NEW MacBook Air M1 8gb 256gb: "your system has run out of application memory"

Halliday,

You say that the "VM Volume can grow to the Available size on your SSD". I have recently replaced my SSD with a new one of twice the capacity. I now have more than 256GB spare capacity. Yet Big Sur is repeatedly locking up, apparently through running out of memory, with only a few GB of virtual memory in use. If what you say is true, then how do you explain what I am observing?

AusMacU wrote:

Halliday,

You say that the "VM Volume can grow to the Available size on your SSD". …

That is absolutely true.

… I have recently replaced my SSD with a new one of twice the capacity. I now have more than 256GB spare capacity. Yet Big Sur is repeatedly locking up, apparently through running out of memory, with only a few GB of virtual memory in use. If what you say is true, then how do you explain what I am observing?

It’s not «through running out of memory». What causes you to make this «apparently» connection or assertion?

Instead, your case of «Big Sur is repeatedly locking up» is being caused by something else.

Unfortunately, there are many things that can cause such an apparent misbehavior: running incompatible software, especially as System/Kernel Extensions, Drivers (even for USB or Bluetooth devices), or other background processes.

”Anti-Virus”, “Cleaning”, “Speed Up”, “Optimization”, etc. “Utilities” are an extraordinarily common cause of the sorts of problems you are reporting (and many others).

I, and many others, make sure I don’t run any “junk” on my systems.

Halliday,

Why I say that it is because it is because Big Sur is running out of memory is because I have been monitoring the use of memory via Activity Monitor. What I have discovered that the Apple News app keeps taking up more and more memory over time. I don't think that that in itself should cause Big Sur to freeze because it should draw on virtual memory. However, the amount of virtual memory that is used seems to very very small. If I keep on closing down Apple News and re-opening it, then this doesn't happen. I haven't observed any other applications doing this but then I don't use a lot of different applications.

When I say that the system "locks up", this isn' entirely true. What seems to happen is that it becomes extremely slow. By this I mean that it may take 5-10 minutes to do anything. When people talk about the use of virtual memory slowing down the OS I don't think that they mean to this extent. I interpret this observation to mean that the amount of used memory of any type that is available to the OS has become extremely limited but that what little remains is used to do what can be done in whatever time it takes.

This behaviour only started when I upgraded from Catalina to Big Sur some time ago. I never had the issue under Catalina. My pattern of use hasn't changed to any significant extent.

If I can throw the question back to you, why do you claim, without any evidence, that the problem I'm reporting is "not "through running out of memory?"" I know that other things can often cause such problems but the fact that they CAN cause such problems doesn't mean that they ARE the cause of the problems. You are making that claim without a shred of evidence.

Halliday,

I have a mid-2103 4 GB MacBook Air with a 480 GB SSD.

I was referring to the amount of memory that Activity Monitor claims Apple News is using. I have sometimes seen this being reported as over 2 GB.

I have tried checking the Memory Pressure graph while using Apple News. During the period I was checking what was happening the amount of memory reported by the Activity Monitor rose to over 1 GB. During that period the Memory Pressure graph turned yellow but then over time reverted to green. However, towards he end of the period it started to turn yellow again.

The problem I have in following what is happening is that when the system "locks up" it is not possible to open Activity Monitor. So, unless I have had Activity Monitor open I can't check the memory situation at the most critical time.

I accept that although it seems that Apple News is responsible for the problem, what I am observing could just be coincidental. However I am not using much third party software on a regular basis. I use LibreOffice for word processing etc and Avira Antivirus. I have now removed Avira to see whether that makes a difference.

As I have said, if I close Apple News regularly then the system doesn't lock up. Just closing the current Apple News window is not sufficient, Apple News needs to be closed down completely.

I have the iMac M1 that i purchased when it first was released. I too am having the same problem. I have the 16 gig Ram M1 Chip with 1 TB hard storage. I'm getting this same message that I'm running out of memory with no application running. I do have some backgroup apps (i.e. boom, PIA VPN, dropbox). I reinstalled the software 3 times to no success. Very annoying and disappointing from Apple. I want to return the computer and go with an older model if this M! chip is going to be a problem.

[Edited by Moderator] 

It’s good to hear, Kevin Geiss, that you appear to have solved your issue, at least for now.

I do wish webpages abided by our “dark mode” choices.

You could provide Feedback directly to Apple, on such: Product Feedback - Apple.

I am new to Mac's, but was concerned when I got this message (see picture) on my IMAC M1 with 8‑core CPU, 8‑core GPU and 16‑core Neural Engine, 8GB unified memory, and 1 TB SD.

I was looking at other peoples comments and it sounded like GB of space were being used, where for me, I had barely anything open with just under .2GB being used and I was running out of application memory. Any thoughts are helpful, as I said I am new to Apple, and have very little computer knowledge. Thanks

I have tried uploading my picture here, but it won't do it.

Well don’t get your hopes up with the “more powerful” unit. After the last update, my 16gb now does it about once a day.

Besides sounding like (and feeling as hot as) a Falcon 9 rocket, my 8gb 2014 MBP muscled through tasks like a champ… this is a sad state of affairs for apple loyalists like myself.

[Image Edited by Moderator to Remove Serial Number]

Appreciate the reply.

I didn’t say safari should be a part of this issue.

Others did.

I’m pointing out that it’s seemingly not what’s causing my issue.

Aside from that, I usually I arrive on wake to see the error message. The system is back to operating normally and everything is in the green by then.

As of late, I’ve just resigned to powering off completely when done.

It’s not really a workflow setback at the moment, but more like a mental discomfort.

I’m glad to hear that it’s not too great an issue, for you, at this time, Dash_.

We’ll be having macOS 12, soon, but it is always best to resolve current issues before upgrading an Operating System (OS).

Halliday wrote:

… Also, MB M1 does not support 2 [external] screens and I can't get over it.

This was expressed in the documentation you can read even before you ordered.

I've actually got 4 screens running off my 13" MB1 (incl the laptop screen itself). I'm using the Dell D6000 docking station and 3 external monitors (2 DVI and 1 HDMI connection). Uses DisplayLink technology and seems to work fine. Sometime a little slower when I have 4-5 big spreadsheets open, but makes life much better.

DonHartUK wrote:

I have found I can generate a diagnostics report. I'm no longer an IT techie (haven't the memory anymore) is it ok to post the report here?

Yes. You can attach the diagnostic report to your message using the “Additional Text” button

This is happening continually with my brand new MacbookAir with 16GB of memory and a Terabyte of storage. I have never had this issue on any of my previous macs and I still have macbook pros from 2010 and 2012. What can I do?

Kris.

I have the 16GB machine, and primarily use Chrome for work. It by itself stalls my workflow. I have to close Mail, and all browsers if I dare open up Adobe apps. I am guaranteed to get the error if I try two Adobe apps and a browser to search for something.

This build was not ready for prime time, and we are doing the beta testing on our dime.

banZ3y3 wrote:

I have the 16GB machine, and primarily use Chrome for work. It by itself stalls my workflow. I have to close Mail, and all browsers if I dare open up Adobe apps. I am guaranteed to get the error if I try two Adobe apps and a browser to search for something.

This build was not ready for prime time, and we are doing the beta testing on our dime.

All you have shown is that Chrome and Adobe Apps are still «not ready for prime time» on the new architecture.

That is actually as I would expect, from such.

After all, it’s not Apple’s responsibility to make sure these Apps are coded correctly for the hardware and Operating System (OS).

I expect they’ll learn, eventually.

(They actually had nearly a year head-start, on the rest of us.)