Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

jimmyjazz · 2009-01-08 23:12:38

I've noticed that 2 gigs of memory just doesn't seem to cut it using Arch with Gnome desktop. Its not uncommon for me to run out of RAM and start using swap with just a couple of applications open. This has never been an issue with past distros that I have used (or are currently using) but I should note this is the first x86_64 distro version I have used. Now I know that 64-bit computing often means more memory being used, could this simply be the case (and therefor I shall buy more memory) or could I have bigger issues.
Just to give you an example of my memory usage as compared to other distros I am using, during normal usage of Debian (unstable, with gnome desktop) I seem to average 0.5-1.0 gigs of memory in use, with Arch (x86_64 with gnome-desktop) I tend to use about 1.5-2.0 gigs of memory. The two installs are basically identical.

skottish · 2009-01-08 23:17:22

Welcome to the forums jimmyjazz.

I'd say memory leaks for sure. I've been running 64 bit for a long time, and I've only seen this system run out of memory when there was a leak somewhere. I do have 4GB of RAM, but this was true when I only had 2GB.

amranu · 2009-01-08 23:27:56

I rarely use over 1gb on 64-bit

jimmyjazz · 2009-01-08 23:30:12

Hmm okay perhaps I will have to keep an eye out and see what applications may be causing this.

toofishes · 2009-01-09 00:16:46

Are you sure it is applications actually using RAM and not just buffers or cache? free -m will show you the difference.

If that isn't the case, then I'd investigate with top or htop and figure out what seems to be the problem (look at the RES column, sort by that or the MEM%).

arch_nemesis · 2009-01-09 00:54:08

I rarely see more than 600MB of RAM in use out of 3GB. Granted, if there are leaks I probably don't have enough time to be severely affected since this is a laptop and is usually shut down at least once every couple of days.

But I know that I boot to almost exactly 300MB used including compiz-fusion and cairo-dock, and at this moment I'm using 608MB -- which is about 300MB between firefox and songbird alone. I've *rarely, if ever* noted more than this being used during typical usage. (Not including usage cases that I expect to be memory hogging...)

jimmyjazz · 2009-01-09 05:14:58

Looks like firefox is leaky got up to 250mb in memory usage while sitting for about an hour (its only about 72mb at startup) could possibly be a plugin? Though I have never had memory leak issue with FF3 in any other distro, very odd. Other than that it appears Java as usual, is eating up alot of ram (300mb) but that one does not suprise me.

kgas · 2009-01-09 05:26:40

Hello jimmyjazz, you can have look at this link http://kb.mozillazine.org/Memory_Leak for firefox problem.

skottish · 2009-01-09 05:31:37

jimmyjazz wrote:

Looks like firefox is leaky got up to 250mb in memory usage while sitting for about an hour (its only about 72mb at startup) could possibly be a plugin? Though I have never had memory leak issue with FF3 in any other distro, very odd. Other than that it appears Java as usual, is eating up alot of ram (300mb) but that one does not suprise me.

If it's reserved memory that it's taking up, then it's more than likely one of your add-ons. If the standard plug-ins (Java, Flash, Mplayer, et al) were doing this, there would be a whole lot of complaints in the forums now. Please post the output of:

free -m

Arch Linux

#1 2009-01-08 23:12:38

Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

#2 2009-01-08 23:17:22

Re: Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

#3 2009-01-08 23:27:56

Re: Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

#4 2009-01-08 23:30:12

Re: Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

#5 2009-01-09 00:16:46

Re: Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

#6 2009-01-09 00:54:08

Re: Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

#7 2009-01-09 05:14:58

Re: Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

#8 2009-01-09 05:26:40

Re: Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

#9 2009-01-09 05:31:37

Re: Memory leaks or just x86_64 being itself.

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