Please comment on this EtreCheck report: slow iMac, esp. Safari

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2012Fernwood Author

Level 1

4 points

Please comment on this EtreCheck report: slow iMac, esp. Safari

Hi folks, my Imac is bogging down badly. I added an external SSD, which helped...a bit?

I abjectly confess I always have a lot of tabs open. Any help is greatly appreciated.

The malware detected is ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.onlineapplicationnotice.AppNotice.plist

EtreCheckPro version: 6.8.3 (68032)

Report generated: 2023-12-16 15:08:30

Download EtreCheckPro from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime: 4:11

Performance: Good

Problem: Computer is too slow

Description:

Safari is slow and requires frequent restart.

Major Issues:

Anything that appears on this list needs immediate attention.

Malware - Malware detected.

Minor Issues:

These issues do not need immediate attention but they may indicate future problems or opportunities for improvement.

Heavy RAM usage - Apps are using a large amount of RAM.

Apps with heavy CPU usage - There have been numerous cases of apps with heavy CPU usage.

Unsigned files - There are unsigned software files installed. These files could be old, incompatible, and cause problems. They should be reviewed.

System modifications - There are a large number of system modifications running in the background.

Heavy I/O usage - Your system is under heavy I/O use. This will reduce your performance.

Limited permissions - More information may be available with Full Disk Access.

Kernel extensions present - This computer has kernel extensions that may not work in the future.

Hardware Information:

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)

Status: Supported

iMac Model: iMac16,2

3.3 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 (i7-5775R) CPU: 4-core

8 GB RAM - Not upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0 - 4 GB DDR3 1867

BANK 1/DIMM0 - 4 GB DDR3 1867

Video Information:

Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 - VRAM: 1536 MB

Cinema HD 1920 x 1200

iMac (built-in) 4096 x 2304

Drives:

disk0 - APPLE SSD AP0032H 24.00 GB (Solid State - TRIM: Yes)

Internal PCI-Express 5.0 GT/s x4 NVM Express

disk0s1 - EFI [EFI] 315 MB

disk0s2 [APFS Fusion Drive] 23.69 GB

disk2 [APFS Virtual drive] 1.02 TB (Shared by 6 volumes)

disk2s1 - Macintosh HD (APFS) (15.41 GB used)

disk2s2 - Preboot (APFS) [APFS Preboot] (299 MB used)

disk2s3 - Recovery (APFS) [Recovery] (1.12 GB used)

disk2s4 - VM (APFS) [APFS VM] (2 MB used)

disk2s5 - O**************D (APFS) (556.47 GB used)

disk2s6 - Update (APFS) (4 MB used)

disk1 - APPLE HDD HTS541010A9E662 1.00 TB (Mechanical - 5400 RPM)

Internal SATA 3 Gigabit Serial ATA

disk1s1 - EFI (MS-DOS FAT32) [EFI] 210 MB

disk1s2 [APFS Fusion Drive] 1000.00 GB

disk2 [APFS Virtual drive] 1.02 TB (Shared by 6 volumes)

disk2s1 - Macintosh HD (APFS) (15.41 GB used)

disk2s2 - Preboot (APFS) [APFS Preboot] (299 MB used)

disk2s3 - Recovery (APFS) [Recovery] (1.12 GB used)

disk2s4 - VM (APFS) [APFS VM] (2 MB used)

disk2s5 - O**************D (APFS) (556.47 GB used)

disk2s6 - Update (APFS) (4 MB used)

disk3 - Seagate Backup+ Hub WH 8.00 TB

External USB 5 Gbit/s USB

disk3s1 - EFI (MS-DOS FAT32) [EFI] 210 MB

disk3s2 - H********e (Journaled HFS+) 8.00 TB (3.52 TB used)

disk4 - SSK SSK Storage 2.05 TB (Solid State - TRIM: No)

External USB 5 Gbit/s USB

disk4s1 - EFI (MS-DOS FAT32) [EFI] 210 MB

disk4s2 [APFS Container] 2.05 TB

disk5 [APFS Virtual drive] 2.05 TB (Shared by 6 volumes)

disk5s1 - Macintosh HD - Data (APFS) [APFS Virtual drive] (583.34 GB used)

disk5s2 - Update (APFS) (721 KB used)

disk5s3 (APFS) [APFS Container] (15.41 GB used)

disk5s3s1 - Macintosh HD (APFS) [APFS Snapshot] (15.41 GB used)

disk5s4 - Preboot (APFS) [APFS Preboot] (268 MB used)

disk5s5 - Recovery (APFS) [Recovery] (1.12 GB used)

disk5s6 - VM (APFS) [APFS VM] (9.66 GB used)

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Dec 16, 2023 3:35 PM

Reply

Answer 1

rkaufmann87

Level 10

149,220 points

Dec 16, 2023 5:25 PM in response to 2012Fernwood

To properly assess your report, we need the whole report, not just part of it. However with the little you have provided, you have introduced malware to the computer. Download Malwarebytes and run it, that will help remove the malware. To properly post an Etrecheck report, please read further.

For instructions on how to download your EtreCheck report and attach it to your reply to this message please click https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250000211 It is helpful to us if you download the report to your Desktop.

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Answer 2

MrHoffman

Level 10

159,611 points

Dec 16, 2023 6:43 PM in response to 2012Fernwood

Too little memory, as mentioned above. The memory upgrade is difficult with various models of the 21.5” iMac series, and I don’t think this particular late 2015 model is even upgradable at all.

Way, way, too little memory for running virtual machines, too. Virtual machine guests need lots of memory.

Fusion Drive, which is somewhat better than the usual slow-iMac HDD configuration, but it’s possible that the Fusion is failing. I’d run the DriveDx tool on this, just to check that. Overrun that dinky SSD and you’ll be running at HDD speeds. (semi-related)

Various add-on security and tweaks, and other such, are installed. Radio Silence is an add-on security app, not sure what that Squirrels app is but the associated website gets an oddball domain-suspended error, various kexts, Google and Adobe apps are not lightweight, Dropbox, ah, forget it, this Mac is just way too overfilled or way under-purchased. Reinstall. Trying to untangle the install is going to be more work. And I’d suggest being somewhat more selective about what gets re-loaded when reinstalling too, if you’re going to try to continue to use this Mac.

Alternatively, replace this iMac with a mid-range M2- or maybe M3-class Mac, an SSD, and probably preferably with 16 GB. Or potentially more, given the use of virtual machines.

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Answer 3

Jack-19

Level 8

46,420 points

Dec 16, 2023 9:01 PM in response to 2012Fernwood

Hey there!

Double-check that the external SSD is the current startup disk rather than the Fusion Drive. If it is, and your Mac is still slow, I'd try using a better and higher-quality external SSD product. A recommended external SSD, sold from the Apple Store, is the LaCie Mobile SSD Secure USB-C Drive - Gray - Apple, and with your iMac, you'd also need the Belkin 3.1 USB-A to USB-C Cable.

-Jack

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Answer 4

Tesserax

Level 10

160,780 points

Dec 16, 2023 6:12 PM in response to 2012Fernwood

One item that stands out for me is that your Mac has too little RAM for the number of apps that you are running concurrently on it.

How I can tell is this section in the report, specifically that your Mac is using Swap to run these apps. That means there was not enough RAM so, programs are swapped out to the internal drive. This greatly slows down overall performance ... especially with 5400 RPM HDDs ... and, unfortunately, RAM is not upgradeable on this Mac model.

Virtual Memory Information:

Physical RAM: 8 GB

Free RAM: 433 MB

Used RAM: 6.02 GB

Cached files: 1.55 GB

Available RAM: 1.98 GB

Swap Used: 8.48 GB

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Answer 5

MrHoffman

Level 10

159,611 points

Dec 16, 2023 7:48 PM in response to 2012Fernwood

2012Fernwood wrote:

Is the external drive what you are referring to as a Virtual Machine?

No.

Here is an external drive configuration and boot: Use an external SSD as your startup disk … - Apple Community

The virtual machine / hypervisor is the VMware app installed in your Mac. The version installed is very old, and may not even be functional on your current macOS version.

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Answer 6

2012Fernwood Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 16, 2023 7:06 PM in response to Tesserax

Thank you Tesserax. Yes, my last iMac died a while ago—it had 32 gb, which was much more civilized. Thank you very much.

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Answer 7

2012Fernwood Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 16, 2023 5:50 PM in response to rkaufmann87

Thanks for looking at this @rkaufman87.

I did follow that procedure—I can see six numbered Additional Text attachments below my post, in sections of ~5000 characters. Do they show up for you? Thanks again.

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Answer 8

2012Fernwood Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 16, 2023 7:06 PM in response to MrHoffman

Thank you MrHoffman. My last iMac suffered a Fusion drive failure and I think a motherboard failure—or at least that is my best guess after a month of trying reinstalls, external startup disk, target disk mode, etc. etc. Sadly it had a lot more RAM, and I am definitely feeling it.

I read that Fusion drive was known to be bunky with Monterey, which is why I went to an external SSD. In the reinstall I just copied it all over, and there are definitely barnacles.

Is the external drive what you are referring to as a Virtual Machine?

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Answer 9

2012Fernwood Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 16, 2023 8:27 PM in response to MrHoffman

Thank you MrHoffman.

Yes, all of that is old stuff. Squirrels was gone as an app, as was VMWare. I searched in the Activity Monitor for them, and there was nothing active. I followed them back through EtreCheck and deleted the remnants from the Library.

I do have the external drive set up like that. It is my startup disk.

If you have any other thoughts, I would be grateful. Otherwise I will keep checking into unused software. Thanks again.

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Answer 10

2012Fernwood Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 16, 2023 9:46 PM in response to Jack-19

Thanks Jack-19.

The SSD is new—I just did what someone else recommended for the Fusion/Monterey incompatibility. I bought at Intel 670p 2 TB Solid State Drive - M.2 2280 Internal - PCI Express NVMe (PCI Express NVMe 3.0 x4) - 740 TB TBW - 3500 MB/s .

Cheers

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Answer 11

MrHoffman

Level 10

159,611 points

Dec 16, 2023 11:01 PM in response to 2012Fernwood

2012Fernwood wrote:

Thank you MrHoffman.

Yes, all of that is old stuff. Squirrels was gone as an app, as was VMWare. I searched in the Activity Monitor for them, and there was nothing active. I followed them back through EtreCheck and deleted the remnants from the Library.

I do have the external drive set up like that. It is my startup disk.

If you have any other thoughts, I would be grateful. Otherwise I will keep checking into unused software. Thanks again.

“…ah, forget it, this Mac is just way too overfilled or way under-purchased. Reinstall…”

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Answer 12

Jack-19

Level 8

46,420 points

Dec 16, 2023 9:48 PM in response to 2012Fernwood

I understand it is new, however, some do not play nice when used as an external startup disk.

-Jack

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Please comment on this EtreCheck report: slow iMac, esp. Safari

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