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Topic |
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muzhok
New Member
Germany
91 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Sep 2003 : 03:02:49
As posted in the 68 conquest forum, I recently purchased 4 x 16 MB simms that will go into my q950 running A/UX 3.1. The machine already has 80 Mb (4x16 and 4x4). I read in the A/UX FAQ that the memory buffers have to be changed. I am still "REALLY" new to using UNIX and don't understand the instructions (run "pstat -m",use 'kconfig' to set'NBUF'). Can someone please tell me "exactly" what I have to type and where. I would be very much obliged. Below are the instructions copied from the FAQ (http://www.faqs.org/faqs/aux-faq/part2/).
Thanks!Depending on your setup, A/UX allocates either 10% or 50% of memory for disk buffers (that is, the value of 'NBUF' is either 0 or -1... see kconfig(1M))[The kernel for the AWS95 has, by default, a NBUF value of -1 whereas "everyone else" has NBUF = 0]. If you have a lot of RAM and A/UX is only allocating 10%, you can greatly increase system performance by increasing the allotment. However, you cannot use kconfig to specify "20%" but you must give it an actual number to use. The way to determine the number of buffers being used, run "pstat -m". This will give you the number of buffers that are currently allocated. For example, if the value is 1000, then you know that to increase the number of buffers to 20%, you must use 'kconfig' to set 'NBUF' to 2000. Under 3.0.2 (and later), you can use the Memory cdev (as root) to do this as well. In fact, this is the recommended way.
Please note that if you change the amount of RAM you have, you'll need to change the value of 'NBUF.' I suggest that before you add|remove RAM, you use 'kconfig' to reset 'NBUF' to 0, then do the RAM change and see how your system performance is. If needed, you can then use the above to increase(or decrease) the number of disk buffers. |
cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 19 Sep 2003 : 10:51:00
Are you sure that you need to change 'buffers' ?what happens if you install thememory and just try to run the stuff? Official 68k videographer
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muzhok
New Member
Germany
91 Posts |
Posted - 19 Sep 2003 : 13:50:04
Hi Cory!
Of course I could just add the memory without changing the buffers (and I might just end up doing this), but then I would have no objective way of knowing if or by how much my system is really speeded up. I really don't know my way around A/UX and it is a pretty steep learning curve. Any help is more than appreciated!
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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2003 : 23:48:02
I was just thinking that, because I've never really heard of memory buffers before, unless you're talking about the virtual memory, in which case you *should* be fine... or maybe you could try the memory control panel?Official 68k videographer
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"I'm just a normal computer geek who somehow landed a social life" |
scott
Starting Member
Canada
5 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2003 : 21:55:14
The disk i/o buffer value depends on the amount of RAM you have. Unless you have an exceedingly large or exceedingly small amount of RAM, I find it's usually safe to go with the default value set by the operating system. http://www.aux-penelope.com/Customization.html Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the section on A/UX disk i/o buffers.
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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2003 : 11:09:56
I can see clearly now, the Classic is gone...it's kinda like a cache that keeps frequently accessed stuff in your memory... Muzhok... I'd leave it alone if I were you, you'll get more memory for your programs this way, and it sounds like it's a PITA to change... Official 68k videographer
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"I'm just a normal computer geek who somehow landed a social life" |
muzhok
New Member
Germany
91 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2003 : 09:45:49
Thanks for the tip Scott. I installed all the memory chips I had lying around and now I have a total built-in memory of 160M!!! It takes the q950 over 60 seconds just to power up the monitor now. I am not to sure at what to set the "total memory" and have been playing around with it, sometimes maxing it out to 160M and sometimes less. I notice no difference.
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scott
Starting Member
Canada
5 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2003 : 06:47:34
Under A/UX, total memory actually refers to the amount of RAM allocated to Macintosh emulation. A/UX 3.01 allocates a maximum of 16MB by default, but you could increase this is you plan to run memory-intensive Mac applications. Just keep in mind that any memory you allocate to the Mac environment is taken from the Unix environment. I would leave at least 16MB allocated to A/UX. Section A.11 of the faq covers this in some detail... The section starts out addressing virtual memory, but leads on to cover the "total memory" question.
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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2003 : 09:23:50
If I were you, and I were running UNIX serving programs (AppleShare Pro is a unix program IIRC) I'd just leave 16mb to MacOS for administrating, and then I'd leave the memory for the UNIX processes.Official 68k videographer
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"I'm just a normal computer geek who somehow landed a social life" |
A/UX memory buffers
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