512m ram kernel

multios · 10-22-2010, 04:03 PM

My main computer (HP Pavilion 510n) only allows 512 meg ram.
I've never built a kernel for Slackware.
I'm running 13.0 :
2.6.29.6 #1 Mon Dec 7 16:34:06 CST 2009 i686 Intel(R) Celeron(TM)CPU 1200MHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

Would there be any advantage to build a new kernel for 512 megs ram maximum? I do basic stuff with this: browse, email, video clips, music...

Thanks.

wildwizard · 10-22-2010, 04:56 PM

You would save about 5MB of memory or about 1% of physical RAM so not really worth it unless your talking less than 128MB physical RAM to start with.

GazL · 10-22-2010, 05:41 PM

Turning off the highmem support (I think the first of the 3 settings allows for upto 1GB RAM - if I remember rightly) will also save you a tiny bit of overhead on page translations, but I doubt you'd notice it. It all adds up though. On a machine with limited resources like that, it's probably worth fine tuning a kernel config. A little bit here and a little bit there can add up. Just don't expect miracles.

Besides, if you've not done it before then it's worth doing for the learning experience.

multios · 10-22-2010, 05:57 PM

Thanks guys.
I'll at least start reading Alien Bob's page about building a new kernel.
I didn't mention that I use IceWM, which helps, but I use firefox and sometimes thunderbird.
I use thunderbird at times and then use mutt at times, which helps also.

forrest44 · 10-23-2010, 08:37 PM

Man I remember when only expensive computers had 512mb

I used to run Slackware with KDE 3.x (10.0/11.0) on a PC with around 160mb RAM, it was fine

Even on a 64mb machine it was OK, if you weren't doing too much (firefox = bad for memory)

Don't know about KDE 4.x mem usage, you should be fine with 3.x, even with 4.x it should be ok

forrest44 · 10-23-2010, 08:43 PM

I doubt you'll see much difference with a custom kernel, but it could save a few MB if you leave out drivers you don't need and such. EG when I tried loading Slackware 12.2 onto a 64mb machine, all the included kernels on the boot CD ran out of memory (these were the huge kernels, mind you)