# Swap Partition Question

## Jon Wilder

Does the swap partition ever get cleared or is there always something in it? Is there any harm in clearing it via typing -

```
~#swapoff /dev/sda2

~#swapon /dev/sda2
```

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## audiodef

Why would you want to do that? You shouldn't need to. It's something you set and then ignore. 

Some machines never use it. My audio workstation has 8 GB ram (I'll max it out at 16 one of these days). Gkrellm's meter for the swap partition never moves from zero. I could probably do without but I'm quasi-superstitious about something breaking if I do.   :Razz: 

But I'm guessing if there's stuff in it, you should let the kernel handle things.

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## Jon Wilder

Good to know. I'm a n00b to Linux in general and Gentoo is my first and only distro (duck and cover  :Wink: ).

I'm running it on an 8 year old Athlon XP 2500+ system with 1.5GB RAM. I can max the mobo out at 3GB but DDR333 RAM is becoming increasingly hard to come by. 

One of these days I'll fork out the $$$ to build a whole new system lol.

Speaking of which...I was considering building a 64 bit system but not sure if it's even worth it. I base this on the "notion" that 64 bit systems have been out for almost 10 years but from my perspective (and take that with a HUGE grain of salt) it seems that the software hasn't even come close to catching up with the hardware in that department. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this (I'm here for expert advice so feel free to voice your expert opinions). Is it worth it to build a 64  bit system or should I just stick with the 32 bit? I know this LARGELY depends on what I wanna do with it (just like building hot rod engines) but basically what I'm looking to build is a machine that has "decent" performance with graphics intensive games and can handle dealing with real time streaming analog audio recording while at the same time being able to call up most programs instantaneously without any sort of "human noticeable" lag.

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## audiodef

I've used both 32 and 64-bit systems for games and professional audio (and this is Linux). Both work well. I'm in favour of going 64-bit. On the same machine, I've noticed 64-bit stuff working noticeably faster. 

There are some things you have to watch out for, but for me, there have been exactly two things that don't work for me in 64-bit, and that's 1. No VST plugin support in Ardour under 64-bit Linux, and 2. Doomsday bjorks savedgames in 64-bit. Also, a few VST's didn't run for me in vsthost in 64-bit, but I wasn't really using those anyway. Pretty much everything I actually need works, and works well. 

I think you should go with 64-bit. At least get 64-bit hardware. I'm tempted to say I don't think any modern CPU is made 32-bit anyway. 

You can also have 32-bit and 64-bit Gentoo installs on the same machine and you can decide for yourself which one you like. 

No need to duck and cover. You've made a good choice. But then, I'm partial to distros that give me complete control over my setup.   :Wink: 

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## Hu

If your existing system meets your needs, then there is no need to upgrade.  If you do upgrade, you will likely have to build a new system.  You can find a CPU that is incapable of amd64 mode if you try, but most new consumer level Intel-compatible CPUs will have amd64 support these days.  You could run an x86 (32-bit) system even on an amd64 capable machine, but I would do so only if you have a specific reason that you must use x86.  You cannot switch from x86 to amd64 (or vice versa) without reinstalling.  I went amd64 back when amd64 CPUs stopped being a niche item and have never regretted the decision.

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## wswartzendruber

 *Jon Wilder wrote:*   

> Does the swap partition ever get cleared or is there always something in it? Is there any harm in clearing it via typing -
> 
> ```
> ~#swapoff /dev/sda2
> 
> ...

 

That won't clear it.  That'll just tell the kernel not to use it anymore.  If you want to clear it, do this:

```
swapoff /dev/sda2

cat /dev/zero > /dev/sda2

mkswap /dev/sda2

swapon /dev/sda2
```

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## cach0rr0

if part of your reasoning for getting a new system is wanting to have more than 3GB memory, there is literally zero justification for going with a 32bit system

most everything you come across nowadays on Linux is readily able to be workable to run as a 64bit app. 

For the few stragglers that aren't, it is perfectly feasible to run a so-called "multilib" environment.

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## wswartzendruber

*COUGH*

Google

*COUGH*

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## cach0rr0

 *wswartzendruber wrote:*   

> *COUGH*
> 
> Google
> 
> *COUGH*

 

google what? i cant be bothered reading between the lines at the moment, busy watching eels tear through a deer carcass

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## wswartzendruber

 *cach0rr0 wrote:*   

>  *wswartzendruber wrote:*   *COUGH*
> 
> Google
> 
> *COUGH* 
> ...

 

There's still no 64-bit build of the Android SDK.

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## audiodef

 *cach0rr0 wrote:*   

> busy watching eels tear through a deer carcass

 

Wondering how that came about...   :Shocked: 

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## cach0rr0

 *audiodef wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Wondering how that came about...  

 

"River Monsters" on animal planet!

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## audiodef

 *cach0rr0 wrote:*   

> 
> 
> "River Monsters" on animal planet!

 

One of the few good things on broadcast television left! 

My in-laws have sat TV. 800 channels of... nothing. Seriously, I'd rather watch grass grow. In a world of choice, you'd think we'd get a choice between something you'd want to see and something you don't want to see. Instead, you have a choice between crap program A and crap program B.  

Times 400.  :Laughing: 

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## NeddySeagoon

audiodef,

Thats because filling the bandwidth has reduced the quality.

I can just remember when there was only 1 TV channel in the UK.  I'm not qualified to make any quality judgements compared to today as I was too young at the time.

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## Hu

 *wswartzendruber wrote:*   

> There's still no 64-bit build of the Android SDK.

 For those rare backward packages that still have not figured out how to run on amd64, you can create an x86 chroot and use them there while enjoying amd64 for everything else.

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## audiodef

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Thats because filling the bandwidth has reduced the quality.
> 
> 

 

That's for sure!   :Laughing: 

I think I'm younger than you, but I remember turning the UHF and VHF dials on my grandfather's 28" floor set - the kind with a nice, big wooden cabinet. And you'd turn it on, wait a second for it to warm up, turn it off and watch the picture dwindle.... BOOOOoooooo....... Used to do that often. Good times.   :Razz: 

And oh - you got maybe ten channels on UHF and five - some fuzzy - on VHF.

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## wswartzendruber

Pft.  My UHF/VHF TV was black and white.   :Smile: 

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## audiodef

 *wswartzendruber wrote:*   

> Pft.  My UHF/VHF TV was black and white.  

 

That's even cooler.   :Cool: 

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