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#1 2009-03-16 05:46:06
- Darksoul
- Member
- Registered: 2009-03-14
- Posts: 25
Lots of ram wasted
Once I close a program with Control+C, it doesn't clear the ram. I have 1.4GB ram in use right now. But the system is only using around 300-400MB of ram from what I'm seeing in TAB.
Is there a way to clear the RAM that is not in use (Reset, etc) so I don't have to reboot each time this happens.
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#2 2009-03-16 05:48:48
- Berticus
- Member
- Registered: 2008-06-11
- Posts: 731
Re: Lots of ram wasted
Unused RAM is wasted RAM. There's really nothing to worry about.
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#3 2009-03-16 05:49:30
- Inxsible
- Forum Fellow
- From: Chicago
- Registered: 2008-06-09
- Posts: 9,183
Re: Lots of ram wasted
The more the RAM is in use...the better it is. You are making use of the money you spent.
However, have you waited long enough to let the memory be reclaimed by the system.
There's no such thing as a stupid question, but there sure are a lot of inquisitive idiots !
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#4 2009-03-16 05:49:52
- skottish
- Forum Fellow
- From: Here
- Registered: 2006-06-16
- Posts: 7,942
Re: Lots of ram wasted
Once I close a program with Control+C, it doesn't clear the ram. I have 1.4GB ram in use right now. But the system is only using around 300-400MB of ram from what I'm seeing in TAB.
Is there a way to clear the RAM that is not in use (Reset, etc) so I don't have to reboot each time this happens.
The rest of it is buffers and cached memory. There's no need for you to do anything with it; Linux will release it when it needs it. The only thing important for you is the 300-400MB. My system is showing 2GB of used RAM, but only 410MB of it is reserved (necessary).
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#5 2009-03-16 06:14:49
- CheesyBeef
- Member
- Registered: 2008-06-04
- Posts: 190
Re: Lots of ram wasted
The more the RAM is in use...the better it is. You are making use of the money you spent.
That is such a good point. Strange how I always strive to have this low memory system (500mb max), when I have a full 2gb of ram. Then I am thinking about a computer upgrade later this year which would have 6gb of ram. Now I am wondering.. what would I do with all that extra space? 
I can't imagine running a system with more than 1gb of ram in use.
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#6 2009-03-16 06:24:24
- ssl6
- Member
- From: Ottawa, ON, CA
- Registered: 2007-08-30
- Posts: 594
Re: Lots of ram wasted
you can work on setting up virtual machines to use little ram, you'd get your money's worth
this is a signature
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#7 2009-03-16 07:26:19
- Darksoul
- Member
- Registered: 2009-03-14
- Posts: 25
Re: Lots of ram wasted
It's a server install. There is no GUI. That is why I am worried.
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#8 2009-03-16 08:05:31
- dyscoria
- Member
- Registered: 2008-01-10
- Posts: 1,007
Re: Lots of ram wasted
Though as people have said this is not strictly necessary, I have this in my ~/.bashrc:
alias flush-cache='su -c "echo 1 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches"'flack 2.0.6: menu-driven BASH script to easily tag FLAC files (AUR)
knock-once 1.2: BASH script to easily create/send one-time sequences for knockd (forum/AUR)
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#9 2009-03-16 08:12:28
- fukawi2
- Ex-Administratorino
- From: .vic.au
- Registered: 2007-09-28
- Posts: 6,224
- Website
Re: Lots of ram wasted
It's a server install. There is no GUI. That is why I am worried.
What is the output of `free -m`?
The RAM that the terminated program was using will be 'released' back to be Cached, rather than Free. That way the information is still there if you restart the program. If another program starts and needs the RAM, then the kernel will drop the cached data and hand it over to the new program.
I always consider my Free RAM as "Free + Cached".
Are you familiar with our Forum Rules, and How To Ask Questions The Smart Way?
BlueHackers // fscanary // resticctl
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