The base installation theoretically requires 1GB RAM, but it will struggle if you run clamav/amavis. In my testing VM's I generally use 1.5GB. More is needed to run some apps.

ClearOS creates a swap partition when it is installed without the LVM or a swap volume if you use the LVM. A swap partition is difficult to adjust upwards as you have to compress the following partition and this is not possible if it is xfs. Presumably the LVM makes it easier to add more swap space if you have some spare, but if it is all used and you use xfs, you can't adjust the partitions. Have a look at the output of "fdisk -l". It is possible to add a swap file manually on an existing partition and there are guides on the internet for it.

I don't know what defaults ClearOS uses. On different installations I see (from "free" in kB):

RAM        Swap

1530888    1679356

2046412    2097148

4044732    2359292

Your swap looks weird - 820MB. Did you start with a small amount of memory? Having said that the more physical memory you have, the less swap is needed.

When I created the VM install on my pc on virtual box I am not sure what memory was set to. The partition size initially was 10 gigs. I took a guess

Then I imported the vdmk to google cloud started on a 1 cpu 3 gigs and went to 2 cpu 7 gigs

It is xfs

These days people try to build systems that don't use a swap space. With 8GB of RAM then that should be fine for web and email with no swap. As soon as swap is used the system bogs down. Obviously on a VM you try to keep resources to a minimum to save costs. I've got a ClearOS 4GB RAM with file, email and web and it does struggle a bit with the email antivirus and does use some swap. Mostly any spare RAM shows as used because the OS is using it as disk caching, it will quickly switch it's use to processes if needed.

Wayland Sothcott wrote:

These days people try to build systems that don't use a swap space. With 8GB of RAM then that should be fine for web and email with no swap. As soon as swap is used the system bogs down. Obviously on a VM you try to keep resources to a minimum to save costs. I've got a ClearOS 4GB RAM with file, email and web and it does struggle a bit with the email antivirus and does use some swap. Mostly any spare RAM shows as used because the OS is using it as disk caching, it will quickly switch it's use to processes if needed.

Thank you that makes since I will leave it alone for now

Nick Howitt wrote:

The base installation theoretically requires 1GB RAM, but it will struggle if you run clamav/amavis. In my testing VM's I generally use 1.5GB. More is needed to run some apps.

ClearOS creates a swap partition when it is installed without the LVM or a swap volume if you use the LVM. A swap partition is difficult to adjust upwards as you have to compress the following partition and this is not possible if it is xfs. Presumably the LVM makes it easier to add more swap space if you have some spare, but if it is all used and you use xfs, you can't adjust the partitions. Have a look at the output of "fdisk -l". It is possible to add a swap file manually on an existing partition and there are guides on the internet for it.

I don't know what defaults ClearOS uses. On different installations I see (from "free" in kB):

RAM        Swap

1530888    1679356

2046412    2097148

4044732    2359292

Your swap looks weird - 820MB. Did you start with a small amount of memory? Having said that the more physical memory you have, the less swap is needed.

Thank you for your awesome support, I now own two clearos essential subscriptions.