Re: [K12OSN] Random logouts, inability to log in

[Julius Szelagiewicz <julius turtle com>]

On Thu, 1 Jan 2004, Les Mikesell wrote:
> Which value do think indicates a problem?  I don't run a
> lot of ltsp terminals but under other conditions I never
> see any memory-related issues until most of swap has been
> consumed which doesn't seem to be the case for you.  That
> large inactive buff value should be memory available for
> reuse if anything needs it.  I wonder if there is some
> kernel tuning value that is inherited from the old system
> that would be different in a fresh install?  If you
> haven't downgraded yet, can you try running the kernel
> tuning tool (system tools/more tools/kernel tuning)
> and under virtual memory/swapping, check the
> "overcommit memory" box.  Also see if the other memory
> related settings look reasonable.  The overcommit
> change will defer the 'kill some process' syndrome until
> programs actually access all of your virtual memory instead
> of when the first malloc() it which they sometimes do just
> to see if it is available.
>
Les,
	the value i was referring to is 'memory in use'. The system was
done by fresh install. I freely admit to being very weakly versed in
Linux, which all too often leads me to expect behavior similar to that of
HP-UX. I was spooked by the fact that 20 terminals could essentially max
out the 4GB server memory, i was even more spooked by the apparent *non*
realeasing of memory as proceses went away - going down to 8 users didn't
change memory usage display in top. Reading between the lines in your
mesage, i gather that memory is not added explicitly to the free pool, but
 just marked as unused?
	I agree that the lack of swap use doesn't suggest memory
starvation, but sudden logins accompanied by apparent data loss and or
corruption *feel* like it.
	I'll play with the memory settings in system tools.

	My big problem is that this is a production box in a middle of the
fight over the desktop. Managers and users want M$, I want Linux. For the
time being i'm making slow progress (at high political cost). What i can't
afford is the system that fails - I got them spoiled, the business system
stays up forever (3 years, 3 outages, 2 caused by vast power fluctuations
and power failures and 1 caused by a mysterious hardware problem - no
data loss).

	my previous experiences with upgrades of K12 (2.x to 3.0 to 3.1.0)
wer very positive, so i just went for it. now i'm thinking that maybe i
want to hear about a few reasonably large installs doing wel for a few
months first ;-)
julius