I have just upgraded from 512mb of ram to 1.5gb of ram. I was wondering if there was some kernel options I could use to take advantage of this new ram. I saw that there was some greater than 1gb kernel package or something in the install package thing.

Right now I am using mandrake 10.1 with the 2.6.8.1-12mdksmp kernel.

There's no such thing for using so much RAM. The kernel uses as much as it needs.

Look at this thread for some good info :
http://seclists.org/lists/linux-kern.../Aug/0383.html

Basically, if you want to be able to use more than 1 GB (for large image editing or big databases et. al.) you need to
install and run one of the *up-1GB* kernels.

Hovever, from your current kernel, it looks like you have a dual CPU system and there seems to be no official *smb-1GB* kernel so you might have to compile one yourself.
In that case it's under "Processor type and features" -> "High memory support".
Choose 4GB (and don't forget "Symmetric multi-processing support")

- Peder

It sees all my ram ok, I was wondering if it makes better use of it with the other kernel.

I have a pentium 4 with hyper-threading thats why I have the smp

It really shouldn't. If you look at the top of /var/log/dmesg it should read "Warning only 896MB will be used".

If you feel you need the extra RAM then do use one of the other kernels.

- Peder