Pages 5.1 and Numbers 3.1 hanging - "com.apple.MediaLibraryService" taking huge amount of RAM

Question

Level 1

14 points

Pages 5.1 and Numbers 3.1 hanging - "com.apple.MediaLibraryService" taking huge amount of RAM

Hello... I had to start a new thread because I accidentally hit "this solved my question" to my own answer a this CAN'T be undone. Seems that many are having the same problem. So this is what happens...

Since latest update (Pages 5.1 - Numbers 3.1) I've experienced my computer runs really slow when opening either one of these programs.

Running Monitor activity I realize that "com.apple.MediaLibraryService" is using up to 2.5 GB of RAM memory!!!

I also notice that when I open both programs at the same time TWO "com.apple.MediaLibraryService" are running. Making the computer even slower.

This is really annoying because I need to work and my computer runs very solw.

Anyone has a workaround?

I really think is a bug.

Please, if anyone is having the same problem, report athttp://www.apple.com/feedback/pages.html

The more we do the faster they will solve it.

Thanks.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Jan 30, 2014 3:30 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jan 31, 2014 12:30 PM in response to jsardi

I have this issue also. I can start Pages 5.1 with a blank page, let it just sit there and it starts at 65 MB, then climbs incrementally over the span of 20 seconds or so, finally maxing out at 486.0 MB. At the same time, com.apple.MediaLibraryService launches itself, starting around 212 MB, then balloons to 1.34 GB.

Numbers 3.1 likewise uses a huge amount of RAM. With 3 small, simple spreadsheets open, RAM usage starts around 90 MB, climbs on its own until it hits 463.9 MB. Quit, restart with no spreadsheets open, choose a blank template, let app sit there. Starts at 61 MB, RAM usage climbs over the span of 30 seconds or so to 475.9 MB. Open those simple spreadsheets again and we're at 501.1 MB.

By comparison, Pages 4.3 launches and stays at 45.8 MB. Word 14.3.8 launches and holds at 95.0 MB. Numbers 2.9 with a blank spreadsheet starts and settles at 51.8 MB. MS Excel 14.3.8, 49.8 MB.

First noticed after updating Pages and Numbers to the current App Store versions. With both running, I soon noticed a slowdown, investigated, found system (with 12 GB RAM) paging out for the first time ever in Mavericks.

Reply

Answer 2

jsardi Author

Level 1

14 points

Jan 31, 2014 3:28 PM in response to Carl Perkins

Hello Carl.

Please complain / report at http://www.apple.com/feedback/pages.html

Thanks.

Hope they fix it soon.

Reply

Answer 3

r00pd00p

Level 1

4 points

Jan 31, 2014 4:18 PM in response to jsardi

I've also experienced all of these issues running the latest versions of iWork apps, and the com.apple.MediaLibraryService is bogging the machine down – often as multiple instances when each app is running. I've filed a bug as well, FWIW.

Reply

Answer 4

Jan 31, 2014 11:10 PM in response to Carl Perkins

No idea what is going on here, other than you are using all the late version iWork .apps.

You should have iWork '09 still in your Applications/iWork folder.

Why not trash/archive Pages 5 etc and finally get some work done?

Peter

Reply

Answer 5

jsardi Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 1, 2014 2:59 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

Hello Peter.

No, I don't have iWor '09 installed. I had, but uninstalled it and re-installed the new version (bought from App Store). I did it several months ago and didn't experience any problems until now (with the 5.1 pages).

Unfortunately I don't have that folder anymore.

Thanks anyway.

Reply

Answer 6

Feb 1, 2014 1:46 PM in response to jsardi

I reported the apparent memory leaks in both Pages and Numbers, but hadn't noticed the issue with com.apple.MediaLibraryService until afterward. I will report the latter as well.

This needs to be fixed. Apple finally fixed the longstanding issues with Safari gobbling RAM (in that I no longer have to restart it several times a day), and then rolled out something even worse with the latest iWork apps.

Reply

Answer 7

Feb 3, 2014 5:17 AM in response to jsardi

I have the same issue. Fortunatelly, I could revert to Pages 5.0.1 from my Time Machine Backup and now there is no trace of the com.apple.MediaLibraryService process and the application itself takes a resonable amount of memory (58 MB with one document open). Maybe there's a workaround, but this seems to be a bug and therefore we need to wait for Apple to solve it.

Nevertheless, if you have a backup, try to revert to the older Pages version. The only caveat is that Pages 5.1 again changes the file format, so that documents saved with this version are no longer compatible with version 5.0.1. Therefore, if you plan to downgrade, export your work in Pages '09 format before, so that it can be opened with Pages 5.0.1.

As for the querelle between Pages '09 and Pages 5, I switched to the latter because it takes so much less memory and this is quite important for my venerable MacBook Pro Santa Rosa of 2007. Of course, this was valid until Apple introduced Pages version 5.1...

Reply

Answer 8

jsardi Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 3, 2014 6:02 AM in response to albertodr

Thanks. This definitely is a workaround.

I'm going to try it.

Thanks again. Let's hope they fix it soon!

Reply

Answer 9

Feb 3, 2014 6:19 AM in response to jsardi

Your're welcome!

I just want to rectify a point that I made above: actually, the com.apple.MediaLibraryService process is still there, but it takes a mere 4.1 MB of memory 😎

Best wishes!

Reply

Answer 10

jsardi Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 6, 2014 9:30 AM in response to jsardi

My advice to anyone who's having this problem is to re-install the older version (could be Pages '09) and discard this one and wait for a new release. Let's hope they fix it soon.

One more thing... in case you haven't notice... Pages (and all apps) will automatically "update" unless you go to system preferences > app store and UNCHECK the "Download newly available downloads in the background" box AND "install app updates". This way you will prevent the computer from updating automatically the Pages 5.0.1 to the unfunctional 5.1.

And please, please... REPORT to: http://www.apple.com/feedback/pages.html

The more we do the faster they will fix it.

Thanks.

Reply

Answer 11

James Mol

Level 3

743 points

Feb 10, 2014 5:42 AM in response to jsardi

I, too, have just noticed the services taking up more cpu and memory. In looking for the solution I found a connection to iTunes, reposted below.

When I looked into iTunes, I did not have Photo sharing checked, so I checked it and a second instance of "com.apple.MediaLibraryService" started up. Upon unchecking photo sharing, it stopped. After looking at Activity Monitor, I noticed that Flash for Safari was using more cpu in the background, so I quit Safari and the first instance of "com.apple.MediaLibraryService" also quit. I restarted both programs and it has yet to return. Now "kernel_task" is using 2.3 GB memory. Onto a new search.

Hope this might help some of you

@Johannes, did you try what I suggested in my post above:

"I have iTunes Home Sharing enabled in iTunes. Looking at the File | Home Sharing | menu in iTunes, there is an option to "Choose Photos to Share with AppleTV...".

When I disable that option, close iTunes, and then relaunch iTunes, "com.apple.MediaLibraryService" does not appear in the process list, and iTunes returns to using only about 130 MB of memory.

Of course, the obvious side-effect is that you will not be access Photos from your Mac on the AppleTV."

Reply

Answer 12

jsardi Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 10, 2014 6:51 AM in response to James Mol

Thanks James Mol.

I have iTunes open all the time and the "MediaLibratyService" process only takes 107 MB of ram, which is reasonable. I don't have Home sharing activated nor Apple TV. So for me iTunes is NOT the problem.

I've also tried many things and the only thing that works is "downgrading" to 5.0.1.

I've heard on other discussions that it happens to people with a very big Media Library. I do have 320 GB of music. Any way... not getting rid of it. So... for the moment. While apple fixes the bug I will stick to Pages 5.0.1.

Thanks anyway.

Reply

Answer 13

Feb 15, 2014 1:12 AM in response to James Mol

Thanks, turned off picture sharing in iTunes, no effect. Fans screaming and MBA hot.

Reply

Answer 14

Feb 15, 2014 7:32 AM in response to jsardi

A workaround is described here:

This helped meRe: com.apple.MediaLibraryService

Not only gets rid of the runaway com.apple.MediaLibraryService process, but also sharply reduces memory usage by Pages and Numbers, making the computer usable once again.

Reply