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slow and spinning beach balls after 10.8.2 update

After the initial install of ML 10.8 for the most part the sytem seemed to run fine. Very few snags. But after the 10.8.1 and now the 10.8.2 updates I am finding slower and slower times for programs to boot and waiting to be able to type anything and spinning beach balls all the time. I have noticed this continuously bringing up the contacts program, MS word, Pages, Apple Mail etc. Initial booting of the computer is slower as well and often has a frozen beach ball for a minute or so before it unfreezes and proceeds. Also huge slow down in printing from my wifi printer which before was super fast. I have reset the SMC, Pram, did disk permission repairs and all of those items. Nothing has changed anything. This is a early 15" 2011 MBP unit with 8 gig of ram, 750 gig hard drive with only 250 gig in use, 2.2 I7 processor and Graphics Intel HD Graphics 3000 512 MB. All software is updated to latest versions. This slower and slower and waiting thing is getting continuously worse all the time and very annoying. If anyone has any ideas I am open to suggestions to find a solution. Thanks much.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Sep 22, 2012 9:56 PM

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90 replies

Sep 22, 2012 10:56 PM in response to missionarymac

You describe a system tired with—probably—incompatible applications/utilitites or other stuff interfering with the system. The easiest and simple way to check what is wrong is to create a new user, once logged in there do not activate any application to start up at login. If things are OK there, as I guess, then the problem is with apps incompatible with your system or outdated.

Another cause may be the disk, even if still new or very new, standard rotation disks may get damaged. This is usually manifest with frequent spinning balls and slower system.

If case #1 is the one there, then cleaning the system may easily solve your issue. Try to isolate what is the cause.

If case #2, you must replace the disk. This is less probable to be the cause, but not excluded.

Sep 23, 2012 6:56 AM in response to Cattus Thraex

Cattus,


Thank you for your response. My programs are all checked and updated and fully compatitble with ML. That was done before I ever installed it in the first place and all ran well with 10.8 but after 8.1 and 8.2 did all this start. Also the worst offenders are the Apple programs like contacts, apple mail, pages, etc. So those are updated Apple apps! So the application theroy is not one that I think is relative. Also as far as the disk is concerned it ran fine before the last two updates as well. I have checked and verified it several time and even did the repair process even through it said it was ok. For a disk to do this just after two updates seems a little unlikly from my view point although I know anything is possible.

Oct 4, 2012 11:55 AM in response to missionarymac

I have been experencing the same problem after updating to Mountain Lion iTunes and Safari becomes non-responsive and the spinning beachball appears. I have had several discussion with Apple Care support, I've taken my computer into an Apple Store for hardware test (computer hardware checked out OK). Yesterday, 10/3/12, I spoke to an Apple advisor who instructed me to reinstall the OS. However, the problem still persist.


Message was edited by: cyfrominglewood

Oct 18, 2012 12:46 PM in response to Jim J. Farrell, IV

Jim,


Agreed that we have the same problem. I too have huge problems while working with mail and web but also other none web programs like Word or even Apple programs like Pages and Keynote! In the beginning it was not much of a problem at all and in fact I was really happy with the upgrade. But the longer it goes the worse it gets. I too have done all the tricks and repairs and nothing seems to help or at least a lasting solution. I have considered going back to Lion as I did not have this problem with it but hate to back track. Wish there was some solution to this and I read a lot of others in the same fix.

Oct 29, 2012 4:13 PM in response to missionarymac

You did not mention if you also did Repair Permissions. That can help.


Also, check any login items (in Users & Groups Prefs), and any other third-party preference panes, to be sure they are current and ML-compatible.


Some people have benefited from reset PRAM.


Some have also improved performance by clearing caches, especially font caches. I use OnyX (but be careful to read what each action does before doing it).


Hope this helps.

Oct 29, 2012 10:39 PM in response to missionarymac

Seems we have a lot of people with simular problems but a lot of different combonations. Cleaning caches, reseting Pram, taking almost everything out of login items even using a program to defrag the unit, (mine is not a SSD drive), making sure all apps etc. are up to date and are ML ok etc. I have all done. I even had the unit tested by the Gen. Bar guys to make sure the hardware was ok including the drive even though I was pretty sure it was as I did not have this problem before ML. All checked out fine. I have not in the past had any problem with Time Machine backups but?????????? I only use a usb external and plug it in when I want to do a back up so it is not doing the backup thing all the time. I have thought of doing the erase and clean install which will be a huge amount of work but I have read many postings saying they have done that and it did not solve the problem so reluctant to do that if in the end I will spend two days for nothing? Could go back to SL or Lion as I have bootable backups but why should I have to do this on a year old MBP to make it work properly? Seems there ought to be a solution on this but Apple does not seem to have one? As I said in my original post all seemed good for the first month of ML then it began going down hill and has continued to ever since. I did notice last night that something strange seemed to help for a little while. I loged out of the unit as I have auto login and when I relogged in all seemed much quicker and better but today it has started to slow down again? I know everyone with this problem would like a solution!

Oct 30, 2012 7:13 AM in response to missionarymac

Re-reading the entire thread, I do not see any mention of possibility of corrupt font. This could cause a problem. Worth checking for any damaged fonts (or duplicates).


(By the way, sorry for suggesting things you'd already done.)


Also, you might launch Activity Monitor (from Utilities), choose "All Processes," sort by %CPU and see what processes are using the most, then sort by Real Mem and see which processes are using the most. That may provide a hint.

slow and spinning beach balls after 10.8.2 update

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