Your System has Run out of Application memory

MANY thanks for that idea! I've spent the last three days trying to edit some large .m2ts files using FCPX 10.3 under Sierra on a very new 16gb MacBook Pro and over the course of a few minutes I could see the "Memory used" in the Activity Monitor consistently going steadily up and up from about 5GB to around 15GB when up came the dreaded message. So, I asked myself, where's the problem? The new machine? The new FCPX 10.3? Sierra? Combinations of those three? Plugins in Safari? (I only had Safari, FCPX and a little program that backs up the FCPX library)

I actually have two very recent MacBook Pros both 16gb, one of which I cloned from the other using a complete Time Machine restore. Moving the external drive with the Library and the footage from one machine to the other gave the same problem.

I tried a few things I'd read elsewhere, nothing made a difference and eventually I reinstalled Sierra (easy download from the App Store), followed your NVRAM /PRAM instructions and "Memory Used" is staying below 10GB.

Was it the reinstall that helped? Was it the NVRAM /PRAM procedure? Was it both? I really don't know....

This all took place only a few hours ago but it's looking good for the moment. SUCH a relief! Many thanks Shena777 for taking the time to post that a couple of years ago. This post is a bit long in case someone newish hits the same problem.

I spoke too soon. The problem is back this morning. Worried.

briantho wrote:

I spoke too soon. The problem is back this morning. Worried.

There are 2 possibilities

A) You have run out of disk space on your boot disk, and the Mac can no longer create /var/vm/swapfile(s). This is actually less likely for most people experiencing this problem.

B) The collection of programs running on your Mac wants more virtual memory than the operating system can manage with the current physical RAM in your Mac. That is to say the operating system has tables it keeps in kernel address space that is uses to keep track of all the virtual memory assigned to every program currently running.

This not just the applications you are running, but also the 3rd party daemons, agents, and kernel extensions you have installed. All the tabs in the web browser you most likely have running. Your email client. Drobbox (or similar file syncing utility many people use),... Basically EVERYTHING that is running on your Mac it taking up virtual memory page table entries residing in kernel address space managed by the operating system.

If you have 1 app that really needs a ton of virtual address space, then if you are getting this error message, you need to stop running other apps to make more virtual memory page table entries available for the huge consumer. Or if you can add more RAM, you do that, so that there is more physical RAM for the operating system to manage virtual memory page tables.

If you are not running an app that consumes lots of memory, then it is also possible to have this problem if you have an app that has a bug in it, and it is going crazy allocating virtual memory, eating up kernel virtual memory page table entries.

Many thanks for your reply Bob. I think I've got there at last. I'm actually only running:

Backups for Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro (paused - in the message)

Phoneview

Safari

Finder

.. and I have hundreds of unused GB on the SSD in this new machine. Lots more testing tells me it's the unique video files I've got for this particular project. They're large .m2ts files and I believe they come from a camcorder with a built-in hard drive.

Because of the speed of my machine I usually edit native footage that comes off SD cards, a vastly different format as far as FCPX is concerned as I'm now finding out. Anyway, I used the proxy versions of them and now memory usage is staying around 9GB. GREAT relief (again!)

I'm only 13 years old (just turned 13) And I know how to fix this problem...

Yes it could be the install problem but....

This problem means u could have a very bad virus in your computer...u may have noticed if u go up to the left top of your screen and click the apple, go to "about this mac", then go to "storage". It will go down storage every min-sec, and once it gets to zero storage the thing will pop up and force u to restart..This is probably caused by a virus, u can get rid of the virus, by going to the apple store....but sometimes theres no way to get rid of the virus....cause u would have to go in files that u cannot go in, and if u can't get rid of the virus, that means u cannot fix your computer. So what you have to do is make a new account....its not that hard...and don't worry u won't lose your stuff...all u have to do is save your old stuff on the old account on a dumb drive, and then put it onto your new account! If this doesn't help..and u can't make a new account for some reason, then if I were you I would take it to an apple store, or ship it out if the apple stores to far....Also don't call an apple store cause they will just tell u to try stuff and u won't get your mac fixed, but being face to face with a worker u can just tell them and show them easer and they can have contact with your mac in person!!! I hope this helps to everyone that is having this problem! I have had this problem or almost a year and finally figured out how to fix it all by myself at the age of 13 🙂 Hope this helped everyone! Have a Wonderfull day!!!!!

I am sorry to have to tell you this but Mac don't have virus. So much for your supposed solution to the problem.

OK HC. macOS is different than Windows. Windows is the preferred Operating System for viruses.

Simple put, Apple attempts to provide all the malware detection and removal you need in Mac OS X. Malwarebytes has come to be accepted as the only malware detector you should consider. For those pestered by browser attacks consider Malwarebytes.

Discusses Mac OS X operating system wide malware detection and removal

See Linc Davis, thomas_r., and etresoft comprehensive write ups on

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5728993

etresoft steps back and states that the frequency of malware is increasing on the Mac. thomas_r. reveals his involvement in Malwarebytes as Director of Mac Offerings

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7343915

"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac Removes adware and malware Revives your Mac"

https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/mac/

"visibility & protection to the core"

https://objective-see.com/

Web browser malware removal:

see Esquared, Linc Davis

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6689392

Fixing Safari malware attacks. See thunderzzz approach.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7307569

The best techniques for securing your Mac from the professionals.

http://www.macworld.com/article/2048160/how-the-nsa-snoop-proofs-its-macs.html

UNfortunately i have the same error message, only in a brand new macbook pro 2016.

That worked for me.

I had this problem too, and I had to close all my applications. I restarted the system and now it works fine. I have the 2015 MacBook Pro 13" w/ 256GB.

When you hit command + all the rest does it reset your computer