Re: Swap space

From: Alaric S. Haag - IMRlab System Manager and part-time Visigoth <system_at_imr00.me.lsu.edu>
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 1995 22:42:51 CST

MX%"NSYSTEM_at_beau.nb.rockwell.com" writes:
> From: MX%"NSYSTEM_at_beau.nb.rockwell.com" 23-FEB-1995 20:31:54.13
> Subj: Swap space

>
> Hello
>
> My system crashed when it was complainging about swap space
> below 10%, and I had to reboot the system. I checked the
> /usr/adm directory for log files, but they don't seem to help.
> At this point, I am looking into the problem, and I also like
> some inputs as to why the system crashed or how to avoid it.
> I have 2GB of swap space on my system. Can the application we
> have running on the system contribute to this problem?
>
> Thanks

Since this list helped me swiftly with this problem, I'd like to
"return" the favor. Here, stowed in my mailbox for posterity, is
the response I got that fixed the problem:

Hope this helps in your case!


Ric
%^{)

----
[ Alaric S. Haag, Computer Manager                      haag_at_imr00.me.lsu.edu ]
[ Louisiana State University, Mech. Engr. Dept.         FAX:   (504) 388-5924 ]
[ Baton Rouge, LA 70803                            Opinions:   (504) 388-5897 ]
        "Waiting to die is no way to live" - from "Dreams" by Kurosawa
	From:	MX%"winger_at_sewp.nasa.gov" 15-SEP-1994 08:26:08.92
	To:	SYSTEM
	CC:	
	Subj:	Re: Swap space leak
	
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	To: "Alaric S. Haag - IMRlab System Manager and part-time Visigoth"
	    <system_at_imr00.me.lsu.edu>
	CC: ALPHA-OSF-MANAGERS_at_ornl.gov
	Subject: Re: Swap space leak
	In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 14 Sep 94 13:47:53 CDT."
	    <0098475F.AEA60200.9178_at_imr00.me.lsu.edu>
	Date: Thu, 15 Sep 94 09:23:35 -0400
	From: Dan Winger <winger_at_sewp.nasa.gov>
	X-Mts: smtp
	
	Excerpts from what "Alaric S. Haag - IMRlab System Manager and part-time Visigo
	     ***th"_at_sws1.ctd.ornl.gov said:
	 |
	 |Hello all!!
	 |
	 |I'm seeing a slow leak in swap space on my AXP 3000/400 (OSF/1
	 |V2.0 rev 240), and I presume it's due to a user program that's in
	 |development (i.e. it probably crashes a lot) and uses a lot of
	 |"malloc" or "calloc" calls. Is this a "safe" assumption, or
	 |should I be looking elsewhere  for the cause of this? I
	 |appreciate any information regarding this!
	 |
	 |Ric
	 |%^{)
	 |----
	1)
	rm /sbin/swapdefault
	and
	reboot your system
	
	This is a soft link to the swap partition in /dev
	This will switch to lazy allocation, as opposed to eager allocation
	
	2)
	The main work-around to this apparent memory leak is to
	force xdm to terminate after each session (and, of course, to enable
	lazy swapping).  This can be done in either of two ways.
	
	2a)  In /usr/lib/X11/xdm/Xservers put a -terminate after /usr/bin/X11/X
	like this:
	
	:0 local /usr/bin/X11/X -terminate
	
	or
	2b)  Add
	
	DisplayManager._0.terminateServer:      true
	
	to /usr/lib/X11/xdm/xdm-config.
	
	
	
	Dan Winger             *   (        * NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center
	SEWP BOWL              *   _)  \\   * RMS Technologies Inc.
	winger_at_sewp.nasa.gov   *  (_X__//_  * Code 251.9
	301.286.7658           * (        ) * Bldg 18 Room 274
	FAX 301.286.1619       *  \______/  * Greenbelt, MD  20771
	
	
...end of included text...

Received on Thu Feb 23 1995 - 23:38:46 NZDT