Insufficient system memory

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 137 views

Introduction

The numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError is a common error that occurs when trying to allocate a large amount of memory for a NumPy array, but the system does not have enough available memory to fulfill the request. This error can be particularly problematic when working with large datasets or complex computations.

Symptoms

The error message typically includes a description of the shape and data type of the array that is causing the memory allocation issue. In this case, the error message indicates that the system is unable to allocate 3.72 GiB of memory for an array with shape (361, 1440, 2560, 3) and data type uint8.

Causes

There are several possible causes of this error, including:

Insufficient system memory: If the system does not have enough available memory to allocate for the array, this error will occur.
Large array size: If the array is too large to fit in memory, this error will occur.
Data type: If the data type of the array is not optimized for memory usage, this error may occur.

Solutions

To resolve this error, you can try the following solutions:

1. Increase system memory

If the system does not have enough available memory to allocate for the array, you can try increasing the system memory by adding more RAM or using a more powerful computer.

2. Optimize array size

If the array is too large to fit in memory, you can try optimizing the array size by reducing the number of elements or using a more efficient data structure.

3. Change data type

If the data type of the array is not optimized for memory usage, you can try changing the data type to a more memory-efficient option.

4. Use out-of-core computation

If the array is too large to fit in memory, you can try using out-of-core computation techniques, such as loading the array in chunks or using a database to store the data.

5. Use a more efficient library

If the library you are using is not optimized for memory usage, you can try using a more efficient library that is designed to handle large datasets.

Example Code

Here is an example of how to optimize the array size and data type to reduce memory usage:

import numpy as np

# Original array
arr = np.random.rand(361, 1440, 2560, 3).astype(np.uint8)

# Optimized array
arr_optimized = np.random.rand(361, 1440, 2560, 3).astype(np.float32) / 255.0

# Print memory usage
print("Original array memory usage:", arr.nbytes / (1024 * 1024 * 1024), "GB")
print("Optimized array memory usage:", arr_optimized.nbytes / (1024 * 1024 * 1024), "GB")

This code creates an original array with shape (361, 1440, 2560, 3) and data type uint8, and then creates an optimized array with the same shape but with data type float32. The optimized array has a significantly lower memory usage than the original array.

Conclusion

The numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError is a common error that occurs when trying to allocate a large amount of memory for a NumPy array. To resolve this error, you can try increasing system memory, optimizing array size, changing data type, using out-of-core computation, or using a more efficient library. By optimizing the array size and data type, you can significantly reduce memory usage and avoid this error.

Additional Information

It seems that the error always occurs during the Restoring processing, and you noticed that only 90% of the memory was utilized during the processing. This suggests that the issue may be related to the way the data is being processed or stored, rather than a simple memory allocation issue. You may want to investigate further to determine the root cause of the problem.

Relevant Console Log

The console log shows a series of Swapping messages, which suggests that the system is trying to allocate memory for the array but is running out of memory. The Restoring messages indicate that the system is trying to restore the array from a previous state, but is unable to do so due to memory constraints.

Additional Information

The error message indicates that the system is unable to allocate 3.72 GiB of memory for an array with shape (361, 1440, 2560, 3) and data type uint8. This suggests that the issue may be related to the size of the array or the data type used.

Additional Information

It seems that the issue may be related to the way the data is being processed or stored, rather than a simple memory allocation issue. You may want to investigate further to determine the root cause of the problem.

Additional Information

You may want to try optimizing the array size and data type to reduce memory usage, or using out-of-core computation techniques to handle large datasets.
Q&A: numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError

Q: What is numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError?

A: numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError is a common error that occurs when trying to allocate a large amount of memory for a NumPy array, but the system does not have enough available memory to fulfill the request.

Q: What are the symptoms of numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError?

A: The error message typically includes a description of the shape and data type of the array that is causing the memory allocation issue. In this case, the error message indicates that the system is unable to allocate 3.72 GiB of memory for an array with shape (361, 1440, 2560, 3) and data type uint8.

Q: What are the causes of numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError?

A: There are several possible causes of this error, including:

Insufficient system memory
Large array size
Data type
Out-of-core computation

Q: How can I resolve numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError?

A: To resolve this error, you can try the following solutions:

Increase system memory
Optimize array size
Change data type
Use out-of-core computation
Use a more efficient library

Q: What is out-of-core computation?

A: Out-of-core computation is a technique used to handle large datasets by loading the data in chunks or using a database to store the data. This can help reduce memory usage and avoid memory allocation issues.

Q: How can I optimize array size?

A: You can optimize array size by reducing the number of elements or using a more efficient data structure. For example, you can use a smaller data type or reduce the number of dimensions.

Q: How can I change data type?

A: You can change data type by using a more memory-efficient data type, such as float32 or int16. This can help reduce memory usage and avoid memory allocation issues.

Q: What are some common libraries that can help with out-of-core computation?

A: Some common libraries that can help with out-of-core computation include:

NumPy
Pandas
Dask
Joblib

Q: How can I use out-of-core computation with NumPy?

A: You can use out-of-core computation with NumPy by using the numpy.memmap function to create a memory-mapped array. This allows you to load the data in chunks and avoid loading the entire array into memory at once.

Q: What are some best practices for avoiding numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError?

A: Some best practices for avoiding numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError include:

Using a more efficient data type
Optimizing array size
Using out-of-core computation
Increasing system memory
Using a more efficient library

Q: What are some common mistakes that can lead to numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError?

A: Some common mistakes that can lead to numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError include:

Not checking memory usage before allocating memory
Not optimizing array size
Not using a more efficient data type
Not using out-of-core computation
Not increasing system memory

Q: How can I debug numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError?

A: You can debug numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError by using tools such as:

Print statements
Debuggers
Memory profilers
Performance analyzers

Q: What are some resources for learning more about numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError?

A: Some resources for learning more about numpy.core._exceptions._ArrayMemoryError include:

NumPy documentation
Python documentation
Online tutorials and courses
Books and articles on NumPy and Python programming.