rwburns3rd
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Why does my macbook pro keep rapidly decreasing it's ram?

I have a 13" 2.7ghz i7.  I use the app "Memory Clean" to monitor my RAM usage.  I recently started noticing my 8GB of RAM decreasing from 4 to zero like a countdown.  Memory clean would kick in and then the mac would freeze when it was about 27% into "cleaning it."  I then upgraded my ram from 8GB to 16GB.  I also put in a 1TB SSD.  I don't have the freezing problem anymore but the RAM keeps doing the same thing.  It will go from 9GB free all the way down to zero gigs within a few minutes.  The memory clean will kick in and and the process starts all over again.  The only good thing is it doesn't freeze anymore but there is no way Im using 16GB of ram with the only application open is Safari.

I have downloaded Virus Scanner Plus, ran disk doctor, and did a PRAM reset.  None of these things are finding problems or solving them.  Please advise.

MacBook Pro, iOS 8, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM

Posted on Oct 5, 2014 2:16 AM

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rwburns3rd

Q: Why does my macbook pro keep rapidly decreasing it's ram?

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  • by Esquared,

    Esquared Esquared Oct 5, 2014 2:39 AM in response to rwburns3rd
    Level 6 (8,538 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 5, 2014 2:39 AM in response to rwburns3rd

    Advise? Delete Memory Clean, Virus Scanner Plus and Disk Doctor. They all interfere with the normal operation of your MBP.

     

    If you're using Mavericks as your OS, it is quite normal that all the available RAM is allocated.

  • by rwburns3rd,

    rwburns3rd rwburns3rd Oct 5, 2014 2:43 AM in response to Esquared
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 5, 2014 2:43 AM in response to Esquared

    Ive been using Memory Clean since day one.  Never had a problem with it.  I didn't download the others until AFTER I started having this problem.

  • by Esquared,

    Esquared Esquared Oct 5, 2014 2:58 AM in response to rwburns3rd
    Level 6 (8,538 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 5, 2014 2:58 AM in response to rwburns3rd

    Again, in Mavericks it is absolutely normal for the system to allocate all the available RAM. Memory Clean interferes with that process.

     

    If you're interested to know what is happening, open the RAM section of Activity Monitor, and look at the 'memory pressure' graph.

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Oct 5, 2014 3:48 AM in response to rwburns3rd
    Level 9 (52,812 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 5, 2014 3:48 AM in response to rwburns3rd

    Since the OSX controls the RAM usage, all of the software you have installed is of no value and only will create rather than solve any problems.  Esquared has given you good advice in that regard.

     

    If you want to test your RAM, I suggest that you download from Kelley Computing, Rember.  Run it overnight so that sufficient loops are run.

     

    hhttp://www.kelleycomputing.net/rember/

     

    Based on the limited information that you have provided, I believe that you have an early 2011 MBP.  Where did you purchase the replacement RAM and what are the RAM specifications?

     

    Ciao.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Oct 5, 2014 6:33 AM in response to rwburns3rd
    Level 10 (208,044 points)
    Applications
    Oct 5, 2014 6:33 AM in response to rwburns3rd

    It's normal in Mavericks for almost all memory to be in use, either by applications or by the file cache. That's what you should want, since unused memory is going to waste. The relevant measure of whether memory is in short supply is what Apple calls "memory pressure."

    Apple's explanation of memory pressure is here. If you want a more detailed, technical description, see here.