Solved Why does FreeBSD pause for a long time at startup when the system has lots of ram?

judd

judd

FreeBSD 10.1 and earlier versions test memory early in the boot process. When the system has a small amount of memory, the test takes a few seconds. Computers with ten to thousands of gigabytes of memory can take several minutes to complete the test. The memory test can be disabled by adding hw.memtest.tests=0 to /boot/loader.conf.
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Questions:
1) hw.memtest.tests = 0 will not work in 12.1 as manual says or can it?
2) Can it be counterproductive not to let FBSD at startup not perform a memory test?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
From /sys/amd64/amd64/machdep.c
C: 
    /*
     * The boot memory test is disabled by default, as it takes a
     * significant amount of time on large-memory systems, and is
     * unfriendly to virtual machines as it unnecessarily touches all
     * pages.
     *
     * A general name is used as the code may be extended to support
     * additional tests beyond the current "page present" test.
     */
    memtest = 0;
    TUNABLE_ULONG_FETCH("hw.memtest.tests", &memtest);
 
mjollnir
mjollnir said:
From /sys/amd64/amd64/machdep.c
C: 
    /*
     * The boot memory test is disabled by default, as it takes a
     * significant amount of time on large-memory systems, and is
     * unfriendly to virtual machines as it unnecessarily touches all
     * pages.
     *
     * A general name is used as the code may be extended to support
     * additional tests beyond the current "page present" test.
     */
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Hi, I can't find that script structure ..
I just want FBSD to start faster.

Could you also create that file, as is?
 
judd said:
Hi, I can't find that script structure ..
I just want FBSD to start faster.
Click to expand...
That's not a script but a snippet from FreeBSD's source code. And what mjollnir is telling you here is there is nothing you should do -- if you don't explicitly enable the boot memory test, it does not happen.
 
Zirias said:
That's not a script but a snippet from FreeBSD's source code. And what mjollnir is telling you here is there is nothing you should do -- if you don't explicitly enable the boot memory test, it does not happen.
Click to expand...

Ok, leave it as it is by default, or add:
Code: 
memtest = 0;
TUNABLE_ULONG_FETCH ("hw.memtest.tests", & memtest);
to file /boot/loader.conf.

Excuse my ignorance.
 
judd said:
Ok, leave it as it is by default, or add:
Code: 
memtest = 0;
TUNABLE_ULONG_FETCH ("hw.memtest.tests", & memtest);
to file /boot/loader.conf.
Click to expand...
NO no no :eek: You can add hw.memtest.tests="1" to enable it. It is disabled by default, as you can read in the source code.
judd said:
Excuse my ignorance.
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Nobody is born with in-depth knowledge of the internals of computer systems. All what is under /usr/sys/sys are the sources of the kernel. If you want to know how the system works, you can read it there.
What version of FreeBSD are you running? If you have a modern system, you can speed up the boot process by setting int the UEFI BIOS: boot method=UEFI only (no CSM)
 
  • Last important advise: Do not blindly mess around with entries in /boot/loader.conf and/or /boot/loader.conf.local. The system will merciless do exactly what you tell it, and not what you think or want it should do...
  • Either your level of knowledge of how computer systems are build and work is fairly low, or you are a troll who's intention is to distract other peoples attention and eating up their time...
  • In the latter case, go to other forums, e.g. Windows or Mac. In the 1st case, please try harder to get the piece of information you need yourself before asking here. Install and read the FreeBSD docs:
    pkg install {de,en}-freebsd-doc replace de with your native tongue, e.g. es for spanish
    the docs (FreeBSD Handbook) are under /usr/local/share/doc/freebsd, to be comfortably read with any browser.
  • Use other sources like wikipedia etc. pp.
 
mjollnir said:
Last important advise: Do not blindly mess around with entries in /boot/loader.conf and/or /boot/loader.conf.local. The system will merciless do exactly what you tell it, and not what you think or want it should do...
Click to expand...

Okay, just ask before executing.

mjollnir said:
Either your level of knowledge of how computer systems are build and work is fairly low, or you are a troll who's intention is to distract other peoples attention and eating up their time...
Click to expand...

It may be that my level is too low, now; to be called a troll at 54 years old, with all due respect, I don't allow it.
I always kindly deal with you and hope the same on the other side. He's being very aggressive and I don't think it's necessary.

mjollnir said:
In the latter case, go to other forums, e.g. Windows or Mac. In the 1st case, please try harder to get the piece of information you need yourself before asking here. Install and read the FreeBSD docs:
pkg install {de,en}-freebsd-doc replace de with your native tongue, e.g. es for spanish
the docs (FreeBSD Handbook) are under /usr/local/share/doc/freebsd, to be comfortably read with any browser.
Click to expand...


It takes time to learn, no matter how hard you put it, this is my case.
On the Windows and Mac forums ... I don't think it's necessary, and let me tell you that I'm going where I want and not where they tell me ...

mjollnir said:
Use other sources like wikipedia etc. pp.
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Yes, of course, I read everything I can and look for good places for it.


Outside of all this discussion, it is not at all pleasant to enter a forum and to be reviled in such a way.
It will not be able to break me either, I have a very high self-esteem.

Thanks for all your advice and your time on me.
 
I know sometimes what I say/write sounds harsh. I did not want to be rude. To not know s/th is normal, and of course it's ok to ask. Eventually it was my own decision to take the time to answer, and I will continue to do so.
 
mjollnir said:
I know sometimes what I say/write sounds harsh. I did not want to be rude. To not know s/th is normal, and of course it's ok to ask. Eventually it was my own decision to take the time to answer, and I will continue to do so.
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You are rude, you behave rudely and you use very rude expressions. Given that your input in this thread has offered zero help to the asker, it has not been productive in the least bit. You could have spent your time better simply by focusing on something else.
 
Did you actually notice my 1st response (2nd post of thread) and Zirias' comment on it?
SirDice, I already explained my regrets and otherwise tried to help the OP in another thread to the best of my knowledge.
 
I tend to find it strange (and a bit annoying) when people continue asking exactly what was already answered, but it happens. That's no reason to call someone a "troll". Could we just drop the subject now? ;) After all, every previous answer here just tried to help, so let's stick to that...
 
mjollnir said:
SirDice, I already explained my regrets and otherwise tried to help the OP in another thread to the best of my knowledge.
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That's why you only got a warning. I will not hesitate to ban people if it's required.
 
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