[X-Unix] Command ?

[James Bucanek]

Rick wrote on Monday, March 29, 2004:
>Now, for this information:
>
>VM: 3.08G + 78.6M   20969(0) pageins, 96(0) pageouts
>
>This is showing me that there are some pageouts,
>or VM is being used, and I don't have enough memory?
>
>1.1GB Mac OS 10.3.3
>
>Is there a way, of making sure you never use VM ?

Sure: Stop using OS X.

Seriously, Virtual Memory is integral to how the Darwin kernel manages memory and processes.  It is impossible to avoid virtual memory and page ins.  Now page outs are a different matter, but still not the end of the world.  What you want to avoid is *excessive* page ins/outs.

Leave top running where you can see it (or get a cool system monitor application like iPulse) and watch the page in/out numbers in parentheses.  These is the "deltas", or the number of page ins/outs since the last time top updated its display.  Set top's update interval to something like 10 seconds (top -s 10) so these changes don't fly past too fast to see.

If the delta numbers stay at, or near, zero then you don't have a memory problem.  If they start to spike up, and your applications start to slow down, then you're exceeding your physical RAM.
______________________________________________________
James Bucanek       <mailto:privatereply at gloaming.com>