Arch Linux

vogt

Member

From: Toronto, Canada

Registered: 2006-11-25

Posts: 389

using videoram as swap

doing something like this:
http://gentoo-wiki.com/TIP_Use_memory_o … rd_as_swap

provides a noticeable improvement in performance, at least for me, given a 256 MiB ram on both the motherboard and graphics card.

on this machine, compiling the kernel with the modules takes an excessive amount of time, which has to get repeated with every update (preferably more often) Is that even necessary?
would it be possible to build the slram or phram module in a separate pkgbuild instead?
  i guess the mtd branch could be separately taken from git, and then built... or not?
  not so sure about how to get the modules installed properly
or could the modules just be added to the vanilla kernel?

Last edited by vogt (2007-10-06 15:40:41)

Dusty

Schwag Merchant

From: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Registered: 2004-01-18

Posts: 5,986

Website

Re: using videoram as swap

It might be interesting to document your progress in the Arch Wiki too, especially any variation from the gentoo version.

Dusty

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dr_te_z

Member

From: Zoetermeer, the Netherlands

Registered: 2006-12-06

Posts: 154

Re: using videoram as swap

Nice. No trouble in configuring your X server? I recon you just use a fair resolution in 2D and no fancy 3d stuff, right?
Can't have them both, that's the price you pay for this configuration.

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tomk

Forum Fellow

From: Ireland

Registered: 2004-07-21

Posts: 9,839

Re: using videoram as swap

Re installing it properly, a kernel rebuild is the best way. I have a slowish machine too, so I usually do my kernel builds overnight - nothing like a freshly baked kernel for breakfast.

Also, if you're building your own, you could strip out stuff you don't need - that would reduce build time.

Finally, you're the second user with a need for MTD that I've come across in the last 24 hours. I advised the other guy to submit a feature request - if he's done it, add your comments; if he hasn't, do it yourself.

vogt

Member

From: Toronto, Canada

Registered: 2006-11-25

Posts: 389

Re: using videoram as swap

Nice. No trouble in configuring your X server? I recon you just use a fair resolution in 2D and no fancy 3d stuff, right?
Can't have them both, that's the price you pay for this configuration.

unless you play 3d games with lots of textures, the x server stays stable; I haven't had X11 crash/freeze, except in a game of enemy territory and then with compiz (or maybe both...?).

But this is with the xf86-video-ati, not sure if the other drivers/ video cards (radeon 9600xt) allocate memory in a more conflicting way.

vogt

Member

From: Toronto, Canada

Registered: 2006-11-25

Posts: 389

Re: using videoram as swap

Bump: actually, lots of drivers let you specify that they use less ram than they detect; at least the xf86-video-ati one does this (radeon part)

I guess if anyone else has successes, add those to the wiki page.

Fackamato

Member

Registered: 2006-03-31

Posts: 579

Re: using videoram as swap

Hah, cool feature indeed! But not very useful for a desktop with +1GB RAM I guess