Is my MacBook Pro using too much memory? Is there a "leak"?

I don't think it's always been doing this, but I use the iStat Nano widget, and have noticed recently that the memory bar always shows about 50% in use.

I have a newish (6 months old) core duo, with 4 gigs of ram.

I thought that was a little strange, as I don't remember seeing it before, so I looked further.

Here's a picture of my activity monitor RIGHT after bootup. Sorry it's so small, but I can still read it if I zoom in. Let me know if you need a bigger picture.



I looked at my console, and saw a lot of going on with Parallels (which I don't use very often), and thought maybe that had something to do with it? I haven't used Parallels in a couple weeks, and it's the brand new updated version that just came out a couple months ago.

I'm fairly new to Macs, so I'm not sure what this all means.

I feel like the word "Parallels" appears so much, and that's my highly scientific reasoning for it maybe being part of the issue...

Other than that, the computer appears to run okay most of the time.

Thanks everyone.


12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:05:54 AM com.apple.launchd[1] *** launchd[1] has started up. ***
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:28 AM com.intego.commonservices.daemon[50] Using preferences format 3
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:29 AM com.parallels.desktop.launchdaemon[45] objc[62]: Class QCocoaPrintPanelDelegate is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:29 AM com.parallels.desktop.launchdaemon[45] objc[62]: Class QCocoaPageLayoutDelegate is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:29 AM com.parallels.desktop.launchdaemon[45] objc[62]: Class QNSMenu is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:29 AM com.parallels.desktop.launchdaemon[45] objc[62]: Class QNSStatusItem is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:29 AM com.parallels.desktop.launchdaemon[45] objc[62]: Class QNSImageView is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:29 AM com.parallels.desktop.launchdaemon[45] objc[62]: Class QMacSoundDelegate is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:30 AM com.apple.launchd[1] (com.parallels.vm.prl_naptd) Unknown key for boolean: SuccessfulExit
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:33 AM com.apple.WindowServer[111] Sat Dec 26 10:06:33 Oris-MacBook-Pro.local WindowServer[111] <Error>: kCGErrorFailure: Set a breakpoint @ CGErrorBreakpoint() to catch errors as they are logged.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:41 AM com.apple.launchd[1] (com.wacom.wacomtablet[164]) Exited with exit code: 255
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:41 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[173] (com.apple.ReportCrash) Falling back to default Mach exception handler. Could not find: com.apple.ReportCrash.Self
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:06:46 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[173] (com.apple.Kerberos.renew.plist[191]) Exited with exit code: 1
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:07:43 AM com.parallels.desktop.client.launch[195] objc[195]: Class QCocoaPrintPanelDelegate is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:07:43 AM com.parallels.desktop.client.launch[195] objc[195]: Class QCocoaPageLayoutDelegate is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:07:43 AM com.parallels.desktop.client.launch[195] objc[195]: Class QNSMenu is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:07:43 AM com.parallels.desktop.client.launch[195] objc[195]: Class QNSStatusItem is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:07:43 AM com.parallels.desktop.client.launch[195] objc[195]: Class QNSImageView is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:07:43 AM com.parallels.desktop.client.launch[195] objc[195]: Class QMacSoundDelegate is implemented in both /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/MacOS/libQtGui.4.dylib and /Library/Parallels/Parallels Service.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/Current/Libraries/libprl_sdk.dylib. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Library/Widgets/Calculator.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/iStat nano.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/iStat nano.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/iStat nano.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/iStat nano.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/iStat nano.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/Delivery Status.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/Delivery Status.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/Delivery Status.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/Delivery Status.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/Delivery Status.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:45 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] CPSPostEventRecordTo failed -600 /Users/oriw/Library/Widgets/Delivery Status.wdgt/
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:53 AM ShoveBox[225] Database version is 6
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:59 AM DashboardClient[202] needs update
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:08:59 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] 2009-12-26 10:08:59.421 DashboardClient[20203] needs update
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:09:04 AM ShoveBox[225] Checking database
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:09:05 AM DashboardClient[201] com.apple.widget.dictionary: com.apple.dictionary.NOAD
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:09:05 AM com.apple.Dock.agent[177] 2009-12-26 10:09:05.867 DashboardClient[20103] com.apple.widget.dictionary: com.apple.dictionary.NOAD
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:09:15 AM osascript[255] Error loading /Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Unit Types: dlopen(/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Unit Types, 262): no suitable image found. Did find:
/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Unit Types: no matching architecture in universal wrapper
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:12:09 AM [0x0-0x22022].org.mozilla.firefox[271] firefox-bin(271,0xa006f500) malloc: *** error for object 0x73656e75: pointer being freed was not allocated
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:12:09 AM [0x0-0x22022].org.mozilla.firefox[271] *** set a breakpoint in malloc_error_break to debug
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:26:13 AM [0x0-0x22022].org.mozilla.firefox[271] Debugger() was called!
12/26/09 [Dec 26]10:46:48 AM DashboardClient[202] needs update

You still have more then half of your ram untouched by your machine. Your just fine.

Clay

I guess I figured that if I added up all the memory being used piece by piece, by each program, that it should equal the "active" memory. And since it looks like I have about a gig being used, that all those should equal a gig.

But, at a glance, it doesn't look like they'd get close.

Though math was never my strong point...

Really, all of this was brought about by my iStat Nano memory bar being consistently higher than I remembered.

So, it could be I just don't remember...

Thanks.

Hey no problem. Sometimes we switchers for get that it's not windows and we don't need to second guess our machines any longer ! I finially took the advice of alot of the people here and got rid of programs such as istat. The tend to make us worry about things we needn't worry about.

Just trust the people who built and designed that wonderful machine of yours and enjoy !

Oh and welcome aboard
Clay

There are more processes running in the background .... In Activity Monitor, in the top right hand corner select " all processes " not just " my processes " and then you have an idea on what process is using memory. Safari is known to be memory hungry.

As Clayneal said, if the machine is running fine, then all is OK.
If you feel the machine is getting sluggish, then dig deeper in Activity Monitor to see which process is burning all the cpu cycles.

Cheers ... McBie

Ah thank you.

Maybe I'll uninstall iStat Nano...

Thanks for the "all processes" tip. Guess I should have poked around a bit more.

I will stop worrying about it.