Re: Out of memory for ... - suggestion

Alan Cox (alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk)
2 Aug 1996 22:46:00 +0100

In article <Pine.LNX.3.91.960730125803.1050B-100000@localhost>,
Bernhard Kaindl <bartelt@computerhaus.at> wrote:
>Is it possible to add a config option for disabling virtual memory over-
>commitment and therefore disabling the need to kill random processes?
>
>Thanks! I would like to have one, so I can trust my system again...

I wrote some code to do this in 1.2, but with a.out shared libraries
its just not possible. With 2.0 and ELF it is doable if you want to write
to code to track committed virtual address space then you should be able
to add the stuff needed.

Just watch ptrace as it provides an additional "suprise" way to overcommit
memory (the fork bomb using ptrace to alter each page of code space can
be very funny on some 'no overcommit' systems).

Alan

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