# SWAP on Raspi?



## photor-freebsd (Dec 7, 2016)

Hello Forum,

I have installed FreeBSD 11 on a Raspi 2 Model B using the downloaded image, which worked fine. The installation is intended as training system to learn FreeBSD (again). Kernel sources and ports tree is loaded via SVN (which is new in FBSD for me). Installation of ports (using the old way with `make install clean`) works for most things[*]. So I am happy.

What I have recognized is the fact, that there no SWAP space activated. So my question: does it make sence to to make it available (and how - the file system is alread grown)? The memory of the Raspi is not that extraordinary big that it can be skipped. Maybe I want to add some extra USB-Drive for user data later, but I don't think, SWAP can be put there.

Going on with playing/learning FBSD.  

Ciao,

Photor


[*] _lsof_ does not seem to work on ARM, right?


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## Phishfry (Dec 7, 2016)

The reasons for lack of swap is the microSD card are pretty fragile. I don't think swap would be good for the limited write cycles.
I have read some stories about killed drives and choose not to experiment. If you wish to try you can mount the sdcard (slice2)after you burn your image to it and edit the rc.conf line for growfs_enabled= to "NO" and then you could make your swap disk.


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## photor-freebsd (Dec 7, 2016)

Thank you for your reply. So, maybe this is an option if/when I add some USB-drive to the Raspi.

Ciao,

Photor


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