Subject: 4Mb machines...

From: Richard Townsend <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 16 May 1997 17:16:17 +0100 (BST)

I'd like to add my voice to those who have raised issues about the 
shortage of memory in 4Mb machines. With so little memory, the limiting 
factor on "real world" speed is not the CPU but the swap rate; using the 
1.3.35 kernel, my A3020 swaps like buggery and so it would be nice to 
retain as much non-kernel memory as possible. Even though A3020's and 
such are now getting towards "legacy" hardware, they are much in use and 
it would be a shame if they got passed by in the rush to provide for the 
latest-spec whizz-bang machine....

On a similar note, how much "non-essential" stuff is there in the kernel 
which can be chucked to free up memory (ie things like sound, ISO 
9whatever support for CDROMs etc)?

cheers

Rich

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From: Philip Blundell <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 12:08:20 +0100 (BST)

> 9whatever support for CDROMs etc)?

Just go through "make config" and see for yourself.  The "old IDE harddisk
driver" is smaller than the "enhanced" one, so you might want to use that.
Make sure you haven't compiled in support for any SCSI cards or network
devices that you don't need. 

Remember that you can use modules for things you need infrequently, so
they only take up space when you're using them.

p.