Do I need a linux swap file?

[MikeBD35]

Hi everyone,

I finally managed to get a dual boot system with Win XP and Caldera linux. I have 256 megs of memory and want to know whether I need a swap file or not. I currently installed without one, but I'd like know whether this might cause problems in the future.

Since both OS installations are new I won't lose anything by running over them with fdisk and starting over. Any thoughts will be appreciated.

Mike

[ken257]

You should use a swap file with Linux it is like you virtual memory in windows. Most of the time when you install Linux it will suggest a size for the swap partition and the default size works fine. If you run a GUI and launch a few apps you very well could be out of memory and into the swap file.

[Jeff Bolton]

have a GB of a swap file just to be safe. it could never hurt.

jeff

[XWRed1]

You'll need the swap if you start running stuff that fills up your 256mb.

[David]

For 256MB RAM I would recommend about 256MB swap. I have 512MB RAm and use a 64MB swap poartition

You will need it, but like VM in windoze, it depends on your ram.

[MikeBD35]

My thinking was that since I never ran out of memory in win 98 with 128 megs of ram plus 128 of virtual I wouldn't have a problem in linux with 256 megs. What types of apps can use that much memory in linux and what does the Linux OS use, I'm just looking for a ballpark figure. I was assuming there was nothing that would fill up that amount of memory unless I was doing some extreme multitasking.

Thanks

[David]

X uses up quite a lot of memory (the GUI)

Linux will find a way to use the memory - for buffers and caches to speed up your system
I have seen linux use 384MB RAM when I am'nt doing very much.

[MikeBD35]

Thanks for all your help, I guess I'll be reformating my hard drive again. Then I have to figure out how to install drivers for my geforce card. I wanted to learn something new and so far this definitely fits the bill.

Mike

[David]

Download the appropriate drivers from wwww.nvidia.com

[mcrites]

I have seen most people recommend at least 2x the amount of memory you have for kernels 2.4 and up. This works great when you have a lot of applications open up and spread out across different desktops, Linux should swap out the inactive programs to save some memory. Of course this won't help much if you are using all the programs at once, and thrashing the hd. :D

[bjanderssen]

Yes, I've read similar reccomendations about hom much swap to use, but ...
Well, I have 256 mb of blazing fast (300mHz) DDR. My good hard drive, however, is really slow (it's a 6gb beast.) I find Linux runs fine on my old box with 64mb of RAM. It seems to take up all the mem I offer with its buffers and cache.
So, I'd stick it out with just 256mb (which I have never managed to use up, even with a few GIMPs, Netscapes, and MoZillas open).
Plus, if your HDD is ever stolen or subpoenaed, it's good not to have swap files.

[David]

Originally posted by mcrites
I have seen most people recommend at least 2x the amount of memory you have for kernels 2.4 and up. This works great when you have a lot of applications open up and spread out across different desktops, Linux should swap out the inactive programs to save some memory. Of course this won't help much if you are using all the programs at once, and thrashing the hd. :D

I think that the more memory you have, the less swap space you will need. If you have 768MB swap+RAM you should be fine.

I don't think I need to waste a gig on a swap file when Linux struggles to use 128MB...