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 Processes and beach Ball
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OP
Joined: Jan 2011
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Most of the time my MacBook Pro 10.6.6 , 2.33 core 2 Duo, 2GB 556Mhz Ram, runs really well but then it goes to the rotating beach ball and stays there for from 15 to 45 seconds. I go and start activity monitor to see what is causing the problem and by the time the monitor is running everything is back to normal. I want to know how to record activities so I know what is using my resources, I would also like to know what resources (processes) are necessary and which ones could be stop or something to lower their priority. My experience with Mac is about three years of user and 6 months of technician.
Thanks
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 3
Moderator
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Moderator
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 3 |
Among other things, you might consider launching Activity Monitor before you notice a problem. I actually keep it running all the time, and find the information it provides very instructive regarding how various applications behave under various circumstances.
dkmarsh—member, FineTunedMac Co-op Board of Directors
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
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I have been doing a lot of research about various products in the last few weeks, and had about 60 browser windows open. I had not restarted since December 20, 2010. Using the Finder’s Go To Folder feature, and pasting this pathname in the dialog box:
/private/var/vm
I found that I had ten (!) swapfiles, despite having 8 GB of RAM in my new iMac 27 inch (mid 2010). It appears that just using the Info box to see how large a swapfile is affects its modification date, so if you want to see when your swapfiles were last updated, try Terminal instead. (If that is not the case, then I suspect that the swapfiles were modified because I copied the URL for each open broswer window.)
Here is what I found. I noticed that browser windows such as the one in which I am typing now were starting to have a noticable pause before new characters appeared as I typed:
Swapfile progression (dates show creation and modification times):
swapfile0 67.1 MB on disk 12/20/10 4:22 PM 1/5/11 12:12 AM
swapfile1 67.1 MB on disk 12/25/10 12:05 PM Today 1:12 PM
swapfile2 134.2 MB on disk 1/2/11 5:59 PM Today 1:12 PM
swapfile3 268.4 MB on disk 1/4/11 10:27 AM Today 1:12 PM
swapfile4 536.9 MB on disk 1/4/11 12:19 PM Today 1:12 PM
swapfile5 1.07 GB on disk 1/4/11 4:16 PM Today 1:12 PM
swapfile6 1.07 GB on disk 1/4/11 8:50 PM Today 1:12 PM
swapfile7 1.07 GB on disk 1/10/11 10:11 PM Today 1:12 PM
swapfile8 1.07 GB on disk Yesterday 5:28 PM Today 1:12 PM
swapfile9 1.07 GB on disk Today 11:41 AM Today 1:12 PM
Closing all browser windows (about 30 each for Firefox and Safari) caused swapfile8 and swapfile9 to be deleted. I installed the Mac OS X 10.6.6 Combo Updater after a restart, and typing is now normal.
MicroMat Inc
Makers of TechTool
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
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I had a MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.33 GHz until liquid found its way to the logic board. I upgraded the RAM from 2 GB to 3 GB by replacing one of the 1 GB sticks with a 2 GB stick from Kingston. The upgrade made a noticeable improvement in performance, and reduced the number of swapfiles typically in use.
MicroMat Inc
Makers of TechTool
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
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This is what happened today when my iMac (July 2010) with 8 GB of RAM running Mac OS X 10.7.5 woke up, and Firefox 16.0.2 had about twenty pages open. Activity Monitor showed Firefox using a bit over 100% of the CPU:
6349752 0 drwxr-xr-x 40 root wheel 1360 Oct 29 08:35 .
6340724 0 drwxr-xr-x 30 root wheel 1020 Jul 24 2011 ..
6623341 16777216 -rw------T 1 root wheel 8589934592 Feb 3 2012 sleepimage
24254572 131072 -rw------- 1 root wheel 67108864 Oct 25 04:14 swapfile0
24254815 131072 -rw------- 1 root wheel 67108864 Oct 29 08:38 swapfile1
25128048 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile10
25129379 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile11
25131085 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile12
25133074 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile13
25134916 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile14
25136487 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile15
25137949 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile16
25139705 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile17
25141499 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile18
25143137 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile19
24254817 262144 -rw------- 1 root wheel 134217728 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile2
25144852 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile20
25146545 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile21
25148110 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile22
25149775 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile23
25151530 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile24
25153340 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile25
25154961 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile26
25156625 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile27
25158467 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile28
25160222 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile29
24494496 524288 -rw------- 1 root wheel 268435456 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile3
25161964 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile30
25163580 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile31
25165264 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile32
25166930 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile33
25168766 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile34
25170544 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile35
25171685 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile36
24999858 1048576 -rw------- 1 root wheel 536870912 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile4
25019401 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile5
25087182 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile6
25088637 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile7
25089967 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile8
25126739 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Oct 29 08:39 swapfile9
MicroMat Inc
Makers of TechTool
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 9
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 9 |
Wow!
Have you checked Guinness?
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
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No, but that is a good idea.
MicroMat Inc
Makers of TechTool
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
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In trying to find this thread again, I searched for the name of a famous Irish beer. It helps to spell it correctly. Unfortunately, I have surpassed my own record, now at 53 swapfiles:
6623341 16777216 -rw------T 1 root wheel 8589934592 Feb 3 2012 sleepimage
25172748 131072 -rw------- 1 root wheel 67108864 Oct 29 09:03 swapfile0
25176710 131072 -rw------- 1 root wheel 67108864 Nov 4 07:54 swapfile1
25685365 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile10
25685891 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile11
25686363 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile12
25686785 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile13
25687017 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile14
25687632 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile15
25688199 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile16
25688842 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile17
25689384 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile18
25689999 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile19
25178681 262144 -rw------- 1 root wheel 134217728 Nov 4 07:53 swapfile2
25690571 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile20
25691074 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile21
25691662 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile22
25692235 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile23
25692788 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile24
25693352 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile25
25693912 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile26
25694447 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile27
25694993 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile28
25695530 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile29
25178709 524288 -rw------- 1 root wheel 268435456 Nov 4 07:55 swapfile3
25696090 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile30
25696604 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile31
25697165 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile32
25697757 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile33
25699378 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile34
25701021 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile35
25702737 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile36
25704361 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile37
25705997 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile38
25707665 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile39
25236166 1048576 -rw------- 1 root wheel 536870912 Nov 4 07:55 swapfile4
25709329 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile40
25711008 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile41
25712666 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile42
25714292 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile43
25715968 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile44
25717659 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile45
25719294 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile46
25720949 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile47
25722503 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile48
25723647 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile49
25236231 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:55 swapfile5
25724809 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile50
25726149 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile51
25727018 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile52
25727415 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile53
25236296 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile6
25683886 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile7
25684440 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile8
25684896 2097152 -rw------- 1 root wheel 1073741824 Nov 4 07:56 swapfile9
MicroMat Inc
Makers of TechTool
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 9
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 9 |
All I can do is shake my head in astonishment.  (I see that swap file 2 was created before swap file 1...odd.  )
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 9
Moderator
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Moderator
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 9 |
Admittedly 20 open pages is a lot, but 53 Swapfiles is ridiculous. I have to wonder if the culprit is the particular build of Firefox or something wonky on one of the 20 open pages.
Make intentional errors —
Otherwise the Great Spirit
realizes you have fulfilled
your purpose on earth.
— Navajo saying
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
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The 53 swapfiles were created while Firefox 16.0.2 was open, but it did not appear to be misbehaving. It was using about 10% of the CPU. In other bad swapfile events, Firefox was reported to be using more than 100% of the CPU.
MicroMat Inc
Makers of TechTool
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Re: Processes and beach Ball
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Good observation. I had not noticed that, and cannot imagine why that would happen.
MicroMat Inc
Makers of TechTool
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