Why is osx continuously caching external disk?
While I am -using an/any application that does- reading from an external disk, free memory continuously decreases and inactive memory increases with the same amount, which is aproximately the amount of data read. At some time, os starts paging and the system renders useless, forcing me to reboot.
Closing the application or using another usb slot has no effect, I have to eject the USB or use purge -which makes other applications sluggish-. Format of the -external drive's- partition (GUID, MBR),(HFS+, FAT32, NTFS) does not matter. All of the drives are excluded from Spotlight (are not indexed). I have
OSXFuse but that is only for Truecrypt, info about partitions show native drivers.
Why is osx continuously caching external disk, can a configuration/app/plugin cause this, is there a way to avoid this? Is there a selective purge command for external disk cache? Does anybody have this problem with external drives, and also with Mavericks?
My EtreCheck (after a reboot) is:
EtreCheck version: 1.9.11 (43) - report generated June 15, 2014
Hardware Information:
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro5,5
1 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2 cores
4 GB RAM
Video Information:
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M - VRAM: 256 MB
System Software:
OS X 10.8.3 (12D78) - Uptime: 0 days 1:4:54
Disk Information:
Hitachi HTS5450 disk0 : (160.04 GB)
disk0s1 (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 94.62 GB (48.81 GB free)
Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
BOOTCAMP (disk0s4) /Volumes/BOOTCAMP: 64.57 GB (44.49 GB free)
HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS23N
USB Information:
Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
JMicron Storage 500.11 GB
BKPFAT (disk1s1) /Volumes/BKPFAT: 443.2 GB (25.08 GB free)
BKPNTFS (disk1s2) <not mounted>: 56.9 GB
Apple Internal Memory Card Reader
Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Configuration files:
/etc/hosts - Count: 1
Gatekeeper:
Anywhere
Startup Items:
TuxeraNTFSUnmountHelper: Path: /Library/StartupItems/TuxeraNTFSUnmountHelper
Launch Daemons:
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support
[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist Support
[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist Support
[not loaded] de.jinx.SmartSleepDaemon.plist Support
[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.privileged_startx.plist Support
Launch Agents:
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support
[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist Support
[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.startx.plist Support
User Login Items:
GrowlHelperApp
Google Drive
witchdaemon
BetterTouchTool
Internet Plug-ins:
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 05 Check version
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 12.0.0.38 - SDK 10.6 Support
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.1
Flash Player: Version: 12.0.0.38 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update
o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.4.2.18903 Support
googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.4.2.18903 Support
Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30317.0 - SDK 10.6 Support
Unity Web Player: Version: UnityPlayer version 4.1.5f1 Support
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0
Safari Extensions:
Bing Highlights: Version: 1.0.20
ClickToFlash: Version: 2.5.1
Audio Plug-ins:
AirPlay: Version: 1.7 - SDK 10.8
iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.1 - SDK 10.8
iTunes Plug-ins:
Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.8
3rd Party Preference Panes:
Flash Player Support
FUSE for OS X (OSXFUSE) Support
GamePadCompanionPrefPanel Support
Growl Support
Java Support
MenuMeters Support
SmartSleep Support
Tuxera NTFS Support
Witch Support
Time Machine:
Time Machine not configured!
Top Processes by CPU:
25% firefox
4% activitymonitord
4% WindowServer
1% hidd
1% BetterTouchTool
Top Processes by Memory:
254 MB firefox
111 MB Google Chrome
66 MB Sublime Text
61 MB mds
59 MB Google Chrome Helper
Virtual Memory Information:
1.72 GB Free RAM
1.21 GB Active RAM
416 MB Inactive RAM
425 MB Wired RAM
378 MB Page-ins
0 B Page-outs
Try a restart.
Do a backup, using either Time Machine or a cloning program, to ensure files/data can be recovered. Two backups are better than one.
Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.
Isolating an issue by using another user account
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Apple: I'm sorry we don't offer tech support
Me: I understand but I had a question about the repair done from there the other day
Apple: We are just a store and can't answer tech questions
Me: I understand and get that but since I took my mac to your store to be worked on I thought I could ask the person that worked on it a question about the 'software repair' and meaning and what software was repaired
Apple: No you will have to set another apt to bring your computer in if you are still having problems
Me: UGHHHHHH (pulling hair out)
So (a little late huh?) to make a long story short giving what I stated above:
Why is it, only the osx install and application disks not working now? They worked before taking it to Apple
What can I do at this point?
Can you do a factory restore without disks on a Mac?
If by chance both disk did for some reason go out, how do I get them replaced?
If I gave TMI without enough important info let me know.
My OS X install disk says version 10.6.2 on it
About this Mac currently says Mac OS X version 10.6.8
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It used to say Mac OS X Version 10.6.8 and I could have sworn I saw it said 'snow leopard' in there somewhere, now I can't even find that word in search on the computer. Long post I know but trying to set what was going on at the time I took it in.
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Thanks for any help.Wow, sorry to hear of your experience. Seems strange that your disk would just eject like they did. It could be a lot of things but more than likely you just kind of have to start all over.
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I remember one time I was having a similar problem and don't ask my why I did it but I actually could not get it to install a system. I removed both of my ram sticks, shut the computer down for about 10 minutes including unplugging it from the wall plug, then reinstalled the ram, plugged it back in and started up from the system disk and all worked just fine. To this day I have no idea if pulling the ram helped but I have never had to do it since and for some dumb reason that solved the problem I was having, which is the same problem you are having now. Call it voodoo but it worked.
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Message was edited by: Al Van Malsen -
How do I link an iTunes Library (on an external disk) ?
Hi all,
I'd like to keep my huge collection on external drives.
I was able to link the correct playlist (on external disk which was cloned from my previous Mac).
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