I'm mad about Non-PAE!!!

What features/apps/bugfixes needed in a future Puppy
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anikin
Posts: 994
Joined: Thu 10 May 2012, 06:16

#16 Post by anikin »

Here's what wikipedia has to say on PAE:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Address_Extension
Wikipedia wrote:The Linux kernel includes full PAE mode support starting with version 2.3.23,[17] enabling access of up to 64 GB of memory on 32-bit machines. A PAE-enabled Linux kernel requires that the CPU also support PAE. The Linux kernel supports PAE as a build option and major distributions provide a PAE kernel either as the default or as an option. As of 2009,[18] some common Linux distributions have started to use a PAE-enabled kernel as the distribution-specific default.[18] As of 2012, common Linux distributions have stopped distributing non-PAE kernels, thus making PAE hardware mandatory - examples being Red Hat Enterprise Linux / CentOS from version 6.0, Ubuntu (and derivatives like Linux Mint) from 12.10.[19] Fedora and Debian still distribute both PAE and non-PAE kernels.
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How to check if your cpu supports PAE? It can be done in a glorious way via this command:

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grep --color=always -i PAE /proc/cpuinfo

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rjbrewer
Posts: 4405
Joined: Tue 22 Jan 2008, 21:41
Location: merriam, kansas

#17 Post by rjbrewer »

anikin wrote: How to check if your cpu supports PAE? It can be done in a glorious way via this command:

Code: Select all

grep --color=always -i PAE /proc/cpuinfo
Nothing "glorious" about it!
The command does nothing on a non-PAE machine.
Doesn't mention PAE on others.

Inspiron 700m, Pent.M 1.6Ghz, 1Gb ram.
Msi Wind U100, N270 1.6>2.0Ghz, 1.5Gb ram.
Eeepc 8g 701, 900Mhz, 1Gb ram.
Full installs

anikin
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Joined: Thu 10 May 2012, 06:16

#18 Post by anikin »

No problem on PAE machines here, see image below.
If glory can't be observed on a non pae cpu ... isn't that a limitation of the cpu? No PAE, no glory. Although, frankly, I haven't bothered to test the command on a non-pae cpu.
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g2k
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Joined: Thu 31 Oct 2013, 03:58

#19 Post by g2k »

gcmartin wrote:So, if you have a PAE capable PC/laptop, its your choice when a developer offers you a choice.

The primary reason developers offer PAE capability is that they KNOW that a PAE distro will work NO MATTER HOW MUCH RAM you have. from 384MB (some distros) to as much as you can get the BIOS to use. And, Puppy is designed to incorporate all of that memory into its RAM file system for productive user use. For non-PAE distros, the same use exist, but, the amount of RAM is limited. Again, both of these work will work on a PAE capable PC, without issue or drawbacks.
While the above quoted statement(s) are true, it needs to be pointed out (for those who may not know): that NO distro with a PAE enabled kernel will work or install on ANY computer that has a NON pae processor.

There is a "trick" called [fake PAE], but it's a hack to FORCE something that wasn't designed to work to "usually" work.

The decision by "whomever" to discontinue supporting non pae processors was poorly thought out, at best.

Whoever "they"are should have kept the status quo and simply supplied the PAE enabled kernel during the install updates process. This would have GUARANTEED compatibility (in this area), while still enabling a given kernel to be more precisely matched to a given hardware setup.

Instead "they" decided that they would use kernels that are already PAE enabled by default. You have every right to be upset about this, it was a dumb move, plain and simple. I too am approaching the $25.00 mark in cd's/dvd's that are now beautiful coasters.

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