jjn49772
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: My system operates slowly after being on for a while. After shutting down it works fine for a while, then slows down again. Thoughts on what is wrong and how to fix?

My system operates slowly after being on for a while. After shutting down it works fine for a while, then slows down again. Thoughts on what is wrong and how to fix?

iMac

Posted on Dec 25, 2013 8:50 AM

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jjn49772

Q: My system operates slowly after being on for a while. After shutting down it works fine for a while, then slows down again. Though ... more

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  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Dec 25, 2013 8:54 AM in response to jjn49772
    Level 9 (58,956 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 25, 2013 8:54 AM in response to jjn49772

    You didn't complete a profile so we have absolutely no useful information to help you. Please tell us exactly which iMac you own including the year, model, amount of RAM installed, size of HD, amount of HD space remaining, version of OS X etc. Without this basic information we would all be guessing.

     

    Also to help us help you in the future please carefully read Help us to help you on these forums.

  • by jjn49772,

    jjn49772 jjn49772 Dec 25, 2013 9:27 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 25, 2013 9:27 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Thanks for response. Let me try to give proper information

     

    Please tell us exactly which iMac you own: 

     

    iMac12, 1   bought in mid 2011,  4GB of memory, 1333MHz DDR3

     

    499.25 GB with 405.08 GB free

     

    Max OS X Lion 10.7.5 (11G63)

     

    AMD Radeon HD 6750M 512 MB graphics

     

    The other symptom to add is when it starts to slow down the wheel of death comes up and spins until the desired action is executed. It gets longer and longer, until I shut it down and restart.


  • by Allan Jones,

    Allan Jones Allan Jones Dec 25, 2013 10:35 AM in response to jjn49772
    Level 8 (35,316 points)
    iPad
    Dec 25, 2013 10:35 AM in response to jjn49772

    Welcome!

     

    Are you running any of the following?

     

    <> commercial anti-virus/internet security software

    <> third-party "I'll clean your Mac" programs

    <> system hacks/modifications

    <> third-party back-up software (like might be bundled with an external hard drive)

     

    Please read this Apple article and, the next time the computer slows, use the instructions to see if any background processes are out of control.

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1473

     

    Three items of note about the instructions:

     

    1) Step 3 is very important to getting the full picture

    2) This test is NOT useful immediately after a restart. Wait for the computer to slow down before running it.

    3) For the most accurate picture, quit any programs that you launched.

     

    What this test spots are any processes that are using more that their fair share of processor cycles. Any that use more than about 10 percent are suspect. Note the processes' name(s) and post them here.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Dec 25, 2013 2:10 PM in response to jjn49772
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    Dec 25, 2013 2:10 PM in response to jjn49772

    When you next have the problem, note the exact time: hour, minute, second.

     

    If you have more than one user account, these instructions must be carried out as an administrator.

     

    Launch the Console 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 Console in the icon grid.

     

    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.

    Scroll back in the log to the time you noted above. Select any messages timestamped from then until the end of the episode, or until they start to repeat, whichever comes first. Copy the messages to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Paste into a reply to this message (command-V).

     

    When posting a log extract, be selective. In most cases, a few dozen lines are more than enough.

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

     

    Important: Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.