From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Subject: Re: [PATCH] Recent VM fiasco - fixed References: Reply-To: zlatko@iskon.hr From: Zlatko Calusic Date: 08 May 2000 20:16:04 +0200 In-Reply-To: Rik van Riel's message of "Mon, 8 May 2000 14:43:38 -0300 (BRST)" Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Sender: owner-linux-mm@kvack.org Return-Path: To: riel@nl.linux.org Cc: linux-mm@kvack.org, linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu, Linus Torvalds List-ID: Rik van Riel writes: > On 8 May 2000, Zlatko Calusic wrote: > > > BTW, this patch mostly *removes* cruft recently added, and > > returns to the known state of operation. > > Which doesn't work. > > Think of a 1GB machine which has a 16MB DMA zone, > a 950MB normal zone and a very small HIGHMEM zone. > > With the old VM code the HIGHMEM zone would be > swapping like mad while the other two zones are > idle. > > It's Not That Kind Of Party(tm) > OK, I see now what you have in mind, and I'll try to test it when I get home (yes, late worker... my only connection to the Net :)) If only I could buy 1GB to test in the real setup. ;) But still, optimizing for 1GB, while at the same time completely killing performances even *usability* for the 99% of users doesn't look like a good solution, does it? There was lot of VM changes recently (>100K of patches) where we went further and further away from the mostly stable code base (IMHO) trying to fix zone balancing. Maybe it's time we try again, fresh from the "start"? I'll admit I didn't understand most of the conversation about zone balancing recently on linux-mm. And I know it's because I didn't have much time lately to hack the kernel, unfortunately. But after few hours spent dealing with the horrible VM that is in the pre6, I'm not scared anymore. And I think that solution to all our problems with zone balancing must be very simple. But it's probably hard to find, so it will need lots of modeling and testing. I don't think adding few lines here and there all the time will take us anywhere. Regards, -- Zlatko -- To unsubscribe, send a message with 'unsubscribe linux-mm' in the body to majordomo@kvack.org. For more info on Linux MM, see: http://www.linux.eu.org/Linux-MM/