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May 1, 2026 · Fundamentals
Why Linux Kernel Appears to ‘Steal’ Your Memory (and How It Manages Physical RAM)
The article explains why the Linux kernel reports less usable memory than the physical RAM, detailing the memblock allocator, crashkernel reservations, page‑struct overhead, and the handoff to the buddy system, showing how the kernel consumes memory for its own management.
Linux kernelbuddy systemcrashkernel
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