Beach ball and slower performance of new iMac and MacBook Pro

Thank you Jack. Will run a fresh EtreCheck check up shortly to get an up to date report. Do you need me to give Full Drive Access and is there any issue with confidentiality as I have patient data on both my computers.

AVAL

Hi Jack-19. Sorry I have been really pushed for time but will have more time tomorrow. However, I had posted the EtreCheck Pro report for my MacBook Pro yesterday. Today I ran the same on my iMac which is running into similar problems. The report is attached. I will see if you have had time to review them and will catch up tomorrow.

Thanks

OK have started with the iMac. Have removed Intego and Western Dig software. Cannot find Pulse Secure anywhere on the iMac even using Spotlight. Virus Barrier also removed (part of Intego package). Will hold on for now to NordVPN as I do need them as a VPN app - they are excellent about upgrades and was obtained from the Apple App Store. Have restarted the iMac. Will re run Etrecheck and if you want send you a another report.

Already have noticed an improvement in the speed of file transfers.

Will get to the MacBook tomorrow again as I will probably need to leave in half hour.

Hi Jack-19:

Today I had a little time on hand so I have decided to first sort out the iMac. We can come back to the MacBook after that. I removed almost 30 apps which I had been lugging around many of which do not work in the 64 bit environment. I used a proper uninstaller app where one was available and I have been using an app call AppZapper which removes many of the linked files. I am attaching the post "clean up" Etrecheck report. It looks better but the start up still takes at least 2 minutes. I may have too many folders on the desktop. (Any suggestions for this?) Please take your time to get back to me as I will not be able to see your response till tomorrow. After that if you are still available we can focus on the MacBook.

Many thanks

AVAL

Thank you Old Toad for jumping too. I am a total novice so appreciate any advice. Here I was thinking NordVPN, which I use, was secure. I transmit medical info to colleagues using VPN (not to the hospital which has a separate device for that). I read the link you sent and got more and more concerned. I am not familiar with VPS.

With reference to my "big" problem, are you suggesting I try again after disabling VPN or uninstalling it?

What about the issue of Dropbox and iCloud to sync - I believe that which the current set up has helped with keeping my iMac and MacBook in sync with all files, there has been a significant slowing down.

I am reaching a point (through lack of time) where i wonder if I could somehow preserve my important files and just do a clean install and may lose many of my useful apps but live with that. Hopefully the same with both my devices and then hope that iCloud will do all the inter-device synching.

I really appreciate all the advice so far but am beginning to feel frustrated due to lack of time to devote to this issue, as I can only be at my computer so many hours a day then have other commitments. .

Thank you. No, I do not transmit patient records - these I do send out as PDF encrypted files. When I am discussing cases (with patient initials only but their case histories) or reviewing Medical Association sites - where there is no patient specific information but still restricted for use by physicians - I use VPN. Also for banking I use VPN although the bank does have 2FA.

No info on patients on Dropbox.

I will check out Box.

If I remove Dropbox, hopefully will see some improve in function? Have to leave now so will try out when I get back in the evening.

OK....have deleted Dropbox (still in my Trash). Have disabled VPN.

New Etrecheck report generated is attached as required in the Additional Text window.

Tried and running after rebooting. Still the beachball whenever I try to move any files and Finder freezes for up to 2 minutes.

I will be able to check in tomorrow again. Thank you both for your support and patience..

so far.

I'm sorry I am a little out of my depth. I did create a new admin account. I moved a file from a folder in that account to the desktop. No problem.

I am not sure about (a) what the mds_stores is. I looked at the Activity Monitor/CPU but unsure what I am to make of the numbers there. Same when I rebooted in the Safe Mode.

If it is any help, I did run Etrecheck in the new Admin account and have attached it. If it is no use, sorry to waste your time.

If you meant the Music library in iCloud I have turned it off and the latest Etrecheck report is after I did that.

I have attached it herewith.

Anything to worry about with those different multiple HDs in the container disk 1 - from the Disk Utility image I sent?

Many thanks!

OK Jack....here they are. Last image was of the Finder window and it looks like the "active" HD is Macintosh HD - One. But I do not understand the file structure etc.

Incidentally a silly question...on Mac OS Big Sur - the mouse left click is not working. Anything I could do as I am having to use Control-Click. There is no setting I can see in System Preferences under Mouse settings.

I did exactly as you both suggested and I see the most recent report of Etrecheck is much better looking. Thank you both! The only remaining issues I see and cannot fully understand are:

1) Still shows heavy iCloud processor usage - I had turned off Photos and Music iCloud sync.

2) Apps crashing - which ones and is there anything I need to do about these? - I found over 130 files. Almost all looked like old files from Parallels which was a Windows emulator so that I could reach my hospital at that time which was doing everything on Windows. I deleted those.

3) I want to make the MacBook set up the same as the iMac. I have deleted everything on it too and have installed Mac OS Big Sur. My mistake last time was to set up the MB with the TimeMachine backup from the iMac and which led to all the hassles. My question: Are there any specific files I can copy over from iMac to MB so that they are similar and also to allow for synch of all work and data I do on one to show up on the other?

Did everything as you suggested. Everything is running fine with no more beach balling or delays. Files move fine from one folder to another. Have removed Dropbox.

Latest Etrecheck report is attached - had disconnected the external HD for Time Machine.

I am wondering if the heavy iCloud usage is because I noted on iCloud.com that I have mutiple desktop configurations from previous installations on my old computers. Perhaps these are all trying to be loaded onto the new iMac. I may consolidate the contents of those to a single current desktop in iCloud and hopefully that will reduce a lot of the problems

If there is anything else you want me to do, let me know but thanks to you and Jack-19 for all your excellent and patient support.

OK will run with full access and generate the report.

AVAL

Last time I tried running EtreCheck, it took 15-20 minutes to generate the report. This one I will send will be from my MacBook Pro first when it is ready. Thank you for your patience.