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Level 1

65 points

How can I regain responsiveness?

Since Lion, responsiveness of my Macbook Pro (15'') has decreased dramatically.

For instance, I double-click a JPG file - then 5 seconds nothing happens - then Preview shows it, but it also gives me the beach ball - another 5 seconds, unti I can finally do something.

And this happens so often, with so many trivial actions on my Macbook that it really adds up.

Is there anything I can do to make it more responsive?

(My Macbook is brand-new, by the way.)

Regards,

Gabriel.

iPhone 4S, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on May 10, 2012 7:34 AM

26 replies

GabrielZ Author

Level 1

65 points

May 10, 2012 10:11 AM in response to softwater

RAM: 4GB

Disk: 500 GB, 28 GB still available.

I have no AV software installed.

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

May 10, 2012 10:14 AM in response to GabrielZ

28GB free out of 500GB? I'd put money on that being the problem.

Try to archive personal files you don't use much to an external drive.

While you're at it, remove those last three items from your Login Items and restart.

GabrielZ Author

Level 1

65 points

May 10, 2012 1:40 PM in response to softwater

Well, I am afraid I need FastScripts & Aurora Wakeup Helper.

The latter is for my alarm clock (Aurora - very useful) , the former for runnin Applescripts with keyboard shortcuts.

I'll try to make room on my hard disk.

GabrielZ Author

Level 1

65 points

May 10, 2012 1:42 PM in response to softwater

And I have n idea what CNQL1212_ButtonManager is and hether it is safe to remove ...

May 10, 2012 1:48 PM in response to GabrielZ

You need the "TinkerTool System" utility (http://www.bresink.de/osx/TinkerToolSys2.html). TinkerTool by itslef is just an interface for a number of hidden system and application settings.

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

May 11, 2012 2:17 AM in response to GabrielZ

Hi Gabriel

Whether you need them or not is not the issue. Right now you are trying to diagnose the cause of a problem. Remove those items from your login items list (that doesn't mean you're deleting them, it just means they won't run on startup; you can safely remove anything from your login items), then restart your system. If the problem is resolved, add back in the one's you need one at a time, restarting each time.

If you see the problem return, you now know the problem. Whether you decide having the app in your startupitem is worth the sacrifice or look for another app that does the same job but without the problems is up to you.

Having said all that, I'd still suspect the most likely cause is your lack of diskspace. Try to clear at least 50GB off and see if that improves things.

GabrielZ Author

Level 1

65 points

May 11, 2012 3:11 PM in response to softwater

> Try to clear at least 50GB off and see if that improves things

I tried that and it seems to have improved things a little.

However, in the meantime, I have also restarted Finder and Safari, so maybe that has helped a bit, too.

GabrielZ Author

Level 1

65 points

May 11, 2012 3:44 PM in response to GabrielZ

I was also wondering if it could be caused by programs fighting for main memory, i.e., swapping each other out of main memory. But, surely, I thought this cannot be the case, with 4GB of RAM and just a few Safari windows, iTunes, Calendar, Adress Book, Mail, and Preview open?

GabrielZ Author

Level 1

65 points

May 11, 2012 3:45 PM in response to GabrielZ

Afterthought: under Snow Leopard, I could go with 3GB of free hard disk, and had no such problems at all.

GabrielZ Author

Level 1

65 points

May 14, 2012 7:38 AM in response to GabrielZ

I did some more research - I am suspecting now that my "responsiveness" problems have something to do with Lion's "Local Snapshots" feature (i.e., backups on the internal hard disk).

I suspect that the responsiveness isssues occur either when it makes a new local snapshot, or when it deletes older local snapshots because the HD is over 80/90 % full (which did happen during the last days).

I will switch this feature off and observe the behavior ...

GabrielZ Author

Level 1

65 points

May 21, 2012 2:29 AM in response to GabrielZ

I think I have solved my problem.

I have disabled "local snapshots" for over a week now, and I have never had the responsiveness issues again, so far.

How can I regain responsiveness?