FAQ? How do I use slram?

[Gareth Davies]

I understand that slram can be used to support using uncached RAM for
swapping but I do not know how to set it up.

I have compiled both slram and mtdcore as modules have loaded mtdcore.o
but slram.o emits errors about the number of parameters.

I tried adding parameters to the kernel command line or via modules.conf
but am unclear as to the correct format in either case. From reading the
source file, I think 3 parameters are required, the device name, the
start address and either the length or the end address.

The computers I use currently have 64 Mbytes, but can support up to 128
Mbytes, although the upper 64 Mbytes is uncached. Before I add extra RAM,
I have been testing by limiting the kernel to 48 Mbytes and attempting to
use the remaining 16 Mbytes as a high priority swap space.

I started by doing:

  mknod -m 600 /dev/slram b 35 0

(although I am concerned that I should be using a /dev/mtd? device) and 
adding mem=48152k to the kernel command line.

I have tried putting options on the command line:

  map=slram,48152k,16384k
  map=/dev/slram,48152k,16384k

or in modules.conf:

  alias block-major-35 slram
  options slram device=slram start=48152k length=16384k
  options slram device=/dev/slram start=48152k length=16384k
  options slram map=slram,48152k,16384k
  options slram map=/dev/slram,48152k,16384k

but so far to no avail.

Having looked at older drivers for uncached RAM, I would expect to be able 
to do something like

  mkswap /dev/slram

and then enable it as the highest priority swap-space.

This is using RedHat 7.2 with either a 2.4.7 or a 2.4.9 kernel.

Will someone please point me in the right direction?

Many thanks,

Gareth.

-- 
Gareth Davies, Lotwillow Ltd.     'Always' and 'never' are two words you
Tel. +44 1344 294900               should always remember never to use.
Fax. +44 1344 294902                                         - M. Kendig