WinBUGS Forum

On a grid computing environment, we are using nodes with 2GB RAM and 2GB swap space. We are working on a model that has 200+ interactions and takes about 4 days to compile. Compiling this model on WinBUGS 1.4.3 consistently causes 3 Blackbox error windows with the compile halting. Upon closing WinBUGS, one last Blackbox error occurs.

This error is due to the lack of available memory, confirmed by the following:

1. In a VM of Windows XP with 512 MB RAM and no swap space, this same model fails in the exact same fashion. The error messages are the same except the particular memory addresses.

2. Same Windows XP VM but with 1GB RAM and no swap space has the same failure messages.

3. A VM running Slax 6.0.1 w/ cxoffice 6.2.0 and 1 GB RAM and no swap space has the same failure messages.

4. Same Slax 6.0.1 VM w/ wine 0.9.55 and 1 GB RAM and no swap space has the same failure messages.

5. A physical machine with Windows XP and 4GB RAM and no swap space does not fail.

Due to the consistency in error messages and events, it appears as though there is a memory issue. I will do additional testing with this massive model on a physical machine with 4GB RAM and see if the problem is still present. I hope to report whatever tweaks if any are needed to make this very large model work...

-dustymugs

I've now tested the model on the VM from list item #3 in the parent post with 2.5 GB RAM and no swap space. As the model compile has run for 15 minutes with no crash, I can safely say that the error has not occurred and probably will not occur.

Cxoffice 6.2.0 mush have something different than Wine 0.9.55 in regards to memory. I've noticed that regardless of the quantity of RAM, the WinBUGS14.exe process in WINE will cap out at 541m (tops RES column) unlike Cxoffice where that limit is not present.

-dustymugs

Tested using same VM with 2GB RAM instead of 2.5GB and compile runs fine for 15 minutes.

-dustymugs