Q: Why is up to 75% of my RAM immediately used up upon start up?
-
Jan 24, 2015 12:16 PMby KiltedTim,Because that's the way modern UNIX based operating systems like Mavericks and Yosemite work. They take all of the RAM they can get to cache information and speed up the system. It will be released when it's needed by something else. Don't worry about it.
Memory Pressure is the more important indicator. Look at that, not total RAM usage.
-
Jan 24, 2015 12:19 PMby OGELTHORPE,Please read this Apple support article on RAM usage:
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201464
With Mavericks, RAM is used by the OSX differently than before. No longer is the amount to be the primary measure of efficiency but rather 'pressure'. If it is green, then everything is fine. If it is yellow or red, then there are problems.
There is no screen shot with your query.
Ciao.
-
Jan 26, 2015 12:43 AMby Henry998,I cannot see the screenshot, but if it is something like kernel_task, you should be alright. kernel_task usually occupies a lot of the available RAM. As long as the 'Memory Pressure' graph stays green, you should be alright. Also, if you have installed antivirus software, that might also contribute.
-
Jan 26, 2015 10:04 AMby joshua.ashmore1,Make sure to check that the OS X software ram allocation is set up properly. You can set it, to allow for different amount of ram to allocated to OS. Mind you this is done in the terminal portion of application and is a little more complicated to accomplish. Other than that, yes adding more ram will allow for more to be accomplished at once, but then if you do not set up the max ram OS X 10.10 is allowed to use then it could end up taking the 16gb as well.
-
Jan 26, 2015 2:11 PMby xkevinbondx,Ya know. I just installed 16 GB RAM that is certified specifically for MacBook Pro, and more importantly, my laptop, the 2011 MacBook Pro. My computer seems a bit glitchy when starting up however... Much like when I installed an 8 GB RAM upgrade of Pny RAM I bought from Best Buy. The RAM I got from Best Buy really screwed things up for me. I thought I had a virus, i thought that my hard drive was wrecked. Got a new hard drive. Apple store couldn't tell me what the issue was. After the new hard drive I removed the RAM, installed the 4 GB that came with my computer, and all was relatively normal again. Until I got back to working in Ableton. Then I found that Mavericks was hogging every ounce of RAM and it became impossible for me to get anything does as my system had no free RAM to process my audio recordings. Now with the 16GB immediately upon startup almost 4 GB of RAM are used, which is fine because I still have 12 GB. But like I said startup seems a little glitchy and occasionally I am not able to type in my password and the laptop restarts on its own. I am writing on this forum from my laptop now, but I guess we'll see how things hold up.
Based on that long winded post does anyone have any advice? Any insights? What can I do to make sure my laptop accepts the RAM? Any steps I can take? I simply opened her up, took out the old and put in the new. I imagine there would be some amount of time required for the system to get used to the new RAM. Am I wrong? HELP!
Thanks
-
Jan 26, 2015 4:02 PMby OGELTHORPE,xkevinbondx wrote:
I imagine there would be some amount of time required for the system to get used to the new RAM. Am I wrong? HELP!
If the RAM is compatible, it will be accepted immediately. There is NO 'break in period". Macs have a reputation of being very selective with RAM. In order to assure compatibility I always recommend purchasing RAM from OWC or Crucial. Often RAM from other vendors with the appropriate specifications will not work.
Ciao.
-
Jan 26, 2015 4:09 PMby xkevinbondx,
This is a screenshot just before I restarted my computer because it started running super hot. I don't know what the heck is the deal with the RAM I've installed. Opening minor apps like System Preferences is soooo slow. And it looks like there's a million things running in the Activity Manager. And See those apps toward the top they are hogging up so much CPU. I went to OWC to find out if the RAM used in the 17'' 2011 MacBook Pro could be used in the 13'' and it says yes it can. I picked up 16gb of RAM with huge stickers of MAC on them, made by Corsair, from a nice lady in town who sold them to me. I checked reviews on the Corsair RAM and they are made for my exact laptop and reviews were very good. Though things are still running quite terribly at times. I can't get a break! Come on all you computer wiz! Help a tech tard out.
