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Groups > alt.os.linux.slackware > #26636

Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE

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In alt.os.linux.slackware Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> wrote:
> 
> I've had to replace a failed 80G IDE drive with a 150G SATA drive.
> 
> Writes to the new HD seem to be hogging memory, stalling X response
> and other HD reads such as causing  music playing from a .wav file on
> HD to stutter.
> 
> After reinstall of Slackware 11 [1] from original media, recovery of
> files from backups and tweaking all the idiosyncratic configs, I'm
> back to just where I was before the failure except for this bogging
> down on big HD writes.
>
> [1] Yes, there's a reason for using Slack 11, not relevant here.

I can't really answer your question, but I'd guess the above reason
for using slack 11 is relevant. I vaguely recall some incomplete or
quirky sata behavior/support even on slack 12.0 or maybe even 12.1,
but don't remember what the problem(s) was(were). Slack 11 original
media gets you all the original drivers/modules/etc. I'd bet even
money your problem's buried somewhere in there.

> These, which write the HD, cause the problem:
>    cp USB-stick/bigfile  ->  hda3
>    cp hda3/bigfile       ->  hda4
> but these, which only read the HD, don't:
>    cp hda3/bigfile         -> USB-stick
>    cp USB-stick/bigfile    -> Other USB-stick
>    mplayer hda3/some-video.mp4
> 
> I have P4 CPU, Slack 11, 2.4.33 kernel and 256M of RAM with which this
> problem didn't occur before replacing the HD.
> 
> The new SATA HD plugs into one of two ports on the IBM mobo labeled
> "SATA IDE 1" and "SATA IDE 2".   The drive is seen by Linux as hda,
> not sda. (Some on-mobo emulation I don't know about?)
> 
> I have /sys but it's empty.
> /proc/sys/vm contains the following files:
>    bdflush
>    block_dump
>    kswapd
>    laptop_mode
>    max-readahead
>    max_map_count
>    min-readahead
>    overcommit_memory
>    page-cluster
>    pagetable_cache
>    vm_anon_lru
>    vm_cache_scan_ratio
>    vm_gfp_debug
>    vm_lru_balance_ratio
>    vm_mapped_ratio
>    vm_passes
>    vm_vfs_scan_ratio
> It seems like I should be able to fix this problem -- apparently vm
> hogging RAM on HD writes -- with a tweak to one (or more) of those
> files.
> 
> After looking at /usr/src/linux-2.4.33.3/Documentation/sysctl/vm.txt,
> I've tried (one at a time):
>       Reducing max-readahead      from  31  to  15
>       Reducing bdflush [interval] from 500  to 100
>       Reducing bdflush [sync]     from  60  to  20
> with no effect.
> Any specific suggestions on fixing this?
> - Mike
> 
> [1] Yes, there's a  reason for using Slack 11, not relevant here.

-- 
John Forkosh  ( mailto:  j@f.com  where j=john and f=forkosh )

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HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2016-04-11 02:47 -0300
  Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE Thomas Richter <thor@math.tu-berlin.de> - 2016-04-11 09:14 +0200
    Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE root <NoEMail@home.org> - 2016-04-11 16:54 +0000
  Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE JohnF <john@please.see.sig.for.email.com> - 2016-04-11 07:22 +0000
  Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE philo <philo@privacy.net> - 2016-04-11 04:19 -0500
    Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2016-04-13 00:06 -0300
      Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE philo <philo@privacy.net> - 2016-04-13 13:26 -0500
  Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@invalid.es> - 2016-04-11 11:30 +0200
  Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE Joe Beanfish <joebeanfish@nospam.duh> - 2016-04-11 13:17 +0000
  Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2016-04-11 15:43 +0000
    Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2016-04-12 23:42 -0300
      Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2016-04-13 03:29 +0000
        Re: HD writes hog RAM with SATA HD replacing an IDE Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2016-04-15 03:08 -0300

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