Memory not getting released on Redhat Linux AS 2.1

[Reji K Mathew]

I am using an HP ML 370 server with 2 CPUs and 8GB of memory. I am using this server for Oracle database version 8.1.7. After completion of any running process the memory used by the process is not getting released.

I am attaching a sysreport which has given the bellow error on fdisk -I

fdisk -l output
<---- Disk: /dev/cciss/c0d0 ---->


Disk /dev/cciss/c0d0: 255 heads, 32 sectors, 43580 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8160 * 512 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/cciss/c0d0p1 * 1 75 305984 83 Linux
/dev/cciss/c0d0p2 76 1581 6144480 83 Linux
/dev/cciss/c0d0p3 1582 9110 30718320 83 Linux
/dev/cciss/c0d0p4 9111 43580 140637600 f Win95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/cciss/c0d0p5 9111 16639 30718304 83 Linux
/dev/cciss/c0d0p6 16640 24168 30718304 83 Linux
/dev/cciss/c0d0p7 24169 31697 30718304 83 Linux
/dev/cciss/c0d0p8 31698 39226 30718304 83 Linux
/dev/cciss/c0d0p9 39227 40481 5120384 83 Linux
/dev/cciss/c0d0p10 40482 40983 2048144 82 Linux swap
/dev/cciss/c0d0p11 40984 41485 2048144 82 Linux swap
/dev/cciss/c0d0p12 41486 43580 8547584 83 Linux

<---- END ---->
<---- Disk: /dev/cciss/c0d0p10 ---->

Disk /dev/cciss/c0d0p10 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/cciss/c0d0p10: 255 heads, 32 sectors, 501 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8160 * 512 bytes


<---- END ---->
<---- Disk: /dev/cciss/c0d0p11 ---->

Disk /dev/cciss/c0d0p11 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/cciss/c0d0p11: 255 heads, 32 sectors, 501 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8160 * 512 bytes


<---- END ---->
<---- Disk: /dev/cciss/c0d0p12 ---->

Disk /dev/cciss/c0d0p12 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/cciss/c0d0p12: 255 heads, 32 sectors, 2094 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8160 * 512 bytes


<---- END ---->

[Nobody's Hero]

Usually a patch. I've had this problem before. I believe I loaded a libc cumlative patch fix which is needed by oracle. I'd also load the ld and linker tools cumulative patch. These have fixes for memory with oracle.

[Reji K Mathew]

Thanx for your replay.

I am using the update 6 for AS 2.1

Can u pls tell me the patch specificaly u have used

[Nobody's Hero]

Sorry I cant be more help. I dont remember the patch, but I do remember the type. Sorry, best I can offer.

[Stuart Browne]

I note that you're talking about not releasing memory, yet are showing us your disk layout..

Why? Why not show us memory information instead? i.e. the values of '/proc/meminfo' before and after such a lack of release.

[Steven E. Protter]

Oracle has patches for 8.1.7 database, which btw is obsolete and only supported under special circumstances.

You need to get patches for memory related issues from metalink.oracle.com and upgrade the database and the data to 8.1.7.4 and see if the problem persists.

You need a support contract with Oracle to access these patches.

SEP