[ale] Unstable Unstable Un%@#&stable

[Geoffrey Myers]

> Charles W. Binko wrote:
> > 
> > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> > 
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> > 
> > - -> ok guys here we go.  After finally getting the PPP to work, (real happy)
> > - -> I decided to get Netscape 2.02. Well now I have more fixing to do.
> > - -> Seems like I spend more time fixing something than using it. :(  When I
> > - -> run nescape for anywhere between 5 minutes to 1 hour It hangs and takes
> > - -> the whole system with it (or the X-Server anyway.) I get a
> > - ->  Kernel Panic
> > - ->  swapper: not syncing
> > - ->  Stack overflow.
> > - ->
> > ...
> > 
> > Well, I'm no expert, but it definitely looks like you're running out of
> > memory! Netscape is an unbelievable memory-hog, and yes, it does tend to go
> > nuts occasionally (I'm running 3.0 beta, and it does it too :(  ), but the
> > problem is probably fixable.
> > 
> > First, make sure you have your swap turned on.  I know, you _know_ better than
> > that!  So did I and I ran for 4 weeks without it :)  To make sure, just run
> > 'free' and it should look like (with netscape, emacs and exmh running :):
> > 
> >             total       used       free     shared    buffers
> > Mem:         15152      14892        260       6296       3548
> > - -/+ buffers:            11344       3808
> > Swap:        14956       8340       6616
> > 
> > If swap is 0, make sure the you're running swapon in your rc.d scripts.
> > 
> > ...
> > - -> Also is there a way to make X-windows a little more fault tolerant. ie
> > - -> when a program crashes than not take the server with it like Microsoft
> > - -> Windows 3.1 does. I hate to say it but 95 doesn't crash when a program
> > - -> crashes. There must be something I am not doing correctly why the server
> > - -> crashes with the app.
> > 
> > The main reason for X to just die is to run out of swap/memory!  I've run my
> > machine for weeks (using PPP/Netscape and all sorts of crud) without rebooting
> > (and that's usually to play Duke Nukem :) and have only had one or two times
> > where X died.
> > 
> > So!  Bump up your swap!  (and buy memory :)
> > 
> > I'll bet good money that's your problem.
> > 
> > Good Luck,
> > Bill
>  
> I currently have 24 MB ram and 60 MB swap partition. Netsrape is the only
> thing I am running when this happens. KernELF 1.2.13, I did double check, and
> my swap is enabled. running 1280x1024x256 (8bpp). But it still does it. 
> Question, how much memory do I need to run NetsRape in X? 
> 
> 			Thanx 
> 				Andy

I wouldn't think your problem is memory.  Although I'm currently at 40 mb,
I was running X, 3 xterms and netscape with 16 mb and I did not have the
problems you describe above.  This was under 1.2.8, 1.2.13 kernels.  Sorry,
no answers, but maybe some useful info.  My 1.2.* kernels were a.out though.

--
Until Later:
Geoffrey Myers		gamyers at attmail.com