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Hi my new MacBook Air has started to run really slow with no reason to as well as the fan is very noisy for no reason. This started after I left the notebook on charge for a few hours. I have tried SMC reset with pushing shift/control/command

I have tried SMC reset with Shift/Control/Command left keys and Power button. It seemed to help the notebook run a little faster but not at its normal fast speed. Typing is really slow as there is a lag of the displayed letters.

The fan is running constantly at a noisy level.

There seems to be apps starting up even before I log in as the user - rainbow circle spinning - when I havn't started anything up.


Any Ideas?


Notebook only 3 months old out of box.


Thanks.

MacBook Air

Posted on Sep 10, 2013 5:10 PM

Reply
3 replies

Sep 10, 2013 6:40 PM in response to ChickyLula

First, back up all data immediately, as your boot drive might be failing.


There are a few other possible causes of generalized slow performance that you can rule out easily.


  • Reset the System Management Controller.
  • If you have many image or video files on the Desktop with preview icons, move them to another folder.
  • If applicable, uncheck all boxes in the iCloud preference pane.
  • Disconnect all non-essential wired peripherals and remove aftermarket expansion cards, if any.
  • Check your keychains in Keychain Access for excessively duplicated items.
  • Boot into Recovery mode, launch Disk Utility, and run Repair Disk.
  • If you're booting from an aftermarket SSD, see whether there's a firmware update for it.


Otherwise, take the steps below when you notice the problem.


Step 1


Launch the Activity Monitor application in any of the following ways:


☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)


☞ In the Finder, select Go Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.


☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Activity Monitor in the icon grid.


Select the CPU tab of the Activity Monitor window.


Select All Processes from the menu in the toolbar, if not already selected.


Click the heading of the % CPU column in the process table to sort the entries by CPU usage. You may have to click it twice to get the highest value at the top. What is it, and what is the process? Also post the values for % User, % System, and % Idle at the bottom of the window.


Select the System Memory tab. What values are shown in the bottom part of the window for Page outs and Swap used?


Next, select the Disk Activity tab. Post the approximate values shown for Reads in/sec and Writes out/sec (not Reads in and Writes out.)


Step 2


If you have more than one user account, you must be logged in as an administrator to carry out this step.


Launch the Console application in the same way you launched Activity Monitor. Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn't, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left. If you don't see that menu, select

View Show Log List

from the menu bar.


Select the 50 or so most recent entries in the log. Copy them to the Clipboard (command-C). Paste into a reply to this message (command-V). You're looking for entries at the end of the log, not at the beginning.


When posting a log extract, be selective. Don't post more than is requested.

Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.

Important: Some personal information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting. That should be easy to do if your extract is not too long.

Sep 21, 2013 2:04 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc Davis,


I was unablr to do a Recovery Mode / Repair Disc as I couldn't get into the system before the computer statred up.


I have the results from Step 1:

Activity Monitor

%CPU - at the top is Activity Monitor - it keeps rotating up and down and flicks between 2 - 8 %

% User 1.0 %

% System 84 %

% Idle 15 %


System Memory

Pages in 0.0 B

Pages out 210.0 B

Swap Used 0.0 B


Disc Activity

Reads in/sec 23891

Reads out/sec 4874


Step 2

Last 50 or so

21/09/13 8:07:32.309 PM SecurityAgent: Login Window login proceeding

21/09/13 8:07:32.309 PM SecurityAgent: Login Window login proceeding

21/09/13 8:07:34.495 PM loginwindow: Login Window - Returned from Security Agent

21/09/13 8:07:34.649 PM loginwindow: USER_PROCESS: 51 console

21/09/13 8:07:34.740 PM applepushserviced: Unable to bootstrap_lookup connection port for 'com.apple.iCalPush': unknown error code

21/09/13 8:07:34.759 PM applepushserviced: Unable to bootstrap_lookup connection port for 'com.apple.syncdefaultsd.push': unknown error code

21/09/13 8:07:34.761 PM applepushserviced: Unable to bootstrap_lookup connection port for 'com.apple.safaridavclient.push': unknown error code

21/09/13 8:07:34.810 PM applepushserviced: Unable to bootstrap_lookup connection port for 'com.apple.AddressBook.PushNotification': unknown error code

21/09/13 8:07:36.394 PM airportd: _doAutoJoin: Already associated to ”. Bailing on auto-join.

21/09/13 8:07:36.869 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.AirPortBaseStationAgent) Unknown value for key POSIXSpawnType: Background

21/09/13 8:07:36.886 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.ReportCrash) Falling back to default Mach exception handler. Could not find: com.apple.ReportCrash.Self

21/09/13 8:07:36.944 PM com.apple.launchctl.Aqua: load: option requires an argument -- D

21/09/13 8:07:36.944 PM com.apple.launchctl.Aqua: usage: launchctl load [-wF] [-D <user|local|network|system|all>] paths...

21/09/13 8:07:37.535 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.launchctl.Aqua[134]) Exited with code: 1

21/09/13 8:08:07.315 PM UserEventAgent: CaptiveNetworkSupport:CNSServerRegisterUserAgent:187 new user agent port: 15375

21/09/13 8:08:16.347 PM com.apple.dock.extra: Could not connect the action buttonPressed: to target of class NSApplication

21/09/13 8:08:17.373 PM com.apple.dock.extra: 2013-09-21 20:08:16.086 com.apple.dock.extra[156:1a07] Could not connect the action buttonPressed: to target of class NSApplication

21/09/13 8:08:17.430 PM com.apple.dock.extra: 2013-09-21 20:08:16.806 com.apple.dock.extra[156:1a07] Could not connect the action buttonPressed: to target of class NSApplication

21/09/13 8:08:17.607 PM com.apple.dock.extra: 2013-09-21 20:08:17.429 com.apple.dock.extra[156:1a07] Could not connect the action buttonPressed: to target of class NSApplication

21/09/13 8:08:17.426 PM com.apple.dock.extra: Could not connect the action buttonPressed: to target of class NSApplication

21/09/13 8:08:17.431 PM com.apple.dock.extra: Could not connect the action buttonPressed: to target of class NSApplication

21/09/13 8:08:18.045 PM com.apple.dock.extra: Could not connect the action buttonPressed: to target of class NSApplication

21/09/13 8:08:18.096 PM com.apple.dock.extra: 2013-09-21 20:08:17.507 com.apple.dock.extra[156:1a07] Could not connect the action buttonPressed: to target of class NSApplication

21/09/13 8:08:23.347 PM Mail: Using V2 Layout

21/09/13 8:08:48.830 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.mrt.uiagent[170]) Exited with code: 255

21/09/13 8:08:49.294 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert@me.com-SharedServices[177]) Exited with code: 1

21/09/13 8:09:01.988 PM com.apple.SecurityServer: Session 100009 created

21/09/13 8:09:15.772 PM talagent: CGSConnectionRelinquishWindowRights(cid, newWindowNumber, reservedRights): CGError 1001 on line 619

21/09/13 8:09:15.787 PM talagent: CGSReleaseWindow(cid, wid): CGError 1001 on line 759

21/09/13 8:09:42.903 PM com.apple.SecurityServer: Session 100010 created

21/09/13 8:09:55.474 PM [0x0-0x8008].com.apple.mail: com.apple.Dataclass.DeviceLocator

21/09/13 8:09:55.474 PM [0x0-0x8008].com.apple.mail: com.apple.Dataclass.Mail

21/09/13 8:09:55.474 PM [0x0-0x8008].com.apple.mail: com.apple.Dataclass.Ubiquity

21/09/13 8:09:55.474 PM [0x0-0x8008].com.apple.mail: com.apple.Dataclass.MediaStream

21/09/13 8:09:55.474 PM [0x0-0x8008].com.apple.mail: com.apple.Dataclass.BackToMyMac

21/09/13 8:09:55.474 PM [0x0-0x8008].com.apple.mail: com.apple.Dataclass.Contacts

21/09/13 8:09:55.474 PM [0x0-0x8008].com.apple.mail: com.apple.Dataclass.Bookmarks

21/09/13 8:09:55.474 PM [0x0-0x8008].com.apple.mail: com.apple.Dataclass.Calendars

21/09/13 8:10:01.000 PM kernel: AppleUSBMultitouchDriver::validateChecksum - 512-byte packet checksum is incorrect (expected 0x23d, checksum bytes were 0xffff)

21/09/13 8:10:41.000 PM kernel: AppleUSBMultitouchDriver::validateChecksum - 512-byte packet checksum is incorrect (expected 0x851, checksum bytes were 0x0)

21/09/13 8:15:40.000 PM kernel: AppleUSBMultitouchDriver::validateChecksum - 512-byte packet checksum is incorrect (expected 0x851, checksum bytes were 0x0)

21/09/13 8:20:02.000 PM kernel: MacAuthEvent en0 Auth result for: 00:60:64:32:cc:d0 MAC AUTH succeeded

21/09/13 8:20:02.000 PM kernel: wlEvent: en0 en0 Link UP virtIf = 0

21/09/13 8:20:02.000 PM kernel: wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #8, bssid 00:60:64:32:cc:d0

21/09/13 8:20:02.000 PM kernel: en0: BSSID changed to 00:60:64:32:cc:d0

21/09/13 8:20:03.000 PM kernel: AirPort: RSN handshake complete on en0


Thanks for your help and Hope to fix problem soon.

My computer is running so slow now it is really weird and annoying.

Cheers.

Chicky Lula.

Sep 21, 2013 8:53 AM in response to ChickyLula

The kernel is using excessive processor cycles. Below are some possible causes for the condition.

Throttling

When it gets high temperature readings from the hardware, or a low-voltage reading from the battery, the kernel may try to compensate by interrupting the processor(s) to slow them down and reduce power consumption. This condition can be due to


  • a buildup of dust on the logic board
  • high ambient temperature
  • a worn-out or faulty battery in a portable
  • the malfunction of a cooling fan or sensor


Note that if the problem is caused by a sensor, there may be no actual overheating or undervoltage.

If the computer is portable, test with and without the AC adapter connected. If kernel_task hogs the processor only on battery power, the fault is in the battery or the logic board. If it happens only on AC power, charging is causing the machine to heat up. That may be normal on some models. CPU usage should drop when charging is complete.

The Apple Hardware Test or Apple Diagnostics, though not very reliable, is sometimes able to detect a bad fan or sensor.

If nothing is wrong with the hardware, then whatever you can do to improve cooling may help.

Installed software

User-installed software that includes a device driver or other kernel code may thrash the kernel. That category includes virtualization software, such as Parallels and VMware, as well as most commercial "anti-virus" products. Some system-monitoring applications, such as "iStat," can also contribute to the problem. You can test for this possibility by completely disabling or removing the software according to the developer's instructions, or booting in safe mode. Note, however, that disabling a system modification without removing it or booting in safe mode may not be as easy as you think it is.

Corrupt NVRAM or SMC data

Sometimes the problem is cleared up by resetting the NVRAM or the SMC.

External display

Connecting an external LCD display to some MacBook Pro models may cause this issue. If applicable, test by disconnecting the display. You might get better results with a newer LED display.

Hi my new MacBook Air has started to run really slow with no reason to as well as the fan is very noisy for no reason. This started after I left the notebook on charge for a few hours. I have tried SMC reset with pushing shift/control/command

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