Re: 2.4.16 memory badness (fixed?)

From: Helge Hafting (helgehaf@idb.hist.no)
Date: Wed Dec 12 2001 - 04:04:18 EST


"M. Edward Borasky" wrote:
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > I just can't understand why the kernel wouldn't tag application memory
> > as being more important than buff/cache and free up some of that stuff
> > when an application calls for it. I mean, it won't even use the gobs of
> > swap I have. That just seems to be a plain ol' bug to me.
>
> It's not strictly a bug ... it's a design decision that has unfortunate
> consequences. A simple fix would be to allow the system administrator to set
> an upper limit on the size of the page cache.

I'd say he has found a bug. Merely prioritizing cache over apps
so apps go to swap is a design desicion. Killing the app
for OOM reasons when there is free swap and/or cache
that can be freed up _is_ a bug.

Helge Hafting
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Dec 15 2001 - 21:00:22 EST