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Virtual memory took over my Mac...

Hi, After playing a memory consuming game (Civilization). My computer ran out of memory (it crashed). The hard disk which is empty (40 GB out of 250 GB) became completly full (249.3 GB out of 250GB). The usual suspect is the virtual memory (using 210 GB), but restarting the compuer doesn't clear it. Any idea?


THX.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Oct 13, 2012 11:09 AM

Reply
17 replies

Oct 13, 2012 12:27 PM in response to elb2012

1.Boot into recovery Partition - Restart mac, upon startup Hold down Command + R Until the apple logo appears.


2.Restart into Safe Boot- Hold down Shift Key upon start up until apple logo appears with a progress line. Does problem persist?


3.>>

Shut down the computer.


  1. Disconnect the MagSafe power adapter from the computer, if it's connected.
  2. Remove the battery (to remove the battery - click here: MacBook or MacBook Pro).
  3. Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
  4. Release the power button.
  5. Reconnect the battery and MagSafe power adapter.
  6. Press the power button to turn on the computer.


4. http://www.tuneupmymac.com/adgoogle/?utm_source=adgoogle&utm_campaign=adgoogle&g clid=CIGTibHc_rICFYuY4AodQR0A9w

Oct 13, 2012 1:00 PM in response to elb2012

Please don't try some of the advice mpau0516 is giving you! In particular, don't try to remove the battery. You have a very recent MacBook Pro, according to your profile, and its battery should never be removed by the user, only by Apple techs. Not to mention that an SMC reset (which is what the steps he gave you involving the battery would do on an older Mac) will not help with your particular problem. And absolutely do not download a copy of TuneUpMyMac... that kind of software is worthless.


As to what you can do, from the sounds of things, your hard drive is probably damaged. You should try repairing it with Disk Utility.


If Disk Utility reports no problems and the drive remains full, do you have a backup or something that you can boot from? If so, start up from that backup and download a copy of WhatSize and use its Measure as Administrator function to determine where the space is being used on the internal hard drive. Alternately, you can use OmniDiskSweeper and then, after placing it in the Applications folder, open it by pasting the following command into the Terminal (found in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder):


sudo /Applications/Utilities/OmniDiskSweeper.app/Contents/MacOS/OmniDiskSweeper


After you paste in this command, press return. You will be asked for your password... enter it, and don't be surprised when nothing appears when you type. Press return again and the program will open with admin permissions, so it can look in folders that would otherwise be off limits.


Once you have done this with either program, don't delete anything, but report back here where all that space is being used.

Oct 13, 2012 1:53 PM in response to elb2012

1. Plug the MacBook's MagSafe powerUser uploaded file adapter into the MagSafe port on the side of the laptop.

2. Press the "Shift," "Ctrl" and "Option" keys and the power button simultaneously. Release the all of the buttons simultaneously.


3. Press and release the power button by itself to turn on the computer. The computer's SMC will now be reset when the computer boots up.


I think that's the only things I can come up with. Unless you can hold down the option button, and boot from a network device. Then go in and clean up the hard drive.

Virtual memory took over my Mac...

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