Memory Free and KDE Speed -- Help me understand

[Howard Coles Jr.]

On Tuesday 17 July 2007 07:17:35 pm Robert Tilley wrote:
> I have 512 MB on a 2.0 GHz processor, just for reference.
>
> In KInfoCenter, Free Physical Memory is usually listed as less than 10 MB
> when the usual suite of applications is running.
>
> On the graphs at the bottom of KInfoCenter, the Total Memory shows Total
> Free as 45%; Used Swap as 20%; and Used Physical Memory as 34%.  34% of
> 512MB is 174 MB.  Can someone help reconcile these two elements?
>
> Thanks, Bob
>
> P.S.  I'm now running everything and searching every website I can
>       for info on how Linux and KDE use memory.
> --
> Release the DVDs: 45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2

Ok, The "Total" is the combined total of Real Memory, and Swap Memory.  So, 
the "Total Free" is the Free Physical RAM, and Free Swap combined.  Normally 
Linux will absorb as much as possible into RAM between Disk Cache, and Disk 
Buffers and App Data.  You should see the division in KinfoCenter -> Memory

Right now I have 35% Free Physical RAM, 40% is Disk Cache, 8% Disk Buffers, 
and 16% Application Data.  I have a 2.09 GB Swap Partition that is not used, 
so I have Total Free 68%, Total Used 31%.

The more swapping you do, the slower the response time, so Linux will try and 
avoid it if possible.

-- 
See Ya'
Howard Coles Jr.
John 3:16!