Prevent specific app from using Inactive RAM?

[paintballmjm]

Hello!

I'm having the same issue that a lot of Google Chrome users are experiencing - excessive Inactive RAM (>2GB) that is not released to Free memory for other apps until Chrome is completely closed (even closing memory-hogging tabs won't work). As a result, OS X starts using swap instead of releasing the inactive memory.

I know that inactive memory can be forced to be released with "purge" in Terminal, but that's only a temporary solution.

Is there a way to keep Chrome from using Inactive memory? I understand that being able to re-open closed tabs, etc., won't be available, and that's alright. I'd rather not completely disable Inactive Memory in OS X, though, just that one app. Is there any way this can be done?

Thanks!

 

[benwiggy]

I'm not sure I understand the problem: Inactive memory is usually data from apps that have already quit. If Chrome is running, it shouldn't be producing InActive memory. Or is that the nature of the bug?
Also, OS X should start eating into InActive Memory, rather than swapping.

From what you say, the simplest thing is just to Quit and relaunch Chrome every now and again.
I wouldn't even use the purge command either. As you say, this is a temporary problem, which should get fixed in a new release of Chrome.

I'd rather not completely disable Inactive Memory in OS X, though

Dear God please No!! Even if this were possible (and I can't imagine how without very heavy magic), it's the wrong solution. Don't break something else because Chrome doesn't work.

 

[paintballmjm]

Hi, Benwiggy

That's correct. However, Chrome is different in that it actually separates each open tab (and any loaded extensions) into separate OS X processes. That way, if a tab crashes, the rest of the browser isn't affected. It seems that when some of these tab-processes are ended (closed), many or all are converted to Inactive RAM so Chrome can re-open them later. Unfortunately, the memory is never made available to other apps that need it.