Mavericks and memory (Ram)

Flash had a new update today. I don't know if this is related to our issues. However, while running "Memory Clean", showing what's available, I noticed that when I go to a heavy ad site the mem avail goes from 1.5 gig down to 10 Mb really fast and crawls my system. Then I close the site and do a mem clean and it gets right back up to normal. I turned off Javascript and went to the same site and everything was fine. It appears that sites with heavy javascript is crippling mavericks. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Do what Barney-15E just said.

Install ClickToFlash or ClickToPlugin. Retry those tests.

If it is just a javascript issue it will still happen. If it Flash causing it will cease until you click to load it.

You can also try the JavaScript blocker extension to disable JS, it might make it bearable if it is JS causing it.

The extensions can be found via the 'Safari Menu > Safari Extensions'

It could also be another old plugin too, so look at the list of installed plugins & update them (in the help menu).

You must have already seen my thoughts on cleaning RAM, just stop it, you don't know best, just step away…

🙂

Shutting down Javascript has changed everything for the better I run Memory Clean just to monitor availabltity. If its' on and I hit a site that's full of ads my mem goes from 2.5 gigs to 10 meg in 5 seconds. Mem clean is the only way to recover my system after closing the problem site. As Ralston said, it's a temporary solution.

It appears that sites with heavy javascript is crippling mavericks. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

It isn't likely JavaScript. JavaScript is used to load the Flash content, which is the "everything"-hog of the Internet.

I suggested turning off JS to test as it is easy to do and disables the most of the Flash content.

The next step is to install something like ClickToFlash to block Flash and see if you get the same results just blocking Flash. I have run into some weird JS content that does immobilize Safari, but it is extremely rare.

Document of intrest here http://images.apple.com/media/us/osx/2013/docs/OSX_Mavericks_Core_Technology_Ove rview.pdf

Phil

Tomna8r wrote:

Flash had a new update today.

Actually, the last update was on the 14th. Perhaps you just became aware of it.

Many users are seeing various anomolies regarding Flash usage (or failure) and have found it beneficial to use the Adobe Flash Uninstaller and then re-install it form here.

Hello, I am afraid the problem runs deeper. I have a fairly large application that I am running in a loop and I have a humongous number of new/delete. I know, it is bad, but it is not my application. The application was hogging all my disk space creating new swap files. I have carefully valgrinded it (btw, Instruments is fruiting useless with Mavericks!!!) and now the leaks are down to few kb. The application virtual memory is ~2GB. I have 50GB of disk free and 16GB of memory. Still the swap files eat it all. I have installed tcmalloc, and it is even worse. I have installed jemalloc and it is a bit better, but at the end I have "no space left on device" anyway. If I reboot the space comes back and I have checked that are really the swap files. It seems thaat the system cannot reclaim the memory from the process.

I noticed after I upgraded to Mavericks I was using all of my memory at times, and using virtually memory. I was using all 4GB of physical memory. I have now upgraded my memory to 8GB, and now running the same work load, I'm using just about all 8GB.

I feel like I added more ram, to use more ram. Why does the os do that?

bsteezy wrote:

I feel like I added more ram, to use more ram. Why does the os do that?

Exactly! Free RAM is wasted RAM. It saves having to do a lot of compression and more importantly a lot of paging to the hard drive which takes up HD space and wastes a lot of time.

As MadMacs0 said free RAM doesn't help anyone do anything.

Consider this analogy…

RAM is the 'trucks' that deliver to and from storage to where the info is needed, the CPU.

You doubled the size of the trucks, why would you want them leaving with 1/2 empty trucks?

The OS predictably loads files into memory based on your usage. If it needs something else it will unload the file cache as necessary. The RAM takes a tiny voltage to keep the files in memory, so the speed benefits outweigh the cost to performance/ battery.

For example the icons on this page may stay in RAM for a few hours after you have visited, ready for the next time the page loads. The more often you return to view the same files the more likley it will stay in the fasted part of the system.

The other option is to avoid using as much RAM as possible, it just means the user will have to wait for data to be moved to & from disk.

So far the most the MacBook pro has had to use in "Swap Used" is 3.8MB. That's with heavy Firefox use having eighteen tabs opened as well as Safari opened with a page in Dock. Also opened and in Dock was Dictionary and Preview with page in Dock. I find cool is the ability to see Mavericks' Compressed memory in action through "Memory Clean" in the menu bar. I actually see the memory get dangerously close to been used up, as indicated by red text, then is just bust back into black.

What I have found so far is, the memory hogs are Firefox and com.apple.IconServicesAgent.

Yes! With you have memory, why the system may not use it?

The memory has to be used, otherwise is a waste of money! I've to watch the system performance. Thats the matters for us.

After 10 years of buying used macs i figured that the new MacBookPro as it represents a giant milestone is my new Tool of choice. I bought the 2.3ghz i7 Quad with 16GB Memory and figured that all my memory and speed related issues are going to be resolved.

How little did i know that this is not going to be the case. The Brand new MacbookPro overheats permanently upon running 2-3 browsers and the Mail.app. Havent really added more to it nor did i run any Memory sensitive application besides the broswers. Even though i would want to i cant. The 16GB !!!! of memory on my mac are being used by 3 browsers and there is no room for more. I tried to run Photoshop and Illustrator and the same thing happens. Memory goes full and system overheats. Best of all is that the memory app that came from the app store in a critical case like that wont even show 10GB of total memory. When it gets like this it only shows 6GB and all of the 6GB being used?

Now someone tell me that this is not Mavericks related. If so, that would mean that the entire new MacBookPro

is a epic fail from its design because it got worse. I am very very very dissapointed for having spent $2700 incl. Tax to get my dream machine and now ended up in more memory trouble then before with 4GB on a MacBook which at least hasnt ran hot ususally and was able to run Adobe apps and Browsers together. How in the **** does 4 times the memory not let me do that anymore? Hello Apple??????? U ok over there. Still know what your doing?

Same problems for me with a fully loaded to the gills 27" iMac i just got a couple months ago. I put Mavericks on it and it's sucking the massive amounts of RAM i have completely dry, then hanging all my apps, and finally my iMac itself. Mavericks is a memory hog, messes up permissions constantly (i'm fixing them weekly or more), and brings my machine to a frozen halt almost daily. I'm only running 3 apps. I was running (easily, happily) 8 or more at a time on my old 2008 iMac pre-Mavericks and almost NEVER hung or froze.

Something is wrong with this OS.

I know it frustrating. I look at "upgrade" every day to see if Apple is fixing this. I run "Memory Clean" on a regular basis. I know Mavericks is supposed to manage this but when your system goes down to 10 meg available (ya, it's that bad) clicking on 'Clean' is the only way to bring you back to something close to reality. Don't buy more memory as it will get sucked up also. It's really disappointing as I have never had these issues with Mac as I've been using them since the early 80s. I don't know how to get back to SL - can anybody help? Maybe I should get a PC now.