iBook G4 Memory Issues

Just recently, I have started to notice some strange memory usage activities. At bootup, my system uses about 200MB of physical memory (Out of an available 512MB). Even this, seems to be rather high. I am looking at my total memory usage and what it is being used on, and about 30MB is being used in Widgets. Whatever, I am fine with that. But what I have noticed, is over a very short period of time, my available free memory seems to slowly decrease, even though no apps are open (Yes, I know how to PROPERLY close apps.) And when I look at the memory usage again after say, 20 minutes, I see that the same basic stuff is using the same amount of memory as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary, except now I am using 40% more memory (Marked as Inactive mostly) than I was when I initially booted the machine. Where is this memory being used? I have nothing else running besides the basic boot-time processes. Even if I were to physically add up the total amount of memory being tied up at that very moment, it still adds up to about 200MB (Normal), yet it displays my total free memory at about 30MB. This is very strange, and I don't remember this problem when I bought the machine back in June. Any ideas?

tendonut said:

Just recently, I have started to notice some strange memory usage activities. At bootup, my system uses about 200MB of physical memory (Out of an available 512MB). Even this, seems to be rather high. I am looking at my total memory usage and what it is being used on, and about 30MB is being used in Widgets. Whatever, I am fine with that. But what I have noticed, is over a very short period of time, my available free memory seems to slowly decrease, even though no apps are open (Yes, I know how to PROPERLY close apps.) And when I look at the memory usage again after say, 20 minutes, I see that the same basic stuff is using the same amount of memory as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary, except now I am using 40% more memory (Marked as Inactive mostly) than I was when I initially booted the machine. Where is this memory being used? I have nothing else running besides the basic boot-time processes. Even if I were to physically add up the total amount of memory being tied up at that very moment, it still adds up to about 200MB (Normal), yet it displays my total free memory at about 30MB. This is very strange, and I don't remember this problem when I bought the machine back in June. Any ideas?

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first of all, your gonna want to prrrrobably ATLEAST get another 256MB of ram in your ibook. i did this after a while. i was having the same problem as you. i would properly close aps, and my total free memory would always stay the same. when i talked to the apple tech at the apple store, he said that when you have very few processes running, the system automatically tries to disperse ram evenly to the maximum potential. lets say youve got 512 mb of ram, and you have 3 apps open, nothing else running. what your system would do, is automatically disperse that 512MB evenly, while leaving somewhere between 30 - 40 MB of free space for sudden apps, starting new programs, any other system tasks you may need. it basicly uses that 30-40MB as "backup" to open anything new, and say when you DO open up that 4th program, its takes that 30-40MB to evenly dispurse the ram again, and then cleans itself out and leaves you with that 30-40MB of free ram again.

i started off with 512MB stock, but quickly started to have the same problem as you, so i went and got another stick of 512, now my boot time is WAYYYYYY quicker, and everything runs as smooth as silk. its freakin awesome.

thats probably the best advice i have for you. save up your pennies, and get some more ram.

macpwns said:

first of all, your gonna want to prrrrobably ATLEAST get another 256MB of ram in your ibook. i did this after a while. i was having the same problem as you. i would properly close aps, and my total free memory would always stay the same. when i talked to the apple tech at the apple store, he said that when you have very few processes running, the system automatically tries to disperse ram evenly to the maximum potential. lets say youve got 512 mb of ram, and you have 3 apps open, nothing else running. what your system would do, is automatically disperse that 512MB evenly, while leaving somewhere between 30 - 40 MB of free space for sudden apps, starting new programs, any other system tasks you may need. it basicly uses that 30-40MB as "backup" to open anything new, and say when you DO open up that 4th program, its takes that 30-40MB to evenly dispurse the ram again, and then cleans itself out and leaves you with that 30-40MB of free ram again.

i started off with 512MB stock, but quickly started to have the same problem as you, so i went and got another stick of 512, now my boot time is WAYYYYYY quicker, and everything runs as smooth as silk. its freakin awesome.

thats probably the best advice i have for you. save up your pennies, and get some more ram.

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OK, that is an option but I am not entirely sure how many slots are available. I was under the impression that they stuck 2 256's in there rather than 1 512 stick. I will check that out (as soon as I turn off my machine)

tendonut said:

OK, that is an option but I am not entirely sure how many slots are available. I was under the impression that they stuck 2 256's in there rather than 1 512 stick. I will check that out (as soon as I turn off my machine)

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no, what they do is actually embed the ram into the board so that you cant take it out. okay well thats the partial truth, you COULD take it out, but then you would void your warranty because the metal plate which is under your keyboard, which the integrated ram is under has a seal, you break that seal, there goes your warranty.

if you pop off your keyboard, youll see a panel with 4 screws holding it down, THATS where your extra ram goes. just make sure you get exactly the right size of screwdriver. i remember when i added to mine, getting the stupid panel off was the hardest part. the screws are made out of some kind of cheap metal, and i **** near stripped 2 screws, even where i had the right size.

crap, i forgot to mention how many slots you've got to throw in extra ram. hehe.

the answer is 1, so think wisely when you buy, which is why i just went for a 512MB.