How to purge blocked memory and make it free?

[Gloor]

Hi,

I often have problem with memory. I close certain applications but the memory is still not available and is in inactive. It results in swapping and the computer becomes jerky.

Also, what is page ins and page outs? How to purge that too?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions

 

[Hellhammer]

Inactive = free

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1342?viewlocale=en_US
https://forums.macrumors.com/archive/index.php/t-142719.html

How much you have free + inactive RAM? Might be that you simply need more, how much you got now?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

You can't "purge" page ins and page outs, really. That refers to your computer using its virtual memory, also known as the swap file. As far as I know, there isn't a way to force-free inactive RAM either - besides, on Mac OS X it is normal to have very little free RAM and lots of inactive RAM. Mac OS X stores cached program launch information, among other things, in inactive RAM, and will relinquish it willingly if it is needed to start new programs.

 

[Gloor]

oh I see.

I have 8GB ram and sometimes I turn on a game between work and then have Safari with about 8tabs open. Skype, Adium and sometimes quicktime and thats pretty much it.
I often notice that its the Safari that takes a lot of mem which I am not sure why as its just a browser.

 

[Hellhammer]

oh I see.

I have 8GB ram and sometimes I turn on a game between work and then have Safari with about 8tabs open. Skype, Adium and sometimes quicktime and thats pretty much it.
I often notice that its the Safari that takes a lot of mem which I am not sure why as its just a browser.

Because it saves every web page you visit to the RAM so it's faster to reload it later on. Reset Safari as it clears its cache etc so no more intensive RAM usage. BTW, my record for Safari RAM usage is 1.3GB... Usually stays around 500MBish

 

[sammich]

There's apparently some 'bug' in Snow Leopard (read this thread) where it'll start paging out without actually freeing up the inactive RAM. Meaning you get a fat swapfile even with memory available for consumption.

 

[Gloor]

oh, that makes sense. I was fine under leopard but forgot ))

Let's hope 10.6.4 will fix it

Thank you