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SuSE and Siemens Release Linux Memory Extension

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the and-it-shows-up-on-excite dept.

hussar noted that SuSE and Siemens have developed a memory extension that will allow Linux to use up to 4GB of memory. Linus has reportedly approved its inclusion in kernel 2.3.15. The strangest part is excite has taken to posting about Linux Kernel Patches. Pretty crazy stuff.

2 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. Top 5 Reasons by meersan · · Score: 5
    Top 5 Reasons Microsoft Is Glad Linux Will Support up to 4G of RAM

    5) Office 2000 memory requirements now supported by Linux, making port much easier.
    4) Enhances sales potential of Windows 2000 -- WINE now able to run W2K under Linux.
    3) Yet another fun Linux feature to deny and obfuscate.
    2) Can complain before tech-unclued journalists about Linux's memory requirements -- 4G compared to W2K's 128M.
    1) Now that Linux supports 4G of RAM, it will be competition on the everyday Joe's desktop, thus making MS-DOJ trial irrelevant.

    (Darn Excite, slashdotted again.)

    --
    We want endless gardens of data, where the bits can flower, flourish and reproduce. -- Andy Mueller-Maguhn
  2. Re:Somewhat related question: by tjrw · · Score: 5

    You are confusing the virtual and physical address spaces.
    The Intel P6 line has a 36bit physical address bus allowing the chip to address up to 64GB of physical memory. However, since it is a 32-bit processor, you can only see 4GB of this memory at any time. You can change what you can see by playing games with PTEs (page table entries), and/or segment registers.
    To address >4GB of memory requires use of either wide (64-bit) PTEs, or the strange mode Intel added to the PII, that allows large pages with narrow PTEs.
    The Sequent Dynix/ptx OS supports up to 64GB of physical memory. The hard part is conserving enough kernel virtual address space.