When the CrashPlan app needs more memory than its limit allows, it stops with an out-of-memory error, records the line "OutOfMemoryError occurred...RESTARTING!" in its service log, and restarts. The app can then crash repeatedly, restart without warning, or never finish scanning or backing up the file selection. Before you change the memory limit, check the service log for this line.
The CrashPlan app's memory limit is either dynamic, which lets the app use up to 25% of the device's physical memory, or a fixed value. New devices use dynamic allocation by default. A device set up before dynamic allocation became the default, or one changed to a fixed limit since, may have a fixed limit that is lower than its file selection needs. Switching the app to dynamic allocation resolves most of these crashes.
Switch the CrashPlan app to dynamic memory allocation
To switch the CrashPlan app on a device to dynamic memory allocation:
- Open the CrashPlan app on the device and sign in.
- Open the CrashPlan Commands window in one of these ways:
- CrashPlan logo: Double-click the logo in the upper-left corner of the app.
- Keyboard shortcut: Press Ctrl+Shift+C on Windows or Linux, or Option+Command+C on Mac.
- Enter
java mxand press Enter.
The window displays the current memory limit.
If it displays "none", the app already uses dynamic allocation: go to If the CrashPlan app still runs out of memory. - Enter
java mx clearand press Enter.
The window displays "none". - Enter
restartand press Enter.
The CrashPlan app closes and restarts with dynamic memory allocation.
If the CrashPlan app restarts before you can enter the commands, contact CrashPlan technical support.
If the CrashPlan app still runs out of memory
With dynamic memory allocation, the CrashPlan app can use up to 25% of the device's physical memory. If the service log still records out-of-memory errors, the app needs more memory than that for its file selection. Set a higher fixed limit if the device has memory to spare, or reduce the file selection so that the app needs less.
Set a higher memory limit
Choose a fixed limit for the CrashPlan app, in MB, that is higher than a quarter of the device's physical memory, the share dynamic allocation already provides. For example, on a computer with 16 GB of memory, dynamic allocation provides 4096 MB, so a fixed limit of 6144 or 8192 gives the app more memory to work with.
Do not set the limit at or near the device's total physical memory, so that some memory remains available for the operating system and other apps.
To set the limit:
- Open the CrashPlan app on the device, sign in, and open the CrashPlan Commands window by double-clicking the CrashPlan logo, or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+C on Windows or Linux, or Option+Command+C on Mac.
- Enter
java mxfollowed by the limit, such asjava mx 6144, and press Enter.
The window confirms the new memory limit. - Enter
restartand press Enter.
The CrashPlan app closes and restarts with the new limit.
The fixed limit stays in place until java mx clear switches the app back to dynamic allocation.
Reduce the file selection
The CrashPlan app needs less memory for a smaller file selection.
Before you deselect or exclude files, confirm that you no longer need them in the backup. Files removed from the file selection or excluded from backup are permanently removed from the backup at the next archive maintenance run.
To reduce the CrashPlan file selection:
- Deselect data that does not need a backup: Data that can be reinstalled, downloaded again, or regenerated automatically is the safest to remove from the file selection.
- Update exclusions: Administrators can update the organization's global exclusions to keep files that do not need a backup, such as operating system and application files, out of the backup.
If the CrashPlan app still runs out of memory after you raise the limit or reduce the file selection, contact CrashPlan technical support and include the device's CrashPlan app logs.