Slow as molasses

[efgleaton]

I have a MacBook purchased in August of 2008. It is running OS X Lion 10.7.5. I have 23.02 GB free. I have scanned the posts on here looking for solutions to my problem(s) - the main problem being that over the last 6 - 10 months I have spent far too much time looking at the colorful spinning disc. Everything seems to take forever! Changing from one program to another is awful. At this point I spend more time using my iphone to do tasks that used to be quite simple and fast on my Mac.

I have cleared my cache. I have verified permissions and repaired permissions (which actually resulted in LESS free space).

I'm computer literate when it comes to using programs but not with the inner-workings of the computer. So I really don't know what my next steps should be in speeding up my computer. Or is just not going to happen with a 5 year old computer?

Thanks!!!!!!

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

23GB is not a great deal of free space, would try and free some up. Also check activity monitor for high CPU usage + how many startup applications do you have?

 

[Kaveman]

I recommend having quarter of your drive as free space, OS X makes a lot of use of the drive for vRAM and Caches.

Also don't leave Microsoft or Adobe products open, aways quit them after use.

Ensure your browser don't have a page with Flash open.

 

[efgleaton]

I am working on freeing up some of my hard drive mainly by removing photos - but one problem I have is I can't seem to find the location of the actual photos - all I see is the icon for iPhotos. I have moved photos to my back up drive before but seem to have developed a mental block on that one.

I looked at the Activity Monitor but it doesn't appear that any of my applications are causing high CPU usage. I googled how to use the Activity monitor, but haven't developed much of an understanding of it. I'm attaching a screen shot of what the Activity monitor looks like - maybe someone else will see something I don't see.

Also, I'm not sure how to identify which things are start up applications. As far as I know, I don't have any applications that run upon starting up my computer (other than those necessary for running the computer.) Thanks!

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

but one problem I have is I can't seem to find the location of the actual photos

Possibly try this.
1) In finder window click on 'GO'
2) Click on 'Home'
3) Scroll down the left hand side menu to 'Pictures'
4) The iPhoto 'package' appears which can be dragged to the desktop, a removable usb drive, external HD etc.
5) This is the iPhoto library in a "package' which may in your case be very big.
6) To reduce the size of your iPhoto package, hold down the 'Control' key when you click on the iPhoto library icon.
7) Chose "Show Package Contents" from the menu which appears.
8) Scroll down to "Originals"
9) You can open the "Originals" folder to get at your photos.

I looked at the Activity Monitor but it doesn't appear that any of my applications are causing high CPU usage

I know many like chrome but it definatly resource hungry. Compare your chrome usage to my Safaris (screen shot) and at present I have 12 tabs open simultaniously.

Also, I'm not sure how to identify which things are start up applications

Open system preferences > system > user groups > login items.

 

[Kaveman]

Don't go messing around inside your iPhoto Library, sure way to loose important photos.

Just ensure you use the iPhoto > Empty Trash
If you need to export photos then export them, then delete them from iPhoto not Finder.

 

[oldscribe]

Hi Kaveman,

Don't go messing around inside your iPhoto Library, sure way to loose important photos

Very good advice, it would be my route but not best as you say for OP.

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

My iPhoto Library swelled to 25GB (for me that's huge!) with sometimes 5 duplicates of one photo ... some of which were simply rotated.

My *real photo collection is probably no more than a third of the 25GB & I just don't need those duplicates.

It's been my doing through ignorance of how iPhoto works, but I got jack of it in the end when I realised it had got totally out of my control, and I just exported all photos (modified, originals & Masters) to Finder and have got stuck into sorting them out.

My *real photo collection is probably no more than a third of the 25GB.

When I'm finished (if I live that long har har) I won't allow iPhoto to have such control of my photos again ... once again, if I live that long to figure out how ....

 

[oldscribe]

Have two image library's ( personal & work) now I mainly use Aperture, but still find iPhoto more initiative regarding photo enhancement and print options.

 

[efgleaton]

I've taken a break from trying to figure this all out, and trying not to do what my parents always do - when it's not working right, get a new one!

I'm still struggling with this, however. I freed up some space, and I have 31.97 GB free. Still really slow. iPhoto drives me crazy - still takes forever to open up AND I no longer have thumbnails of photos taken before July. Haven't a clue what that's all about. I've looked at the CPU usage, and after trying Safari for awhile, I just prefer Chrome. With the screen shot I posted, it was only using 1.2% of CPU. Or is Virtual Memory important, too?

My husband has suggested wiping off the drive, and rebuilding. That's what he did with our PC awhile back. Is that a good idea? I'm not sure how I would do that, particularly as there are a couple of things I don't have disks for - downloaded from internet, like my last software update which was with Lion 7.5 . . . the last CD software I got was for Snow Leopard. Then there's the Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac - I also downloaded that from my school system. I do have everything backed up.

I guess my question now is - do I wipe it and start all over? Is that a good plan?

I really appreciate the help I've gotten so far. I wish I could have a better understanding of all this!!! THANKS!

 

[Kaveman]

I guess my question now is - do I wipe it and start all over? Is that a good plan?

No that is not a good plan, it helps Windows but doesn't help on OS X.

In Activity Monitor, you are just looking at My Processes, the problem maybe with a Printer or Scanner driver so its worth looking at All Processes.

Virtual Memory important, too

very, when it comes to speed as its the slowest for of memory.

Have you tried running the utilities built into iPhoto?
Quit iPhoto, Launch iPhoto with the Option and Command key held down.

iPhoto is great I know of people with 10s of 1000s photo in it and it runs fast and scrolls and searches quickly, but if you find it a problem Aperture is great and is better suited to large Libraries with lots of edits.

 

[Morhass]

Can't see any reference in this whole thread to your RAM... In my experience, an older Mac running Lion or Mountain Lion will be sluggish with 4GB...
Apple Menu > About this Mac > More Info will give you more info about your Mac, including its serial number, model, and the type and size of memory installed. This information would allow us to better advise you.

 

[efgleaton]

13-inch, Early 2008
Processor 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Graphics Intel GMA X3100 144 MB
Software Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 (11G63b)

So is the small memory leading to the sluggishness? I never did pay attention to whether or not it got slower when I installed Lion.

 

[Morhass]

Ahhh, thanks, yes, there's your problem. Everything your Mac does, it has to swap memory between the real ram and the virtual RAM on the Hard Drive. This is slow. The beachballing you see is the Mac frantically trying to get you enough memory to do the job you've just asked it to do. Every time you switch apps, or use an app with poor memory management (anything by Microsoft, Adobe or Google will cause problems because cross-platform software tools don't take advantage of Apple's Memory Management toolset), you will get beachballing.
Any time you've been running one of these crossplatform Apps, do a restart to let the Mac reclaim the memory they used... that will help a little. But really, you're going to want to install more RAM.

Your MacBook uses 667MHz DDR2 RAM. That's quite slow RAM compared to what's in use now. Unfortunately, it's also rather expensive, because it's not being made in bulk now.
You need RAM. In theory, that model can run with 1x4GB and 1x2GB for a maximum of 6, but not all Early 2008 logic board seem to actually support the 4GB modules. That's why Apple recommends a maximum of 2x2GB. Everything you spend upgrading your RAM will turn into speed

 

[efgleaton]

Rather than purchasing more RAM, would it be sensible to "downgrade" the software to whatever I had prior to OSX Lion 10.7.5? I am using my laptop less and less and considering purchasing a tablet. I would be happy if I could use my latop mainly for photos and productivity. I'm not sure about buying more RAM.

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

Rather than purchasing more RAM, would it be sensible to "downgrade" the software to whatever I had prior to OSX Lion 10.7.5?

Possibly, really depends on what software you want to run on it. If as you say it will just be for photos etc then you could revert to its original OS X if you still have the install disks.

1) Backup with time machine.
2) Restart Mac and boot from DVD (C Button);
3) Run Disk Utility;
4) Erase All partition with Mac Format;
5) Re-Install Mac OS X ;
6) Once done you can restore your Data/Files, software from the TM backup;

 

[Kaveman]

Without more RAM its all a waste of time.

2 Gig is absolutely the minimum it will install in, I would say 4 is better but all the modern OS love RAM, the more it has the better they perform.

 

[Morhass]

If you're planning to purchase a non-apple tablet, by all means downgrade your Mac. It's not easy, but check what OS is on the discs that came with it. Don't forget to back up!
If you're going to be using an iOS device, you want to stay with 10.7.5 so that you can benefit from the power of your iCloud account. Given what you say about your photos, I have to assume you're going to want PhotoStream doing its magic for you!
2x2GB 667MHz RAM modules will cost you a lot less than the time you'll spend downgrading, and is nothing compared to the risks of Android insecurity. I guess it depends what you value!

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

If you're going to be using an iOS device, you want to stay with 10.7.5 so that you can benefit from the power of your iCloud account.

That's the big question you have to ask yourself, for synchronisation. Having said this I know many running 2009/2010 MacBooks with only 2GB Ram and Mountain Lion.

Ram is really not expensive, end of the day it is your choose which way to go.

 

[efgleaton]

So if I decide to get more ram (I am leaning towards an iPad for my tablet), how do I go about doing that? I looked on the apple store and couldn't find my exact model. I found almost the same thing with a MacBook from 2010, but the store said no memory was available for that model.

Thanks for all your help!!!!!