DJP from Mich
Level 1 (6 points)
iCloud

Q: macbook so slow for about 10-15 minutes then better

I've got a late 2008 Macbook, Processor 2.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, Memory 2 GB 1067 MHz DDR3, Graphics NVIDIA GeForce 9400M 256 MB

 

Recently updated to OS X El Capitan Version 10.11.2 - but was having the problem before, so I don't think its caused by the lastest os.

 

It is sooooo slow every time it first wakes and I try to do stuff, mail, surfing etc - spinning beach ball over and over.  Then after I'm on for a while it seems to free up without all the hanging up and lags - any ideas on what I can do to fix this?

MacBook

Posted on Jan 1, 2016 9:11 AM

by my ginger,Apple recommended
my ginger my ginger
Level 4 (2,472 points)
A:

The very first thing that hits me is you need more memory. 2GB is not enough for El Capitan. When waking from sleep, you are reloading whatever launch agents you have installed. And if you have put hard drive to sleep in the system preferences energy, that will also slow things down at first.

Posted on Jan 1, 2016 6:06 PM

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DJP from Mich

Q: macbook so slow for about 10-15 minutes then better

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  • by my ginger,Apple recommended

    my ginger my ginger Jan 1, 2016 6:06 PM in response to DJP from Mich
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 1, 2016 6:06 PM in response to DJP from Mich

    The very first thing that hits me is you need more memory. 2GB is not enough for El Capitan. When waking from sleep, you are reloading whatever launch agents you have installed. And if you have put hard drive to sleep in the system preferences energy, that will also slow things down at first.

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Jan 1, 2016 11:20 PM in response to DJP from Mich
    Level 5 (7,952 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 1, 2016 11:20 PM in response to DJP from Mich

    In sounds like a possible impending hard drive failure to me. I would suggest downloading the free trial version of this software to verify the health of your hard drive. If it finds problems, you should backup your hard drive as soon as possible.

     

    https://www.volitans-software.com/apps/smart-utility/

  • by DJP from Mich,

    DJP from Mich DJP from Mich Jan 2, 2016 9:21 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (6 points)
    iCloud
    Jan 2, 2016 9:21 AM in response to my ginger

    Thanks - I will try that.  Is there an article that will help me remove some of the stuff that is launching that I don't need?

  • by DJP from Mich,

    DJP from Mich DJP from Mich Jan 2, 2016 9:22 AM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (6 points)
    iCloud
    Jan 2, 2016 9:22 AM in response to Lanny

    Thanks - I have time machine backing up to a capsule - so I think I'm covered on back up - but I will check out the hard drive suggestion.

  • by my ginger,Helpful

    my ginger my ginger Jan 3, 2016 7:55 AM in response to DJP from Mich
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 3, 2016 7:55 AM in response to DJP from Mich

    Most of what is in launch agents are part of system software. The only thing you could check is anything you have added to your computer that has startup or launch agents. Some of which can be check in system preferences users. In removing any software you should use an uninstaller if it came with the software or go to the website for that software to see how to uninstall.

  • by nibor209,Helpful

    nibor209 nibor209 Jan 3, 2016 7:55 AM in response to DJP from Mich
    Level 1 (74 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 3, 2016 7:55 AM in response to DJP from Mich

    Is it Time Machine doing a backup? I noticed Time Machine was making my MacBook slow once, it was doing something to the local disk when it was time to do a backup and my external drive wasn't connected. I put Time Machine Off in the Time Machine Preferences and now force a back up with Back Up Now after I attach the external disk.

     

    Launch Activity Monitor to find out what's running and look for processes hogging CPU or memory.

  • by DJP from Mich,

    DJP from Mich DJP from Mich Jan 3, 2016 8:00 AM in response to nibor209
    Level 1 (6 points)
    iCloud
    Jan 3, 2016 8:00 AM in response to nibor209

    Yeah - it's time machine doing wireless backups to the capsule.  I have noticed that during backups it gets slow also, but my machine is super slow for a while even if it is not backing up.  I will try to change the time machine preferences to just back up when I tell it to.  I will look at the launch activity monitor - where is that?

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Jan 3, 2016 8:03 AM in response to DJP from Mich
    Level 5 (7,952 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 3, 2016 8:03 AM in response to DJP from Mich

    Activity Monitor is an application located in your Utilities folder.

  • by DJP from Mich,

    DJP from Mich DJP from Mich Jan 3, 2016 8:15 AM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (6 points)
    iCloud
    Jan 3, 2016 8:15 AM in response to Lanny

    Thanks - there's a Lot of stuff in that activity monitor (much of which I cannot tell what it is) (and btw I keep trying to mark your responses as helpful but its not working on your posts)

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Jan 3, 2016 9:09 AM in response to DJP from Mich
    Level 5 (7,952 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 3, 2016 9:09 AM in response to DJP from Mich

    Sort the column for CPU usage to identify the apps that may be using excessive cpu cycles.

  • by pinkstones,

    pinkstones pinkstones Jan 3, 2016 9:34 AM in response to DJP from Mich
    Level 5 (4,209 points)
    Safari
    Jan 3, 2016 9:34 AM in response to DJP from Mich

    DJP from Mich wrote:

     

    Thanks - there's a Lot of stuff in that activity monitor (much of which I cannot tell what it is) (and btw I keep trying to mark your responses as helpful but its not working on your posts)

     

    You can only mark two responses per question as helpful.  So, you're not doing anything wrong, that's just how the forums are set up. 

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 3, 2016 10:56 AM in response to DJP from Mich
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 3, 2016 10:56 AM in response to DJP from Mich

    In the activity monitor the most memory or cpu usage will be in order of use from top to bottom. Kernel task is made up of what you see in the rest of the columns under root. The others are your user name. For running El Capitan 2GB of memory is not enough. 4 is minimum and the max you can install is 8.

  • by DJP from Mich,

    DJP from Mich DJP from Mich Jan 3, 2016 5:03 PM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (6 points)
    iCloud
    Jan 3, 2016 5:03 PM in response to my ginger

    My local mac repair guy said they can only go up to 4 G on ram for this machine (and would charge me $110 for ram plus installation) but when I followed the link someone gave above it looks it can go to 8 and it should be that expensive - thoughts on that?

  • by my ginger,Apple recommended

    my ginger my ginger Jan 3, 2016 5:23 PM in response to DJP from Mich
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 3, 2016 5:23 PM in response to DJP from Mich

    You are correct. it will handle 8GB   http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upgrades.cfm?sort=pop&model=300&type=Memory Here is a video on how to install the memory yourself.     http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbook_13_unibody_mem/  As you can see it is not that hard. Also mac sales has a good price and their memory is guarantied.

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