What happened?! I don't Know! But Thank You!!! Woo-Hoo!

[ElCuervo]

I'd use the pae kernel, too; it won't hurt to try it out. 3GB RAM is all my 4GB machines report with any other kernel.

I'm wondering, though - where did you get the info in your sig?

Lenovo 14" ThinkPad Edge (0578F5U) with Core i3 Processor(i3-370M) 2.40 GHz 4GB RAM

[Just17]

no, bios has no relation with this

Checking in BIOS will show the installed RAM

Running free while using a standard kernel will only show the memory available ......  so if there is 6GB installed the BIOS will show it, but free from a standard kernel will not .......  as I understand it.

Also to be considered is the extra overhead of the .pae kernel.
I have had occasion where I had less memory  free  from 4GB installed with a .pae kernel, then I had using a standard kernel.
Those figures while using a PCI-e graphics card with its own memory.

4GB is right on the edge of it being worthwhile to use the .pae kernel.
It depends a lot of the hardware.

regards

[exploder]

Good point ElCuervo. T6, I was just looking for the simplest way to tell how much RAM the machine had. In any case, it will not hurt anything trying the pae kernel.  

Edit:

Running free while using a standard kernel will only show the memory available ......  so if there is 6GB installed the BIOS will show it, but free from a standard kernel will not .......  as I understand it

That is what I was thinking too.

[T6]

"Checking in BIOS will show the installed RAM"

i know that bios can show this info but i said it has no relation with the installation of pae.bfs kernel so you dond't need to press F2 at boot to install a new kernel

[Just17]

"Checking in BIOS will show the installed RAM"

i know that bios can show this info but i said it has no relation with the installation of pae.bfs kernel so you dond't need to press F2 at boot to install a new kernel

The whole point of looking in BIOS was to determine if installing a pae kernel was going to bring benefit or not ......  by knowing how much memory is actually installed. 

[horusfalcon]

Good catch on that, actually, Just18, and exploder.  You're right about free not seeing the "extra RAM" if the right kernel is not installed.  Just be careful about messing around in the BIOS, folks - there be dragons.  Don't change stuff in there without understanding why.

That said, I've been running the PAE kernel (2.6.38.8-pclos3.pae.bfs) now for some time on my laptop (which has only two gigs installed) with no discernible drop in performance from increased overhead.  (I'm not saying it's not there - maybe I don't task my system hard enough to notice it?)

Thanks for the catch, fellas.  This is why multiple heads are better than one.

Later On,
D

[Just17]

Good catch on that, actually, Just18, and exploder.  You're right about free not seeing the "extra RAM" if the right kernel is not installed.  Just be careful about messing around in the BIOS, folks - there be dragons.  Don't change stuff in there without understanding why.

That said, I've been running the PAE kernel (2.6.38.8-pclos3.pae.bfs) now for some time on my laptop (which has only two gigs installed) with no discernible drop in performance from increased overhead.  (I'm not saying it's not there - maybe I don't task my system hard enough to notice it?)

Thanks for the catch, fellas.  This is why multiple heads are better than one.

Later On,
D

You may find that you have more memory free using a standard kernel due to less overhead 
Might be worth a comparison sometime 

[T6]

"The whole point of looking in BIOS was to determine if installing a pae kernel was going to bring benefit or not"

the owner of the laptop, georgetoon already gave specs of the machine se we knew already that he had 4 gbs opf ram so it wasn't necessary this step

it would be necessary if after using pae.bfs the amount of ram available wouldn't be 4 gbs

[horusfalcon]

"The whole point of looking in BIOS was to determine if installing a pae kernel was going to bring benefit or not"

the owner of the laptop, georgetoon already gave specs of the machine se we knew already that he had 4 gbs opf ram so it wasn't necessary this step

it would be necessary if after using pae.bfs the amount of ram available wouldn't be 4 gbs

Yup, that's true enough if we can trust the information given.  I think Just18 was just providing a way to make sure.

[Georgetoon]

Wel, I just installed the pae.bfs kernel

@localhost ~]$ uname -r
2.6.38.8-pclos3.pae.bfs

Now the free command:

@localhost ~]$ free
                 total       used            free         shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3897292    1221864    2675428          0        57448     630720
-/+ buffers/cache:     533696    3363596
Swap:      4843560          0    4843560

Appears to be recognizing a bit more.

I've been playing with the GL Screensavers.  They didn't work before this terrific update. anyhow, Pinion has been stuttering a bit. Even with this kernel, it still stutters.  

But, everything else runs smoothly. So, Pinion is a minor issue compared to how things were running.  Plus, it simply might be a limitation of the i3.

Guess I'l continue to run the pae.bfs kernel.

[Just17]

"The whole point of looking in BIOS was to determine if installing a pae kernel was going to bring benefit or not"

the owner of the laptop, georgetoon already gave specs of the machine se we knew already that he had 4 gbs opf ram so it wasn't necessary this step

it would be necessary if after using pae.bfs the amount of ram available wouldn't be 4 gbs

I didn't ........  and he was not sure .....  recheck his posts answering the question ........


 

I do believe I have 4 gigs of RAM. I'll double check.

Under memory, it's reporting L1 32, L2 2546, and L3 3072.  so, if I miss my guess, I've got 4 gigs of RAM.   Or am I wrong? Where do I  find the info if not there?

[horusfalcon]

@Just18 & T6:  I kinda thought that was where Just18 was going with it.  In circumstances where uncertainty exists, it's better to fall back on methods designed to eliminate it than it is to assume anything.  After all, a computer is involved.

I'm curious, georgetoon, about what video card that laptop has.  I just tried Pinion on my Dell D620 (much slower than your i3, I daresay) and it seems to do all right - only minimal jerking now and then.  (I went back to Phosphor, though - I have a custom text file set up for it.)

Later On,
D

[Georgetoon]

@Just18 & T6:  I kinda thought that was where Just18 was going with it.  In circumstances where uncertainty exists, it's better to fall back on methods designed to eliminate it than it is to assume anything.  After all, a computer is involved.

I'm curious, georgetoon, about what video card that laptop has.  I just tried Pinion on my Dell D620 (much slower than your i3, I daresay) and it seems to do all right - only minimal jerking now and then.  (I went back to Phosphor, though - I have a custom text file set up for it.)

Later On,
D

There is no video card, Per Se.  It's all integrated into the board.  The Core i3 chip is the bargain basement processor in the Icore family.

I dug up the spec sheet whjen Weric quoted it out to me:

Manufacturer: Lenovo
Group Limited
Product Name: ThinkPad
Edge 14 0578F5U
Notebook
Mobile Technology:
Centrino 2
Processor &
ChipsetProcessor
Manufacturer: Intel
Processor Type: Core i3
Processor Model: i3-370M
Processor Speed: 2.40 GHz Processor Core: Dual-core
Cache: 3 MB 64-bit Processing: Yes
Hyper-Threading: Yes Chipset Manufacturer: Intel
Chipset Model: HM55 Express
MemoryStandard Memory:
2 GB
Maximum Memory: 4 GB
Memory Technology: DDR3 SDRAM
Memory Standard: DDR3-1066/PC3-8500
Number of Total Memory Slots: 2
Memory Card Reader: Yes
Memory Card Support: • Memory Stick • xD-Picture Card • Memory Stick PRO
• MultiMediaCard (MMC) • xD-Picture Card Type H • Secure Digital (SD) Card • Secure
Digital High Capacity (SDHC)
StorageHard Drive Capacity:
250 GB
Hard Drive Interface: Serial ATA/300
Hard Drive RPM: 5400 Optical Drive Type: DVD-Writer DVD±R/±RW
Display & GraphicsScreen Size:
14"
Display Screen Type: Active Matrix TFT Color LCD
Display Screen Technology: VibrantView
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Screen Mode: WXGA
Backlight Technology: LED HDCP Support: Yes
Display Resolution: 1366 x 768
Graphics Controller Manufacturer: Intel
Graphics Controller Model: Graphics Media Accelerator HD
Network & CommunicationWi-Fi:
Yes
Wi-Fi Manufacturer: Intel Wi-Fi Standard: IEEE 802.11n
Ethernet Technology: Gigabit Ethernet Modem: No
I/O ExpansionsExpansion Slot Type:
Built-in DevicesWebcam:
ExpressCard/34
Yes Microphone: Yes
Interfaces/PortsHDMI: Yes USB Standard:
USB 2.0
Number of USB Ports: 2 VGA: Yes
Network (RJ-45): Yes eSATA/USB Combo: Yes
Input DevicesPointing Device Type: • TouchPad • Trackpoint
Keyboard: Yes
Battery InformationNumber of Cells:
6-cell
Battery Chemistry: Lithium Ion (Li-Ion)
Maximum Battery Run Time: 4.50 Hour
Physical CharacteristicsHeight:
1.46"
Width: 13.54" Depth: 9.17"
WarrantyStandard Warranty:
1 Year Limited

if I recall correctly, I believe I upgraded to 4 gigs of RAM.  I just don't remember, which is why I needed to check.

[T6]

3897292 seems to be the 4 gbs of ram minus the ram used by the video card, around 200 mbs

if this kernel is stable for you and video card remains working the way you need it, then you could consider in a couple weeks to remove other kernels

most users keep two installed, the original one and the latest stable, you can keep more than 5 but there is no use for more than two

"There is no video card, Per Se.  It's all integrated into the board"

you have a video card but it is not integrated into the mainboard, it is integrated inside the cpu

in laptops this is the way you have video cards now, the other way is to have a full size laptop video card that uses lots of watts per hour making the battery charge last alot less

[horusfalcon]

3897292 seems to be the 4 gbs of ram minus the ram used by the video card, around 200 mbs

if this kernel is stable for you and video card remains working the way you need it, then you could consider in a couple weeks to remove other kernels

most users keep two installed, the original one and the latest stable, you can keep more than 5 but there is no use for more than two

"There is no video card, Per Se.  It's all integrated into the board"

you have a video card but it is not integrated into the mainboard, it is integrated inside the cpu

in laptops this is the way you have video cards now, the other way is to have a full size laptop video card that uses lots of watts per hour making the battery charge last alot less

Yup, what T6 said.  Definitely on the point of not keeping kernels you no longer use after taking sufficient time to make sure.

It looks like your video system is an Intel integrated HD of some kind - they aren't bad for business use - they are generally very reliable, but don't generally win awards for blistering performance or excellence in video or gaming environments.  For an artist (such as yourself) you might want to consider something with an ATI Radeon or one of the more reliable Nvidia video systems (I've had some recent bad experiences with Dell Latitude laptops running Nvidia video systems... no fun at all.  I'm glad mine's an Intel after that.)

Here's wishing you happy computing with that new kernel.

Later On,
D