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Q: My mac is running so slowly... something to do with Kernel

Hey All,

 

I know that you wanted this posted in a separate thread and I appreciate your response SO much in advance.

 

Here is my Etre report:

 

EtreCheck version: 1.9.15 (52)

Report generated August 23, 2014 at 4:07:04 PM EDT

 

Hardware Information: ?

  MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2010) (Verified)

  MacBook Air - model: MacBookAir3,2

  1 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2 cores

  2 GB RAM

 

Video Information: ?

  NVIDIA GeForce 320M - VRAM: 256 MB

  Color LCD 1440 x 900

 

System Software: ?

  OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 2 days 15:22:7

 

Disk Information: ?

  APPLE SSD SM128C disk0 : (121.33 GB)

  S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified

  EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB

  Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 120.47 GB (7.48 GB free) (Low!)

  Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB

 

USB Information: ?

  Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

  Western Digital My Passport 0748 1.5 TB

  S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified

  EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB

  My Passport (disk1s2) /Volumes/My Passport: 1.5 TB (499.2 GB free)

  Apple Inc. FaceTime Camera (Built-in)

  Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

  Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

  Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

 

Gatekeeper: ?

  Anywhere

 

Kernel Extensions: ?

  [loaded] com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower (101.6.7 - SDK 10.9) Support

  [not loaded] com.Logitech.Control Center.HID Driver (3.9.1 - SDK 10.8) Support

  [not loaded] com.Logitech.Unifying.HID Driver (1.3.0 - SDK 10.6) Support

  [loaded] com.sophos.kext.sav (9.0.61 - SDK 10.7) Support

  [loaded] com.sophos.nke.swi (9.0.53 - SDK 10.8) Support

  [not loaded] com.wacom.kext.pentablet (5.3.2 - SDK 10.8) Support

 

Problem System Launch Daemons: ?

  [failed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist

 

Launch Daemons: ?

  [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support

  [loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist Support

  [loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist Support

  [loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist Support

  [running] com.sophos.autoupdate.plist Support

  [running] com.sophos.configuration.plist Support

  [running] com.sophos.intercheck.plist Support

  [running] com.sophos.notification.plist Support

  [running] com.sophos.scan.plist Support

  [running] com.sophos.sxld.plist Support

  [running] com.sophos.webd.plist Support

  [running] com.syniumsoftware.CleanAppDaemon.plist Support

  [loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.privileged_startx.plist Support

  [failed] uk.co.thefoundry.lmgrd.plist Support

  [failed] uk.co.thefoundry.rlm.plist Support

 

Launch Agents: ?

  [not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist Support

  [running] com.Logitech.Control Center.Daemon.plist Support

  [loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist Support

  [running] com.sophos.uiserver.plist Support

  [running] com.wacom.pentablet.plist Support

  [loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.startx.plist Support

 

User Launch Agents: ?

  [loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist Support

  [loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support

  [running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist Support

 

User Login Items: ?

  None

 

Internet Plug-ins: ?

  WacomNetscape: Version: 2.1.0-1 - SDK 10.8 Support

  Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9

  Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16   - SDK 10.8 Support

  WacomTabletPlugin: Version: WacomTabletPlugin 2.1.0.2 Support

  AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support

  FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support

  Silverlight: Version: 5.1.10411.0 - SDK 10.6 Support

  Flash Player: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update

  QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

  iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8

  SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.3.2 - SDK 10.6 Support

  AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support

  JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 7 Update 67 Check version

 

Safari Extensions: ?

  Searchme-2 (Disabled)

  1Password-2

 

Audio Plug-ins: ?

  BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9

  AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9

  AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9

  iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9

 

iTunes Plug-ins: ?

  Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9

 

3rd Party Preference Panes: ?

  Flash Player  Support

  Flip4Mac WMV  Support

  Java  Support

  Logitech Control Center  Support

  PenTablet  Support

 

Time Machine: ?

  Auto backup: YES

  Volumes being backed up:

  Macintosh HD: Disk size: 112.20 GB Disk used: 105.23 GB

  Destinations:

  My Passport [Local] (Last used)

  Total size: 0 B

  Total number of backups: (null)

  Size of backup disk: Too small

  Backup size 0 B < (Disk used 105.23 GB X 3)

  Time Machine details may not be accurate.

  All volumes being backed up may not be listed.

 

Top Processes by CPU: ?

      61% CleanApp

      49% Google Chrome

      5% WindowServer

      5% Finder

      5% securityd

 

Top Processes by Memory: ?

  76 MB CleanApp

  63 MB Google Chrome

  33 MB SystemUIServer

  31 MB Finder

  29 MB InterCheck

 

Virtual Memory Information: ?

  13 MB Free RAM

  386 MB Active RAM

  381 MB Inactive RAM

  780 MB Wired RAM

  33.25 GB Page-ins

  5.54 GB Page-outs

MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Aug 23, 2014 1:08 PM

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Q: My mac is running so slowly... something to do with Kernel

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Carolyn Samit,

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Aug 23, 2014 1:17 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK
    Level 10 (123,925 points)
    Apple Music
    Aug 23, 2014 1:17 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK

    One reason your Mac is running slow is due to very little available storage space.

     

    Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 120.47 GB (7.48 GB free) (Low!)   <  from your report


    Click your Apple menu  top left in your screen. From the drop down menu click About This Mac > More Info > Storage

     

    Make sure there's at least 15% free disk space.


    Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk

     

     

     

    Next is the CleanApp utility. Do not use third party so called Mac cleaning apps on your Mac.  Your Mac runs maintenance in the background for you.

     

    Uninstall CleanApp >  How can I remove CleanApp and all relating files from my hard drive?

     

     

    Next is:  com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower.

     

    Soundflower « Cycling 74   < uninstall instructions

     

    That driver has caused a multitude of problems for Mac users as noted from the results of an ASC search here.

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Aug 23, 2014 1:16 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK
    Level 10 (271,755 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 23, 2014 1:16 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK

    I'd say that based on your posted report the computer is running out of memory. You need to install more RAM or reduce the number of running programs, utilities, plug-ins, etc.

     

    Your computer is using the hard drive to provide virtual memory. As Carolyn noted you don't have much free space on the drive, so it is also contributing to your problem.

     

    I would also uninstall your anti-malware software. It isn't needed and it won't help your situation any. Get rid of CleanApp and don't use Google. They are both hogging the CPU heavily.

  • by MEET ME IN MONTAUK,

    MEET ME IN MONTAUK MEET ME IN MONTAUK Aug 23, 2014 1:17 PM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 23, 2014 1:17 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

    Yeah, both of these things I know unfortunately (thanks for the speedy reply by the way).

     

    CleanApp I downloaded because these problems already existed so I don't think that it is the cause.

     

    Free space is definitely an issue. There's almost nothing on the computer I don't need though, that's the problem. It's like 85% just music, which I need professionally.

  • by MEET ME IN MONTAUK,

    MEET ME IN MONTAUK MEET ME IN MONTAUK Aug 23, 2014 1:18 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 23, 2014 1:18 PM in response to Kappy

    I don't think my air is compatible with installing more RAM, though I'd love to do so if it is.

     

    Is CleanApp the only antimalware software you've seen? As I said, it was a potential fix I thought of, not a cause of the problem.

     

    What do you mean by "don't use google"?

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 23, 2014 1:22 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK
    Level 9 (50,270 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2014 1:22 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK

    Uninstall Synium "CleanApp":

     

    http://www.syniumsoftware.com/support/faq/cleanapp/how_do_i_uninstall_cleanapp.h tml

     

    I have no idea whether the above instructions will rid your Mac of all its components. I recommend avoidance of all such "cleaning" garbage. They are all scams commonly responsible for system corruption that cannot be reversed without erasing your Mac and reconfiguring it from the ground up.

     

    Uninstall Sophos. It serves no beneficial purpose on a Mac and is a common cause of slowdowns and other performance problems. Follow these instructions:

     

    http://www.sophos.com/en-us/support/knowledgebase/119182.aspx

     

    Adware is also present. Eradicating it is simple. For an explanation or how this may have occurred, how to avoid it in the future, and for one possible solution read How to install adware.


    Is there a reason you are not using Time Machine?

     


     

    May I suggest that you review the following setting in System Preferences?


    Screen Shot 2014-06-10 at 7.05.16 AM.png


    Although you may easily override that setting, it will serve to protect you from inadvertently installing garbage.



  • by Carolyn Samit,

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Aug 23, 2014 1:25 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK
    Level 10 (123,925 points)
    Apple Music
    Aug 23, 2014 1:25 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK

    Keep in mind CleanApp is not an Apple utility. If you have problems with your Mac, you will have to depend on the CleanApp developer for support. CleanApp does not remove malware.

     

    Also, your Mac is running v10.9 Mavericks which requires 8GB's of drive space. You have 7.48 free.

     

    Backup the music then reformat the drive using OS X Recovery

  • by stedman1,

    stedman1 stedman1 Aug 23, 2014 1:22 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK
    Level 9 (74,189 points)
    Apple Watch
    Aug 23, 2014 1:22 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK

    The Apps below are maxing out the CPU, close them both to check for improvement.

     

    Top Processes by CPU: ?

          61% CleanApp

          49% Google Chrome

  • by tbirdvet,

    tbirdvet tbirdvet Aug 23, 2014 1:23 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK
    Level 4 (3,025 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2014 1:23 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK

    Your system is overloaded.  Get rid of Sophos, need more Ram. Mavericks runs very slow with only 2 GB Ram.  Need larger HDD. 

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Aug 23, 2014 1:30 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK
    Level 10 (271,755 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 23, 2014 1:30 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK

    No, I also see Sophos listed in the report. Both CleanApp and Google Chrome are using far too much CPU time. Chrome is known for causing memory issues. Simply stated you have too much loaded for the amount of RAM installed. You need to reduce what you load into the computer at one time. Furthermore, Clean App and Chrome may be mis-behaving hence leading to heavy CPU usage.

     

    I recommend you start by following my and Carolyn's advice. You will then see a big improvement. And, you will note that the others who have chimed in are telling you pretty much the same story.

  • by MEET ME IN MONTAUK,

    MEET ME IN MONTAUK MEET ME IN MONTAUK Aug 23, 2014 1:32 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 23, 2014 1:32 PM in response to John Galt

    Hey John,

     

    I'll remove CleanApp, Sophos, and use the instructions to eradicate Adware.

     

    I'm not using Time Machine because I didn't have enough space on my HD at the time and this is my secondary computer. That said, I'm actually in the middle of creating my first backup now, so good timing.

     

    I changed my privacy settings as well. I work with developers (this is my work laptop) and I needed to test out their apps before they went into the store, that's why I had that privacy setting. I changed it back now.

     

    Good to know that I need at least 8 GB of space free at all times. I'll try and make sure that's always the case.

     

    I will backup the music, then recover, but won't I need to back up ALL my files first? This is a work computer after all.

     

    Since it is unlikely that I can get more hard drive space or RAM, is my best bet to actually backpedal to an earlier version of OS X?

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 23, 2014 1:50 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK
    Level 9 (50,270 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2014 1:50 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK

    Given the extent of modifications present, most notably the uncertainty of having used CleanApp to remove files or components of files resulting in irreversible corruption, I agree an "erase and install" may be the least time-consuming alternative.

     

    There are a number of methods for backing up your essential files and software, but they will all require another device, probably an external hard disk drive. A USB hard disk drive with adequate capacity can be purchased for as little as $55.

     

    Good to know that I need at least 8 GB of space free at all times.

     

    There is no justification for that claim.

     

    Since it is unlikely that I can get more hard drive space or RAM, is my best bet to actually backpedal to an earlier version of OS X?

     

    2 GB is the minimum amount for Mavericks to run at all, and it can't be increased in any MacBook Air model. Given that limitation, you need to be cognizant of the demands made by the programs you use. I don't have specific recommendations for you, but Google Chrome is almost certainly out of the question. Google has yet to demonstrate the ability to develop efficient OS X apps. None of their products run well on Macs, regardless of their hardware limitations. Sophos only adds to the burden while conveying no benefit.

  • by MEET ME IN MONTAUK,

    MEET ME IN MONTAUK MEET ME IN MONTAUK Aug 23, 2014 1:55 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 23, 2014 1:55 PM in response to John Galt

    So I just had a lot of trouble uninstalling both Sophos and CleanApp. I don't know that either worked properly, so finally I just trashed them and any component files I could find and they seem to be gone. I've posted an updated Etre report below.

     

    I have two USB drives so I'm not too concerned with that part.

     

    Do you have a recommendation for how to erase and install as you mentioned? Sure, I can back up the most important data easily (and I have time machine running now, but if the system is messed up now, I doubt a time machine version would be any better.

     

    Any suggestions for how to proceed?

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 23, 2014 2:06 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK
    Level 9 (50,270 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2014 2:06 PM in response to MEET ME IN MONTAUK

    Sure. The most critical step is to ensure you have adequate backups of your essential files and software. Time Machine is only one option, and it's an even better idea to create two separate backups using two separate devices, such as your two USB drives. If you "clone" your existing system you can use Startup Manager to boot from the "clone", ensure all your music is intact, and that you can play it with iTunes, Garageband, or whatever other program your professional needs require.

     

    • Create a backup of your existing system, and verify that it is complete. To do that read Mac Basics: Time Machine backs up your Mac.
    • Preferably, create two or more backups using different methods, such as one Time Machine and one "clone", for redundancy. Neither method is particularly advantageous over the other for this purpose.
    • The recovery procedure will require that you erase the Mac using OS X Recovery, and then create a new user whose contents will be empty. You will then be able to use Setup Assistant to migrate your essential documents including photos, music, work products and other essential files from the Time Machine or similar backup.
    • When doing so, select only your previous User account and do not select "Applications", "Computer and Network Settings" or "Other files and folders". De-select those choices.
    • Subsequent to using Setup Assistant, you will need to reinstall the essential software you may require, once again remembering to install software only from their original sources, and omitting all non-essential software.

     

    To erase and install Mavericks read: OS X Mavericks: Erase and reinstall OS X

     

    To migrate your essential documents read: OS X: How to migrate data from another Mac using Mavericks and follow the procedure under Time Machine or other disk migration.