MacBookPro paging out instead of using 1.6+gb of inactive memory

[applepie555]

Hello,
Recently I have noticed my macbook pro (with mac os x 10.8.4) has been paging out when there is not that much free ram, even when there is a plentiful amount of inactive memory. From what I understand, "Inactive memory" is used to cache ram of recently opened apps to help them open faster, but can be overwritten if the system needs more ram. But my mac, with 1.6gb of inactive memory, for some reason wants to page out instead.

Here's the ram breakdown

Why isn't the inactive memory being overwritten?

 

[MacForScience]

If you are concerned you do a hardware RAM test with TechTool Pro or Apple Hardware Test.

Normally based on those Page Ins and Outs values I would say you need more RAM. What do you use the computer for?

Cheers

 

[applepie555]

Yeah unfortunately it's a rmbp...however...it appears that a lot of the 8gb used is inactive memory

If you add up the "wired" and "active" memory it's only around 6gb so I should be just fine. I get that inactive memory should take up the rest, but it shouldn't be paging out.

And kernel_task is using an unacceptable 1.9gb of ram as well...

 

[ohbrilliance]

Are you experiencing any performance issues that could be due to the paging out?

 

[MacForScience]

Some page outs is fine that is just standard operation, but I agree that the 1.9GB kernel task seems a bit extreme, and the number of page outs seems high. Have you run any maintenance on the computer? Cache cleanings, restart etc?

Cheers

 

[Giev]

you could use the "purge" command to free up some inactive memory, but that's just to flush some entries form the cache and wont prevent getting the memory reallocated.

If you are regularly using the swap memory you need mroe RAM. Seeing that you have parallels, is there any chance you ran out of batteries when you had parallels running? I came across this (bug?) when the battery died and I was seeing constant I/O to the hard disk. A reboot fixed it.

HTH,