Insane virtual memory usage

[dotmaster206]

I have a 2007 Macbook. Recently, it has been running crazy slow. The Activity monitor seems like it is showing insane amounts of virtual memory usage.

For example, with Firefox open with 5 tabs, it is using 1.6GB (yes, GB) virtual memory (267MB real memory). Additionally, the Activity Monitor itself is near a gig of virtual, and Microsoft Word is using 1.7GB virtual (70MB real). Almost all of the processes listed (25-30 total) are at 800 or 900MB of virtual memory usage. This seems insane to me. I only have like 8GB free on my hard drive, so if you add up all the virtual memory allocated, it doesn't make any sense. What's up?

PS: ITunes was sometimes going over 100% CPU usage even when it wasn't doing anything, not playing songs, not syncing, nothing. How does that make sense? If iTunes was open, the fan would stay on full speed even when the screen was off after no use. I closed it and things sped up some, but still not normal.

 

[GGJstudios]

There's nothing unusual about your memory stats. Virtual memory is just that: virtual. It can be many times more than your physical RAM.

Mac OS X: Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor

 

[spinnerlys]

Virtual memory (VM) is just what it says -- "virtual" -- it really doesn't exist. The VM size is NOT consuming any disk space.

from A detailed look at memory usage in OS X
via "mac os x virtual memory"​

The fact that you have 8GB of free HDD storage capacity is pointing to the source of the slow down, as it is not recommended to have less than 10 to 20 percent of the HDD's capacity not free, in other words, a 200GB HDD should have 20 to 40GB free storage capacity.