15 rMBP memmory swapping...

[jomirrivera]

Hello

I got a base model 15 retina macbook pro so I have 8 gb of ram.

The thing is that even though I have plenty of free memory, the computer is swapping memmory to de ssd like crazy. Up to 2gb sometimes while doing basic things like browsing the web and maybe itunes and a couple of word documents.


Any suggestions?

 

[durkkin]

Are you absolutely *positive* it's swapping? Read here about Mavericks memory management: http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/10/os-x-10-9/17/#compressed-memory

Your computer will try its hardest to avoid using the swap file. If it is, then there's something else going on. First things first: try repairing disk permissions.

 

[thekev]

First things first: try repairing disk permissions.

What does that have to do with ram use? Corrupt permissions can cause very specific problems. I am not aware of significant increases in ram usage being one of them.

 

[jomirrivera]

Are you absolutely *positive* it's swapping? Read here about Mavericks memory management: http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/10/os-x-10-9/17/#compressed-memory

Your computer will try its hardest to avoid using the swap file. If it is, then there's something else going on. First things first: try repairing disk permissions.

Well, I am not a 100% sure but in activity monitor, under memmory tab the "swap used" is constanly over 2GB.

Compressed memmory should use all the ram before going to the ssd if it desnt there is no reason to have 8gb of ram if te computer is going to start swapping after using 4Gb only.

 

[tlink91]

I have the same issue with my 13" rMBP late '13, with 8 GB of ram, and only 3.45 Gb used it still swaps - though less than 1GB. Any ideas as to why this happens?

 

[durkkin]

What does that have to do with ram use? Corrupt permissions can cause very specific problems. I am not aware of significant increases in ram usage being one of them.

Eh probably nothing, but it takes 30 seconds and is easy to do. I've seen disk permissions fix all sorts of weird things that don't make sense.

Well, I am not a 100% sure but in activity monitor, under memmory tab the "swap used" is constanly over 2GB.

Do you consistently close all of your programs and have you tried restarting? It's possible that the swap file is just sitting there from earlier when you did need to swap, and you haven't reopened or used that program again so the swap file was never transferred back into RAM.

 

[jomirrivera]

Eh probably nothing, but it takes 30 seconds and is easy to do. I've seen disk permissions fix all sorts of weird things that don't make sense.



Do you consistently close all of your programs and have you tried restarting? It's possible that the swap file is just sitting there from earlier when you did need to swap, and you haven't reopened or used that program again so the swap file was never transferred back into RAM.

Yeah I've been restarting the computer often just to sort that out but it keeps coming back. I really have no idea what it might be. Sometimes it comes back under very ligh load and something I'm burning the hell out of the computer and it does not swap a bit. I really dont know what may be happening

 

[actuallyinaus]

you could prevent the swapfiles from being usable, they will stay at 0KB, you won't have a problem doing this (unless i guess you max out the ram and it actually needs to use it)

Remove the image:
sudo rm /private/var/vm/swapfile0
sudo rm /private/var/vm/swapfile1
Create a blanked file:
sudo touch /private/var/vm/swapfile0
sudo touch /private/var/vm/swapfile1
Make file immutable:
sudo chflags uchg /private/var/vm/swapfile0
sudo chflags uchg /private/var/vm/swapfile1