MacBook almost out of memory

When I check my MacBook's memory, I have 45BG of memory used by "Other" how can I figure out what all of that is and get rid of the junk... I've deleted cache and documents I don't need, but I really don't have that much "stuff".

You'll find some good information here:
http://pondini.org/OSX/DiskSpace.html
FWIW, what you referred to as memory is really space on your hard drive; I know that's a little confusing.

Similar Messages

  • How to detect "almost out of memory" in JRockit?

    I would appreciate any advice on how to build an "almost out of memory" detector to ensure the JVM does not crash when the user mis-configures our application.
    So far I have encountered these problems with JRockit 27.3 (JDK 5.0) in limited testing on windows. This test is just one part of the app, using only 50mb. I've tried 27.4 and it appears to have the same issues.
    1) Runtime.freeMemory returns 0 often, even when lots of memory is still available (28% was returned in the previous call!). If the thread sleeps for 30 millisec a resonable value might be returned. (but still gets 0 fairly often).
    2) There is huge oscillation in the free memory reported even when there is > 15% memory left. The test program allocates some intermediate data (10kb or so), then the more permanent data (500 bytes or so). Successive calls to free memory in the loop can oscillate from 8% left to 17% left.
    3) As memory gets more than 50% used, the GC algorithm switches around several times. I was using -Xgcprio:pausetime with pause time of 600ms. The observation was the GC algorithm switches and some full GC's would take as much as 8 seconds (this test using 100mb of memory) and during this time my polling thread (250ms) does not run. This is a problem since there are a couple of polling threads that expect to run at least once per second.
    4) It appears the basic Java heap usage is quite different with JRockit. The test code can allocate 50k result objects (about 500 bytes each) when run in Sun JVM, but only 33k objects in JRockit. (-Xmx is set to 50M for these tests, the real app runs with 3 to 12GB based on customer hardware)

    Can you post your test code here?
    Thanks,
    /Staffan

  • Almost out of memory

    hello I enclose a screenshot of my memory
    I am almost out of memory but I have no idea what takes so much space?
    Ofcourse I am talking about the 320 GB SATA disk, the other are allright
    you can see it is called other, how can I find out what it is?
    I first thought it was dropbox,as I downloaded a lot of files to dropbox, but I have desynced all my folders and I still get the same amount of space.
    The helpdesk of dropbox tells me that my mac cannot contain contents anymore if I have desynced the folders...
    I want to free my mac from this yellow stuff from which I do not know what it is. Has anybody an idea how I can figure this out?
    Txs,
    Marcel Steinbach

    For information about the Other category in the Storage display, see this support article.
    Empty the Trash if you haven't already done so. If you use iPhoto, empty its internal Trash first:
    iPhoto ▹ Empty Trash
    Do the same in other applications, such as Aperture, that have an internal Trash feature. Then reboot. That will temporarily free up some space.
    According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation. You also need enough space left over to allow for growth of the data. There is little or no performance advantage to having more available space than the minimum Apple recommends. Available storage space that you'll never use is wasted space.
    When Time Machine backs up a portable Mac, some of the free space will be used to make local snapshots, which are backup copies of recently deleted files. The space occupied by local snapshots is reported as available by the Finder, and should be considered as such. In the Storage display of System Information, local snapshots are shown asBackups. The snapshots are automatically deleted when they expire or when free space falls below a certain level. You ordinarily don't need to, and should not, delete local snapshots yourself. If you followed bad advice to disable local snapshots by running a shell command, you may have ended up with a lot of data in the Other category. Reboot and it should go away.
    See this support article for some simple ways to free up storage space.
    You can more effectively use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper (ODS) to explore the volume and find out what's taking up the space. You can also delete files with it, but don't do that unless you're sure that you know what you're deleting and that all data is safely backed up. That means you have multiple backups, not just one.
    Deleting files inside an iPhoto or Aperture library will corrupt the library. Any changes to a photo library must be made from within the application that created it. The same goes for Mail files.
    Proceed further only if the problem isn't solved by the above steps.
    ODS can't see the whole filesystem when you run it just by double-clicking; it only sees files that you have permission to read. To see everything, you have to run it as root.
    Back up all data now.
    If you have more than one user account, make sure you're logged in as an administrator. The administrator account is the one that was created automatically when you first set up the computer.
    Install ODS in the Applications folder as usual. Quit it if it's running.
    Triple-click anywhere in the line of text below on this page to select it, then copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
    sudo /Applications/OmniDiskSweeper.app/Contents/MacOS/OmniDiskSweeper
    Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
    Paste into the Terminal window (command-V). You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.
    The application window will open, eventually showing all files in all folders, sorted by size with the largest at the top. It may take a few minutes for ODS to finish scanning.
    I don't recommend that you make a habit of doing this. Don't delete anything while running ODS as root. If something needs to be deleted, make sure you know what it is and how it got there, and then delete it by other, safer, means. When in doubt, leave it alone or ask for guidance.
    When you're done with ODS, quit it and also quit Terminal.

  • My MBA won't empty the trash and I'm almost out of memory. It's not a year old yet.

    My MBA won't empty the trash and I'm almost out of memory. It can't upgrade too! I just got it last august 2013.

    Mac troubleshooting: What to do when the Trash won’t empty | Macworld

  • Macbook pro out of memory!

    bought a MacBook Pro 13 inch in november 2011 and it is now telling me my start up disk is full, so is there any way i can either free a lot of space or upgrade the memory capacity?

    Freeing Up Space on The Hard Drive
    See Lion's Storage Display.
    You can remove data from your Home folder except for the /Home/Library/ folder.
    Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on freeing up space on your hard drive.
    Also see Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk.
    If you cannot solve the problem sufficiently then you need to replace the drive with a larger capacity drive.

  • IPhone 4 almost out of memory but how to clean up

    The iPhone 4 say i have 8,2GB programs/apps but I have 11 programs 124MB programs what can I do to get 8,1 GB back????

    Hi Allan!
    Thanks for your quick replay
    I sync it often......
    But I also updated my iPhone to ver.5 now it show 8,6GB free space.....
    Before 0,48GB free space
    I think the restore and the upgrade fixed the problem....

  • Passport WD Almost out of memory

    I used a Passport WD with 297GB capacity for backup.  Properties show I only have 21.2MB left.  How can I make room for future backups?

    Hi,
    The backup software should give you an option how many days/cycles do you want to keep. Just reduce number of days/cycles will help. Otherwise, buy a new, bigger (capacity) external HDD, they are very, very, very cheap now.
    Regards.
    BH
    **Click the KUDOS thumb up on the left to say 'Thanks'**
    Make it easier for other people to find solutions by marking a Reply 'Accept as Solution' if it solves your problem.

  • Upgraded to lion on my 2009 summer macbook pro, now no memory left. something is screwy ...please help an old lady out..

    upgraded to lion on my 2009 summer macbook pro, now no memory left. something is screwy ...please help an old lady out..

    By memory, do you mean space on your hard disk?
    If so, here is one resource:
    Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk
    Or do you really mean memory - i.e,, RAM?
    In any case, what occurs that makes you think your "memory" is gone?
    charlie

  • My MacBook Air tells me I'm out of memory.  to my knowledge I use only 65 GB for documents, photos, videos, apps, and it tells me that 75 GB is taken by "other"  What is in other, and how can I fix it?

    my MacBook Air tells me I'm out of memory.  to my knowledge I use only 65 GB for documents, photos, videos, apps, and it tells me that 75 GB is taken by "other"  What is in other, and how can I fix it?

    For information about the Other category in the Storage display, see this support article. If the Storage display seems to be inaccurate, try rebuilding the Spotlight index.
    Empty the Trash if you haven't already done so. If you use iPhoto, empty its internal Trash first:
              iPhoto ▹ Empty Trash
    Do the same in other applications, such as Aperture, that have an internal Trash feature. Then restart the computer. That will temporarily free up some space.
    According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation—not the mythical 10%, 15%, or any other percentage. You also need enough space left over to allow for growth of the data. There is little or no performance advantage to having more available space than the minimum Apple recommends. Available storage space that you'll never use is wasted space.
    When Time Machine backs up a portable Mac, some of the free space will be used to make local snapshots, which are backup copies of recently deleted files. The space occupied by local snapshots is reported as available by the Finder, and should be considered as such. In the Storage display of System Information, local snapshots are shown as  Backups. The snapshots are automatically deleted when they expire or when free space falls below a certain level. You ordinarily don't need to, and should not, delete local snapshots yourself. If you followed bad advice to disable local snapshots by running a shell command, you may have ended up with a lot of data in the Other category. Ask for instructions in that case.
    See this support article for some simple ways to free up storage space.
    You can more effectively use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper (ODS) or GrandPerspective (GP) to explore the volume and find out what's taking up the space. You can also delete files with it, but don't do that unless you're sure that you know what you're deleting and that all data is safely backed up. That means you have multiple backups, not just one. Note that ODS only works with OS X 10.8 or later. If you're running an older OS version, use GP.
    Deleting files inside an iPhoto or Aperture library will corrupt the library. Any changes to a photo library must be made from within the application that created it. The same goes for Mail files.
    Proceed further only if the problem isn't solved by the above steps.
    ODS or GP can't see the whole filesystem when you run it just by double-clicking; it only sees files that you have permission to read. To see everything, you have to run it as root.
    Back up all data now.
    If you have more than one user account, make sure you're logged in as an administrator. The administrator account is the one that was created automatically when you first set up the computer.
    Install the app you downloaded in the Applications folder as usual. Quit it if it's running.
    Triple-click anywhere in the corresponding line of text below on this page to select it, then copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
    sudo /Applications/OmniDiskSweeper.app/Contents/MacOS/OmniDiskSweeper
    sudo /Applications/GrandPerspective.app/Contents/MacOS/GrandPerspective
    Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
    Paste into the Terminal window by pressing command-V. You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. Type carefully and then press return. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator. Ignore any other messages that appear in the Terminal window.
    The application window will open, eventually showing all files in all folders, sorted by size. It may take a few minutes for the app to finish scanning.
    I don't recommend that you make a habit of doing this. Don't delete anything as root. If something needs to be deleted, make sure you know what it is and how it got there, and then delete it by other, safer, means. When in doubt, leave it alone or ask for guidance.
    When you're done with the app, quit it and also quit Terminal.

  • IMac CPU3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8GB, Extremely slow and repeatedly "out of Memory" since migration from Mountain Lion to Mavericks

    Dear Apple Support Community.
    As mentioned by a number of users reporting the same problem, my 2009 iMac CPU3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8GB RAM, has become extremely slow and repeatedly "out of Memory" since it was migrated from Mountain Lion to Mavericks (OS 10.9 then OS 10.9.1).
    I have already run CleanMyMac, deleted 5GB of useless stuffs, which did not translate into any improvement. Following the advices collected in other Apple Support Community threads, I have applied EtreCheck the outcome of which is provided below.
    For information, I have also upgraded my 2011 MacBook CPU2.3 GHz Core i7, 8GB which became only a bit slower than before, sometimes freezing which it almost never did before. However, I am used to the fact that Mac get usually slower and more prompt fo freeze after upgrading to a more recent OS.
    Both my 2009 iMac and my 2011 MacBook have F-Secure installed. So the problem with the 2009 IMac is unlikly to be due to the presence of F-Secure. Interestingly, the few abnormalities found by Etrecheck were exacly identical before I ran CleanMyMac. There are two more findings (mentioned below) since I ran CleanMyMac on the 2009 iMac, which again didn't improve the problem.
    So please find below the details of the EtreCheck experience and some additional measurements made with iStat while running EtreCheck:
    Hardware Information:
    iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)
    iMac - model: iMac9,1
    1 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2 cores
    8 GB RAM
    Video Information:
    ATI Radeon HD 4850 - VRAM: 512 MB
    Audio Plug-ins:
    BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
    AirPlay: Version: 1.9 - SDK 10.9
    AppleAVBAudio: Version: 2.0.0 - SDK 10.9
    iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
    System Software:
    OS X 10.9.1 (13B42) - Uptime: 0 days 2:40:57
    Disk Information:
    WDC WD1001FALS-40K1B0 disk0 : (1 TB)
    EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
    XooS5 HD (disk0s2) /: 999.35 GB (189.85 GB free)
    Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
    OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5670S 
    USB Information:
    Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
    Canon CanoScan
    Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
    Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
    Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
    FireWire Information:
    WD My Passport 071D 800mbit - 800mbit max
    EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
    disk1s2 (disk1s2) <not mounted>: 2 TB
    Boot OS X (disk1s3) <not mounted>: 134.2 MB
    Thunderbolt Information:
    Kernel Extensions:
    com.f-secure.kext.fsauth          (1.0.0d1)
    Problem System Launch Daemons:
    [failed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist [REMARK: this abnormality appeared only after running CleanMyMac. It does not appear on my 2011 MacBook]
    Problem System Launch Agents:
    Launch Daemons:
    [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist
    [invalid] com.bjango.istatlocaldaemon.plist [REMARK: this abnormality pre-existed to running CleanMyMac. It appears also on my 2011 MacBook]
    [loaded] com.f-secure.fsavd.dbhelper.plist
    [loaded] com.f-secure.fsavd.plist
    [loaded] com.f-secure.fsmac.firewall.plist
    [loaded] com.f-secure.fsmac.fsupdated_guts2.plist
    [loaded] com.f-secure.fsmac.licensetool.plist
    [loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.Agent.plist
    Launch Agents:
    [loaded] com.babylon.activation.plist
    [loaded] com.bjango.istatlocal.plist
    [loaded] com.f-secure.relauncher.plist
    [loaded] com.f-secure.trasher.plist
    User Launch Agents:
    [loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist
    [loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist
    [loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.diskSpaceWatcher.plist
    [loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.scheduledScan.plist
    [loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.trashWatcher.plist
    User Login Items:
    iTunesHelper
    Dropbox
    F-Secure Anti-Virus for MAC
    3rd Party Preference Panes:
    Flash Player
    Internet Plug-ins::
    FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 11.9.900.170 - SDK 10.6
    Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
    AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.04 - SDK 10.6
    AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.04 - SDK 10.6
    DivXBrowserPlugin: Version: 2.1
    Flash Player: Version: 11.9.900.170 - SDK 10.6
    OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.2.8
    Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 6.1
    QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
    iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0
    User Internet Plug-ins::
    Picasa: Version: 1.0
    Bad Fonts:
    None
    Old applications:
    None
    Time Machine:
    Skip System Files: NO
    Mobile backups: OFF
    Auto backup: YES
    Volumes being backed up:
    XooS5 HD: Disk size: 930.71 GB Disk used: 753.90 GB
    Destinations:
    XooS5 TM [Local] (Last used)
    Total size: 2 
    Total number of backups: 32
    Oldest backup: 2013-09-15 01:11:39 +0000
    Last backup: 2013-12-07 12:48:45 +0000
    Size of backup disk: Too small. Backup size 2  < (Disk used 753.90 GB X 3)
    Time Machine details may not be accurate. All volumes being backed up may not be listed.
    REMARK: The above finding is unlikely to be accurate. In fact, my Time Machine is supported by a 2TB WD My Passport Studio external HD connected with a Firewire 800. As mentionned, only 754GB of the 2000GB are used.
    Top Processes by CPU:
    5%          backupd
    5%          Mail
    5%          WindowServer
    3%          Finder
    3%          Dropbox
    Top Processes by Memory:
    1.60 GB          mds_stores REMARK: this item was marked in red in the outcome of EtreCheck, so I assume there is something wrong there
    82 MB          Finder
    74 MB          Mail
    49 MB          softwareupdated
    49 MB          Dropbox
    Virtual Memory Statistics:
    97 MB          Free RAM
    1.21 GB          Active RAM
    1.19 GB          Inactive RAM
    1.21 GB          Wired RAM
    1.83 GB          Page-ins
    36 MB          Page-outs
    Please find now some additional measurements collected with iStat while running EtreCheck:
    Practically:
    The iMac can work slowly with only one software e.g. either Mail or Safari or Firefox, but still the below "out of Memory" message occurs about every 3 minutes.
    Aperture has becomre to slow to be useable
    If trying to write a mail (with Mail) while Safari or Firefox is open, then the "out of Memory" message occurs about every 20 seconds so I need to check on "Resume" several times per minute.
    Conclusions
    From the above, unless anyone in the Apple Support Community proves to be able to identify a specific problem leading to a way to find a cure, I tend to conclude that Mavericks is not suitable for computers operating with a Core 2 Duo CPU even with a 8GB of RAM.
    Unless I missed something, I did not see any warning from Apple Computer Inc. informing their customers they should refrain from upgrading Core 2 Duo Computers.
    The only solution I see so far is to downgrade from Mavericks to Mountain Lion. And the Apple Support Community would confirm that it is the only solution, I would appreciate to get your guidance on how to proceed.
    Intended action plan
    Migrate the above 2009 iMac to a 2014 Mac Mini Server operating on Mavericks to ensure that no data may be lost while downgrading to Montain Lion.
    Provided the above downgrading operation is successful, assign this 2009 iMac to partial retirement e.g. Mail, Skype, iTunes  and DVD player.
    In advance, I would like to thank the Apple Community for helping me either i) finding a cure to the problem, ii) or confirming that Mavericks cannot operate properly on Core 2 Duo computers, iii) and in such a case, guiding me on how to downgrade to Mountain Lion.
    Yours sincerely
    Core

    ... what anti-virus would you recommend using?
    Use what is already included with OS X. It already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. Keep it that way with software updates from Apple.
    A much better question is "how should I protect my Mac":
    Never install any product that claims to "speed up", "clean up", "optimize", or "accelerate" your Mac. Without exception, they will do the opposite.
    Never install pirated or "cracked" software, software obtained from dubious websites, or other questionable sources. Illegally obtained software is almost certain to contain malware.
    Don’t supply your password in response to a popup window requesting it, unless you know what it is and the reason your credentials are required.
    Don’t open email attachments from email addresses that you do not recognize, or click links contained in an email:
    Most of these are scams that direct you to fraudulent sites that attempt to convince you to disclose personal information.
    Such "phishing" attempts are the 21st century equivalent of a social exploit that has existed since the dawn of civilization. Don’t fall for it.
    Apple will never ask you to reveal personal information in an email. If you receive an unexpected email from Apple saying your account will be closed unless you take immediate action, just ignore it. If your iTunes or App Store account becomes disabled for valid reasons, you will know when you try to buy something or log in to this support site, and are unable to.
    Don’t install browser extensions unless you understand their purpose. Go to the Safari menu > Preferences > Extensions. If you see any extensions that you do not recognize or understand, simply click the Uninstall button and they will be gone.
    Don’t install Java unless you are certain that you need it:
    Java, a non-Apple product, is a potential vector for malware. If you are required to use Java, be mindful of that possibility.
    Disable Java in Safari > Preferences > Security.
    Despite its name JavaScript is unrelated to Java. No malware can infect your Mac through JavaScript. It’s OK to leave it enabled.
    Block browser popups: Safari menu > Preferences > Security > and check "Block popup windows":
    Popup windows are useful and required for some websites, but popups have devolved to become a common means to deliver targeted advertising that you probably do not want.
    Popups themselves cannot infect your Mac, but many contain resource-hungry code that will slow down Internet browsing.
    If you ever see a popup indicating it detected registry errors, that your Mac is infected with some ick, or that you won some prize, it is 100% fraudulent. Ignore it.
    Ignore hyperventilating popular media outlets that thrive by promoting fear and discord with entertainment products arrogantly presented as "news". Learn what real threats actually exist and how to arm yourself against them:
    The most serious threat to your data security is phishing. To date, most of these attempts have been pathetic and are easily recognized, but that is likely to change in the future as criminals become more clever.
    OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.
    Never install something without first knowing what it is, what it does, how it works, and how to get rid of it when you don’t want it any more.
    If you elect to use "anti-virus" software, familiarize yourself with its limitations and potential to cause adverse effects, and apply the principle immediately preceding this one.
    Most such utilities will only slow down and destabilize your Mac while they look for viruses that do not exist, conveying no benefit whatsoever - other than to make you "feel good" about security, when you should actually be exercising sound judgment, derived from accurate knowledge, based on verifiable facts.
    Do install updates from Apple as they become available. No one knows more about Macs and how to protect them than the company that builds them.
    Summary: Use common sense and caution when you use your Mac, just like you would in any social context. There is no product, utility, or magic talisman that can protect you from all the evils of mankind.

  • Out of memory with no swap causes disk activity

    Can someone explain what exactly is being read/written from/to disk in this situation?
    I have 2 GB of RAM and no swap partitions. Occasionally I'll forget how inefficient gwenview is at displaying very large images and accidentally double-click one. The entire system freezes; even alt+sysrq keystrokes are ineffective (and yes I do have them enabled).
    For about 5 minutes, the system is locked up and the hard drive light is flickering. That scares me a bit, because with no swap, what could it possibly be doing for 5 straight minutes? I used to think it was synching before doing the OOM-killing, but there's no way a sync could take that long. Judging from the sound of the hard drive, it's hda (the drive / and all the other system partitions are on).
    A few times after recovering from this I've run extensive data verification and never found any evidence of corruption, but I'd like to know for sure that the kernel isn't randomly deciding to use some filesystem as swap space.
    In the mean time, I'm playing with disabling overcommit -- setting vm.overcommit_memory = 2 in /etc/sysctl.conf. That enforces a hard memory commit limit of swap size + overcommit_ratio * ram size (so I've read) -- and I've also read that the default overcommit_ratio is only 50%. What the bloody hell? It's almost like someone thinks swap is more important than RAM -- hell-llo, I have 2 GB of RAM so that I can get *away* from swap!
    Anyway, I've set the ratio to 97% and so far things seem happy -- if I deliberately run out of memory, the process that did it always gets killed instantly and the system doesn't freeze up on OOM anymore."
    Another thing -- in all my out of memory situations so far, VMWare has been running. I suppose it's possible that VMWare is the one doing the swappage; I'll have to investigate that further.
    ~Felix.

    I think I've finally figured this out. It's a kernel bug -- I'm guessing that under normal circumstances, the "cached" column in the free command "doesn't count" towards how much memory the system thinks it's using. After all, it's just cached copies of stuff that should be elsewhere, and if you run out of memory, you can safely dump that, right? Unfortunately, /dev/shm is counted under cached rather than used memory (as I discovered in an earlier post).
    So if I've got 500 MB of stuff in /dev/shm * (which is where I mount my /tmp), there's now 500MB of stuff in the "cached" column that really does count -- system reaches all RAM full, decides it needs to dump cache, and suddenly finds that the 500MB it thought it could use isn't usable. For some reason it takes about 5 minutes of hard drive thrashing (probably because it's already chucked all of the system libraries, etc. out of cached and needs to re-read them from disk every time) before something finally figures out that it really is out of memory and that that 500MB isn't letting go and invokes OOM-killer.
    *: VMWare does this; it creates a 512MB file (the amount of RAM in my virtual machine) then hides it by keeping the file open and deleting it, so the inode's still there, but you can't see it and it makes the df command really perplexing... but that's another story.
    I haven't had a chance to try this with a newer kernel (maybe they've fixed it now?); I'm still running 2.6.23-ARCH here. (pacman -Syu upgrades are a major production for me because I have lots of RAID arrays and things, and an nvidia graphics card, and I use gnucash which sometimes needs manual recompiling, and so on...)

  • My mac's run out of memory and I can't find the culprit!

    Hi, I'm in serious need of some help! I'm sure this is simple, but I'm about to break down over it – I use my mac for everything. I've got a 200gb 2009 macbook (running iOS7), and it's told me it's run out of memory. The storage tab in 'about this mac' tells me 108GB is being used for video – but I can't find them! My iPhoto has about 17GB of movies, my iTunes has around 20GB, and I've got maybe another 10GB in files within finder – but that's still only half the videos my mac is saying it has? How do I find the rest? I've got 80GB being used by 'other' as well – is that just pages and numbers documents, along with the iOS? Is there a way of finding exactly what all my memory's being allocated to?
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