memory allocation for programs

From: ccwallin (ccwallin_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 01/19/05 

Date: 19 Jan 2005 12:03:47 -0800

I am wondering how the loader part of an executable calculates the
amount of memory to set aside for each program a user runs in his
environment. That is when a user types in a programs name at the prompt
and hits "Enter" How does the loader figure out how much memory to set
aside for it to run. I think it needs some for code, some for stack
space, and some for data.

We have identical programs, running on different servers, that are
grabbing two different amounts of memory when they are run.
The two different servers are as follows -
1. Alpha 4100 running V4.0F PK7 - has 3GB RAM
2. Alpha ES40 running V5.1b PK4 - has 8GB RAM

On the ES40 the program grabs 10x the amount of memory that it does on
the 4100.

Tom Wallin

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Swap space
    ... > twice the amount of RAM if you need to capture a dump for debugging. ... > If you won't ever be doing that, you may not need so much swap. ... least the size of physical memory. ...
    (freebsd-questions)
  • Re: My idea of fully-portable C code
    ... unused state in the middle of a list of values will "use the least ... amount of memory possible" only by luck, ... The only thing that counts is what the code does if used within the limits you actually specified, on a random host platform implementing standard C. ...
    (comp.arch.embedded)
  • Re: Lambda Calculus and Turing Equivalence
    ... memory of a TM exceeds the potential finite memory of a PC. ... principle compute problems that require greater storage than ... That is because the tape that Turing posited has no physical constraints. ... magically given an infinite amount of storage space." ...
    (comp.theory)
  • Re: Lambda Calculus and Turing Equivalence
    ... memory of a TM exceeds the potential finite memory of a PC. ... principle compute problems that require greater storage than ... That is because the tape that Turing posited has no physical constraints. ... magically given an infinite amount of storage space." ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: Problem - Solved - Re: Starting with Linux
    ... My laptop is a Pentium 133mz, with the 96mb RAM. ... With DMA off, you will notice some system degradation and with only ... > to 8Mb probably) further reducing the amount of system memory available. ...
    (alt.os.linux.suse)