
An article: Tips for Optimizing Linux Memory

# Mandrake links
Mandrake home page
Mandrake Users website
Easy urpmi config for Mandrake
urpmi mini-HOWTO
Easy software management: Red Carpet
Maximum RPM
rpmfind
You didn't install the developmental packages? As root, command:
urpmi gcc
An Introduction to the Midnight Commander. You can install it by commanding:
urpmi mc
Midnight Commander home page

I am noticing the same thing 3line. I boot @ like 95mb. Right now ksim shows I am using 204mb out of 512 (which is still very high IMO considering I have like 3 apps open), but after using
cat /proc/meminfo... well, here's the output:

[scruff@localhost scruff]$ cat /proc/meminfo
total: used: free: shared: buffers: cached:
Mem: 527712256 519819264 7892992 0 56156160 254787584
Swap: 534601728 1089536 533512192
MemTotal: 515344 kB
MemFree: 7708 kB
MemShared: 0 kB
Buffers: 54840 kB
Cached: 248220 kB
SwapCached: 596 kB
Active: 203196 kB
Inactive: 194100 kB
HighTotal: 0 kB
HighFree: 0 kB
LowTotal: 515344 kB
LowFree: 7708 kB
SwapTotal: 522072 kB
SwapFree: 521008 kB

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't this show that I only have 7mb's of physical memory free at this time?!

Well, that's where I am right about now. According to various system monitors, I only have 6 megs of memory free at the moment.

Ok, I just looked over it again (/proc/meminfo)....

Why the hell do I have 140 megs of RAM designated "cached?"

Well, that plus the cache which can be released quickly.

Read the article.

so it was supposed to be that way after all

Newb here, lol

Well, there is one thing both of us need to do to reduce memory usage. Recompile the kernel (as stated in that article from fancypiper).

I did it 2 days ago, and there is a MASSIVE amount of crap running on the default kernel that you or I would never need. I guess they have to release distro's like that to make them run on most anything (great for us n00b's , but not so great for running a nice streamlined system. My default install was optimized for a pentium, and as you can see from the sig I run AMD! I just haven't gotten my new kernel to operate properly yet so I am still working on it.

Take a look at: http://www.justlinux.com/nhf/Compili...mpilation.html
for a good tutorial on it. There is also a good one in your Documentation How-to's, but the actual install procedure listed in there didn't work for me.

Aside from all that, there almost seems to be a memory leak or something. I got my system to boot at 96mb with KDE. Right now I have XMMS, Mozilla, and Konsole running so where the hell could my other 400mb's of ram be?

edit: nevermind, duh... mine is cached as well.