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Level 1

11 points

My Macbook Pro is at a "death crawl" pace, and I'm a hundred miles away from an Apple Store!

Please help! All of a sudden, my Macbook Pro has slowed to a death crawl. I downloaded and installed OS X 10.8.3 but it was running pefectly fine for about 3 weeks. But after I downloaded and tried to install the latest safari update (my computer ran out of bettery and shut down before I could finish installing) my computer has slowed down to an excrutiating pace. It starts up very very slow and I constantly get the spinning beach ball, even to close an application or type. I tried starting in safe mode, clearing my cache, running system repair, checking my RAM and CPU usage, and even tried re-installing. Might it be Mountain Lion? I also was trying to download a movie from a sketchy website at the time my computer took a **** on me, might it be that? Anyways, please help because I am hundreds of miles away from civilization and the nearest Apple Store. Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)

Posted on May 5, 2013 6:27 PM

27 replies

stevensmena Author

Level 1

11 points

May 25, 2013 7:47 PM in response to stevensmena

I started it in safe mode and it is still very slow.

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 25, 2013 9:42 PM in response to stevensmena

Did you take all the steps I suggested in my second post to this thread?

stevensmena Author

Level 1

11 points

May 26, 2013 6:05 AM in response to stevensmena

I started it in safe mode and it is still very slow. Should I try downloading a spyware and look for a virus?

stevensmena Author

Level 1

11 points

May 26, 2013 6:17 AM in response to stevensmena

Yes I went through all of those steps

thomas_r.

Level 7

31,989 points

May 26, 2013 7:01 AM in response to stevensmena

Should I try downloading a spyware and look for a virus?

No. Malware is not the cause of your problem.

Try the suggestions in my Mac Performance Guide.

stevensmena Author

Level 1

11 points

May 26, 2013 9:00 AM in response to thomas_r.

I have checked my hard drive space. I also repaired it but my computer was still slow. Then I erased my recently downloaded 10.8.3 and reinstalled the much earlier 10.6 because I thought Mountain Lion was causing the slowness for my relatively old Macbook Pro 2010. I posted the values for my CPU and RAM on this thread and everything seems to be fine. I ran the hardware test and no problems were found. I started my computer in safe mode and it was still slow. I also cleared the cache. Lastly, I followed all of Linc's suggestions. Thank you for your help. What else can I try?

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 26, 2013 9:36 AM in response to stevensmena

Is it globally slow? Everything you do, such as launching applications, pulling down menus, moving files, happens in slow motion? If so, and if all the information you've provided is accurate, then it seems you're dealing with a hardware failure, most likely in the startup drive.

stevensmena Author

Level 1

11 points

May 26, 2013 9:52 AM in response to Linc Davis

Yes, everything is slow. I even get the rainbow wheel when I'm typing. I am running verify disk permissions and repair again. Will this diagnose the problem?

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 26, 2013 3:15 PM in response to stevensmena

Repairing permissions will have no effect. The only explanation for what you describe is that you have a hardware fault, most likely in the hard drive. I know that Disk Utility showed nothing wrong, but that doesn't prove that the drive is OK.

stevensmena Author

Level 1

11 points

May 27, 2013 5:55 AM in response to Linc Davis

I guess the next thing to do is to try and take it somewhere to be repaired?

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 27, 2013 7:37 AM in response to stevensmena

Yes, but only take it to a factory-authorized service center.

stevensmena Author

Level 1

11 points

Jun 23, 2013 5:07 PM in response to Linc Davis

Hello again everybody. Since we last spoke, I installed a new hard drive myself using youtube videos because I could not get to an authorized apple dealer. I installed a hard drive that my girlfriend sent me and hen I started my computer a Windows 7 start up meu popped us. Can I just insert my OS X installation CD to wipe out Windows 7 and install my OS X? Thank you!

My Macbook Pro is at a "death crawl" pace, and I'm a hundred miles away from an Apple Store!