Wireshark-bugs: [Wireshark-bugs] [Bug 11002] Memory of a live capture doesn't get freed

Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 09:15:58 +0000

Comment # 2 on bug 11002 from
(In reply to sworddragon2 from comment #0)
> Build Information:
> wireshark 1.12.1 (Git Rev Unknown from unknown)
> 
> Copyright 1998-2014 Gerald Combs <[email protected]> and contributors.
> This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO
> warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
> 
> Compiled (64-bit) with GTK+ 3.14.7, with Cairo 1.14.0, with Pango 1.36.8,
> with
> GLib 2.43.3, with libpcap, with libz 1.2.8, with POSIX capabilities (Linux),
> with libnl 3, with SMI 0.4.8, with c-ares 1.10.0, with Lua 5.2, without
> Python,
> with GnuTLS 3.3.8, with Gcrypt 1.6.2, with MIT Kerberos, with GeoIP, with
> PortAudio V19-devel (built Feb 25 2014 21:09:53), without AirPcap.
> 
> Running on Linux 3.18.0-14-generic, with locale C, with libpcap version
> 1.6.2,
> with libz 1.2.8, GnuTLS 3.3.8, Gcrypt 1.6.2.
> AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1045T Processor
> 
> Built using gcc 4.9.2.
> --
> I'm noticing that the memory usage does increase fast if many packets are
> captured (on my test I'm currently over 1 GiB of memory usage) but if I'm
> restarting a live capture the memory of the old capture will not be freed.

Wireshark has it's own memory managing scheme to increase speed (emem -> wmem)
the "real" memory allocated by emem/wmem will not be returned to the OS when a 
capture file is closed so Wireshark does not need to allocate the memorry again
for emem/wmem use. The memory is "free" for Wireshark (re)use.

But there is also (g)malloced memory used, so it's possible that there is a bug
where memory isn't released. But it might be hard to diagnose. How many packets
are in your traces? Michal Labedzkis questions are relevant too.


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