rkg_kr24

Q: RAM memory filling up soon on my iMAC, after upgrading to OS X 10.9 Mavericks..

RAM memory getting filled up very soon, after upgrading to OS X 10.9 Mavericks.. I can see that the File cache is 1.5 GB and my total memory is 4 GB.. Due to this, most of the time memory is more than 75% used? How can I resolve this? Do I need to upgrade the RAM?? Or is there any other options?

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 12, 2013 9:26 PM

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Q: RAM memory filling up soon on my iMAC, after upgrading to OS X 10.9 Mavericks..

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  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Nov 12, 2013 10:04 PM in response to rkg_kr24
    Level 7 (32,139 points)
    iPad
    Nov 12, 2013 10:04 PM in response to rkg_kr24

    The new OS's do 'consume' more RAM; I increased mine to 8 GB as simply running Firefox and Mail would result in close to 4 GB usage. I think 4 GB is an absolute minimum and you'd benefit from at least doubling it (depending on your usage - if you do a lot of video or graphics editing, then more is better).

  • by rkg_kr24,

    rkg_kr24 rkg_kr24 Nov 13, 2013 8:49 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 13, 2013 8:49 AM in response to babowa

    Thank you so much for getting back on this..

     

    So the only option is to increase RAM ?? and there are no options to remove unwanted storage/file cache which is consuming more space??

     

    - thanks again

  • by Allan Jones,

    Allan Jones Allan Jones Nov 13, 2013 9:05 AM in response to rkg_kr24
    Level 8 (35,192 points)
    iPad
    Nov 13, 2013 9:05 AM in response to rkg_kr24

    Before spending money (I have a 2012 MBP 2.5ghz i5 with 4GB RAM that runs fine on 10.9), please use this Apple article:

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1473

     

    to see if you have background processes that are out of control.

     

    NOTE: The article has not been updated since 10.9 relasead so, in Step 3, you select "All Processes" not as shown in the article but from Activity Monitor's "View" menu:

     

    AM_Mav_select all processes.png

     

    This is an important  step to finding the real culprits.

     

    Also, this test is best done after you have used the computer normally for a while. Shut down any apps you started before running. The test is not reliable just after a restart.

  • by andyBall_uk,

    andyBall_uk andyBall_uk Nov 13, 2013 9:20 AM in response to rkg_kr24
    Level 7 (20,495 points)
    Nov 13, 2013 9:20 AM in response to rkg_kr24

    Unless you're having problems, what you describe sounds normal. Mavericks does often show most memory being utilised, especially with 4GB available - but that's not the same as running out & getting slow-downs due to swapping out to disk.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Nov 13, 2013 11:08 AM in response to Allan Jones
    Level 7 (32,139 points)
    iPad
    Nov 13, 2013 11:08 AM in response to Allan Jones

    Interesting - neither my iMac nor my test machine MBP will run Lion, ML, or Mavericks well with 4 GB - kernel panics, slowdowns, crawls, freezes, etc. As soon as I doubled the RAM on the MBP, all of the above symptoms disappeared, so my solution was to increase the RAM - although I still get some slowdowns with 8 GB when working with video (iMovie, FCE, etc). And, I do not get why kernel_task needs about 1 GB (Apple explained it with 64 bit vs. 32 bit architecture).

  • by rkg_kr24,

    rkg_kr24 rkg_kr24 Nov 13, 2013 11:16 AM in response to Allan Jones
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 13, 2013 11:16 AM in response to Allan Jones

    I tried to check the CPU and it shows normal, I understand the point that when there is some task which takes more CPU, is having more chance to consume high memory.. But here, issue is only with memory and not with CPU..

     

    Since I never keep many windows/applications open, I never faced an issue while using ML. But now I feel like Mac is little slow when compared to before and I feel it more when use to play games, that I can see it getting stuck in middle, which never happened before.. and when I check Memory after opening game, It shows 100% used., anu suggestions?

     

    - Thanks

  • by tal1971,

    tal1971 tal1971 Nov 13, 2013 11:25 AM in response to rkg_kr24
    Level 2 (249 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 13, 2013 11:25 AM in response to rkg_kr24

    This is what I read on another forum about Mavericks:

     

    "Basically Mavericks tries to use all memory as much as possible all the time by preloading app cache data to the RAM to speed up app speed and compress data on the RAM to accommodate for new apps you just opened for example.

     

    That's why in activity monitor you get pressure instead of paging because now it is a question of how much more room of compression can they get before actually using the swap"

     

     

     

    It makes sense really because ram just sitting free, and not been used is wasted if it can be put to use by the system for the things mentioned above.

     

     

    I too have seen more ram used when doing the same on Mavericks as I was with Mountain Lion.

  • by ssls6,

    ssls6 ssls6 Nov 13, 2013 11:55 AM in response to rkg_kr24
    Level 4 (2,874 points)
    Nov 13, 2013 11:55 AM in response to rkg_kr24

    You can turn off dictation to save a lot of memory.

  • by baltwo,

    baltwo baltwo Nov 13, 2013 3:31 PM in response to rkg_kr24
    Level 9 (62,256 points)
    Nov 13, 2013 3:31 PM in response to rkg_kr24

    rkg_kr24 wrote:

    Do I need to upgrade the RAM?? Or is there any other options?

    Which iMac? 4 GB modules for my mid-2011 one are going for about $50 USD. Get a pair and get on with your computing life.

  • by _daniel_,

    _daniel_ _daniel_ Mar 26, 2014 2:21 PM in response to baltwo
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 26, 2014 2:21 PM in response to baltwo

    Hi,

     

    I have the same problem as the OP. My system massively slows down as soon as my RAM maximum is reached, which is unfortunately quite soon after booting and always happens.


    As CPU load is very moderate (like 15%ish), it must the RAM overuse that is slowing down the system massively.

     

    I have already upgraded my 2008 iMac to the maximum possible RAM, which is 6 GB (Apple says the maximum is 4 GB, some people claim to have successfully installed 8 GB, but for me the maximum was 6 GB after trying different brands and consulting with the local Apple Store).

     

    Apps that are open are iTunes, Chrome, Finder, Dropbox and the like, nothing special and I could not narrow it down to one app.

     

    Irritatingly, the RAM load by "All Processes" does not add up to 6 GB (more like 1.5 GB)!

     

    I have tried SUDO PURGE in Terminal as a last resort, which brings RAM load down from 6GB to 4.5GB, but only for a few minutes.

     

    Guys, I really need your advise / ideas here: What are my options? I would prefer not to downgrade the OS or by a new iMac unless all other options are exhausted.


    Cheers

     

    <Personal Information Edited by Host>

  • by MichelPM,

    MichelPM MichelPM Mar 24, 2014 4:25 PM in response to _daniel_
    Level 6 (13,952 points)
    iPad
    Mar 24, 2014 4:25 PM in response to _daniel_

    Mavericks uses RAM much differently that previous versions of OS X.

    Mavericks will take all of the available memory and dole it out to other applications as needed.

    Your Memory Pressure Indicator is still all green with no yellow or red in it indicating your memory use is very minimal.

    This is normal.

  • by baltwo,

    baltwo baltwo Mar 24, 2014 5:07 PM in response to MichelPM
    Level 9 (62,256 points)
    Mar 24, 2014 5:07 PM in response to MichelPM

    thumbsup.gif

  • by tal1971,

    tal1971 tal1971 Mar 25, 2014 12:55 AM in response to _daniel_
    Level 2 (249 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 25, 2014 12:55 AM in response to _daniel_

    I agree with MichelPM.

     

     

    I’ve read on numerous sites that if you have unused ram. Mavericks looks upon this as wasted ram and puts it to use to help the system run smoother/faster. I do agree with this approach as ram isn’t of much use if its lying around empty.

     

     

    Daniel. Your Memory Pressure is still in the green range, so this is fine and normal. You have got some Swap Used though and this would slow down your system a little whilst this was going on. But the Swap Used figure isn’t a massive amount.

     

     

    Mavericks will firstly, compress things in ram (this is your Compressed figure of 1.94 GB) that haven’t been used for a while to free up more free ram, doing this does not impact on the systems performance from what Apple mentioned about this feature.

     

     

    Secondly if it can’t compress anymore to free up ram, then it will Swap Used. This will impact on the systems performance.

  • by _daniel_,

    _daniel_ _daniel_ Mar 26, 2014 1:41 PM in response to tal1971
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 26, 2014 1:41 PM in response to tal1971

    Hi MichelPM and tal1971,

     

    Thank you for your thoughts.

     

    I understand that Mavericks fills up the remaining RAM which might be a good idea, I agree.

     

    However, in relation to my slowness problem, I need to note two additional things:

     

    1.) The bar is typically "yellow"... it is only "green" in the screenshot, because I had just run 3 x "SUDO PURGE" (before posting the above in frustration)

     

    2.) The system is very slow with Mavericks, despite increasing RAM from 4 to 6 GB. Since I have no changes in the applications I am using, and CPU load is at 15%. Hence, still the RAM use is my prime suspect of making my system slow (much slower compared to previous Mac OS versions).

     

    Any additional thoughts, specificically in term of what actions I could take to make my system faster?

     

    Thank you

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