🚀 go-pugleaf

rjenkins@rjenkins.pcug.org.au (Richard Jenkins) writes:

> Linux_Lovers...
> 
> I have this weekend installed Red Hat "Picasso" with xwindows on my
> second machine - a 386DX40 with 8 meg of RAM.  I have set up a 180
> Meg partition on my HD and I have about 15 20 meg mounted as a
> swap file.
> 
> On loading Linux things go as eexpected ... and I get the login
> after a minute or so.  (I still need to do some work on the
> CR-ROM recognition ... and maybe reduce some of the unwanted
> start-ups!
> 
> Starting xwindows is another thing.  My set up of VGA screen and
> 521k video card is recognised but I reckon it takes fully 5 or 6
> minutes to stop loading the various bits and pieces!  In an
> attempt to set up seyon I started it in xterm.  A further wait of
> 5 minutes was needed before I could attend to the default
> settings!  Any attempt in the meantime to move the mouse or select
> anything just results in nothing.  
> 
> I know a 386 is only a steady machine ... as in Stedd--Steddy!  This
> level of non-performance means I can do nothing with xwindows!  What
> have I missed? The swap file is mounted.

X11 with 8MB RAM probably would be forcing the system to swap pages in
and out even before running apps.  You should see a lot of disk
activity if this is true.

If practical, remove memory hungry parts of the system.  Use a kernel
with everything practical compiled as modules.  Load only modules you
need at the time (``kereld'' can automate that, but it uses some
memory too).

Run X11 at low resolution with the virtual screen size set to the same low
resolution.  Don't load the X11 modules ``xie.so'' and ``pex5.so''.

-- 
Manfred Bartz <mbartz@werple.net.au>
  --- LINUX, live free or die ---