Out of memory: system();

fredex fredex at fcshome.stoneham.ma.us
Sat Jun 12 01:55:10 UTC 2004


On Fri, Jun 11, 2004 at 07:11:25PM -0400, Ed K. wrote:
> On Fri, 11 Jun 2004, fredex wrote:
> >On Fri, Jun 11, 2004 at 01:45:00PM -0400, Ed K. wrote:
> >>I have fedora core2 installed with kernel: kernel-2.6.5-1.358
> >>
> >>I must call system(....) about 300,000 times from a process that has 175MB
> >>allocated on a computer with only 256MB of RAM. But after about the 
> >>5,000th
> >>call, i get an out of memory error (errno: 12 Cannot allocate memory) when
> >>I call the system function.
> >
> >Sounds like a pretty dangerous thing to be doing. You're sure there's
> >no better way to design this program?
> >
> >If you give some more details on what you're doing and why it
> >has to be done this way, perhaps someone can ofer some helpful
> >suggestions.
> >
> 
> I don't know how much I can tell about the project, doesn't that suck?
> But you can read some of the publicity at:
> http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/cyto/CytoView_Demo.asp
> 
> Sorry, but you need a windows client to view the demos.
> 
> I do have a working test:
> 
> #include <stdio.h>
> #include <unistd.h>
> #include <stdlib.h>
> #include <errno.h>
> 
> int main(int argc, char *argv[])
> {
>   unsigned char *data;
>   int i;
> 
>   data=malloc(500*1024*1024);
>   memset(data,0,500*1024*1024);
> 
>   for (i=0; i<100000; i++)
>     system("cat /proc/meminfo");
> }
> 
> This does not cause problems on FC1 (kernel 2.4.22-1.2188) But does on FC2 
> (kernel 2.6.5-1.358)
> 
> Is this a glibc bug or a kernel bug?

Good question!

it's running (apparetly) fine on my TAO linux box, but it's kernel 2.4.x
and has a gig of RAM.

-- 
---- Fred Smith -- fredex at fcshome.stoneham.ma.us -----------------------------
   "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged 
   sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; 
              it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  
---------------------------- Hebrews 4:12 (niv) ------------------------------
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