Re: 2.6.20-rc5: cp 18gb 18gb.2 = OOM killer, reproducible just like 2.16.19.2

Mark Hahn
2007-01-26T00:09:17Z

> Something is seriously wrong with that OOM killer.

do you know you don't have to operate in OOM-slaughter mode?

"vm.overcommit_memory = 2" in your /etc/sysctl.conf puts you
into a mode where the kernel tracks your "committed" memory
needs, and will eventually cause some allocations to fail.
this is often much nicer than the default random OOM slaughter.
(you probably also need to adjust vm.overcommit_ratio with
some knowlege of your MemTotal and SwapTotal.)

regards, mark hahn.