Q. I am setting up Arch Linux on my laptop and I was wondering how big my swap partition should be and what file system format it should be in? (I think ext2 but I'm not sure). I have 4 gigs of ram. Thanks.
A. The key question is how much? Older versions of Unix-type operating systems (such as Sun OS and Ultrix) demanded a swap space of two to three times that of physical memory. Modern implementations (such as Linux) don't require that much, but they can use it if you configure it. A rule of thumb is as follows: 1) for a desktop system, use a swap space of double system memory, as it will allow you to run a large number of applications (many of which may will be idle and easily swapped), making more RAM available for the active applications; 2) for a server, have a smaller amount of swap available (say half of physical memory) so that you have some flexibility for swapping when needed, but monitor the amount of swap space used and upgrade your RAM if necessary; 3) for older desktop machines (with say only 128MB), use as much swap space as you can spare, even up to 1GB.
The Linux 2.6 kernel added a new kernel parameter called swappiness to let administrators tweak the way Linux swaps. It is a number from 0 to 100. In essence, higher values lead to more pages being swapped, and lower values lead to more applications being kept in memory, even if they are idle. Kernel maintainer Andrew Morton has said that he runs his desktop machines with a swappiness of 100, stating that "My point is that decreasing the tendency of the kernel to swap stuff out is wrong. You really don't want hundreds of megabytes of BloatyApp's untouched memory floating about in the machine. Get it out on the disk, use the memory for something useful."
One downside to Morton's idea is that if memory is swapped out too quickly then application response time drops, because when the application's window is clicked the system has to swap the application back into memory, which will make it feel slow.
The default value for swappiness is 60. You can alter it temporarily (until you next reboot) by typing as root:
echo 50 > /proc/sys/vm/swappiness
If you want to alter it permanently then you need to change the vm.swappiness parameter in the /etc/sysctl.conf file.
The Linux 2.6 kernel added a new kernel parameter called swappiness to let administrators tweak the way Linux swaps. It is a number from 0 to 100. In essence, higher values lead to more pages being swapped, and lower values lead to more applications being kept in memory, even if they are idle. Kernel maintainer Andrew Morton has said that he runs his desktop machines with a swappiness of 100, stating that "My point is that decreasing the tendency of the kernel to swap stuff out is wrong. You really don't want hundreds of megabytes of BloatyApp's untouched memory floating about in the machine. Get it out on the disk, use the memory for something useful."
One downside to Morton's idea is that if memory is swapped out too quickly then application response time drops, because when the application's window is clicked the system has to swap the application back into memory, which will make it feel slow.
The default value for swappiness is 60. You can alter it temporarily (until you next reboot) by typing as root:
echo 50 > /proc/sys/vm/swappiness
If you want to alter it permanently then you need to change the vm.swappiness parameter in the /etc/sysctl.conf file.
What is the best way to start using Linux?
Q. I have Windows XP and I would like to have Linux on the same computer. I need it for a TGP script program that requires Linux or Unix (adult porn etc). Thank you.
A. Why not consider installing Linux within Windows
I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 7 Main Edition which is Ubuntu 9.04 based. Its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled
Linux Mint has a feature called mint4win based on the Wubi installer (Ubuntu) http://wubi-installer.org/ which enables you to install Linux Mint within windows
You keep Windows as it is, mint4win only adds an extra option to boot into Linux Mint. mint4win does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application.
mint4win like Wubi keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.
Linux Mint 7 Download
http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=38
Linux Mint 7 User Guide
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15884753/Linux-Mint-7-Gloria-User-Guide
You download the iso. image of Linux Mint then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD
Boot in to windows insert the LiveCD you have just created and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where mint4win comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Linux Mint (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.
Once Linux Mint is fully installed upon starting your PC you will be given a choice of which operating system you want to use Windows or Linux Mint.
Linux Mint can also be run direct from the LiveCD from Booting up without touching your Hard Drive.
CURRENT SESSION
Linux Mint 7 ext3 with switchable Compiz 0.8.3* and Beryl 0.2.1**
http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl_(window_manager)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiz_Fusion
*Compiz 0.8.3 sourced from Ubuntu 9.10 ( Alpha 6) repositories
**Beryl 0.2.1 sourced from Ubuntu 7.04 repositories
LUg.
I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 7 Main Edition which is Ubuntu 9.04 based. Its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled
Linux Mint has a feature called mint4win based on the Wubi installer (Ubuntu) http://wubi-installer.org/ which enables you to install Linux Mint within windows
You keep Windows as it is, mint4win only adds an extra option to boot into Linux Mint. mint4win does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application.
mint4win like Wubi keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.
Linux Mint 7 Download
http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=38
Linux Mint 7 User Guide
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15884753/Linux-Mint-7-Gloria-User-Guide
You download the iso. image of Linux Mint then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD
Boot in to windows insert the LiveCD you have just created and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where mint4win comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Linux Mint (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.
Once Linux Mint is fully installed upon starting your PC you will be given a choice of which operating system you want to use Windows or Linux Mint.
Linux Mint can also be run direct from the LiveCD from Booting up without touching your Hard Drive.
CURRENT SESSION
Linux Mint 7 ext3 with switchable Compiz 0.8.3* and Beryl 0.2.1**
http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl_(window_manager)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiz_Fusion
*Compiz 0.8.3 sourced from Ubuntu 9.10 ( Alpha 6) repositories
**Beryl 0.2.1 sourced from Ubuntu 7.04 repositories
LUg.
What is the best version of linux to install on an older computer?
Q. I have an old desktop from a family member. It only has 128mb RAM and that's the most it can take. It's a 500 MHz I think. What's the best Linux I can put on here? Ubuntu requires 256 mb of RAM.
A. With your specs. As has already been suggested its really a choice of Puppy Linux or Damn Small Linux. You could take a look at Linux Mint 4.0 Fluxbox. If you wanted to go retro. you could install Windows 3.11
Download Linux Mint 4.0 Fluxbox http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_daryna_fluxbox.php
Download Windows 3.11 http://www.sirendesign.net/ernweb/redmond311.shtml
LUG.
Download Linux Mint 4.0 Fluxbox http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_daryna_fluxbox.php
Download Windows 3.11 http://www.sirendesign.net/ernweb/redmond311.shtml
LUG.
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