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On 25 Jul 2007 at 6:58, baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

>Message from Steven
>===================
>> The machine is a 486DX4 with 16Mb RAM.  I divided hda 
>> into a 16Mb swap disk and the rest as ext2.

[SNIP]

>> Then divide a 1gig memory card into a big swap file 
>
>As I understand it (I could be out of date), memory cards
>only take a finite number of writes.  Using one for swap
>risks wearing it out.  32mb swap is adequate for 16mb RAM.
>More swap than that is not going to have a significant
>effect on your 486.

Current memory cards still do wear out after a finite number of writes, 
but the manufacturer specs have gone up considerably for this 
specification, so it shouldn't be a problem.  The cards are also 
supposed to balance the number of writes across the available 
locations, as well.

This said, unless the memory card is CompactFlash, being used as an IDE 
drive, I can't recommend it.  Putting swap on any removable media is a 
sure receipie for disaster, the first time one forgetfully pulls the 
card out while in operation.

Anthony Albert
===========================================================
Anthony J. Albert                     albert AT umpi.maine.edu
Systems and Software Support Specialist          Postmaster
Computer Services - University of Maine, Presque Isle
 "For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened
 lately, that Alice had begun to think that very few
 things indeed were really impossible."-Alice in Wonderland