Date sent: Tue, 09 Feb 1999 17:50:32 -0800
To: Paul Clyne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Ray Olszewski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Swap file size
> I don't know where you're seeing the "20M" number. The rule of thumb is to
> make your swap partition twice the size of your physical RAM ... so, for example
>
> 32 Mb RAM --> 64 Mb swap
> 64 Mb RAM --> 128 Mb swap
>
> This is only a rule of thumb, though, not an absolute requirement. It needs
> to be modified if, for example, you have a very small hard disk and a
> restricted application for the host. Kernels also used to (do they still?)
> have a limitation on how big a swap partition could be -- 128 Mb as I recall
> (though you could have multiple swap partitions). And the rule does come
> from the days of expensive RAM ... now I'd be tempted in a production
> environment to use more RAM up to the motherboard's limit, and avoid the
> speed penalty of swap if at all possible.
>
> At 11:18 AM 2/10/99 +1000, Paul Clyne wrote [excerpts only]:
>
> >I have read the HOWTO on installing Linux and in it there is mention that
> >your swap partition should be (20M - RamInMachine).
> >
> > This makes good sense. However why the 20M figure ?. Is there some
> >reason that a bigger swap partition should'nt be used ?. What if you have
> >32M Ram, can you therefor not have a swap partition ?. Is a (say) 30M swap
> >partition better than a 4M patition (assuming you had 16M ram).
>
> ------------------------------------"Never tell me the odds!"---
> Ray Olszewski -- Han Solo
> 762 Garland Drive
> Palo Alto, CA 94303-3603
> 650.321.3561 voice 650.322.1209 fax [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
Swap space is used by the computer to manage physical memory
(RAM) requirements. In a multi-tasking system, it is sometimes
neccessary to move processes(executing programs) from RAM to
hard disk so that another process can be executed. This is why
swap space is needed. It is always a good idea(read required) to
have a swap partition or file for a multi-tasking OS.
Obviously the less physical memory that you have the more swap
space required. Note that swapping to disk is something to be
avoided which is why getting more RAM allows for a greater
performance boost.
Technically, the more ram you have, the less swap space you
require. There is more room in physical memory for processes and
less need to swap out to the swap file. Unless you are strapped for
space allocate as much swap space as you have room for. 128 mb
of swap space is a lot. If you are only running linux as a workstation
for yourself, you can probably get away with 64mb. Note that too
much swap space will not be used and is just wasting space on your
harddrive.
greyn
