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Level 1

0 points

os X server memory leaks?

Hi, I'm running OS X server (l10.4.8), all firmware updates current, on a Mac Pro with 2 GB RAM. After a restart, Activity Monitor reports about 180 MB or less of wired memory. However, in a matter of a few days, or even in a few hours, this climbs up to almost 1 GB. The culprit seem to be "kernel_task". Not sure how performance is being affected but this obviously should not be occurring. Services running are AFP, DHCP, DNS, Mail, Open Directory and VPN. This is a small office with only two client machines connected, a macbook pro and an intel imac. I'm having Cocktail run all of its scripts daily without any affect. Logging out also does nothing. Any ideas on why this is happening and how to prevent this would sure be appreciated!

This post mirrors one I started earlier in the mail services section at http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=699369. I believe that it's more appropriate for this discussion to be in this category though.

2.66 ghz Mac Pro, 2 GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.4.8), running OS X Server

Posted on Jan 15, 2007 9:08 AM

61 replies

Jan 29, 2007 4:41 AM in response to Craig Sayer

Hope this helps everyone, we only discovered it when
we installed the universal version on a PPC machine,
we rebuilt the machine and everything was fine after
opening a ticket with Apple and discussing the
problems.

Hi there

How did you fix the problem - is there a non-Universal/PPC-only installer or set of disks?

Thanks

PowerMac Mac OS X (10.4.8) Dual 2.5GHz G5 2.5G RAM

Jan 31, 2007 10:08 AM in response to Craig Sayer

New theory for 10.4 Universal on PPC hardware: acls are the culprit.

After talking to some other sysadmins about their experience with 10.4 Universal it turned out that only those had this problem who where using acls.

Any comments?

-Ralph

Jan 31, 2007 10:15 AM in response to slowfranklin

ACL's off on all volumes. Not even available for use. The PPC process and Search issue both happen on my Mac Pro w/Universal 10.4.8 installed. Services are AFP, SMB, Web, NTP, Mail, SU, OD. I will test the search via an SMB Mount later.

Feb 7, 2007 4:27 PM in response to Michael Ojaste

Thanks everyone for doing my research for me on the memory leak! My experiences directly reflect those posted. I am discouraging searches and doing daily restarts until a fix is available.

Please someone post when there is a fix available.

thanks, Dave

Feb 7, 2007 11:04 PM in response to thufir

Is everybody reporting to http//radar.apple.com/ ? If not, please do so.

Apple is quite responsive this time on the bug report I filed.

Thinks to include:
your observation of
$ top -l 0 | grep kernel_task

and the output of
$ zprint

-Ralph

Moofo

Level 1

10 points

Feb 13, 2007 6:53 PM in response to slowfranklin

I reported this problem to Apple in december. They are supposedly working on it.

Anyway...

BTW, to stop the controversy with Rosetta. I reproduced the problem in like 15 mins with the machine, freshly rebooted with no retropect daemon running.

I fed Apple with

Screenshot of activity monitor before it happens
Screenshot of activity monitor while it happens
Countinuous top output (fresh from a reboot) from a "Clean state" to a "Problem state"
Countinuous AFP output (fresh from a reboot) from a "Clean state" to a "Problem state" with one user doing search.

Output stopped at one point, because the server crashed.

From an enterprise POV, the service is not fast enough.

thufir Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 14, 2007 12:26 PM in response to Moofo

Ditto here. I also reported way back in October and Apple's engineering is apparently still working on this.

I wonder if I should be hopeful that OS 10.4.9 will have a fix ...

Maxplanar

Level 4

3,096 points

Mar 1, 2007 12:41 PM in response to thufir

I'm seeing massive 10.4.8 memory leaks on a G4 Mac mini running 10.4.8 Server, but only when iTunes is left running. Over a couple of days, I end up with 10+ swap files, even if iTunes is never played or searched. Without running iTunes, I never even get to two swap files over a period of weeks. This immediately started happening after the update to 10.4.8.

Hope they fix it...

davidh

Level 4

1,890 points

Mar 1, 2007 5:13 PM in response to Maxplanar

I'm sorry but why in gawd's name are you running iTunes on a "Server" ????

"Yah, my server really lags when I'm recording HD video and burning a CD and playing UT in windowed mode"

Unrealistic expectations typically yield unhappy results.

Never mind that the drive in a Mini isn't rated for continuous use and will do good deal to increase your overall latency.

Maxplanar

Level 4

3,096 points

Mar 1, 2007 6:57 PM in response to davidh

10.4.7 server did not memory leak, whereas 10.4.8 does. That's all I am saying. Don't come at me with your fancy-dan stick when you know essentially nothing about my particular situation.

Don't shoot the messenger.

davidh

Level 4

1,890 points

Mar 1, 2007 7:08 PM in response to Maxplanar

No idea what you're referring to, especially here in this context.

If you have verifiable memory leaks under 10.4.8 where you did not under 10.4.7, then by all means say as much.

If you expect proper performance from OS X Server on what is undisputably Apple's most client-style box while running client-type apps, then may t3h f0rce be with you.

davidh

Level 4

1,890 points

Mar 1, 2007 7:12 PM in response to davidh

We also know nothing about your setup as you've seen fit to tell us nothing other than the fact that you're running iTunes on your box.

Maxplanar

Level 4

3,096 points

Mar 1, 2007 7:39 PM in response to davidh

If you have verifiable memory leaks under 10.4.8
where you did not under 10.4.7, then by all means say
as much.

I'm not exactly sure how else one might interpret this:

"This immediately started happening after the update to 10.4.8."

And this isn't about "proper performance", I simply chimed in on an existing thread to add information. Discussion was suggesting that this was only being seen with Rosetta apps on Intel boxes. My post was to point out that the problem may be other than that, and that we all keenly await 10.4.9 Server.

Mar 2, 2007 6:05 PM in response to Maxplanar

Over a couple of days, I end up with
10+ swap files, even if iTunes is never played or
searched. Without running iTunes, I never even get
to two swap files over a period of weeks.

To get to the point (and not to say we are not looking for others to report) we are talking here about REAL memory that is being eaten up by the kernel_task and not being properly released back to the system under 10.4.8. Your talking about Swap or VM. Apples and Oranges in my book. If you where to tell me that upon running iTunes on 10.4.8 server the kernel_task Real Memory shot up and was not being given back to the system well then your on the right thread. Your problem is on PCC and I'd venture to say unrelated to the problem we have here which deals in real not swap memory.

vizion8

Level 1

18 points

Mar 8, 2007 3:20 PM in response to thufir

i am also expering a kernel task memory leak in my Xserve Xeon with 10.4.8 server. Normally, i would reboot the machine automatically every evening and have the memory start out fresh. 10.4.9 Server might fix things. As i write this, my free memory is less than 40mb.

Eric

os X server memory leaks?