Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!att!ucbvax!janus!kennish
From: kennish@janus.uucp (Ken A. Nishimura)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.ultrix
Subject: Re: physmem config for 16mb DECstation 3100
Message-ID: <30264@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 28 Jul 89 23:15:06 GMT
References: <5576@muvms1.bitnet> <1409@riscy.dec.com>
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: kennish@janus.UUCP (Ken A. Nishimura)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 27

In article <1409@riscy.dec.com> frank@croton.DEC.COM
(Frank Wortner) writes:
>
>In article <5576@muvms1.bitnet>, mcguffey@muvms1.bitnet
(Michael McGuffey) writes:
>> In the config file, the physmem definition is set at 8, but we have
>> a 16MB machine.  Is this correct?
>
>The physmem parameter is used to size the system page table,
>so it should be greater than or equal to the amount of memory
>actually in your machine.  Other than that, it has
>no effect.  When you have a chance, change physmem, re-config,
>relink and boot a new kernel.
>
>Regards,
>					Frank

When I first installed Ultrix on our 3100, I saw the same thing.
I didn't see any mention of physmem in the RISC manual, though
in the VAX manual, it does what Frank mentions above.  I went
ahead and reconfiged (is this a word ?) with physmem set to
our system size (16MB).  Upon reboot, I got large numbers of
swap errors with our machine crashing about every 18 hours.  I
changed physmem back to 8 and re-installed the kernel and everything
seems to be fine now.  Anyone else out there experience this?

			-ken