[SLL] 32 bit distro that supports 4GB ram with stock kernel

[Rob Smith]

On Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 7:01 AM, Brian C. Lane <bcl at brianlane.com> wrote:
>  Actually, that sounds right. What happens is that the kernel uses a 4G
>  virtual space for each process, and reserves a bit of it for itself. So
>  when you hit 4G the usable amount of space is actually 4G - Kernel Memory.

Are you really trying to say that the kernel reserves 1 gig of memory?

That's majority excessive...

For example, my home server:
Memory: 2032508k/2071552k available (3179k kernel code, 37192k
reserved, 1466k data, 232k init)

that's 3.1 megs used, the reserved it a lot higher, but that includes
the 32 meg ivtv buffer I have on the box, so it's rather inflated.

no kernel should ever, ever, ever use a full gig for itself unless you
have a *very* specific reason.