How to tell when to add memory?

[qveda]

I have a Mac Pro with 4gb of ram. Plenty most of the time, but sometimes things slow down a bit with heavy use of Photoshop.

I only have the orig 320gb drive. so adding a second drive to put all the data (and scratch disc) on, may be my next step.

What guidelines can I use to determine when I'd benefit from more RAM ?

I don't think the Activity Monitor data by itself is sufficient.

 

[bearcatrp]

Look at activity monitor after doing some work. Look at the page ins/outs. If your page outs are 10% or more of your page ins, time to add more.

 

[VirtualRain]

Here's a useful link...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1342

What does all this mean?
This means you shouldn't worry when the Free memory is low. The only time Free memory should be high is right after the computer starts up. As you use applications or services, memory is used and transitions to Inactive. Applications that need more memory will take from the Inactive, but the Inactive is there just in case you need it again. If the combination of Free and Inactive is very low, then you might need more memory.

 

[qveda]

Look at activity monitor after doing some work. Look at the page ins/outs. If your page outs are 10% or more of your page ins, time to add more.

One thing that seems to be memory intensive is Re-sizing and image.
after trying a big enlargement, page ins: 389mb, page outs: 50mb, swap used: 250mb

Using Lightroom, I noticed page ins: 400mb, page outs: 70, swap: 288

However, Free: 32 mb, Inactive: 1 gb

Does this point to some advantage of expanding my memory beyond 4Gb ?

 

[OZMP]

One thing that seems to be memory intensive is Re-sizing and image.
after trying a big enlargement, page ins: 389mb, page outs: 50mb, swap used: 250mb

Using Lightroom, I noticed page ins: 400mb, page outs: 70, swap: 288

However, Free: 32 mb, Inactive: 1 gb

Does this point to some advantage of expanding my memory beyond 4Gb ?

Inactive makes me think that Apple have some work to do...

How often do you reboot your machine?

 

[jav6454]

I have a Mac Pro with 4gb of ram. Plenty most of the time, but sometimes things slow down a bit with heavy use of Photoshop.

I only have the orig 320gb drive. so adding a second drive to put all the data (and scratch disc) on, may be my next step.

What guidelines can I use to determine when I'd benefit from more RAM ?

I don't think the Activity Monitor data by itself is sufficient.

Page Outs. Simple, if the Page outs in your Activity Monitor are increasing from 0, then you really need more RAM. Otherwise, you are fine and its a lag issue.

 

[MacDawg]

You will find a pretty good explanation about "page outs" here

You can find your "page outs" by going using the Activity Monitor found in your Utilities Folder (use the System Memory tab).

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[qveda]

You will find a pretty good explanation about "page outs" here

You can find your "page outs" by going using the Activity Monitor found in your Utilities Folder (use the System Memory tab).

Woof, Woof - Dawg

If I've been working with large images in Photoshop, I can get Page Outs of over 400mb, with Pages Ins of 700mbs.
I guess that means I need more memory !

 

[Sirobin]

Hmm, this is under normal usage...I think I need more memory, too bad my computer is already maxed out

 

[Billydelp4]

I seem to be having a similar problem. It seems as if OS X isn't releasing any memory back into the system reservoir. this is a picture from just a normal days use i.e.very little final cut use along with itunes safari and mail. nothing major at all.

 

[carlosbutler]

i believe that wired is what you are actually using at the moment. as someone else said before, if you start up a big program even for a second and it allocates 2gb of memory, and you close it down, the 2gb will become active memory. inactive memory is there for reserve and free means its not being touched at all. i think

 

[Billydelp4]

I seem to be having a similar problem. It seems as if OS X isn't releasing any memory back into the system reservoir. this is a picture from just a normal days use i.e.very little final cut use along with itunes safari and mail. nothing major at all.

now to get even stranger... I rebooted and only 4 gb show up

 

[Genghis Khan]

now to get even stranger... I rebooted and only 4 gb show up

check the RAM in the risers...make sure everything's plugged in properly

I have a Mac Pro with 4gb of ram. Plenty most of the time, but sometimes things slow down a bit with heavy use of Photoshop.

I only have the orig 320gb drive. so adding a second drive to put all the data (and scratch disc) on, may be my next step.

What guidelines can I use to determine when I'd benefit from more RAM ?

I don't think the Activity Monitor data by itself is sufficient.

you DEFINATELY need a scratch disk for photoshop

from memory, as CS4 for mac is still 32-bit, it will only directly use 2.7-3.3GB RAM...however, i remember reading somewhere that it can use extra RAM as a scratch disk anyway.

sorry if that's a bit vague, but i recommend that you get a scratch disk first...then see what you think

 

[Tesselator]

Genny, Genny,

I agree with your assessment and recollection but not the recommendation. Go for the RAM first. It will help everything run faster and/or smoother! Adding a scratch disk may not noticeably improve anything unless his current scratch unit is fighting for drive access with another app of some kind.

Also yes, pull your RAM trays and reseat the RAM modules! RAM sockets and RAM thermal sensors in the Mac Pro are weird - touchy-weird!