Memory drainage - maemo.org

dagee04 | # 1 | 2012-09-07, 19:49 | Report

Is there a command or app that can show me which application or process is causing my memory to constantly drain?? My memory keeps draining and my UI slows down. I have to keep using drop cache to clear it up. If I can know the application or process I can kill it. Help?

Copernicus | # 2 | 2012-09-07, 19:54 | Report

Originally Posted by dagee04 View Post

Is there a command or app that can show me which application or process is causing my memory to constantly drain?? My memory keeps draining and my UI slows down. I have to keep using drop cache to clear it up. If I can know the application or process I can kill it. Help?

I use the (classic) command line utility "top" to list the programs that are using the most CPU or memory. And yes, there are lots and lots of other programs available, both command-line and gui based.

dagee04 | # 3 | 2012-09-07, 20:02 | Report

Yea I've used top before. Shows too many things going on and things keep changing. Can you give me examples of other programs I could try so I can compare? Thanks dude

sixwheeledbeast | # 4 | 2012-09-07, 20:21 | Report

I use powertop on N900 not sure of it's availablity for Harmattan.

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Copernicus | # 5 | 2012-09-07, 20:43 | Report

Originally Posted by dagee04 View Post

Yea I've used top before. Shows too many things going on and things keep changing.

Try typing "m" while top is running, that should make it sort by memory usage rather than cpu usage. As memory usage doesn't change as quickly, it should be easier to keep up with.

Originally Posted by

Can you give me examples of other programs I could try so I can compare?

Unfortunately, I really haven't tried much of anything else; I've been a Unix head for something like 20 years now, and I'm so used to "top" that I've never really felt the need to mess with similar tools.

ladoga | # 6 | 2012-09-08, 11:32 | Report

What use is memory if it's unused?

This is not Windows. Memory should be in use (and freed only when something needs it). This speeds up the system as it reduces access to mass storage.

From what I understand, dropping cache will slow the system down as programs need to be loaded from flash. (which is obiviously slower than loading them from RAM)

Copernicus | # 7 | 2012-09-08, 14:08 | Report

Originally Posted by ladoga View Post

What use is memory if it's unused?

This is not Windows. Memory should be in use (and freed only when something needs it). This speeds up the system as it reduces access to mass storage.

Ah, but you see, this is not Windows, this is Linux. For as long as I can remember, Linux has been designed to always use all unassigned system memory to cache data from mass storage. Unless the N900 has a really odd flavor of Linux, it should be doing this as well. So you really do get a benefit from applications being as efficient with memory as possible. (Plus, efficient apps usually run better anyway...)