News Group Posts

linux out of vm virtual memory

From: spike1@freenet.co.uk
Subject: Re: VM:  Killing process ....
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc
References: <39a172b2.3488539@news.mnsi.net> 
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 21:03:03 +0100
Message-ID: <n9mun8.419.ln@ridcully.freenet.co.uk> 
X-Original-NNTP-Posting-Host: ppp-2-37.cvx4.telinco.net

Peter Alliett <palliett@accurcast.com> did eloquently scribble:
> I seem to have a problem with my Mandrake 7.0 server today.

> It stated giving me the following messages

> VM:  Killing process sendmail
> VM:  Killing process named
> VM:  Killing process syslogd
> VM:  Killing process httpd
> VM:  Killing process ipop3d

> What does this mean and how do I fix it.

VM = Virtual Memory. the kernel ran out of REAL and Virtual memory, and
processes were still demanding more.

To survive this, the kernel goes into lifesaver mode and begins "reaping"
processes somewhat randomly in order to free memory so that it won't crash.
(I think the only process safe from reaping is probably init).

How to fix it?
1> Don't run more on your system than memory will allow.
2> find the software with the memory leak, kill it, and upgrade to a version
without that leak...
3> Buy more memory or add another swap partition.

> Peter

-- 
______________________________________________________________________________
|   spike1@freenet.co.uk   |                                                 |
|Andrew Halliwell BSc(hons)| "ARSE! GERLS!! DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!!!"          |
|            in            | "THAT WOULD BE AN ECUMENICAL MATTER!...FECK!!!! |
|     Computer Science     | - Father Jack in "Father Ted"                   |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 comment

Jump to Comments

Many of the products and books I review are things I purchased for my own use. Some were given to me specifically for the purpose of reviewing them. I resell or can earn commissions from the sale of some of these items. Links within these pages may be affiliate links that pay me for referring you to them. That's mostly insignificant amounts of money; whenever it is not I have made my relationship plain. I also may own stock in companies mentioned here. If you have any question, please do feel free to contact me.

Specific links that take you to pages that allow you to purchase the item I reviewed are very likely to pay me a commission. Many of the books I review were given to me by the publishers specifically for the purpose of writing a review. These gifts and referral fees do not affect my opinions; I often give bad reviews anyway.

We use Google third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.