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16GB RAM but 8GB sleepimage file - Faulty RAM?

O

oneinten

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 16, 2013
88
0
I recently discovered the sleepimage file scenario and after reading up on it and deciding just to keep it on the SSD I found my sleepimage file is 8.5GB but I have 16gb of RAM installed. Both 8GB sticks are discovered by apple's hardware monitor ("about this mac") but I'm starting to get concerned that if the sleepimage file is only 8gb then there may be something wrong with my RAM?

All evidence sees to suggest that 16gb RAM produces a 16GB sleepimage file, so why is my crucial 16gb only producing an 8.5GB file?
 
Delete the sleepimage file. Then, immediately, put the Mac to sleep. Wake it and check the size of the new sleepimage file?
 
iDecker said:
Delete the sleepimage file. Then, immediately, put the Mac to sleep. Wake it and check the size of the new sleepimage file?
Click to expand...

I deleted the file using Terminal, put the mac to sleep and woke it up but the file hasn't reappeared?

I'm using daisydisk to view the file, the swapfiles are still there but no sleepimage.

Would the 8.5GB sleepimage file suggest I am only experiencing the use from 8GB of the 16GB RAM?
 
EDIT: My sleepimage file has returned and it weighs in at 8.5GB. After searching for this it would appear that 8GB RAM should produce an 8.5GB sleepimage? Is there a reason my 16GB RAM would create an 8.5GB sleepimage?

I just ran MemTest and it didn't come up with any errors, although it said the "requested, available and allocated" memory was 12927MB.. Is this normal for two 8GB sticks of RAM?

If my mac is only creating an 8.5GB sleepimage, how can I check it is utilising the full 16GB of RAM?
 
From all that you've posted, I will safely say that your Mac is fully recognizing all of your installed RAM.

To reassure yourself, open Activity Monitor and view your memory usage at the bottom. Does it report 16gb under the pie chart? Bueno, mate.
 
iDecker said:
From all that you've posted, I will safely say that your Mac is fully recognizing all of your installed RAM.

To reassure yourself, open Activity Monitor and view your memory usage at the bottom. Does it report 16gb under the pie chart? Bueno, mate.
Click to expand...

Hello,

Yes in Activity Monitor it recognises the full 16GB, thanks for pointing that out! I am just curious as every article/thread on sleepimages states any sleepimage file "Will always" be the same file size as the ram installed in the machine, which would suggest my Mac is only reading half the installes memory?
 
That much RAM will only be taken advantage of if you're using many applications at once. To save myself from looking silly in the future, 16gb is more than most need for the time being.

May I ask why you decided to go all out on the RAM? Unless of course you only purchased it because your Mac doesn't have upgradeable memory?
 
iDecker said:
That much RAM will only be taken advantage of if you're using many applications at once. To save myself from looking silly in the future, 16gb is more than most need for the time being.

May I ask why you decided to go all out on the RAM? Unless of course you only purchased it because your Mac doesn't have upgradeable memory?
Click to expand...

Okay thank you, I went for 16gb to max out the ram because I got offered a set of crucial for a good deal, it was only slightly more expensive than buying an 8gb set from amazon.

From what you';ve said I'll just leave it be as the activity monitor and memtest both suggest that I have the full 16gb working correctly.

Thank you
 
iDecker said:
That much RAM will only be taken advantage of if you're using many applications at once. To save myself from looking silly in the future, 16gb is more than most need for the time being.

May I ask why you decided to go all out on the RAM? Unless of course you only purchased it because your Mac doesn't have upgradeable memory?
Click to expand...

IMO it's silly to consider anything less than 16GB. I paid $75 for the 16MB Crucial kit from Amazon. An 8GB kit would have cost about $50. For an extra <$30 I wouldn't even think about the smaller kit, particularly since the Mini only has two memory slots so if I want to upgrade further in the future I'd have to remove the memory.

Checking Amazon now, the kit I paid $75 for in December is now $159.99 :eek: so maybe I would have opted for 8GB at that price :confused:
 
By default, your mac mini shouldn't even be creating a sleepimage. Safe Sleep is only enabled on notebooks (by default).
 
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