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Mac slow after installing Maverick

Hi,


as others are reporting, I've got a lot of lag on my Mac after installing Maverick. I have to keep waiting for things to happen (it's like using my little Windows laptop!!). Especially Chrome shows this behaviour and Mail. When I switch to the application or open a tab it takes ages for it to render. There seems to be a lot more (audible) harddrive activity.


Model Name: iMac

Model Identifier: iMac12,1

Processor Name: Intel Core i5

Processor Speed: 2,5 GHz

Number of Processors: 1

Total Number of Cores: 4

L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

L3 Cache: 6 MB

Memory: 4 GB

Boot ROM Version: IM121.0047.B1F

SMC Version (system): 1.71f22



ystem Version: OS X 10.9 (13A603)

Kernel Version: Darwin 13.0.0

Boot Volume: Macintosh HD

Boot Mode: Normal

Secure Virtual Memory: Enabled

Time since boot: 3:16



thanks for all help

iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2011), OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 31, 2013 3:50 AM

Reply
262 replies

Feb 24, 2014 2:03 PM in response to Maverick2013

Back on Feb 15 I wrote I was having diabolical troubles with my iMac. I was convinced it was about to die. Main issues were soooo slow loading, hanging and constant spinning beach ball. ( No HD noise though). I implemented a previous poster's solution by removing MacFuse from Applications. Furthermore, I bought and extra 8 gig of memory, closed down unwanted startup programs, deleted 7000 emails from Mail and finally removed several applications from iMac Dock. I no longer use Chrome on my iMac as a browser. I do on my iPhone and iPad.

Results:

Fast browser loadup using Safari, very much improved Mail loading, no hanging and no Beach Ball.

The iMac lives...long live the iMac!

Feb 26, 2014 8:41 AM in response to Drew Reece

Drew, you are a star man. Thank you for taking the time to educate me a little on how these things work. Now I have a train of thought to follow with your advice I am sure I can figure it out logically. It has ben a long time since I have been anything other than a low level user of a computer, I used to be up to date on all the latest and greatest and how it all works, alas, not now. (The last computer I built was an AMD Athalon 900Mhz).

Currently making a bootable clone of my HDD as well as time machine backups...then I will work my way through your suggestions. As it happens I removed MacFuse which does seem to have helped a little (hopefully not my imagination) and I was looking at NTFS which said it was not running but as you say, this one needs attention. I use Plex to stream video from my friend's server which is overseas, but it is due an update.


Thanks again, working through the computer I will report back with any significant findings.


Cheers,

Jon.


PS. Do not be surprised if I am back here in a few days, a blubbering mess with a MBP for sale (spares or repairs).

Mar 1, 2014 1:45 AM in response to Drew Reece

Well Folks, it is Saturday Morning and I have spent most of my working week fiddling and fettling with my MBP working through suggestions. At times it seems that things have improved slightly, then the "Pinwheel of doom" will appear and I am rudely kept waiting once again. I tried using Safari rather than Chrome when browsing, just to see if it may help that aspect and I was shocked that Safari seemed slower still.

I really do not want to face starting again, especially as all my photos and music and apps are organised here for the phone and pad, but this lack of pace and mounting frustration is leaving me little option but to format and try and restore only the bare minimum of software, and, hopefully, all my personal media (as it was).


This weekend is your last chance MBP (as well as mine to solve the issue of course), then after that, its the big delete!


Excuse me while I weep uncontrollably into my hands, 😢

Mar 1, 2014 2:12 AM in response to JonUK_LTD

I'm sure Drew will be along shortly, so let me say a few words before I head off to bed.


It's too late now, but a tip for the next time you have an issue. Even if it seems quite similar to something another user is experiencing, it rarely is. It's great to use another's experience to gather tips the will sometimes fix your problem, but if it doesn't, start a new thread. I first needed to re-familiarize myself with exactly what you were dealing with and what you have tried already. Then I went through Drew's suggestions again, matching them with what you've just said and I don't have a warm fuzzy that I know what you've already tried.


If you are looking for additional guidance then please tell us what you've done so far that hasn't worked. If you still have things to do, then go ahead and when you get back tell us everything you've tried and give us a fresh EtreCheck to look at. Often cleaning out some of the rubbish will allow other items to show themselves, so there may be additional clues from that.


And if you aren't running 10.9.2 yet, you need to update now. Not only will that prevent you from being hacked by the well publicized SSL flaw, but many user, including myself, have been pleasantly surprised at how many things were fixed in that update.

Mar 1, 2014 3:19 AM in response to MadMacs0

Forgive my ignorance MadMacs0 I thought the point was to continue on the same discussion as I was looking along the same lines and I wanted to act on the same advice. Kind of like keeping the history of the conversation/tasks in one place, rather than start a new thread every time something does not work. If that is the way it is supposed to be done I apologise, I was not aware.


Time is my problem, or rather a lack of it. Happily I would normally research, learn, and become familiar with the processes suggested so that I can figure out the next stage on my own. As I am short on time, I suppose I was looking for a miracle quick fix (optomistic I know!) before resorting to restoring the machine back to factory and starting again. After the hours I have already spent, a format would have been done now and it is only really music/pics and work stuff (Mainly Office documents) that I am bothered about preserving. A lot of the software is obtained on a whim, thinking it may be useful then never used again which, when mixed with Mavericks, may well be the cause of my problems. Obviously a little frustrated at the moment, so, I will play a little more before doing anything rash. I am also quite sure the discussion forum wasn't created for frustrated novices to vent either, but I am doing a good job of it!

Thanks.

😕

Mar 1, 2014 4:06 AM in response to JonUK_LTD

JonUK_LTD wrote:


Forgive my ignorance MadMacs0 I thought the point was to continue on the same discussion as I was looking along the same lines and I wanted to act on the same advice. Kind of like keeping the history of the conversation/tasks in one place, rather than start a new thread every time something does not work. If that is the way it is supposed to be done I apologise, I was not aware.



Tacking on "me too" replies to someone else's Discussion may makes sense to you, but it will not attract the attention you need. It's just the way this support site works. If time is as important as you say, then start your own. I understand you're frustrated but "venting" accomplishes exactly nothing.


Case in point: Starting your own Discussion has already been suggested numerous times in this Discussion alone. You either overlooked that suggestion numerous times or intentionally disregarded it numerous times, and your problem remains unresolved. That's not a coincidence. Everyone who starts their own Discussion gets their own problems addressed.

Mar 1, 2014 6:13 AM in response to John Galt

John Galt wrote:


JonUK_LTD wrote:


Forgive my ignorance MadMacs0 I thought the point was to continue on the same discussion as I was looking along the same lines and I wanted to act on the same advice. Kind of like keeping the history of the conversation/tasks in one place, rather than start a new thread every time something does not work. If that is the way it is supposed to be done I apologise, I was not aware.



Tacking on "me too" replies to someone else's Discussion may makes sense to you, but it will not attract the attention you need. It's just the way this support site works. If time is as important as you say, then start your own. I understand you're frustrated but "venting" accomplishes exactly nothing.


Case in point: Starting your own Discussion has already been suggested numerous times in this Discussion alone. You either overlooked that suggestion numerous times or intentionally disregarded it numerous times, and your problem remains unresolved. That's not a coincidence. Everyone who starts their own Discussion gets their own problems addressed.

Again, forgive your ignorance, I apologise (to MadMacs0, Drew & the helpful) obviously I am inexperienced in these matters and was following on from the other dozen people "tacked" on. Thank you again for pointing out where I am going wrong, some folk may not find repeated criticism endearing though. Just some friendly advice.


Moving on....back to the actual issue at hand.

Mar 1, 2014 8:21 AM in response to JonUK_LTD

Can we see what changed? Etrecheck will show that.


I wish there was a magic answer to solve your issue, but each Mac becomes unique after apps are added & removed etc. A reinstall can help when a Mac has been used to test lots of apps.


If you are pressed for time my only suggestion would be to install OS X to a portable HD, add the essential apps & run from that for a few days until you can look at the other installed OS.


The one thing to avoid if you erase & reinstall 10.9 is copying everthing back from a backup or Time Machine copy. All your user data can be copied over, but the apps need to be reinstalled. Even that will need some cleanup as the old login items will stil exist in your user account. It should lead to a stable system without any old apps.

Mar 12, 2014 10:31 AM in response to Maverick2013

I installed Mavericks onto a MacBook Pro 17" (2.5Ghz, 4GB) which after install it was taking 30-40 mins to boot. Always stuck on the grey screen with the Apple logo. Before the upgrade there were no issues with slow boot.


Once it finally in the OS it was fine?


Checking the disk, logs, startup items, boot in safe mode, etc etc didnt show anything of consequence or fix anything.


In the end after much scratching of my head I Restarted the Mac and immediately held down Command and R keys and re-installed Mavericks over ethernet.


Hey presto - all is well again!!

Mar 13, 2014 3:56 PM in response to Maverick2013

Just adding my 2 cents: I just upgraded my 2013 macbook pro 8 gig/750 gb with 100 gig free computer to Mavericks! Yesterday it worked great! Today it's just aywful. I ran permission repair cleaned everything with MacKeeper but I keep getting the beachball and Mail just hangs! The beachball never quits! This is insufferable and i would go back to SL if it was a sane thing to do but backing everything up the way I just read sounds like a bigger nightmare!. I waited for the bugs to be sorted out b4 intsalling and was not savvy enough to think about speed. I certeinly did not expect the bug to be the OS!!! As a staunch Apple guy, my faith is being shaken. I don't even see enough changes in Mav's to justify the upgrade, even if free. Is this a case of u get what u pay 4????

Mar 13, 2014 4:07 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,


You provide solutions to other problems and you are curt when someone tells you kindly that you are on the wrong track. It seems that most if not all -except yours of course- computers are slow as a direct consequence of installing Mavs. No drives are failing or any other crap. Its just the OS. That's the problem! If you can't help then don't tell those that are looking for help that they are full of it because it reflects on you.

Mac slow after installing Maverick

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