Re: [tlug] 4Gb RAM with 32bit kernels

[Nicolas Limare <nicolas+tlug@example.com>]

> My laptop (Compaq Presario CQ60) came with 4G of RAM, but I can only see
> 3G of it (prolly a limitation of my 32-bit system). Is there any way I
> can get at it from Linux for a RAM disk or something like that? Is
> it worth doing?

RAM disks are like a cached filesystem without the filesystem backend,
so if you can only see 3Gb, I think you can't use the remaining 1Gb for
anything, as it's just ignored by the kernel. 

But you should be able to access your 4Gb of RAM, even with a 32bit
kernel. Maybe your distribution provides alternative kernels? PAE
support?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Address_Extension

> As it happens, 3Gb is ample. As I write, I see I have 1.7G free, and
> of the 1.3 used much of it is cache and buffers.

I use a ramdisk for all my temporary files, it ensures everything is
cleaned up at the next reboot. I also use it when I read a DVD and
don't want to hear the noisy DVD motor: first copy to ramdisk, then
read from ramdisk. So, a RAM disk can be useful, but it depends on
your work habits.

-- 
Nicolas LIMARE
http://nicolas.limare.net/                         pgp:0xFA423F4F

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