User profile for user: tcabq
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audiomxd high memory allocation port allocation CPU time

Apple Community.


audiomxd Memory and CPU screenshots


In February 2025, I bought a Mac Mini then migrated from my iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015) to my current Mac Mini M4 Pro. The Mac Mini is probably running Rosetta.


About: Mac Mini 2024 M4 Pro. 64 GB Memory. macOS Sequoia 15.4.1. Apple Pro Display XDR with NO MICROPHONE and NO SPEAKER. No Audio app. No VST plugins.


The Apple Pro Display XDR is connected with an Apple Thunderbolt 5 cable to one of the three Thunderbolt 5 ports in back.


An external Lacie backup drive is connected with an Apple Thunderbolt 4 cable to one of the three Thunderbolt 5 ports in back. Time Machine backs up the Mac Mini M4 Pro once a week.


Feedback - Mac mini - Apple

Feedback report 6 on the audiomdx memory leak.

2025-04-26 12.23PM 1.36 GB 102,386 Ports.

2025-04-27 10.14AM 1.52 GB 130,067 Ports.


On 2025.04.27 I changed some settings then Shut Down.

Apple > System Settings > Apple Intelligence and Siri >

Apple Intelligence: OFF

Siri: OFF

Adobe Elements 2021 Organizer > Preferences > Media-Analysis >

Generate Auto Creations: OFF.


On 2025.04.29 I uninstalled an Adobe desktop app the Shut Down.

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/uninstall-creative-cloud-desktop-app.html

Uninstall the Creative Cloud desktop app


On 25.05.02 I changed some settings then Shut Down.

Sequoia is moving my windows off the scre… - Apple Community

Settings > Desktop & Dock > Click wallpaper to reveal desktop change to Only in Stage Manager

Settings > Desktop & Dock > Drag Windows to screen edges to tile OFF

Settings > Desktop & Dock > Drag Windows to menu bar to fill screen OFF


On 2025.05.03 here are Activity Monitor screenshots of CPU Time and of Memory Allocation.


2025.05.03 12:49 PM audiomxd CPU Time 20:02:08.10


2025.05.03 12:49 PM audiomxd Memory 770.2 MB 39,904 Ports.


Usually, I Logout after each time I use the Mac Mini.

Occasionally, I only Lock the Screen.


Why is Memory allocated, but not freed after closing the app that was using the Memory?


Why does audiomxd need an ever-increasing Memory Allocation to manage the internal speaker on a Mac Mini? I have no external speaker or microphone.





[Edited by Moderator]

Mac mini, macOS 15.4

Posted on May 3, 2025 12:16 PM

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User profile for user: tcabq
tcabq Author
User level: Level 1
50 points

Posted on Jul 20, 2025 3:26 PM


I just now ran EtreCheckPro, and no malware was found. Here are screenshots of Activity Monitor.


Preferences are still set to the following:


Apple Intelligence: OFF

Siri: OFF

Show items In Stage Manager: Uncheck

Uninstall the Creative Cloud desktop app

Click wallpaper to reveal desktop change to Only in Stage Manager

Drag Windows to screen edges to tile: ON

Drag Windows to menu bar to fill screen: OFF

Lacie Toolkit > Settings > Launch on Startup: OFF


Brief history of audiomxd CPU Time, GB, and ports.

2025-05-07 08.21AM CPU Time 41:17:13.73 1.02 GB 45,087 Ports.

2025-05-08 12.16AM CPU Time 64:57:45.38 1.27 GB 98,198 Ports.

2025-05-09 07.39AM CPU Time 82:17:22.45 1.42 GB 119,664 Ports.

2025-05-10 08.58AM CPU Time 102:12:18.58 1.57 GB 166,991 Ports.

2025-05-12 07.45AM CPU Time 145:19:56.50 1.88 GB 258,220 Ports.

2025-05-12 10.56AM CPU Time 147:09.27.88 1.89 GB 285,523 Ports.

EtreCheckPro. Removed 2 malware launch agents.

Updated Mac Mini M4 Pro to macOS Sequoia 15.5

Updated iPhone 12 Mini to iOS 18.5

2025-05-13 05.41AM CPU Time 9:07:06.79 534.5 MB 4,971 Ports.


Activity Monitor provides an important capability in identification of apps that are experiencing concerning trends in CPU Time, memory usage, and ports.


EtreCheckPro is very useful in identification and removal of likely suspects which may be causing the concerning trends.



Thank you, BDAqua for troubleshooting this problem.



[Edited by Moderator]


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User profile for user: tcabq
tcabq Author
User level: Level 1
50 points

Jun 15, 2025 4:27 PM in response to tcabq

audiomxd activity after Start Up 2025-06-14 05:42PM.

Logged Out most of the time.

2025-06-14 7.26PM CPU Time 1:20:25.78 231.8 MB 3,273 Ports

2025-06-15 6:03AM CPU Time 11:51:53.96 603.6 MB 6,554 Ports

2025-06-15 10:51AM CPU Time 15:47:14.11 688.2 MB 17,070 Ports

2025-06-15 2.51PM CPU Time 18:56:54.58 744.7 MB 17,071 Ports

2025-06-15 5.22PM CPU Time 20:56:57.85 779.8 MB 25,245 Ports


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User profile for user: tcabq
tcabq Author
User level: Level 1
50 points

Jun 18, 2025 12:58 PM in response to tcabq

2025-06-17 Reinstalled macOS Sequoia


audiomxd activity after 2025-06-17 5:01PM


2025-06-18 4.54AM CPU Time 11:17:17.02 588.5 MB 56 Ports

2025-06-18 8.25AM CPU Time 12:46:31.10 624.0 MB 11,043 Ports


audiomxd Ports increased while I was Logged Out.



2025-06-18 Removed additional files related to:

Adobe

Audacity

Epson Printer

Firefox

Google

GPG

Mozilla

Sena Device Manager


Emptied Trash.


Start Up 2025-06-18 01:32PM.

audiomxd activity after 2025-06-18 01:32PM


2025-06-18 1.51PM CPU Time 0.07 2.9 MB 55 Ports



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User profile for user: tcabq
tcabq Author
User level: Level 1
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Jun 19, 2025 1:07 PM in response to tcabq

audiomxd activity after Start Up 2025-06-18 01:32PM

2025-06-18 1.51PM CPU Time 0.07 2.9 MB 55 Ports

2025-06-18 4.47PM CPU Time 39:09.62 184.0 MB 2,915 Ports

2025-06-18 8.26PM CPU Time 4:08:50.65 370.5 MB 8,690 Ports

2025-06-19 6.59AM CPU Time 14:36:53.12 665.5 MB 15,241 Ports

2025-06-19 10.18AM CPU Time 14:37:20.26 666.7 MB 18,679 Ports

Screen Locked between 2025-06-19 06.59AM and 2025-06-19 10.18AM


Dragging old apps to Trash did not remove every related system file; so, I just now removed additional system files related to the following software:


Adobe

Amazon Music

Audacity

Google

GPG

Movavi

Mozilla Firefox

Printshop


Start Up 2025-06-19 12:47PM.


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User profile for user: tcabq
tcabq Author
User level: Level 1
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Jun 19, 2025 5:31 PM in response to tcabq

audiomxd activity after Start Up 2025-06-19 12:47PM

2025-06-19 2.08PM CPU Time 0.06 2.9 MB 55 Ports

2025-06-19 3.07PM CPU Time 51:01.05 194.7 MB 2,998 Ports


Connect to a different Wi-Fi

Apple menu > System Settings... > Sound > Input

No audio input devices found


Apple menu > System Settings... > Sound > Output

Mac mini Speakers Built-in


Now, the only audio output is the Mac mini Speakers.


Shut Down.

Start Up 2025-06-19 6:21PM


audiomxd activity after Start Up 2025-06-19 12:47PM

2025-06-19 2.08PM CPU Time 0.07 2.8 MB 58 Ports


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User profile for user: tcabq
tcabq Author
User level: Level 1
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Jun 19, 2025 7:32 PM in response to tcabq


audiomxd activity after Start Up 2025-06-19 12:47PM

2025-06-19 6.25PM CPU Time 0.07 2.8 MB 58 Ports

2025-06-19 8.22PM CPU Time 1:47:00.70 258.4 MB 3,454 Ports


After about two hours on the different Wi-Fi, the audiomxd memory trend appears to be increasing. This likely means that the audio output AirPlay devices sharing the previous Wi-fi network were not a factor.


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User profile for user: tcabq
tcabq Author
User level: Level 1
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Jun 20, 2025 7:15 AM in response to tcabq

audiomxd activity after Start Up 2025-06-19 12:47PM

2025-06-19 6.25PM CPU Time 0.07 2.8 MB 58 Ports

2025-06-19 8.22PM CPU Time 1:47:00.70 258.4 MB 3,454 Ports

2025-06-20 7.21AM CPU Time 12:33:49.48 619.0 MB 3,455 Ports


The number of open Ports hasn't changed much, but audiomxd continued running overnight and allocated additional memory.


The Mac mini's current Wi-Fi network isn't shared with AirPlay devices. It's also NOT shared with the AirPrint printer, and the Mac mini will eventually need to be connected to the previous Wi-Fi network, which IS connected to the AirPrint printer.


Yesterday, I deleted several old system files associated with old apps. My old iMac used macOS Monterey, which ran old apps written in Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) language. The new Mac mini M4 Pro uses macOS Sequoia, which runs new apps written in Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) language.


A new app written in RISC language is like a thought-for-thought translation from CISC language. Using a binary translator such as Rosetta is more like using a word-for-word translation from CISC to RISC.


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User profile for user: tcabq
tcabq Author
User level: Level 1
50 points

Jun 20, 2025 8:02 PM in response to den.thed

If I saw Memory usage level out or shrink, I wouldn't suspect that I was somehow causing a memory leak. I use the Mac mini every day and, if I had to Shut Down every night, then the daily Start Up of the LaCie external Hard Drive would probably decrease the Mean Time Between Failure of the backup drive.


This afternoon I spoke on the phone with an Apple tech with whom I shared my screen. She saw that I had removed almost all of my third-party software and almost all of my old apps and associated files. While we were talking, I Shut Down the Mac mini then Started Up the Mac mini. This always resets the memory, CPU Time, and Ports.


She sent an email with a case number so that when the audiomxd memory growth reappears I can reopen the case. I expect that in a week or two the memory allocation will be significant. If so, then an Apple tech may be able to Log In to my screen and track which app is causing the memory trouble.



audiomxd activity after Start Up 2025-06-19 12:47PM

2025-06-19 6.25PM CPU Time 0.07 2.8 MB 58 Ports

2025-06-19 8.22PM CPU Time 1:47:00.70 258.4 MB 3,454 Ports

2025-06-20 7.21AM CPU Time 12:33:49.48 619.0 MB 3,455 Ports

2025-06-20 9.18AM CPU Time 13:36:23.48 642.5 MB 10,113 Ports



I re-connected to the first Wi-Fi network, which has the two AirPlay devices and the AirPrint printer.

Log Out.

Shut Down.

Start Up 2025-06-20 4:27PM



audiomxd activity after Start Up 2025-06-20 4:27PM

2025-06-19 6.25PM CPU Time 4:09:02.52 368.4 MB 4,123 Ports



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User profile for user: tcabq
tcabq Author
User level: Level 1
50 points

Jun 21, 2025 5:39 PM in response to tcabq

When I am Logged In, the audiomxd process is found in the list of Other Users Processes, and is labeled Inactive.


"Other User Processes": includes processes owned by other user accounts on the Mac, as well as CERTAIN SYSTEM PROCESSES THAT RUN UNDER THEIR OWN UNIQUE USER IDs, LIKE nobody OR _hidd.


Deleted some Shared files found in ~/Users/Shared/

Log Out.

Shut Down.

Start Up 2025-06-21 02:28PM.


audiomxd activity after Start Up 2025-06-21 02:28PM

2025-06-21 6.26PM CPU Time 0.05 2.8 MB 55 Ports


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audiomxd high memory allocation port allocation CPU time

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