All you experts out there... What exactly does the "optimize" button do in the application, "Memory Diag"?

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Level 1

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All you experts out there... What exactly does the "optimize" button do in the application, "Memory Diag"?

I've been trying to increase the performance of my computer, and decrease the instances of my fan running loudly in class... This has been happening lately, and it is almost to the point of being disruptive. The thing that gets me is that it seems to be over pretty much nothing. When I check activity monitor, it is a mix of safari microsoft powerpoint, and kernel task that always seem to be taking up so much memory. Basically, I want to know if the application memory dig is something that I should be using on my mac to decrease overall CPU usage when the fan begins to hum loudly. Or what else I could do to ensure that my CPU doesn't reach the point of loud fan hummage. have an early 2011 macbook pro, 4 GB 1333 MHZ DDR3, 2.3 GHz intel core i5.

MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Mar 19, 2015 10:41 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Allan Eckert

Level 9

79,512 points

Mar 19, 2015 10:44 AM in response to umgamey2

You do not want to add any third party apps to maintain OS X. They are generally scams and don't do anything more then OS X itself can do.

Please download and install EtreCheck from http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck

Run it and post the report here

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Answer 2

Mar 19, 2015 10:45 AM in response to umgamey2

No videos, No Games, will keep- GPU/CPU from heating over nominal temps. in class 😉

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Answer 3

umgamey2 Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 19, 2015 11:11 AM in response to Allan Eckert

Here's a scenario for a typical situation in which the fan starts to hum loudly... I open my computer (awaken it from sleep mode), open safari, go to my class website, download my notes and then open them with powerpoint. At this point my mac can't seem to handle it, and the fan starts to kick it in hyperdrive. This seems a bit abnormal to me. I have been playing around with memory diag for the last few days because i have been googling and have seen a lot of positive feedback about it. from what I can tell, when my computer is operating at a high CPU and then I go to memory diag and click optimize it does something which seems to open up ram space and allow my computer to run more efficiently. I just want to know what this optimization does!

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Answer 4

umgamey2 Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 19, 2015 11:20 AM in response to Allan Eckert

EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)

Report generated March 19, 2015 at 1:19:14 PM CDT

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011) (Technical Specifications)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1

1 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core

4 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Battery Health: Normal - Cycle count 349

Video Information: ℹ️

Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 384 MB

Color LCD 1280 x 800

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.2 (14C1510) - Time since boot: 12:40:32

Disk Information: ℹ️

TOSHIBA MK5076GSX disk0 : (500.11 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

Toshiba_Mac (disk1) / : 498.88 GB (424.54 GB free)

Core Storage: disk0s2 499.25 GB Online

OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5970H

USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Library/Application Support/VirtualBox

[loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxDrv (4.3.20) [Click for support]

[loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetAdp (4.3.20) [Click for support]

[loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetFlt (4.3.20) [Click for support]

[loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxUSB (4.3.20) [Click for support]

Problem System Launch Agents: ℹ️

[killed] com.apple.CallHistoryPluginHelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.icloud.fmfd.plist

[killed] com.apple.lookupd.plist

[killed] com.apple.nsurlsessiond.plist

[killed] com.apple.scopedbookmarkagent.xpc.plist

5 processes killed due to memory pressure

Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[killed] com.apple.ctkd.plist

[killed] com.apple.icloud.findmydeviced.plist

[killed] com.apple.ifdreader.plist

[killed] com.apple.nehelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.nsurlsessiond.plist

[killed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist

6 processes killed due to memory pressure

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.bombich.ccc.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.ea.origin.ESHelper.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] net.sourceforge.MonolingualHelper.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] org.virtualbox.startup.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[failed] com.wondershare.mobilegodaemon.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] org.virtualbox.vboxwebsrv.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

Memory Diag Application (/Applications/Memory Diag.app)

Battery Diag Application (/Applications/Battery Diag.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.0.0 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.134 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.134 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 15.0.0 - SDK 10.10 Check version

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

AdBlock

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

Flash Player [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

14% findNames

5% WindowServer

3% Microsoft Document Connection

1% hidd

1% mds

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

382 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

258 MB Safari

116 MB iTunes

94 MB Finder

60 MB WindowServer

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

30 MB Free RAM

1.40 GB Active RAM

1.39 GB Inactive RAM

1.06 GB Wired RAM

4.94 GB Page-ins

3 MB Page-outs

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Mar 19, 2015, 12:36:53 AM Self test - passed

Mar 18, 2015, 12:29:12 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/LegacyFileVaultMessageTracer_2015-03-18-002912_ [redacted].crash

Mar 18, 2015, 12:07:53 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/rpcsvchost_2015-03-18-000753_[redacted].cpu_res ource.diag [Click for details]

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Answer 5

Mar 19, 2015 11:38 AM in response to umgamey2

I would suggest that uninstall Memory Diag. The memory application especially with Yosemite where memory management was changed are actually working the exact opposite of the way Yosemite is work so all they do it fight each other.

Since it appears you are running Windows in VirtualBox, the 4 GB of RAM is far too small to handle that. I suggest you consider upgrading the amount RAM that is installed.

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Answer 6

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Mar 19, 2015 11:36 AM in response to umgamey2

I want to know if the application memory dig is something that I should be using

No, it isn't.

Follow these instructions, or thesefor OS X 10.8 or earlier.

You can also try resetting the SMC.

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Answer 7

umgamey2 Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 19, 2015 11:41 AM in response to Linc Davis

So what exactly seems to be the issue with Memory Diag? What is so bad about it? Because it does seem to be helping.

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Answer 8

umgamey2 Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 19, 2015 11:45 AM in response to Allan Eckert

Okay this is starting to make sense! I think I will upgrade to 8GBs of ram. I was wondering about virtual box too. I am not exactly sure why I have it on here... As far as I know I don't use it. Is it safe to say that I can remove virtual box?

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Answer 9

Mar 19, 2015 11:56 AM in response to umgamey2

Since it is a third party app and not part of OS X so that run Windows app in a virtual environment, if you are not running any Windows apps that use it then of course uninstall it.

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Answer 10

Mar 19, 2015 11:59 AM in response to umgamey2

Did you read my reply earlier where I told you why you don't want Memory Diag?

I really think that any help you think you are seeing is more psychosomatic then real.

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Answer 11

umgamey2 Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 19, 2015 12:04 PM in response to Allan Eckert

Yes, you're probably right. It's just confusing because of all the mixed feedback I've seen about it. And I just wish I knew exactly what it does. I did get rid of it though. Thank you for all your input. One last thing... About virtual box; I am using Microsoft office on my mac is that possibly what I am using virtual box for?

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Answer 12

Mar 19, 2015 12:09 PM in response to umgamey2

It depends which version of MS Office you have. If it is the Windows version then you are running in VirtualBox.

If it is the MS Office for Mac version then you are not.

Easy way to remember about third party security and performance apps is that OS X doesn't need them. If someone try to tell you otherwise, stop listening.

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