Safari WebContent using GB of memory

We have an older MacBook with 8 GB of RAM (maximum allowed) and it often gets very slow. When I check in the Activity Monitor, I often find a "com.apple.WebKit.WebContent" process using a lot of memory: 1, 2 or even once 16 GB of memory.

For example, right now I see this process:

com.apple.WebKit.WebContent 1.98 GB 1.94 GB 15 267 4542 user 101.0 MB 0.2 7:12.22 4 0 bytes 0 bytes 64 bit 0 bytes 0 bytes 0 0 - No No 0 bytes 0 bytes No Yes 0 bytes No Yes


Is there any way to stop web pages from using ridiculous amounts of memory in Safari?


Thanks,

++Eric

Posted on Jul 28, 2016 7:59 AM

Reply
9 replies

Jul 28, 2016 8:09 AM in response to dominic23

Thanks for the quick reply! Here is my EtreCheck report:

EtreCheck version: 2.9.13 (267)

Report generated 2016-07-28 07:19:53

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime 3:53

Performance: Good


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

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


Problem: Computer is too slow

Description:

Programs take very long time to start or even switch to them when they are already running.


Hardware Information: ⓘ

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011)

[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1

1 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 2-core

8 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

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

Battery: Health = Check Battery - Cycle count = 94


Video Information: ⓘ

Intel HD Graphics 3000

Color LCD 1280 x 800


System Software: ⓘ

OS X El Capitan 10.11.5 (15F34) - Time since boot: about 2 days


Disk Information: ⓘ

HGST HTS721010A9E630 disk0 : (1 TB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

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

Macintosh (disk1) / : 998.97 GB (682.37 GB free)

Core Storage: disk0s2 999.35 GB Online


MATSHITADVD-R UJ-898 ()


USB Information: ⓘ

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Sunplus Innovation Technology. USB to Serial-ATA bridge 1 TB

disk2s1 (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 32 KB

Boot OSX (disk2s2) <not mounted> : 134 MB

Iomega-1TB (disk2s3) /Volumes/Iomega-1TB : 1.00 TB (133.29 GB free)

Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller


Thunderbolt Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus


Gatekeeper: ⓘ

Mac App Store and identified developers


Kernel Extensions: ⓘ

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.seagate.driver.PowSecDriverCore (5.2.4 (26840) - SDK 10.4 - 2016-07-18) [Support]


/System/Library/Extensions/Seagate Storage Driver.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[not loaded] com.seagate.driver.PowSecLeafDriver_10_4 (5.2.4 (26840) - SDK 10.4 - 2013-09-30) [Support]

[not loaded] com.seagate.driver.PowSecLeafDriver_10_5 (5.2.4 (26840) - SDK 10.5 - 2013-09-30) [Support]

[not loaded] com.seagate.driver.SeagateDriveIcons (5.2.4 (26840) - SDK 10.4 - 2013-09-30) [Support]


/Volumes/Iomega-1TB/iMac_G5-HD/Users/[redacted]/local_progs/TemperatureMonitor. app

[not loaded] com.bresink.driver.BRESINKx86Monitoring (2.0 - 2011-06-17) [Support]


System Launch Agents: ⓘ

[not loaded] 9 Apple tasks

[loaded] 157 Apple tasks

[running] 69 Apple tasks

[killed] 3 Apple tasks

3 processes killed due to insufficient RAM


System Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[not loaded] 45 Apple tasks

[loaded] 154 Apple tasks

[running] 84 Apple tasks

[killed] 7 Apple tasks

7 processes killed due to insufficient RAM


Launch Agents: ⓘ

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2016-07-11) [Support]

[loaded] com.hp.help.tocgenerator.plist (2009-07-28) [Support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist (2016-04-20) [Support]

[running] net.culater.SIMBL.Agent.plist (2011-05-02) [Support]

[running] net.juniper.pulsetray.plist (2016-03-09) [Support]

[loaded] org.freedesktop.dbus-session.plist (2016-02-03) [Support]

[loaded] org.macports.startx.plist (2015-12-29) [Support]


Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[failed] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2016-06-13) [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist (2016-07-11) [Support]

[running] com.jungledisk.service.plist (2011-06-03) [Support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (2012-04-02) [Support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (2016-04-20) [Support]

[running] net.juniper.AccessService.plist (2016-03-09) [Support]

[loaded] net.juniper.UninstallPulse.plist (2016-03-09) [Support]

[running] net.openvpn.client.plist (2014-03-03) [Support]

[not loaded] org.freedesktop.dbus-system.plist (2016-02-03) [Support]

[loaded] org.macports.privileged_startx.plist (2015-12-29) [Support]


User Launch Agents: ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist (2011-04-29) [Support]

[running] com.amazon.cloud-player.plist (2013-11-26) [Support]

[loaded] com.apple.MobileMeSyncClientAgent.plist

[loaded] com.apple.SafariBookmarksSyncer.plist

[running] com.lastpass.LastPassHelper.plist (2015-10-10) [Support]

[loaded] net.juniper.SetupClient.plist (2016-05-27) [Support]


User Login Items: ⓘ

iTunesHelper Application (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)


Other Apps: ⓘ

[loaded] 406 Apple tasks

[running] 193 Apple tasks

[killed] 7 Apple tasks


Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

nplastpass: 3.2.11 - SDK 10.10 (2015-10-10) [Support]

Google Earth Web Plug-in: 6.2 (2012-06-28) [Support]

Default Browser: 601 - SDK 10.11 (2016-05-17)

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: 2.4.4.2 (2012-08-25) [Support]

net.juniper.DSSafariExtensions: Unknown (2014-07-04) [Support]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 11.0.17 - SDK 10.6 (2016-07-12) [Support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: 22.0.0.192 - SDK 10.9 (2016-06-25) [Support]

Silverlight: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 (2014-10-12) [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2016-05-17)

Flash Player: 22.0.0.192 - SDK 10.9 (2016-06-25) Outdated! Update

iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 - SDK 10.8 (2013-04-23)

SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.6.5 - SDK 10.6 (2016-06-22) [Support]

AdobePDFViewer: 11.0.17 - SDK 10.6 (2016-07-12) [Support]

CANONiMAGEGATEWAYDL: 2.1.0.1 (2006-04-20) [Support]

CANONiMAGEGATEWAYLI: 2.1.0.1 (2006-04-20) [Support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 91 build 14 (2016-04-20) Check version


User internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

BSContact: 7.220 (2012-11-23) [Support]

BSVersion: 1.0.0.7 (2012-11-23) [Support]


Safari Extensions: ⓘ

JS Blocker 5 - Travis Roman - http://jsblocker.toggleable.com/ (2016-04-26)

LastPass - LastPass - https://lastpass.com (2016-02-05)

TwitterSSL-1 - Simon Welsh - http://simon.geek.nz/safari-extensions/ (2012-12-18)


3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ

Flash Player (2016-06-13) [Support]

Flip4Mac WMV (2012-05-15) [Support]

Java (2016-04-20) [Support]

Paragon NTFS for Mac ® OS X (2013-09-30) [Support]


Time Machine: ⓘ

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: ON

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh: Disk size: 998.97 GB Disk used: 316.60 GB

Destinations:

Iomega-1TB [Local]

Total size: 1.00 TB

Total number of backups: 76

Oldest backup: 8/8/13, 7:45 AM

Last backup: 6/26/16, 7:58 AM

Size of backup disk: Adequate

Backup size 1.00 TB > (Disk used 316.60 GB X 3)


Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

58% mds

23% backupd

18% Finder(2)

14% WindowServer

11% mds_stores


Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

1.22 GB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent(22)

955 MB kernel_task

565 MB firefox

295 MB mdworker(22)

287 MB Mail(2)


Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

200 MB Free RAM

7.80 GB Used RAM (1.33 GB Cached)

2.68 GB Swap Used


Diagnostics Information: ⓘ

Jul 25, 2016, 05:49:08 PM Self test - passed

Jul 28, 2016 8:59 AM in response to ericf2000

Please remove adware SIMBL and test.


1. Use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac to remove adware


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


Download, install , open, and run it by clicking “Scan for Adware” button to remove adware.

Once done, quit Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.


2. Disable Extensions and test.

Safari > Preferences > Extensions

Disable all extensions and test.

Enable Extensions one by one and test.

To uninstall any extension, select it and click the “Uninstall” button.


3. Safari > Preferences > Search > Search Engine :

Select your preferred search engine.


4. Safari > Preferences > General > Homepage:

Set your Homepage.

Aug 12, 2016 4:39 PM in response to dominic23

Thanks for the hints!


It took a while before my wife would let me restart the computer after I removed the SIMBL malware. Now she has her usual huge number of Safari windows open again and I don't see any of them using more than 600 MB of memory and 240 MB of real memory, so it seems like SIMBL was the cause of extreme memory usage problem.


++Eric

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Safari WebContent using GB of memory

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