Bug#567433: firmware-linux-nonfree: huge increase in used memory (RAM) right after system startup
Package: firmware-linux-nonfree
Version: 0.22
Severity: normal
I was using the following kernel: "linux-image-2.6.30-2-686".
After last "aptitude full-upgrade" the new kernel
"linux-image-2.6.32-trunk-686" was installed, and I'm using it since then.
This new kernel is "binary blob free", and the eventually required
firmware files are now in user land, inside packages "firmware-linux"
and "firmware-linux-nonfree".
I have the following graphics card: ATI RV350 AP.
ATI RV350 AP needs the firmware file "R300_cp.bin", which is included in
package "firmware-linux-nonfree".
R300_cp.bin is the only firmware file my system needs.
So I had to install the package "firmware-linux", which automatically
installed package "firmware-linux-nonfree" and updated initramfs image.
And now, when I run the command "dmesg | grep -i firmw" I see that
"R300_cp.bin" is requested and loaded in memory (so everything is fine).
Everything is fine except the used memory...
As a matter of fact, the memory (RAM) used right after gnome or lxde
login is now 32 MB more than the memory used before installing
"firmware-linux" and "firmware-linux-nonfree" !
I see this by running the command "free -m" right after system startup.
Before installing "firmware-linux" the system was using 97 MB in Gnome
and 65 MB in LXDE.
After installing "firmware-linux" the system began using 129 MB in Gnome
and 97 MB in LXDE!
Unistalling "firmware-linux" brings the used memory to 97 MB in Gnome
and 65 MB in LXDE.
I have found the culprit is only the file "R300_cp.bin".
Removing all files and directories inside /lib/firmware/ except the file
"R300_cp.bin" (which resides in /lib/firmware/radeon/) mantains the
system in the "memory hog state" (129 MB in Gnome and 97 MB in LXDE).
Removing from /lib/firmware/ only the file "R300_cp.bin" (which resides
in /lib/firmware/radeon/) brings the system (after next startup, of
course) back to normal used memory state (97 MB in Gnome and 65 MB in LXDE).
Another thing very strange is the fact the size of firmware file
"R300_cp.bin" is only 2,0 KB! So how can the system be using 32 MB just
for loading a 2,0 KB file??
This is of great concern mainly because many old systems have 256 MB of
RAM or even less... So a 32 MB increase in memory right after system
startup in unaceptable. And this in order for the user to have exactly
the same functionality he had with the refered firmware binary blob
included in the kernel!
-- System Information:
Debian Release: squeeze/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (900, 'testing')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.6.30-2-686 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=pt_PT.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=pt_PT.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
firmware-linux-nonfree depends on no packages.
firmware-linux-nonfree recommends no packages.
Versions of packages firmware-linux-nonfree suggests:
ii initramfs-tools 0.93.4 tools for generating an
initramfs
ii linux-image-2.6.30-2-68 2.6.30-8squeeze1 Linux 2.6.30 image on
PPro/Celeron
ii linux-image-2.6.32-trun 2.6.32-5 Linux 2.6.32 for modern PCs
-- no debconf information
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