LXDE - still a lot of RAM used

[asianette]

I run LXDE, and I'm still finding that a lot of memory is being used. I don't have anything 'gnome' running and wicd tray is on. Anything I can do to take it down some? I'm running about ~300MB most of the time on a ASUS eee 1005HA-V, Jaunty

[asianette]

ps aux output:

root 19 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kacpi_notify]
root 20 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [ata/0]
root 21 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [ata/1]
root 22 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [ata_aux]
root 23 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [ksuspend_usbd]
root 24 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [khubd]
root 25 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kseriod]
root 26 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kmmcd]
root 27 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [bluetooth]
root 28 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 16:56 0:00 [khungtaskd]
root 29 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 16:56 0:00 [pdflush]
root 30 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 16:56 0:00 [pdflush]
root 31 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kswapd0]
root 32 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [aio/0]
root 33 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [aio/1]
root 34 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [ecryptfs-kthr]
root 35 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [crypto/0]
root 36 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [crypto/1]
root 46 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [scsi_eh_0]
root 47 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [scsi_eh_1]
root 48 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [scsi_eh_2]
root 49 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [scsi_eh_3]
root 53 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [scsi_eh_4]
root 54 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [scsi_eh_5]
root 57 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kstriped]
root 58 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kmpathd/0]
root 59 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kmpathd/1]
root 60 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kmpath_handle]
root 61 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [ksnapd]
root 62 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kondemand/0]
root 63 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kondemand/1]
root 64 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kconservative]
root 65 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kconservative]
root 66 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [krfcommd]
root 732 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:01 [kjournald]
root 867 0.0 0.0 2356 672 ? S<s 16:56 0:00 /sbin/udevd --d
root 1261 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kpsmoused]
root 1420 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:01 [phy0]
root 1653 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [hd-audio0]
root 1913 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 16:56 0:00 [kjournald]
root 2237 0.0 0.0 1808 528 tty4 Ss+ 16:56 0:00 /sbin/getty 384
root 2238 0.0 0.0 1808 528 tty5 Ss+ 16:56 0:00 /sbin/getty 384
root 2241 0.0 0.0 1808 532 tty2 Ss+ 16:56 0:00 /sbin/getty 384
root 2242 0.0 0.0 1808 528 tty3 Ss+ 16:56 0:00 /sbin/getty 384
root 2243 0.0 0.0 1808 528 tty6 Ss+ 16:56 0:00 /sbin/getty 384
root 2291 0.0 0.1 2732 1644 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /usr/sbin/acpid
syslog 2332 0.0 0.0 2040 684 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /sbin/syslogd -
root 2353 0.0 0.0 1968 540 ? S 16:56 0:00 /bin/dd bs 1 if
klog 2355 0.0 0.2 3916 2748 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /sbin/klogd -P
108 2376 0.4 0.1 2936 1316 ? Ss 16:56 0:15 /bin/dbus-daemo
root 2398 0.0 0.0 2896 812 ? S 16:56 0:00 /usr/sbin/lxnm
root 2411 0.5 0.6 20108 6304 ? S 16:56 0:21 python /usr/sha
root 2437 0.0 0.2 17572 2656 ? Ssl 16:56 0:00 /usr/sbin/conso
root 2621 0.0 0.1 3556 1544 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /usr/sbin/bluet
root 2656 0.0 0.3 15184 3560 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /usr/sbin/gdm
avahi 2700 0.0 0.1 2944 1480 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 avahi-daemon: r
avahi 2701 0.0 0.0 2944 508 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 avahi-daemon: c
root 2730 0.0 0.2 6108 2424 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /usr/sbin/cupsd
root 2772 0.0 0.1 4324 1156 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /usr/bin/system
root 2777 0.0 0.0 4280 964 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 wpa_supplicant
daemon 2851 0.0 0.0 2096 452 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /usr/sbin/atd
root 2856 0.2 0.6 10964 6480 ? S 16:56 0:09 python /usr/sha
root 2881 0.0 0.1 3480 1040 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /usr/sbin/cron
root 2980 0.0 0.1 3028 1616 tty1 Ss 16:56 0:00 /bin/login --
root 3150 0.0 0.0 2276 412 ? Ss 16:56 0:00 /sbin/dhclient
machase 6329 0.0 0.2 5364 2896 tty1 S 17:30 0:00 -bash
root 7167 4.1 5.9 108472 60732 tty1 Sl+ 17:33 0:53 aptitude
111 9262 0.1 0.4 6504 4436 ? Ss 17:46 0:00 /usr/sbin/hald
root 9263 0.0 0.1 3328 1140 ? S 17:46 0:00 hald-runner
root 9294 0.0 0.1 5176 1796 ? S 17:46 0:00 hald-addon-inpu
root 9295 0.0 0.1 5176 1776 ? S 17:46 0:00 /usr/lib/hal/ha
root 9315 0.0 0.1 5176 1776 ? S 17:46 0:00 /usr/lib/hal/ha
root 9324 0.0 0.1 5172 1752 ? S 17:46 0:00 /usr/lib/hal/ha
root 9360 0.0 0.1 5188 1780 ? S 17:46 0:00 /usr/lib/hal/ha
111 9361 0.0 0.1 5032 1760 ? S 17:46 0:00 hald-addon-acpi
root 9469 0.0 0.3 15616 3396 ? S 17:46 0:00 /usr/sbin/gdm
machase 9637 0.0 0.1 3060 1272 ? S 17:46 0:00 /usr/lib/gamin/
machase 9658 0.1 0.4 93176 4672 ? Ssl 17:46 0:00 /usr/bin/pulsea
root 9819 11.4 1.5 27684 16112 tty7 Rs+ 17:47 0:49 /usr/X11R6/bin/
machase 9870 0.0 0.1 9152 1992 ? S 17:48 0:00 /usr/bin/gnome-
machase 9882 0.0 0.0 2756 924 ? Ss 17:48 0:00 /usr/bin/lxsess
machase 9990 0.0 0.0 4784 604 ? Ss 17:48 0:00 /usr/bin/ssh-ag
machase 9995 0.0 0.0 3144 688 ? S 17:48 0:00 /usr/bin/dbus-l
machase 9996 0.0 0.0 2672 792 ? Ss 17:48 0:00 //bin/dbus-daem
machase 9997 0.3 0.7 13388 7308 ? S 17:48 0:01 openbox --confi
machase 9998 0.0 0.1 5112 1316 ? S 17:48 0:00 lxde-settings
machase 9999 0.1 0.2 4576 2228 ? S 17:48 0:00 xscreensaver -n
machase 10007 1.3 1.3 99648 14004 ? Sl 17:48 0:05 lxpanel --profi
machase 10008 0.4 1.2 35404 13112 ? S 17:48 0:01 pcmanfm -d
machase 10013 0.2 1.5 30060 15888 ? S 17:48 0:01 python /usr/sha
machase 10019 0.0 0.1 5620 2036 ? S 17:48 0:00 /usr/lib/gvfs/g
root 10040 0.0 0.0 3144 688 ? S 17:48 0:00 dbus-launch --a
root 10041 0.0 0.0 2672 816 ? Ss 17:48 0:00 //bin/dbus-daem
machase 10586 18.0 4.4 156380 45264 ? Sl 17:53 0:19 /usr/lib/firefo
machase 10593 0.1 0.2 6176 3044 ? S 17:53 0:00 /usr/lib/libgco
machase 10674 9.6 1.0 20940 10528 ? R 17:55 0:00 /usr/bin/x-term
machase 10675 0.0 0.0 2036 696 ? S 17:55 0:00 gnome-pty-helpe
machase 10676 13.0 0.2 5300 2832 pts/0 Ss 17:55 0:00 [bash]
root 10694 0.0 0.1 2768 1028 pts/0 R+ 17:55 0:00 ps aux

[kerry_s]

unused ram is waisted ram, 300mb is pretty common for a modern system, the more ram you have the more a linux system will cache to improve performance. if you tweak it to use less ram, the system can actually feel slower, because it would have to load everything fresh each time you use it, caching it in ram is faster, just let the computer do it's thing, don't worry about it unless there is a problem, just do what ever it is you do.

[theZoid]

I'm using 431mb of ram right now on a full jaunty 9.04 x64 gnome install, with conky running. I have 4 gb total ram. I don't know, I think that sounds about right if I remember from running LXDE or Openbox. What's your total ram in the eeepc, 1 or 2 gbs?

[asianette]

I have 1GB. I thought LXDE was supposed to be light on resources? I decided against installing conky or screenlets for that purpose. It just seems like an awful lot.

[theZoid]

I have 1GB. I thought LXDE was supposed to be light on resources? I decided against installing conky or screenlets for that purpose. It just seems like an awful lot.

Maybe....I'm just going from memory...I can understand why want to cut it down...I'll check and post back if I find anything useful...

[kerry_s]

I have 1GB. I thought LXDE was supposed to be light on resources? I decided against installing conky or screenlets for that purpose. It just seems like an awful lot.

it is, but what good is having resources if it's not being used. it's not a lxde problem, the kernel is detierming the way to use resouces by what resources are available, in most cases i have found that it will try to use 60% of the available resources.

in the past having more resouces free meant a better running system, that is no longer the case, as programs have gotten bigger & resources have increased it only makes sense to use those resouces to speed up the programs.

i have been working on low resource systems for some time & have learned a lot how to get the most out of them & 1 thing i don't do is mess with how it handles resources, which lets things feel as fast as they should.

so i'm telling you if you want the speed, let it do what it does, it does not matter what desktop or window manager, let the computer do the thinking, you can worry about more important things.

i use a vaio pcg-f430 450mhz 256mb ram running gnome & a ibm-t20 700mhz 128mb ram running jwm, i'm currently on the ibm.

[Lukios]

I have been working with lxde a lot lately and I don't use that much resources. I would suggest installing preload and upgrading your lxde to the current version if your using the ones from the ubuntu repositories.

[earthpigg]

just to make sure we are all clear, ill use my system as an example re: RAM and explain two relevant parts.

[chris: ~]$ free -m
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:          5953       2452 <-1st 3500          0        146       1676
-/+ buffers/cache:        629 <-2nd 5323
Swap:            0          0          0
[chris: ~]$

the first bold/underline/italic line is RAM used including cache -- your computer loading things ahead of time (based on guestimates and past usage patterns) to make starting them quicker later on. its good that so much is used -- in fact, so little is used on my system that it has me going "wtf, why isnt more of my RAM being used???"... on this line, unused RAM is wasted RAM. If Ubuntu's guess about what 'should' be loaded ahead of time is wrong, its no big deal... it instantly hands this RAM over to what it should have guessed when you do start that given program.

the second bold/underline/italic line is RAM used minus cache. this is what we worry about when we talk about bloat. in my case, so much is used because i have 10 ff tabs, a tv show, rhythmbox with a 3000 song playlist, and pidgin running.... on the other hand, when i have multiple VM's running much more of that gets used. when i boot into my LXDE desktop environment before i start opening things and whatnot, it's usually around 65 mb used.

[asianette]

What I am getting from the last two posts is that output of free -m gives the amount being used for EVERYTHING, not just process, is this correct? If that's it, I'll let it alone, it's really because I'm so OCD about these things. I managed to take a lot of unnecessary stuff off startup. It brought it down some.