How to view File Size in all Finder column-view windows?

Are you on 10.14 Mojave? I see the same as D.I. in Mojave:

It also shows in List View in Mojave like before:

Did you scroll to find the "Show More" option under the dates?:

10.6 Snow Leopard; I thought I recognized that colorful scroll bar. 🙂

I couldn't tell you when the size info disappeared either.

Catalina runs great for me on a 2012 MacBook Pro. You didn't say what year yours is, but maybe there's something conflicting in your software or setup? Maybe we can figure out what’s going on with your MBP.  It could be anything from a simple malware installation to a hardware failure. Some things are fairly easy to fix.

If you're inclined, you could start with an EtreCheck evaluation of your Mac.

EtreCheck is a diagnostic app that gathers and reports important debugging information about your Macintosh. It is very highly regarded and meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help others help you troubleshoot and resolve your Mac problems.

Please navigate to EtreCheck.com and download the free version of EtreCheck. Once you’ve run the app and created your report please post it with your reply to this message. 

You must upload the full report. For instructions on how to attach your EtreCheck report to your reply, please click  How to use Add Text when posting…

We can use the EtreCheck report to look for the more obvious things that may be causing your problem and advise how to correct them.

Well yes, but I've never found a way to do that, but did miss the "Byte" significance... just checked 10.13.6, same, just MBs & KBs & Bs depending on size.

Did you have some 3rd party Finder enhancement?

Honestly your report doesn't look bad at all from a software perspective.

It's noted that you don't have a Time Machine backup process configured, but that's not a performance issue.

If Malwarebytes didn't find anything I suspect software isn't an issue.

But definitely you'd do well with this old MBP to install your OS on an external SSD and boot from that.

Also a small bump from 4GB RAM to 8GB would help.

Of course, the question then becomes do you really want or need to put any $ into this old tech?

Your "Slow" is right here:

Drives:

    disk0 - APPLE HDD HTS545050A7E362 500.11 GB (Mechanical - 5400 RPM)

    Internal SATA 3 Gigabit Serial ATA

which causes this:

Performance:

    System Load: 2.56 (1 min ago) 1.78 (5 min ago) 1.60 (15 min ago)

    Nominal I/O speed: 0.00 MB/s

    File system: 26.90 seconds

    Write speed: 77 MB/s

    Read speed: 91 MB/s

Your computer has a 6GB drive bus but Apple saved money by using cheaper 3GB/sec SATA drive. Your actual scores are as high as anyone can expect from a drive with those specs, and better than most. However this scores would more than double with a 7200RPM 6GB/sec drive.

Better yet, you can install an inexpensive 500GB solid-state drive at home and replace the drive cable (best practice) at the same time for about US$125-130. I did that to my Mid 2012 MBP and these are its drive scores now:

Performance:

    System Load: 1.61 (1 min ago) 1.60 (5 min ago) 2.94 (15 min ago)

    Nominal I/O speed: 0.15 MB/s

    File system: 28.20 seconds

    Write speed: 487 MB/s

    Read speed: 482 MB/s

Mine went from being a total pain to use to a delight.

With minimum RAM, restarting the computer every 3-4 days will help clean out deadwood. 13 days is too long IMHO:

System Software:

    macOS Catalina 10.15.3 (19D76)

    Time since boot: About 13 days

If you are running Adobe Creative Suite on 4GB RAM, you are doing something amazing. 8GB would be nicer, and that computer will accommodate 16GB RAM if you buy quality RAM from Crucial.com or Other World Computing. Getting to 16GB with "just any" RAM is questionable.

Good morning!

No apologies needed, 150mph. Had I a dollar for every time I stressed over some tech conundrum, I could afford Tim Cook's desk chair. Maybe.

Like RAM, the best SSDs for this conversion seem to be Crucial's MX series and those from Other World Computing. Other sre just too much trouble based on posts here. Both are reliable and affordable.

The 2012 MBPs were the last MBPs where an average use could "get under the hood" to do things: RAM; battery; storage. Please look at this video of the install process to gauge your comfort level.

MBP15 2012 Drive

Although it does not show the preparatory steps (mainly cloning, not copying, the old drive to the SSD while the old drive is still in the computer), it gives you an idea of the fiddly part, which is really not all that fiddly.

Changing the drive cable when you chage a drive i best practice i the model. The cable is about the only thing in an otherwise bullet-proof computer series that needs attention after 3-5 years of normal vibration. There is aaslo a video showing that, It is for the 13-inch mode but should be the same for the 15":

MBP 2012 drive cable

There is no effective way to test an old cable but they are cheap, available, and easy to install.

If you think your wish to pursue this path, post back and I can give you links to the parts I used and how to clone the old drive to the new one. Also let us know if you are in the US or elsewhere. Both Crucial and OWC have overseas sites and partners but that can limit choices outside the US.

PS: I've worked inside lots of computer but the SSD upgrade was the first time I's serviced a modern Mac motebook, other thn installing RAM. I recall the job took 35 minutes.

Thanks for all the info Allan. I appreciate that old skool knowledge about Macs! I've bought OWC memory for my Blue & White G3 back in the day. Will keep this info locally for mulling over.

On the rare occasion I speak with Apple techs on the phone, any product older than 5 years is "quaint" and not taken seriously, and "upgrading to the latest OS" is the default cure. But my MacPro (2x2.26 GHz Quadcore Intel Xeon) was top of the line when I bought it and still serves almost all my graphic design needs running 10.6.8 - (I own Creative Suite 6, but still rent CC on my iMac). But now its beyond ancient by Apples standards, because it can't communicate with my coffee maker I suppose. </vent>

=0P

You are most welcome.

...because it can't communicate with my coffee maker

That made me spew my beer! Well played!

We got out first Mac, an SE30, about 1991. I did not start lurking here until summer 200o when some fellow beta testers for a Mac flight sim recommended Apple Discussion to me, as it was called then.

It seems many Apple "Geniuses" in stores were still in nappies when many of the senior contributors to ASC were already active here. There are quite a few that have been doing this far longer than I.

Hello, TheOriginal150mph.

FWIW, this is my Finder column view in Catalina 10.15.7: