- This topic has 16 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated Dec 21-3:39 am by SamK.
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andfree
I’m trying to follow this tip:
- Use one or more swap areas. Combining a disk based swap with a zram one can produce a worthwhile increase in performance. Additionally, adjusting the way in swap space is used can make a difference to the system responsiveness. This post might be a starting point: ZRAM Swap Activation
I ran these commands:
sudo cp /usr/local/bin/zram /etc/init.d/zram sudo update-rc.d zram defaultsI rebooted and:
$ lsmod | grep zram zram 12902 0 lz4_compress 2442 1 zram$ sudo swapon --summary Filename Type Size Used Priority /dev/sda2 partition 2120576 0 -1And now, what?
$ inxi -Fxz System: Host: antix1 Kernel: 4.0.5-antix.3-486-smp i686 bits: 32 gcc: 4.9.3 Desktop: IceWM 1.3.8 Distro: antiX-15.1_386-full Killah P 18 February 2016 Machine: Device: laptop System: TOSHIBA product: Satellite 2450 v: PS245E-03TE0-GK serial: N/A Mobo: TOSHIBA model: Portable PC v: Version A0 serial: N/A BIOS: TOSHIBA v: Version 1.30 date: 03/20/2003 CPU: Single core Intel Pentium 4 (-UP-) arch: Netburst Willamette rev.7 cache: 512 KB flags: (pae sse sse2) bmips: 5586 speed: 2793 MHz (max) Graphics: Card: NVIDIA NV17M [GeForce4 420 Go] bus-ID: 01:00.0 Display Server: X.Org 1.16.4 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1024x768@60.00hz OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI nv17 x86/MMX/SSE2 version: 1.2 Mesa 10.3.2 Direct Render: Yes Audio: Card Intel 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller driver: snd_intel8x0 ports: be00 bdc0 bus-ID: 00:1f.5 Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.0.5-antix.3-486-smp Network: Card: Realtek RTL-8100/8101L/8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter driver: 8139too v: 0.9.28 port: ce00 bus-ID: 02:09.0 IF: eth0 state: unknown speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> Drives: HDD Total Size: 100.0GB (81.7% used) ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MK1032GA size: 100.0GB Partition: ID-1: / size: 90G used: 75G (88%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.17GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda2 Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 59.0C mobo: N/A Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A Info: Processes: 106 Uptime: 29 min Memory: 309.6/1005.2MB Init: SysVinit runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 4.9.2 Client: Shell (bash 4.3.301) inxi: 2.3.43SamK
I cannot reproduce your results. The outcome of copying and pasting the commands from your post work OK here using the shipped zram file, as shown below.
Booted live on a system that has no swap space.
sudo swapon --summary nothing returnedCopy and setup zram in init.d.
sudo cp /usr/local/bin/zram /etc/init.d/zram nothing returned sudo update-rc.d zram defaults nothing returnedzram started via manual command to simulate reboot.
sudo /etc/init.d/zram start zram devices probed successfully Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 204 MiB (213909504 bytes) no label, UUID=blah Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 204 MiB (213909504 bytes) no label, UUID=blahblah Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 204 MiB (213909504 bytes) no label, UUID=blahblahblah.Verify zram swapspaces are available.
sudo swapon --summary Filename Type Size Used Priority /dev/zram1 partition 208896 0 100 /dev/zram2 partition 208896 0 100 /dev/zram3 partition 208896 0 100After a shutdown and cold boot.
Reported during boot-up text phase.... zram devices probed successfully Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 204 MiB (213909504 bytes) no label, UUID=blah Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 204 MiB (213909504 bytes) no label, UUID=blahblah Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 204 MiB (213909504 bytes) no label, UUID=blahblahblah. ...After completion of boot-up.
sudo swapon --summary Filename Type Size Used Priority /dev/zram1 partition 208896 0 100 /dev/zram2 partition 208896 0 100 /dev/zram3 partition 208896 0 100So my results show zram swapspaces can be activated manually, and automatically during boot-up.
Things to look at…
Try to start zram manuallyIf starting manually works, check the update-rc.d command created the appropriate links.
ls -1lh --recursive /etc/*/*zram -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 2.8K Dec 18 13:45 /etc/init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 13:46 /etc/rc0.d/K01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 13:46 /etc/rc1.d/K01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 13:46 /etc/rc2.d/S02zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 13:46 /etc/rc3.d/S02zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 13:46 /etc/rc4.d/S02zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 13:46 /etc/rc5.d/S02zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 13:46 /etc/rc6.d/K01zram -> ../init.d/zramIf starting manually fails, check that zram is configured in your version of the kernel.This is what is returned for the kernel used here.
zgrep ZRAM /boot/config-4.10.5-antix.1-486-smp CONFIG_ZRAM=m$ sudo /etc/init.d/zram start zram devices probed successfully$ ls -1lh --recursive /etc/*/*zram -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 2.8K Dec 18 12:41 /etc/init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 12:41 /etc/rc0.d/K01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 12:41 /etc/rc1.d/K01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 12:41 /etc/rc2.d/S01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 12:41 /etc/rc3.d/S01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 12:41 /etc/rc4.d/S01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 12:41 /etc/rc5.d/S01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 12:41 /etc/rc6.d/K01zram -> ../init.d/zram$ zgrep ZRAM /boot/config-4.0.5-antix.3-486-smp CONFIG_ZRAM=m CONFIG_ZRAM_LZ4_COMPRESS=y # CONFIG_ZRAM_DEBUG is not setI have never tested zram on a P4 CPU so have no notes on it. Here is a link to reporting a problem on P4 but it is unresolved.
https://mxlinux.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=40334Your results show:
• The kernel is configured for zram,
• The links exist to start zram automatically during boot-up,
• The script /etc/init.d/zram is being run when you issue the start command manually, i.e. it returns a message from that script.So we know the zram script is getting as far as the message “zram devices probed successfully”
After starting manually, and receiving the message “zram devices probed successfully“, is the file /dev/zram0 present?
After starting manually, and receiving the message “zram devices probed successfully“, is the file /dev/zram0 present?
I’ll see tomorrow, when I’ll be at the toshiba laptop. Now, about the compaq laptop:
$ inxi -Fxz System: Host: antix1 Kernel: 4.4.10-antix.1-486-smp i686 bits: 32 gcc: 4.9.3 Desktop: IceWM 1.3.8 Distro: antiX-16_386-full Berta Cáceres 26 June 2016 Machine: Device: laptop System: Hewlett-Packard product: Presario 2100 v: KE.M1.54 serial: N/A Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 002A v: NS570 Version PQ1A74 serial: N/A BIOS: Phoenix v: KE.M1.54 date: 12/17/20022 CPU: Single core Mobile Intel Celeron (-UP-) arch: Netburst Willamette rev.7 cache: 256 KB flags: (pae sse sse2) bmips: 3189 speed: 1594 MHz (max) Graphics: Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] RS200M [Radeon IGP 330M/340M/345M/350M] bus-ID: 01:05.0 Display Server: X.Org 1.16.4 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1024x768@60.00hz OpenGL: renderer: Gallium 0.4 on llvmpipe (LLVM 3.5, 128 bits) version: 3.0 Mesa 10.3.2 Direct Render: Yes Audio: Card ULi M5451 PCI AC-Link Controller Audio Device driver: snd_ali5451 port: 1000 bus-ID: 00:06.0 Sound: ALSA v: k4.4.10-antix.1-486-smp Network: Card-1: National DP83815 (MacPhyter) Ethernet Controller driver: natsemi port: 2400 bus-ID: 00:12.0 IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter> Card-2: Atheros TP-Link TL-WN821N v2 802.11n [Atheros AR9170] driver: carl9170 usb-ID: 001-002 IF: wlan0 state: N/A mac: N/A Drives: HDD Total Size: 60.0GB (41.6% used) ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MK6025GA size: 60.0GB Partition: ID-1: / size: 53G used: 22G (43%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.18GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda2 Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 45.0C mobo: N/A Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A Info: Processes: 131 Uptime: 6 min Memory: 139.1/488.4MB Init: SysVinit runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 4.9.2 Client: Shell (bash 4.3.301) inxi: 2.3.43$ sudo /etc/init.d/zram start zram devices probed successfully$ ls -1lh --recursive /etc/*/*zram -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 2.8K Dec 18 08:44 /etc/init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 08:44 /etc/rc0.d/K01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 08:44 /etc/rc1.d/K01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 08:44 /etc/rc2.d/S01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 08:44 /etc/rc3.d/S01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 08:44 /etc/rc4.d/S01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 08:44 /etc/rc5.d/S01zram -> ../init.d/zram lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Dec 18 08:44 /etc/rc6.d/K01zram -> ../init.d/zram$ zgrep ZRAM /boot/config-4.4.10-antix.1-486-smp CONFIG_ZRAM=m CONFIG_ZRAM_LZ4_COMPRESS=y$ lsmod | grep zram zram 17197 0 lz4_compress 2606 1 zram$ sudo swapon --summary Filename Type Size Used Priority /dev/sda2 partition 2128608 0 -1A zram0 file exists in the /dev directory. What about these results?
- This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by andfree.
Now, about the compaq laptop:
What about these results?The results are the same as those of the Toshiba.
A test bed system here is a single core Celeron from about 1997 which is running zram without a problem, and I can’t replicate the problem on that system either. Its beginning to look like the problem may be local to you in some way.
This command output might be helpful.
nproc --all
On the Celeron here it returns “1”Its beginning to look like the problem may be local to you in some way.
I suppose I do something wrong.
About the celeron laptop:
$ nproc --all 1- This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by andfree.
- This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by andfree.
It might be worth trying the attached zram file to replace the one that ships in antiX. I wrote it some years back to use instead of the one in the antiX ISO, which sets up an incorrect number of zram swapspaces. It is used on the Celeron system here (and others).
Before testing
Verify the status of zram lsmod | grep zram Identify running swapspaces swapon --show Turn off all swapspaces sudo swapoff --all Stop zram sudo /etc/init.d/zram stop Verify the status of zram lsmod | grep zram expected to return nothing Identify running swapspaces swapon --show expected to return nothingTo test
(Re)move /etc/init.d/zram to get it out of the wayExtract the replacement file from the zip file
Copy the extracted file to /etc/init.d/zram
Ownership: root:root
Permissions: rwxr-xr-xStart zram sudo /etc/init.d/zram start expected to return "Loading zram kernel module succeeded" + list of zram swapspaces created. Verify the status of zram lsmod | grep zram expected to return zram module details Identify running swapspaces swapon --show expected to return list of zram devices and detailsNow, about the P4 laptop:
A zram0 file already exists in the /dev directory, too.
xxx@antix1:~ $ nproc --all 1 xxx@antix1:~ $ lsmod | grep zram zram 12902 0 lz4_compress 2442 1 zram xxx@antix1:~ $ swapon --show NAME TYPE SIZE USED PRIO /dev/sda2 partition 2G 0B -1 xxx@antix1:~ $ sudo swapoff --all xxx@antix1:~ $ sudo /etc/init.d/zram stop xxx@antix1:~ $ lsmod | grep zram xxx@antix1:~ $ swapon --show xxx@antix1:~ $ sudo rm /etc/init.d/zram xxx@antix1:~ $ sudo cp zram /etc/init.d/zram xxx@antix1:~ $ sudo /etc/init.d/zram start Loading zram kernel module succeeded Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 148568 KiB LABEL=SWAP_ZRAM0, UUID=9a557970-a8a9-4b47-bec7-9a504a5228fe xxx@antix1:~ $ lsmod | grep zram zram 12902 1 lz4_compress 2442 1 zram xxx@antix1:~ $ swapon --show NAME TYPE SIZE USED PRIO /dev/zram0 partition 145.1M 0B 100 xxx@antix1:~ $About the celeron laptop, later.
And now, about the celeron laptop:
yyy@antix1:~ $ lsmod | grep zram zram 17197 0 lz4_compress 2606 1 zram yyy@antix1:~ $ swapon --show NAME TYPE SIZE USED PRIO /dev/sda2 partition 2G 0B -1 yyy@antix1:~ $ sudo swapoff --all [sudo] password for yyy: yyy@antix1:~ $ sudo /etc/init.d/zram stop yyy@antix1:~ $ lsmod | grep zram yyy@antix1:~ $ swapon --show yyy@antix1:~ $ sudo rm /etc/init.d/zram yyy@antix1:~ $ sudo cp zram /etc/init.d/zram yyy@antix1:~ $ sudo /etc/init.d/zram start Loading zram kernel module succeeded Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 28448 KiB LABEL=SWAP_ZRAM0, UUID=6ea6a8fc-1106-4234-a41a-08e9ff63fbfd yyy@antix1:~ $ lsmod | grep zram zram 17197 1 lz4_compress 2606 1 zram yyy@antix1:~ $ swapon --show NAME TYPE SIZE USED PRIO /dev/zram0 partition 27.8M 0B 100 yyy@antix1:~ $So with my version of the zram script installed you have working zram swapspaces on both the P4 and Celeron when you start the swapspaces manually.
Now you just need to confirm the zram swapspace is automatically available after a reboot i.e. without starting it manually.
Explanation:
The default action of zram is to set up a swapspace per CPU e.g. 4 swapspaces for a quad core, 1 swapspace for a single core, etc.The version of the zram script shipped in the ISO does not hounour the zram default action. It sets up 1 fewer swapspaces than the number of CPUs i.e. 3 for a quad core. That is a problem when the system has only a single CPU.
My version of the zram script honours the zram default action. It sets up 1 swapspace per CPU for single and multiple CPU systems e.g. 4 swapspaces for a quad core, 1 swapspace for a single core, etc.
anticapitalista
As soon as it is confirmed that Samk’s version works for you, I’ll replace the existing one with Sam’s.
Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.
antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.
After rebooting the P4 system, without starting the zram swapspace manually:
xxx@antix1:~ $ sudo swapon --summary [sudo] password for xxx: Filename Type Size Used Priority /dev/sda2 partition 2120576 0 -1 /dev/zram0 partition 237872 0 100 xxx@antix1:~ $Have we finished with it? Is this a nice swapspace?
Have we finished with it? Is this a nice swapspace?
That report shows everything is working as expected. So yes, we have finished.
You have 2 swapspaces, on both the P4 and Celeron. On each machine, 1 is disk based, 1 is RAM based. Both disk swapspace (/dev/sda2) and the RAM swapspace (/dev/zram0) are made available automatically as part of the boot process, so you do not need to do anything manually.
Now you can go and explore what degree of benefit you get, which is largely dependent on the capability of your kit, the software you run and the tasks you use the software for. It is different for every user because everyone has different hardware, working patterns, and habits.
A couple of links that might be helpful to you:
Tips for Improving Performance on Ancient Kit
ZRAM Misconceptions and DoubtsIn the longer term future you might want to think about whether the disk swapspace partition suits your needs e.g. does it use too much of your overall disk space? It is possible to use a swap file instead of a swap partition but there are lots of things to think about before going along that route. So these type of ideas are for another time and place.
anticapitalista
SamK’s zram now in the antix-goodies package. Already in the repos.
Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.
antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.
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