Can the %MEM value for a process show more than 100% in top output?Is this ever possible?
1 Answer
No it can't. According to the manual it is only the physical memory and in real life you can not have more than 100% memory, can you?
n: %MEM -- Memory usage (RES)
A task's currently used share of available physical memory.
o: VIRT -- Virtual Image (kb)
The total amount of virtual memory used by the task. It
includes all code, data and shared libraries plus pages that
have been swapped out and pages that have been mapped but not
used.
p: SWAP -- Swapped size (kb)
Memory that is not resident but is present in a task. This is
memory that has been swapped out but could include additional
non-resident memory. This column is calculated by subtracting
physical memory from virtual memory.
q: RES -- Resident size (kb)
The non-swapped physical memory a task has used.
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What if it is using some swap? Theoretically can it ever be more than 100%? Sep 30, 2011 at 19:54
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mailq is correct... another way to think of the same answer: the only way it would show >100% is if the measurement was something ridiculous... like "what is the percentage of
physical memory
that is taken up byphysical memory
andvirtual memory/swap
..." like "what is the percentage of bananas that is taken up by bananas and pineapples"... well 100% of the bananas + the pineapples... who cares about pineapples?! Sep 30, 2011 at 20:27