inode_cache / dentry_cache not being reclaimed aggressively enoughon low-memory PCs

From: Alex Buell
Date: Sat Jan 03 2004 - 06:38:49 EST


I've just run across a problem with 2.4.x (and probably 2.6.x as well, if
reports I've see are correct). When updatedb is run overnight, it builds
up large amounts of inode_cache and dentry_cache. This is a big problem on
low memory boxes as those caches are not being reclaimed aggressively
enough, which means the box will be constantly swapping if it runs out of
free memory. I've looked at archives and I find that there's similar
reports going back to 2.4.16, and doesn't seem to have been solved as this
problem is apparently in 2.6.0 as well!

The only solution I've found so far is to run L*rry McV*y's lmdd to force
reclaimation of those caches but this isn't ideal. What patches are out
there that solves this problem?

Thanks,
Alex.
--
http://www.munted.org.uk

Your mother cooks socks in hell
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