How Can I Improve Mavericks Performance (much slower than 10.8)?

Thanks for your help!

I removed most of the things you said. The "Download" from the login items is a directory from my external NAS (I'm not sure if it connects through SMB or AFP). Should I worry about some items marked as "invalid" in the launch daemons/agents? I wouldn't mind unistalling them if I knew how.

Hardware Information:

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro5,5

1 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2 cores

4 GB RAM

Video Information:

NVIDIA GeForce 9400M - VRAM: 256 MB

Audio Plug-ins:

BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9

AirPlay: Version: 1.9 - SDK 10.9

AppleAVBAudio: Version: 2.0.0 - SDK 10.9

InstantOn: Version: 7.1.0 - SDK 10.8

iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9

System Software:

OS X 10.9 (13A603) - Uptime: 0 days 0:2:11

Disk Information:

Hitachi HTS545050B9SA02 disk0 : (500,11 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209,7 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) /: 499,25 GB (260,17 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS23N

USB Information:

Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

FireWire Information:

Thunderbolt Information:

Kernel Extensions:

Problem System Launch Daemons:

Problem System Launch Agents:

Launch Daemons:

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist

[invalid] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_service.plist

Launch Agents:

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist

[invalid] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer.plist

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_desktop.plist

User Launch Agents:

[failed] com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist

[loaded] com.spotify.webhelper.plist

User Login Items:

Download

3rd Party Preference Panes:

Flash Player

Flip4Mac WMV

Internet Plug-ins::

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16 - SDK 10.8

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 11.9.900.152 - SDK 10.6

EPPEX Plugin: Version: 3.0.5.0

Flash Player: Version: 11.9.900.152 - SDK 10.6

Becon: Version: (null) - SDK 10.7

Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0

User Internet Plug-ins::

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1

Bad Fonts:

None

Old applications:

Keynote: Version: 5.3 - SDK 10.5

/Applications/iWork '09/Keynote.app

Microsoft AutoUpdate: Version: 2.3.6 - SDK 10.4

/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app

Microsoft Error Reporting: Version: 2.2.8 - SDK 10.4

/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MERP2.0/Microsoft Error Reporting.app

Microsoft Ship Asserts: Version: 1.1.3 - SDK 10.4

/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MERP2.0/Microsoft Ship Asserts.app

Numbers: Version: 2.3 - SDK 10.5

/Applications/iWork '09/Numbers.app

Pages: Version: 4.3 - SDK 10.5

/Applications/iWork '09/Pages.app

SLLauncher: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5

/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Silverlight/OutOfBrowser/SLLauncher.app

Spotify: Version: 0.8.5.1333.g822e0de8 - SDK 10.5

/Applications/Spotify.app

Time Machine:

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU:

4% WindowServer

2% lssave

1% EtreCheck

0% mds

0% coreservicesd

Top Processes by Memory:

61 MB com.apple.IconServicesAgent

37 MB mds_stores

37 MB Finder

29 MB ocspd

29 MB Dock

Virtual Memory Statistics:

2.58 GB Free RAM

612 MB Active RAM

169 MB Inactive RAM

416 MB Wired RAM

171 MB Page-ins

0 B Page-outs

Tos Cook wrote:

Launch Daemons:

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist

[invalid] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_service.plist

Launch Agents:

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist

[invalid] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer.plist

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_desktop.plist

User Launch Agents:

[failed] com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist

[loaded] com.spotify.webhelper.plist

The launchd jobs will be in the following locations…

Launch Agents - Stored in /Library/LaunchAgents

Launch Daemons - Stored in /Library/LaunchDaemons

User Launch Agents - Stored in ~/Library/LaunchAgents

Use the Finders "Go menu > Go to Folder…" when you need to open the hidden ~/Library (your users library).

Delete the 3 red ones & reboot. The pink ones are harmless (since they are not being loaded) but I'd remove them if you don't use Teamviewer.

Hi, thanks for your help.

I did what you said. I also removed Teamviewer.

But now I get other failed entries. Should I remove them too? These are from Apple, so I'm afraid these may be useful.

Hardware Information:

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro5,5

1 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2 cores

4 GB RAM

Video Information:

NVIDIA GeForce 9400M - VRAM: 256 MB

Audio Plug-ins:

BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9

AirPlay: Version: 1.9 - SDK 10.9

AppleAVBAudio: Version: 2.0.0 - SDK 10.9

InstantOn: Version: 7.1.0 - SDK 10.8

iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9

System Software:

OS X 10.9 (13A603) - Uptime: 1 day 11:31:45

Disk Information:

Hitachi HTS545050B9SA02 disk0 : (500,11 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209,7 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) /: 499,25 GB (255,23 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS23N

USB Information:

Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

FireWire Information:

Thunderbolt Information:

Kernel Extensions:

Problem System Launch Daemons:

[failed] com.apple.softwareupdated.plist

[failed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist

Problem System Launch Agents:

Launch Daemons:

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist

Launch Agents:

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist

User Launch Agents:

[failed] com.apple.SafariBookmarksSyncer.plist

[loaded] com.spotify.webhelper.plist

User Login Items:

Download

3rd Party Preference Panes:

Flash Player

Flip4Mac WMV

Internet Plug-ins::

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16 - SDK 10.8

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 11.9.900.152 - SDK 10.6

EPPEX Plugin: Version: 3.0.5.0

Flash Player: Version: 11.9.900.152 - SDK 10.6

Becon: Version: (null) - SDK 10.7

Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20913.0 - SDK 10.6

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0

User Internet Plug-ins::

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1

Bad Fonts:

None

Old applications:

Keynote: Version: 5.3 - SDK 10.5

/Applications/iWork '09/Keynote.app

Microsoft AutoUpdate: Version: 2.3.6 - SDK 10.4

/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app

Microsoft Error Reporting: Version: 2.2.8 - SDK 10.4

/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MERP2.0/Microsoft Error Reporting.app

Microsoft Ship Asserts: Version: 1.1.3 - SDK 10.4

/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MERP2.0/Microsoft Ship Asserts.app

Numbers: Version: 2.3 - SDK 10.5

/Applications/iWork '09/Numbers.app

Pages: Version: 4.3 - SDK 10.5

/Applications/iWork '09/Pages.app

SLLauncher: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5

/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Silverlight/OutOfBrowser/SLLauncher.app

Spotify: Version: 0.8.5.1333.g822e0de8 - SDK 10.5

/Applications/Spotify.app

Time Machine:

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: ON

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 499,25 GB Disk used: 244,02 GB

Destinations:

TMBackup [Network] (Last used)

Total size: 1,97 TB

Total number of backups: 1

Oldest backup: 2013-11-27 09:24:20 +0000

Last backup: 2013-11-27 09:24:20 +0000

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 1,97 TB > (Disk size 499,25 GB X 3)

Time Machine details may not be accurate.

All volumes being backed up may not be listed.

Top Processes by CPU:

12% Safari

7% WindowServer

1% com.apple.WebKit.Networking

1% hidd

0% PluginProcess

Top Processes by Memory:

106 MB Safari

106 MB iTunes

49 MB Mail

41 MB PluginProcess

33 MB WindowServer

Virtual Memory Statistics:

19 MB Free RAM

857 MB Active RAM

849 MB Inactive RAM

585 MB Wired RAM

3.74 GB Page-ins

650 MB Page-outs

infinite vortex wrote:

If you find that your boot drive to be thrashing substantially more than previously then more than likely it's not a matter of OS X Mavericks itself but the physical nature of HDDs. Thrashing, where your HDD is constantly seeking from one end of your platter(s)s to another, is more a sign of where your OS and data is on your HDD rather than what is on your HDD.

My suggestion is to simply clone your boot drive to another, empty, drive (the best would be another internal drive of the same size or larger so you can directly compare) and see how well it runs. My guess is that given your disk utilisation is at 60% or so a simple clone off and clone back will mostly, if not entirely, fix your issues.

Joe,

It seems like infinite vortex's solution might work for you.

My mac had similar slowness issues, but I wouldn't say the HD was "thrashing". I tried many solutions, but what worked for my mac was resetting the NVRAM:

Resetting NVRAM / PRAM

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command (⌘), Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
3. Turn on the computer.
4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys before the gray screen appears.
5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
6. Release the keys.

After resetting NVRAM or PRAM, you may need to reconfigure your settings for speaker volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone information. If issues persist, your Mac's logic board battery (not a portable Mac's rechargeable battery) may need to be replaced. The logic board battery helps retain NVRAM/PRAM settings when your computer is shut down. You can take your Mac to a Mac Genius or Apple Authorized Service Provider to replace the battery on the logic board.

I didn't try doing this earlier because it didn't seem like corrupt NVRAM was the issue. It's a pretty easy fix. If it doesn't work, then I hope infinite vortex's solution did the trick.

I will do that, thanks. I didn't know that's the right way.

Remove Safari & Mail from your log-in items, do all sorts of diagnostics, post screen-dumps, reset NVRAM & PRAM, take your computer to an Apple Store to replace the logic board battery, jump through all sorts of hoops so that you can (maybe) end up with a machine that works at least as well as it did before the 'upgrade'.

Come on guys, you're fooling yourselves! Mavericks is flawed. Having moved from PC's over 8 years ago I thought my confidence in things Apple was unshakeable and I still want it to be but whatever's going on at Apple 'post Jobs' is beginning to make me wonder. Until the issues are sorted with the new OS, despite my in-built desire always to have the latest version, I have gone back to Mountain Lion

BreizhRonB wrote:

Remove Safari & Mail from your log-in items, do all sorts of diagnostics, post screen-dumps, reset NVRAM & PRAM, take your computer to an Apple Store to replace the logic board battery, jump through all sorts of hoops so that you can (maybe) end up with a machine that works at least as well as it did before the 'upgrade'.

Come on guys, you're fooling yourselves! Mavericks is flawed. Having moved from PC's over 8 years ago I thought my confidence in things Apple was unshakeable and I still want it to be but whatever's going on at Apple 'post Jobs' is beginning to make me wonder. Until the issues are sorted with the new OS, despite my in-built desire always to have the latest version, I have gone back to Mountain Lion

I do that about every 4 to 6 months on Windows 7 at work, but I've never had to do any of that on Mavericks.

I have two macs, upgraded both, and one was noticably faster while the other was significantly slower. I've tried several things to try and resolve it, without much luck. Or rather, doing anything that requires a reboot seems to resolve it until enough time passes and/or the computer has been asleep and reawakened, and the performance problem came back. It seemed pretty clearly related to memory, as I could get a temporary performance boost back by exiting memory-hog applications.

Finally, I disabled Speech and Dictation support which was only enabled on the slow mac. That seems to have solved the problem.

Joe, Did you get this figured out?

I'm having a similar problem - slow performance after upgrading to Mavericks from Mountain Lion.

I noticed that you haven't posted any new messages to this thread. Did you solve the problem ? Have you tried Linc Davies' diagnostic ?

I solved it by going back to Mountain Lion (fortunately I had a Super Duper clone). I await Yosemite with interest!