iMac Late 2009 is suddenly RIDICULOUSLY slow

Hi Jeffalo,

I had this problem with my iMac also.

First things first how much RAM do you have, any less than 4GB and you can expect a sluggish system, I would strongly recommened upgrading your ram if there is less than 4GB.

If you do have 4GB RAM or more, more than likely a program has been downloaded that is causing this slow system performance. To solve this, delete all items in your downloads folder. Next, sift through your applications folder searching for any applications you have no use for, or don't use anymore. Finally, I would recommened backuping up only important files, such as documents, photos and music, as well as purchased applications. Next you should complete erase and install a fresh copy of OS X Lion. Do not take a backup with time machine as this will backup everything including files that maybe slowing your system down at present.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Jacob.

It's time to verify your hard drive to make sure it has plenty of available space, and that it is not experiencing errors.

First, open the Applications/Utilities folder and launch Disk Utility, then select the 'Verify Disk' option. If you see a lot of errors being generated, or the SMART status is listed as anything other than verified I would immediately back up your critical data before proceeding any further. The symptoms you describe can occur if there is a hard drive issue, although there could be other issues. I always err on the side of caution and make sure my data is backed up.

I also use a tool call SMART Utility for Mac OS X to view all of the SMART status parameters for my hard drive. You can use the application in demo mode for free for a limited amount of time. It may provide you with additional information about your hard drive.

http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php