Hi:

Wow, this feels more like home. Thanks for the heads up, Jonathan!!

I have 512 mb of RAM on my ibook G4. Lately something is eating it up. I looked on the Activity Monitor and couldn't see anything different. Now when I open more than one page on a website, the RAM goes down to about 29 mb. and then the site freezes with the little rainbow pinwheel spinning. I can't get it to stop with the Apple/period technique.

Also, I have over 3 gigs of virtual memory but it's looks like it's not being tapped into so that I don't run out of RAM.

Any suggestions?

OK, I don't know if this really does have anything to do with my RAM issue but since I left the above message, I have had to Force Quit Safari at least twice. I'm having to Force Quit very often now. Does anyone know why I would have to be doing this all of a sudden? It's happening on sites I frequent and have never had problems with before. I would appreciate any input. I've emptied my cache and cookies. I already trashed the stuff in my Safari folder minus the booklist plist. Any other ideas? I've run Disk Utility and Tool Tech Delux and a virus scanner (ClamXav). I don't know what to do next.

Thanks in advance.

Rita

Welcome, Rita!
I just parted ways with the same computer and never experienced this behavior. I wonder if this is not a sign of some system problem. First, several questions. 1. What is your OS version? 2. Does this behavior occur in other browsers? 3. Did you try to make a new account in system prefs>accounts and try Safari there? When you say you used Disk Utility, did you verify disk or just repaired permissions? You might have some directory issue making the computer slow or unresponsive. But this would be caught by Disk Utility if you opted to verify disk. Did TechTool verify the SMART status and was it OK?
Please tell us how it goes.

Hi:

Thanks for answering me.

1. My Mac OS Version is X. I use Safari 3.2.1 and Tiger 10.4.7.

2. I don't have any other browsers. I didn't want to clog up my memory.
I tried iCab for awhile but it had too many errors. I think I tried Opera awhile back but I got rid of both of them. I don't want to download Firefox I have to.

3. I didn't make a new account and try Safari there. I never thought of that.

4. I verified and repaired permissions. Geez, I don't know if Tech Tool verified SMART status. I'll have to try that again. OK, redid TechTool. I could not find a smart Status anywhere. What is that?

I thought I'd send my crash log to see if this gives someone a clue. I don't know how to read it. Here goes:

Mac OS X Version 10.4.11 (Build 8S165)
2009-09-13 17:15:32 -0700
2009-09-13 17:15:37.401 System Events[97] CFLog (0):
CFPropertyListCreateFromXMLData(): plist parse failed; the data is not proper UTF-8. The file name for this data could be:
/Users/ritamontague/Library/Autosave Information/com.apple.systemevents.plist
The parser will retry as in 10.2, but the problem should be corrected in the plist.
2009-09-13 17:15:37.588 System Events[97] CFLog (0):
CFPropertyListCreateFromXMLData(): plist parse failed; the data is not proper UTF-8. The file name for this data could be:
/Users/ritamontague/Library/Autosave Information/com.apple.systemevents.plist
The parser will retry as in 10.2, but the problem should be corrected in the plist.
2009-09-13 17:15:37.751 System Events[97] CFLog (0):
CFPropertyListCreateFromXMLData(): plist parse failed; the data is not proper UTF-8. The file name for this data could be:
/Users/ritamontague/Library/Autosave Information/com.apple.systemevents.plist
The parser will retry as in 10.2, but the problem should be corrected in the plist.
2009-09-13 17:15:39.410 SystemUIServer[84] lang is:en
Sep 13 17:15:42 Macintosh mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name; using default “Macintosh-0014519904F4” instead
2009-09-13 17:31:19.828 SystemUIServer[84] Error: Unable to get extended status.
Sep 13 17:31:22 Macintosh /System/Library/Extensions/IOSerialFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/
InternalModemSupport.kext/Contents/Resources/AppleModemOnHold.app/Contents/MacOS/AppleModemOnHold: MOHServiceAddedProc >>\n
2009-09-13 17:31:47.408 SystemUIServer[84] Error: Unable to get extended status.
2009-09-13 17:31:49.256 SystemUIServer[84] Error: Unable to get extended status.
2009-09-13 17:31:49.634 SystemUIServer[84] Error: Unable to get extended status.
Sep 13 17:31:51 Macintosh mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name; using default “Macintosh-0014519904F4” instead
Sep 13 17:34:00 Macintosh crashdump[224]: Safari crashed
Sep 13 17:34:02 Macintosh crashdump[224]: crash report written to: /Users/ritamontague/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Safari.crash.log
Sep 13 17:38:26 Macintosh crashdump[251]: ??? crashed
Sep 13 17:38:26 Macintosh crashdump[251]: crash report written to: /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/???.crash.log
Sep 13 17:49:13 Macintosh /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/MacOS/Safari: *** Warning: Line option kATSLineIsDisplayOnly has been deprecated. ***
Sep 13 17:51:49 Macintosh crashdump[256]: ??? crashed
Sep 13 17:51:49 Macintosh crashdump[256]: crash report written to: /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/???.crash.log

Hi, and welcome to FineTunedMac.

> Also, I have over 3 gigs of virtual memory but it's looks like it's not being tapped into so that I don't run out of RAM.

Huh?

You're either misreading or misunderstanding something...

Please clarify which app or interface is displaying that 3Gb virtual memory figure.

> I could not find a smart Status anywhere. What is that?

Launch /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility, select the topmost item, i.e. your HD, and look to the bottom right of your screen for your S.M.A.R.T. status; if it's other than "verified" your HD is on its way south.

Welcome home, Rita!

SMART stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. I don't use TechTool Deluxe but you can check SMART with Disk Utility. Launch DU and select the physical hard drive (the first icon, not any partitions, which will be indented). SMART status will show at the bottom of the DU window. If it says anything other than "verified", the hard drive is failing and must be replaced. If SMART is verified, this is a good sign but not an absolute guarantee that the drive is good.

Good luck with solving this. I'm sure that one of the gurus will be able to help.

512 MB of RAM really isn't enough. Safari needs a lot of RAM; with only 512 MB, I'd expect very slow performance.

I had the same RAM on my old PB G4 and never had any significant problem with browsers. Maybe she needs to first update the OS X to 10.4.11 with a combo updater. I would still try any other browser like Firefox. I had six browsers on a similar computer and they worked fine. It may be just a Safari problem, right?

I would also try to trash the com.apple.systemuiserver.plist found in users>your name>library>preferences and see if this helps.

OK, I found it. It's VERIFIED on Disk Utility.

Thank you. I hope so. I wish I could figure out how to make my reply look better with the quotes. Rita

I know that 512 isn't a lot nowadays but isn't that what virtual memory is for, to make up for it? That's what I read on the description of VM in my computer. I have lots of disk space left - 38 Gig out of 55 gigs. I don't need a lot so the rest should be fine. My computer runs slowly anyway because I have dialup.

Rita
\

You are correct that one purpose of Virtual Memory is to allow the use of the disk drive to compensate, at least in part, for a lack of RAM. However that is at the cost of system speed since you can be almost continually rolling data out to the swapfiles and rolling instructions and data back in from the swapfiles and other files on the hard drive. You may have a dialup connection but insufficient RAM will slow your system even more.

I have a web page that explains Virtual Memory and will help interpret what you see in OS X's Activity Monitor. Given your dialup connection and small RAM memory, please be patient in viewing the page as there are a lot of graphics that will be loading. Just mouse over the different sections to see an explanation of what each means.

OMG that was a great explanation of virtual memory and how to interpret the activity monitor. I saved it as a reference. Thank you!

Now I am just wondering, when the free RAM disappears (no green left), does the VM just take over but without showing more green free memory on the pie chart? Because the green disappears completely on my pie chart as the 512 of RAM is used up. Or is it not allocating, it and there is something wrong? I hope that made sense.

Thanks.

Rita

Thanks for those kind words. It is getting a bit long in the tooth as shown by the references only to PPC processors, but the principles are still valid.

The disappearance of the "green", Free Memory, simply means that all of the physical RAM has been Mapped into applications as either Wired, Active, or Inactive. At the point when there is insufficient free RAM for an active task, data in Inactive RAM will be written to the swapfile(s), ie "paged" out, and the RAM thus freed up plus any code or instructions in Inactive memory will be overwritten by code or data demanded by the active application(s). If there is insufficient Inactive RAM then an active application or task will have to be made inactive and paged out to memory. The algorithm used to determine which application is to be paged is generally based on least recently used and/or least often used but I do not know the specific algorithm used in OS X. In any case the next time the paged task(s) become active this process will have to be reversed and something else will be paged out so the reactivated task can be paged in.

The terms paged in and paged out refer to the fact both RAM and disk memory are not allocated or mapped on a byte by byte basis rather on a page by page basis where a page is 8 KB.

Got it. Thank you. From that, I deduce that my freezing/quitting problem is not related to the RAM, or is it? Nah, nothing has changed and it never did this before. What a mystery. Rita

Dear Rita,
Please download Firefox and check if you have the same problem. And did you ever trash the preference file (com.apple.systemuiserver.plist)? And, to make the full round, Safari preference file as well?
If you can, move away from dial-up. The DSL or cable basic rates are really cheap these days. You will have a whole new life with fast internet.
Good luck!

Alex:

I had already trashed Safari Prefs. I just now trashed com.apple.systemuiserver.plist at your suggestion. I don't even know what that is.

I may download Firefox next time I go to town and use a wi-fi.

I live in a rural area and the only things available are dialup, Satellite and Air Cards. The Satellite is expensive. The Air card is expensive and will only work on one computer at a time. I've checked several times with AT&T and they told me I cannot get DSL where I am. Cable is not available either.

Believe me, I am pulling my hair out with the dialup but will have to wait on a faster internet, I guess.

If Safari isn't giving anyone else a problem, I don't think it is Safari. If I download Firefox and it happens again, I will let you know and we can go from there.

Thanks for all your help. I am hoping for the best.

Rita

Me too!
The suggestion about SystemUIserver preference file was because in was invoked in the crash log. Hope I am not wrong about it; but it should be recreated on the next restart.

Just to clarify why I asked about VM...

On the chance that you rarely or never restart your iBook (as is the habit of many Mac users), you should know that VM swap files are cleared when you restart, taking you back to square one where your Mac runs faster (at least for a while, anyhow).

Hi:

I restart everyday. I used to leave my iBook on 24/7 but to save electricity, I now turn it off at night.

you're wasting more electricity by shutting it off.

The ibook uses less power than a digital clock when asleep, which is far less than the gulps of power required to shut down and reboot the computer once.
Plus saves time. Waking from sleep is a lot faster than booting.

OK. I'll have to change my ways!!! Rita

You do realize that's a myth your stating, right? The amount of electricity used in turning on and off a computer is insignificant compared to the savings of the computer being off for long periods like overnight. Sleep mode is good if you plan on getting back to the computer shortly, but if you're done for the day, don't feel bad about turning it off.

Here's a variety of google results that talk about the turn off/turn on and power savings myths.

Now you're going to cause me to have to dig around and find my KillOWatt meter and stuff.

I'd also point out the third perspective of only sleeping the display, to avoid the repetitive cooldown-warmup of either sleep or shutdown that ages electronics.

Also from your provided link,

The surge of power when a computer is turned off lasts a few seconds and is insignificant compared to the sustained energy used in keeping it on during periods of inactivity.

They're not comparing it with sleep, but with leaving it awake.

OK, when you guys get this sorted out, let me know. I've always wondered about the light bulb thing. Turn it off everytime you leave the room and deal with a power surge or what? I'm waiting for the verdict on the computer, sleep versus turning it off and on, etc. Rita

Your link didn't work.

Thanks. I fixed the link in the original post.

Check out some of the other links in the google results. They also go into comparing it to sleep mode as well. Sleep mode still uses a few watts that turning it off does not. Sleep mode is more efficient as you leave and come back to your computer throughout the day, but for long periods of no use, it's recommended to turn off the computer if you want to save more power.

As to the cooldown-warmup aging electronics, I refer to energystar.gov's response:

Thanks, Kevin. I'm convinced. I just turned off my screensaver, too. Thanks for your interest in helping with this problem. Rita