What's the deal with all this memory useage?

[nicolanicola]

I primarily use adobe's creative suite software on my mac. I have noticed it goes so slowly doing things in photoshop. In premiere pro it just crashes.

Even when no CS4 programs are open, there is still high memory usage.

Have a look at the attached image, less than 1GB available of 4GB when I am not using maybe a gig max with my programs.

It's a macbook pro 2.4 GHz I5 4GB ram.

Why is it using so much memory and how can I cut it down?

 

[Lee Adama]

the easiest solution is to install 8GB of RAM.
It is so cheap now, you can find deals on Amazon for around $47.

Once I did this, I never get any page outs, my ram max available is always around 4-5 GB.

 

[nicolanicola]

the easiest solution is to install 8GB of RAM.
It is so cheap now, you can find deals on Amazon for around $47.

Once I did this, I never get any page outs, my ram max available is always around 4-5 GB.

Sounds good, I may do this then if it's that cheap. BTW, what's a page out?

 

[Lee Adama]

Sounds good, I may do this then if it's that cheap. BTW, what's a page out?

http://macintoshhowto.com/hardware/does-my-mac-need-more-memory.html

Free tells you how much free memory you currently have, the higher the better, and

Page outs tells you how many times your computer has had to slow down because it has run out of memory and needed to move some of it’s memory back to the hard disk temporarily to free up some space. (This would be the equivalent of your brain being too full so you have to write your thoughts down on paper to free up your headspace!) This really slows down your computer.


your at 4.77GB page outs. This is high and more than the actual RAM you have. Your usage is exceeding the amount of ram you have on board. Upgrading to 8GB will help the ram allocation. You may have some other app or process that is using too much ram, but adding more ram will help deal with these issues but not solve why your using so much in the first place.

 

[GGJstudios]

Sounds good, I may do this then if it's that cheap. BTW, what's a page out?

Mac OS X: Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor

 

[nicolanicola]

http://macintoshhowto.com/hardware/does-my-mac-need-more-memory.html

Free tells you how much free memory you currently have, the higher the better, and

Page outs tells you how many times your computer has had to slow down because it has run out of memory and needed to move some of it’s memory back to the hard disk temporarily to free up some space. (This would be the equivalent of your brain being too full so you have to write your thoughts down on paper to free up your headspace!) This really slows down your computer.

Love the analogy!

Thanks for the info. Is it hard to install RAM? Is there specific brands of RAM better than other, because I see apple do their own, but then on Amazon do Kingston, Komputerbay etc. Do I take out all my existing ram then and put the new ram in? Or do I just buy 4GB ram and put that in? Thanks for your advice.

 

[Lee Adama]

installing new ram is so easy. If you have some basic skills and know how to use a screwdriver, you can install new ram within 10 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EFRHdREdqw

$47 for the ram. 10 minutes to install. (probably less time than that).

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Love the analogy!

Thanks for the info. Is it hard to install RAM? Is there specific brands of RAM better than other, because I see apple do their own, but then on Amazon do Kingston, Komputerbay etc. Do I take out all my existing ram then and put the new ram in? Or do I just buy 4GB ram and put that in? Thanks for your advice.

Crucial and Kingston see to have a great reputation. I used Crucial in my Macbook Pro 13 and Mac Mini. Both worked out great. Make sure you get the right MHZ Ram. Go to about this mac and it'll tell exactly what kind of memory you use.

 

[nicolanicola]

installing new ram is so easy. If you have some basic skills and know how to use a screwdriver, you can install new ram within 10 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EFRHdREdqw

$47 for the ram. 10 minutes to install. (probably less time than that).

----------



Crucial and Kingston see to have a great reputation. I used Crucial in my Macbook Pro 13 and Mac Mini. Both worked out great. Make sure you get the right MHZ Ram. Go to about this mac and it'll tell exactly what kind of memory you use.

Great thanks. it says 1067 MHz DDR3 so do I need to make sure whatever RAM I buy matches those specs exactly? Some Kingstom RAM I can see on amazon is 1066, would it need to be 1067? Plus, do I buy 8GB or 4Gb and just add it to the 4 I already have?

 

[Lee Adama]

Great thanks. it says 1067 MHz DDR3 so do I need to make sure whatever RAM I buy matches those specs exactly? Some Kingstom RAM I can see on amazon is 1066, would it need to be 1067? Plus, do I buy 8GB or 4Gb and just add it to the 4 I already have?

best to buy the 8GB ram kits (2 4GB sticks make up one 8GB kit)

I wouldn't mix RAM, always seems to be better to use 2 of the same type/brand.

1066 is fine, basically same as 1067. My Mac Mini mid 2010 uses 1067. MacBook Pro 13 late 2011 uses 1333. I ordered the 1067 for the laptop by mistake, so watch out!


http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-CT2KIT51264BC1067-204-PIN-PC3-8500-SODIMM/dp/B001MX5YWI

http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Memory-Module-KTA-MB1066K2-8G/dp/B001PS9UKW

 

[nicolanicola]

Just had a look at the youtube video, it's so easy to install.

Will this be ok for my mac? One of the reviews is a guy with a mid-2010 macbook pro like mine who says it works with his, so hopefully it is!

So excited now, no more slow computer and for so little money too, thanks!

 

[Lee Adama]

Just had a look at the youtube video, it's so easy to install.

Will this be ok for my mac? One of the reviews is a guy with a mid-2010 macbook pro like mine who says it works with his, so hopefully it is!

So excited now, no more slow computer and for so little money too, thanks!

yes! You are good to go. Install that and watch your laptop take off!

This is typical usage for me. I'm not a power user by any means, but enjoy the snappiness & power of the extra headroom in the ram.

 

[nicolanicola]

This is typical usage for me. I'm not a power user by any means, but enjoy the snappiness & power of the extra headroom in the ram.

Brilliant, well I'll look forward to experiencing that. Maybe that will stop the frequent firefox and photoshop crashes I always get. That darn beach ball....

 

[thundersteele]

I primarily use adobe's creative suite software on my mac. I have noticed it goes so slowly doing things in photoshop. In premiere pro it just crashes.

Even when no CS4 programs are open, there is still high memory usage.

Have a look at the attached image, less than 1GB available of 4GB when I am not using maybe a gig max with my programs.

It's a macbook pro 2.4 GHz I5 4GB ram.

Why is it using so much memory and how can I cut it down?

Just wanted to say, you have a large number of programs open. So it's not surprising that about 2.1 GB of your ram are being actively used. The real free RAM is the free + inactive. Inactive ram is ram that was used by an application, but is not being used currently. It remains assigned to that application until it is needed elsewhere, so if that application is restarted, it comes up faster.

But yeah, if you won't want to worry about freeing up memory, upgrade to 8GB.

 

[nicolanicola]

Just wanted to say, you have a large number of programs open. So it's not surprising that about 2.1 GB of your ram are being actively used. The real free RAM is the free + inactive. Inactive ram is ram that was used by an application, but is not being used currently. It remains assigned to that application until it is needed elsewhere, so if that application is restarted, it comes up faster.

But yeah, if you won't want to worry about freeing up memory, upgrade to 8GB.

Oh I see. Is it worth restarting every so often? I tend to just put my mac to sleep.

 

[Lee Adama]

Oh I see. Is it worth restarting every so often? I tend to just put my mac to sleep.

I put mine to sleep. Restart maybe once a week or so.

I like the sleep option as it wakes up instantly and all my usual apps are already launched and ready to use.

 

[GGJstudios]

Oh I see. Is it worth restarting every so often? I tend to just put my mac to sleep.

No, you don't need to restart periodically, as was necessary on Windows. Many Mac users run weeks or months without restarting, usually only doing so when a Software Update requires it.

 

[Spadoinkles]

the easiest solution is to install 8GB of RAM.
It is so cheap now, you can find deals on Amazon for around $47.

Once I did this, I never get any page outs, my ram max available is always around 4-5 GB.

You've overupgraded, mate. Think of how much more $47 could have done to those who truly need it.

 

[Lee Adama]

You've overupgraded, mate. Think of how much more $47 could have done to those who truly need it.

excuse me? I didn't realize this was the humanitarian forum. You're obviously trolling here. Go find something constructive to do. idiot.

 

[Freyqq]

You've overupgraded, mate. Think of how much more $47 could have done to those who truly need it.

lol well just b\c he isn't using it all now doesn't mean he won't use it all in the future