topic title: Unable to Start ZRAM
Posts: 1,028
SamK
Joined: 21 Aug 2011
#1
Copied /usr/local/bin/zram to /etc/init.d/zram

Configured it to start automatically on bootup

Code: Select all

update-rc.d zram defaults
update-rc.d: using dependency based boot sequencing
Start it now (without a reboot)

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sudo /etc/init.d/zram start
FATAL: Module zram not found.
Your Kernel needs to be compiled with ZRAM support: 

Device Drivers --> Staging Drivers --> Compressed RAM block device support (M) 
Device Drivers --> Staging Drivers --> Dynamic compression of swap pages and clean pagecache pages (*) 

The Liquorix Kernel (http://liquorix.net) has ZRAM support built in.

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 uname -r
3.7.10-antix.3-486-smp
Posts: 1,308
BitJam
Joined: 31 Aug 2009
#2
CONFIG_ZRAM was not in the .config for the antiX-13-base kernel. According to
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/ZRAM.html"
linktext was:"LKDDB"
====================================
, it depends on:

CONFIG_BLOCK && CONFIG_SYSFS && CONFIG_ZSMALLOC.

Both
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTM1NjQ"
linktext was:"Google and Cononical"
====================================
are using it:
Canonical has been looking at making greater use of zRAM on Ubuntu for low-end hardware, particularly mobile devices. Another notable current user of zRAM is Google where they have enabled this kernel feature inside Chrome OS.
anticapitalista
Posts: 5,956
Site Admin
Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#3
We did have this in an older kernel, but I dropped it for this release because I read over at aptosid forums that zram isn't really that stable and it isn't really that useful.

If users really want it included in the kernel, let me know.
Posts: 765
rust collector
Joined: 27 Dec 2011
#4
I have to have a disclaimer here, where I say I am not that experienced, or good with this stuff...

I believe zram would be useful, but only on very very crappy machines? on my old netbook, it just made it a little slower...but afaik, it did work, even if I might not have needed it.

??
Posts: 1,028
SamK
Joined: 21 Aug 2011
#5
I would like to see zram be included in antiX.

I have used zam in various distros for a couple of years and also throughout antiX-12. I cannot recall encountering a problem with it.

There a plently of old systems around with low specs (by today's standards). Systems having 500MB or even 384MB RAM can run acceptably for many people who use the system mainly for web browsing, email and similar tasks. However, some web browsers can generate lots of swapping which if disk based can be observed as degraded performance. In these cases zram can make browsing appear a little more snappy and enjoyable.

Additionally, if run from USB flash drive, having swap space on it is not generally regarded as a good idea due to the number of writes reducing its lifespan. This may or may not be seen as problematical as the price of such devices continues to fall, but why take the risk?
Posts: 1,028
SamK
Joined: 21 Aug 2011
#6
Conversation from shoutbox
SamK wrote:anticapitalista - Did zram make it into the ISO for 13.1?
anticapitalista wrote:No It didn't SamK as i couldn't find the options to set it.
OK, it was just a bug fix release. Will it be added once you find the options?
Posts: 1,028
SamK
Joined: 21 Aug 2011
#7
Adding shoutbox conversation in case it scrolls off before being read
anticapitalista wrote:SamK - when I find it I will include zram. Do you want it for the 3.7.10 kernel or a newer one?
SamK wrote:anticapitalista - re zram. Currently I am focussed on investigating antiX-Full on older hardware using 3.7.10-antix.3-486-smp. So request this one first. Would really like the latest ISO to be available with zram enabled rather than as a separate download.