LinuxQuestions.org
Help answer threads with 0 replies.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - General
User Name
Password
Linux - General This Linux forum is for general Linux questions and discussion.
If it is Linux Related and doesn't seem to fit in any other forum then this is the place.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 11-07-2003, 08:47 PM   #1
cothrige
Member
 
Registered: Oct 2003
Distribution: Debian, Slackware
Posts: 48

Rep: Reputation: 15
RAM missing?


I have an old computer with 233 mhz and 48 mb of RAM which I decided to install RedHat 7.1 on in order to learn a little about Linux. So far things have been fairly smooth, and I must admit liking the overall system a great deal. But, I just noticed the other day that, with free and top, my RAM is being reported as 46176. I don't recall if this was the case right after installing the new OS, but I am quite confident that I had more RAM than that under windows. Could I actually be shorter on RAM now? With such limited resources already, I hate to lose such a chunk of memory at one pop. Where could it have gone? Obviously I am a complete newbie to Linux, but I am also not too up on such matters on losing RAM, as I have never had it happen before. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Cothrige
 
Old 11-07-2003, 09:03 PM   #2
wini_g
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2003
Distribution: SuSE 11.0
Posts: 171

Rep: Reputation: 30
Maybe I can help ....

I had a similiar problem with SuSE ..... 320 MB of RAM installed but it only showed me that I have somethin like 312 or so under top ..... I use GRUB to boot ..... in the boot options I put "mem=320M" and it now sees 320 MBīs of RAM .... :-)

I assume itīs possible somehow as well with LILO .......

Da Wini G .

 
Old 11-07-2003, 09:26 PM   #3
cothrige
Member
 
Registered: Oct 2003
Distribution: Debian, Slackware
Posts: 48

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Thanks for the help. I looked in /etc/lilo.conf, which I assumed would be the appropriate file, and found nothing relating to memory at all. Should there be such? And should I add something? I am reticent to do so without being certain of the form since I assume it would make booting difficult if I mess it up. Is that the case?

Also, in trying to find things relating to memory I ran what I know of, which is surely nothing at all, and this is what I got:

Free: total used free
Mem: 46176 44172 2004

top:
Mem: 46176K av, 44376K used, 1800K free

cat /proc/meminfo:
total used free
Mem: 47284224 45694976 1589248
MemTotal: 46176 kB
MemFree: 1552 kB

Is it my imagination, or is the first total under meminfo different than the MemTotal, or the other totals reported by the other programs? Does that mean that the system is recognizing my total memory, i.e. 48 mb, and just not using it? If so, where in the world does it get the very odd number of 46176? What is the right way to read these things?

Many thanks

Cothrige
 
Old 11-18-2003, 06:18 PM   #4
wini_g
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2003
Distribution: SuSE 11.0
Posts: 171

Rep: Reputation: 30
If ure still there ......

If ure still playing around with memory ..... :

How to read them ?
Must say that Iīmn not sure myself ..... so I have to it up sometime somewhere .

Isnīt there a boot-promt with LILO where you can just put "mem=48M" .... that would be the safest ... maybe you have to change your LILO configuration so that it gives you more time ....
add the "mem=48M" where the other boot options i.e. where the kernel is ,graphical boot or not ... that kinda stuff .....

If you have a rescue/boot CD when you can I assume change the settings in the file on the hard disk or prop a lot better methinks ... :

Write the LILO boot loader on a floppy (i.e. change ur configuration for a short time ... then of course back again (LILO.conf)) and set (BIOS) the computer to boot from Floppy which would mean that you could see what effect different boot-settings have .... safely .

Da Wini G.

 
Old 11-18-2003, 06:48 PM   #5
cothrige
Member
 
Registered: Oct 2003
Distribution: Debian, Slackware
Posts: 48

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Oh yeah, I am still trying to figure it out. I just cannot imagine losing 3 megs of ram like that, and with my slow system I need it! :-) And yes, I get the graphical screen for lilo, but I can control-x (I think) and get the text version. By the way, do you need to include the quotes around mem=48M?

Many thanks,

cothrige
 
Old 11-19-2003, 07:54 PM   #6
wini_g
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2003
Distribution: SuSE 11.0
Posts: 171

Rep: Reputation: 30
Easy it should be ....

U donīt need the quotes .

The Ctrl + x (F1 to F7 or similiar ) is as far as I know ( well with SuSE 8.2 )only once you have booted the system .

There must be the option to change the setting from graphical to text-mode in LILO.conf .... or do the floppy thing I mentioned above .

With a 233Mhz with 48 RAM its always prop good idea to improve system performance through optimization .... just search on yolinux.com ..... my guess .



Or if possible you could always try a different flavour of Linux as Redhat is uppossed to be awfully bloated and RAM-hungry ..... methinks .

Da Wini G .
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
RAM: Does linux require as much ram as Windows XP? hanzj Linux - Newbie 48 04-18-2007 01:14 AM
Buying RAM - must match old RAM? slackaddict Linux - Hardware 5 11-12-2005 02:38 PM
RAM missing on PowerPC MS3FGX Debian 1 04-28-2005 05:24 PM
Win98SE Pentium166MMX/64MB RAM vs Linux AthlonXP+ 3000/512MB RAM : Lucent LT WinModem t3gah Linux - Software 2 04-22-2005 02:01 PM
Missing RAM mrsolo Linux - Software 4 07-18-2003 02:19 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - General

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:32 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration