Crashdamage Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 I've decided 8.2 will finally go to the dustbin. I was waiting to upgrade the OS and hardware for a 2.6 kernel release, but I've gotta change computers and pretty soon. Nothing really wrong with 8.2 or my present computer, but my present box is badly needed elsewhere. I can't wait for 10.0 or whatever new version of Mandrake finally has a 2.6 kernel. So I'm going ahead and building myself a new box this weekend and will load 9.2. Since it's "2.6 kernel ready", I can get my 2.6 fix later without another reinstall, so 9.2 should be on this box for a looooong time. It will be a dual-boot Win2K/Linux box, but Windoze will be a minimal install, for dire emergencies only. This will be based on an AMD Barton 2.5G and Asus A7N8X motherboard (N-Force2). I know there are issues getting the onboard nic and sound working with N-Force2 boards, but I don't care, I'll just simplify my life and disable the onboard crap in the bios an use PCI cards. I've long used Asus boards, and every one has been great. So, I've got a plan and most things worked out with one exception. I'd like to load this with 2 512MB sticks of memory. I've seen (somewhere, can't find it again) that 9.2 has some problems with 1G or more. Is this true? If so, I'll grab a 128MB stick and make the total 768MB, and that would do just fine, but I've already got 2 512MB sticks 333mhz DDR handy. Is there an easy fix? Or is the whole issue just bull****? And while I've got your attention, any other hints that might save me some grief? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qchem Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 AFAIK this was a problem in 9.1 but not in 9.2 Basically the Linux kernel only supports 768 MB of RAM, without the HIGHMEM support switched on. 9.2 should autodetect that you have > 768 MB and install the eneterprise kernel with highmem support - you might want to recompile this kernel for speed if thats your thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarissi Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 I had no problem running 9.1 with 1 GB ram. Install automatically saw it and defaulted to the Enterprise Kernel. Since I am at the moment running win98se and 9.1 powerpack in a dualboot configuration, I had to drop to 768 MB ram to makes things smoother in 98se. Since I want to go with 4 GB in this box (the mobo supports it), i will likely upgrade my windoze to XP Pro + SP1 for my windows games. My internet and stuff is all done in Mandrake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crashdamage Posted November 21, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Thanks for the replies. For now, I took the easy way out and swapped 1 of my 512MB sticks for a 256MB stick in my office workstation, which had 2 x 256MB. Should've thought of doing that before. Now both machines will have 768MB, which should be plenty for a while. Nice to know a G or more works though, 'cause I'll probably have to go to 2G or so sometime down the road. Eventually, the plan is this new box will be setup with MythTV and it will then be not only my primary workstation/router, but also a A/V server/PVR, so this will be a hard-working multi-purpose box. Suppose I'm working along as usual, with Win4Lin, xmms and a slew of other things going and then someone starts recording a program - betcha the memory will get a workout. I'd be surprised if it didn't need more than1G to stay out of swap. I guess I'll find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AussieJohn Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 I have had Corsair Twinex 1Gb (2 x 512Mb) on my machine for 6months with Windows 2000Pro and Mandrake9.1 and also now 9.2 and have NEVER had problems with the full amount of memory being detected as shown in Control Centre -> Information -> Memory.'' To the man considering setting up XP . Do yourself a GIANT favour and forget XP, if you must do a Windows then go for WIN2000 Pro with SP3. It is much more stable than XP ever will be no matter how many service packs (rumour has it that Mic........ft only brought out XP because it found that Win2000 was TOO reliable and stable ) and does not require enabling (activation) procedure. Also by using it you are endorsing this hideous and freedom stealing enabling (activation ) routine. Cheers. John (69yrs young) :D :D :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_St Posted November 24, 2003 Report Share Posted November 24, 2003 I dare say that with 1gb of pc2100 on my AMD system, Mandrake 9.2 seems faster than the XPPro over on the fast hard drive side of this dual booter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted November 24, 2003 Report Share Posted November 24, 2003 CrashDamage: Ugggh I havn't tried 9.2 YET for exactly the same reason. I have an nforce2 chipset and I have had real probs getting this working with anything except the vanilla kernel. I don't like using enterprise becuase I don't know what else it does as well as the 4Gb HIMEM switch. Secondly, the RPM's seem locked into a specific kernel version. Eventually I donwloaded source nvidia and source 2.4.18-13mdk All I did to the .config was enable K7 support AND 4GB HIMEM. Since then I get a whoile load of symbols not found etc. on the RPM versions and my compiled version works intermittently but keeps crashing. (lock up completely / power switch) I keep looking for documentaiton about the source kernels (mandrake specific) but can't find any. It seems they are not the source that mandrake use .... otherwise the symbols would be there!!! I really don't know..... I think I might have to download a un-modded kernel and try with that and specify everything!! OR take out 512MB so it will run with the non-enterprise kernel. Its really annoying the hell outa me!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crashdamage Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 Gowator: Yeah, I hear ya, I decided I'd be avoiding some grief to stay away from using the enterprise kernel and just stay with 768MB 'till I really need more. I'll cross that rope bridge when I get to it, probably not "til I try to go to a 2.6 kernel. Your problems just re-inforce that as a good idea. Besides, I've gotta run Win4Lin, and I don't think Netraverse has pre-compiled replacement kernels except for the stock and LG-fixed kernels. I've already got enough setup stuff to do on a new box to keep me busy for a couple of days without fooling with building my own Win4Lin-enabled kernel. Just not ready to deal with that...I've gotta get it up and running, ready for work Monday. Also, my XP-handicapped brother will be around, and I want him to see how easy this Linux stuff really is to install and a cool result. All in all, not a good time to play with kernels. From what I've seen, all the problems with N-force2 boards are with the onboard sound and nic. I couldn't care less about making that work, so if I disable that and keep it under 1G I oughta be OK and the install should go smooth. Gonna have my own little install-fest over the long weekend. Got my backups done, 2 sets of checksum-approved disks burnt - I'm ready. Just gotta assemble the hardware. Now is not the time to be scarin' me with talk about hard lock-ups! Think positve - months of uptime...speed to burn...my XP-idiot brother in shock...yeah... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aRTee Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 I have 1GB of pc2700 and I can tell you that it does NOT use the enterprise kernel, but 2.4.22-21mdk-up4GB-486 or something. And with the standard kernel it can use 896 MB (or so, this is from memory of my 9.1 system). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 aRTee, The problem seems to be some lousycoding by the nvidia guys for the nforce2 chipset. I tried everything under the sun to get it working WITH a non-vanilla kernel AND the 4GB HIMEM. Once again, ANYONE Does anyone know what is the difference between the kernels.... As in exactly... i.e. Is the 2.4.22-21mdk-up4GB-486 EXACTLY the same .config BUT with 4GB enabled? Why do I get loads of symbol probs when using even the -13mdk kernel and recompiling it for K7 and 4GB (these are absolutely the only changes I made). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.