Macbook Pro is overheating/increased vsize usage

[Adamosaur]

I have a macbook pro (about 2 years old) and have noticed when I open up Activity Monitor, it shows many processes with a high (higher than 300) virtual size, as well as a higher real size too. My computer also appears to be heating up, and appears to be a bit more laggy on basic functions (even moving the cursor along the dock when safari and a few other apps are open.)

I haven't updated to Safari 4, but I don't know if that would be causing this issue. Here is a snapshot of the top processes. This happens whenever I start my computer, and I have tried running disk utility, restarting my computer, and quitting some of them individually with no change.

I am updating to safari 4beta right now (restarting after I post this) to see if there is any change. Any ideas here, or is it just time to get a new computer?

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro3,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Chipset Model: GeForce 8600M GT

 

[p.luik]

I have seven apps using more the 1 GB of virtual memory on the same model macbook pro. Just look at your load averages, you don't need a new computer for sure.

 

[Adamosaur]

I'm more worried about the heat too, my computer currently says CPU A: is 77 degrees Celsius and slowly climbing until about 80. What is wrong with this computer. I have all my stuff backed up and everything, so I'm thinking of a clean re-install. Dunno what may be causing it though, and I may have backed up that. Trying to figure out if it is the computer itself, or something I put on it. It is almost 3 years old I think, so it is getting up there and is in need of a refreshing.

Do you think a reformat will maybe fix the problem. I have some freeware installed that I can ignore from before...I am a college student, so it is kindof hard to purchase a new one, though there are a few other problems too now.

My screen is going black sometime, and my computer won't wake from sleep (black screen sleep). The keyboard and mouse have no function and can't wake up the computer, the only way to fix it is the hold down the power.

Geez, really thinking of a reformat here, but I want to be more secure that it may fix the problem, since that takes a lot of time, and I have papers to do here...

 

[baditkoff]

Hi,
Does a simple reboot show the same behavior? Have you tried terminating your browser and watching your temperature? Your CPU time for firefox seems high. Restarting firefox causes the same behavior? Try to have a single browser running. Not Safari and Firefox. any change?

 

[kastenbrust]

A reformat should fix it, looking at the number of processes you've got running you may have too many, even if they are idle, and since you have Caffeine running it leads me to believe you dont turn your computer off or even put it to sleep very often?

 

[Adamosaur]

I turn my computer (put it to sleep during the nighttime) off every night before I go to bed, and then restart it in the morning. I only use caffeine for when I have my computer during lectures so it doesn't fall asleep (and changing the energy savor preferences constantly gets annoying).

Yes, as soon as I reboot my computer, activity monitor shows those readings for even hidden processes, even if I don't open up any apps (except activity monitor of course).

I recently updated to Safari4beta, with no change in temperature or vmemory.

I tried playing Age of Empires II earlier today and it was too laggy to play (it would freeze constantly as the computer would have the fan/processing sound throughout the entire game, eventually it was every 5 seconds so I had to quit it).

Safari4beta has started causing my mail app to forcequit when I use it, but I think that is a separate issue. I updated my software (software update) about a weeks ago, I will check that now to see if there is any change....
- just checked it, no new software updates...

This problem only started happening a short while ago. I didn't make any other installations during that time (excluding safari4 yesterday and fluid to run facebook a few weeks ago). I have started videochatting using skype and iChat more often for extensive periods of time (2-5 hours at a time sometimes), however the heatup just persists during it, doesn't get any worse seemingly. I did install flash 10 about a week ago, though I don't think that could be causing this.

I did install fluid to run facebook about the time it started overheating, or when I noticed though it isn't open too often and is never running in the background. My brother requested it to me since he was using it for facebook and a few other things. Could this be causing anything? I could try uninstalling it, I still have the dmg file (plus it is free online I think anyway), but not sure if it would be really causing the problem.

I'm thinking of a reformat, it would probably fix the problem. I have everything backed up through time-machine on an external hard-drive, as well as the leopard disk my computer came with here with me at the dorms.

I'm not sure the process of transferring the files, or if time-machine has some kind of process. I have everything backed up with it (library files, system files, everything) so I'm not sure if I should issue to replace them all back in the system. Judging by some of the freeware and other apps I have installed, it may be nice to restart. I don't use a few, though I still have them here in my hard-drive.

I just now deleted Fluid and the all of it's site extensions (using AppCleaner and spotlight) with no change after a restart.

Here is AM when I first start up my computer, with just AM open. Do I have too many preliminary background apps (ones that open at startup)? Could that be the problem?