Ram Question

[fred smith]

On Fri, Jan 16, 2004 at 03:26:28PM -0500, Jeremy Kruer wrote:
> Hello,
>  
> I installed Fedora Core on my PC at home and it is using almost all of
> the Ram that my PC has (using about 240mb of 256mb).  I have tried
> selecting all packages and I have also tried doing the default Desktop
> install but both end up taking almost all of my ram when the PC is doing
> nothing.  I have installed other Linux distros and they only took around
> 96MB when running KDE idle.  
>  
> Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can free up some RAM?
>  
> Thanks,
>  
> Jeremy
>  

This is something that newbies seem to worry about a lot.

but it is normal behavior. Linux (especially 2.4 kernel) will use almost
all your RAM. It will also, over time, swap out some amount of stuff to
free up more RAM, then use up that RAM to.

This is a GOOD THING. Why? Because: it's not wasting the RAM for frivolous
things, it's being used to cache frequently-used disk blocks and for buffers
for parts of the filesystem, thereby enhancing performance.

if you run something that needs a bunch of RAM, the cache and/or buffered
stuff will be discarded or flushed to disk (whichever is appropriate) to
free up the RAM needed.

Why would you want to have paid money (presumably) for RAM only to have
it sit there doing nothing?


-- 
---- Fred Smith -- fredex at fcshome.stoneham.ma.us -----------------------------
   "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged 
   sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; 
              it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  
---------------------------- Hebrews 4:12 (niv) ------------------------------
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