Any suggestions to improve slow iMac startup?

Question

My iMac takes about 4 minutes to start up.  I get a grey screen for about 2 minutes, then it takes another 2 minutes to load all the icons.  It seems to have got worse since I upgraded to Mavericks (and to MS Office 2011 at the same time). EtreCheck report follows:Hardware Information:          iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2010)          iMac - model: iMac11,2          1 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 CPU: 2 cores          4 GB RAMVideo Information:          ATI Radeon HD 4670 - VRAM: 256 MBSystem Software:          OS X 10.9.1 (13B42) - Uptime: 0 days 0:4:25Disk Information:          WDC WD5000AAKS-40V6A0 disk0 : (500.11 GB)                    EFI (disk0s1) &lt;not mounted&gt;: 209.7 MB                     Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 499.25 GB (363.06 GB free)                    Recovery HD (disk0s3) &lt;not mounted&gt;: 650 MB           OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5680H  USB Information:          Apple Inc. Built-in iSight           Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver           Apple Internal Memory Card Reader           Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub                     Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller FireWire Information:Thunderbolt Information:Kernel Extensions:          com.eltima.SyncMate.kext          (0.2.5b15)          com.McAfee.kext.AppProtection          (3.1)          com.McAfee.SFKext          (1)          com.mcafee.kext.Virex          (1.1.0d1)Launch Daemons:          [System] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist 3rd-Party support link          [invalid] com.mcafee.ssm.ScanFactory.plist          [invalid] com.mcafee.ssm.ScanManager.plist          [System] com.mcafee.virusscan.fmpd.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] rapiback.plist 3rd-Party support linkLaunch Agents:          [System] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.citrix.AuthManager_Mac.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.citrix.ReceiverHelper.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.citrix.ServiceRecords.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.epson.eventmanager.agent.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.mcafee.menulet.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.mcafee.reporter.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] syncmateStarter.plist 3rd-Party support linkUser Launch Agents:          [not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist 3rd-Party support link          [not loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist 3rd-Party support link          [not loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist 3rd-Party support link          [not loaded] com.microsoft.LaunchAgent.SyncServicesAgent.plist 3rd-Party support linkUser Login Items:          Microsoft AU Daemon          Dropbox          iAntiVirusInternet Plug-ins:          SiteAdvisor: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link          Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 3rd-Party support link          Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9          npBTEmailConfig: Version: 1.0 3rd-Party support link          AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.06 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link          FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 12.0.0.44 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link          Flash Player: Version: 12.0.0.44 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link          iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.7          CitrixICAClientPlugIn: Version: 11.8.2 - SDK 10.7 3rd-Party support link          QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3          AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.06 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link          CANONiMAGEGATEWAYDL: Version: 2.1.0.1 3rd-Party support link          CouponPrinter-FireFox_v2: Version: 1.1.10 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link          CANONiMAGEGATEWAYLI: Version: 2.1.0.1 3rd-Party support link          SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link          JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 14.8.0 - SDK 10.9 Outdated! UpdateSafari Extensions:          GiveasyouLive: Version: 4.0.1          SiteAdvisor: Version: 2.0Audio Plug-ins:          BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9          AirPlay: Version: 1.9 - SDK 10.9          AppleAVBAudio: Version: 2.0.0 - SDK 10.9          iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9iTunes Plug-ins:          Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9User Internet Plug-ins:          Picasa: Version: 1.0 3rd-Party support link3rd Party Preference Panes:          Flash Player  3rd-Party support linkOld Applications:          /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MERP2.0                    Microsoft Error Reporting:          Version: 2.2.9 - SDK 10.4 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Ship Asserts:          Version: 1.1.4 - SDK 10.4 3rd-Party support link          SiteAdvisor:          Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Applications/SiteAdvisor/SiteAdvisor.app          Solver:          Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Add-Ins/Solver.app          /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office                    Microsoft Graph:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Database Utility:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Office Reminders:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Upload Center:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    My Day:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    SyncServicesAgent:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Open XML for Excel:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Alerts Daemon:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Database Daemon:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Chart Converter:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Clip Gallery:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link          /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011                    Microsoft PowerPoint:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Excel:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Outlook:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Word:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Document Connection:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link          Microsoft Language Register:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Additional Tools/Microsoft Language Register/Microsoft Language Register.app          Microsoft AutoUpdate:          Version: 2.3.6 - SDK 10.4 3rd-Party support link                    /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app          Family Tree Maker:          Version: 19.2.4 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support linkTime Machine:          Skip System Files: NO          Auto backup: NO - Auto backup turned off          Volumes being backed up:                    Macintosh HD: Disk size: 464.96 GB Disk used: 126.84 GB          Destinations:                    Time Machine Backups [Local] (Last used)                    Total size: 465.44 GB                     Total number of backups: 85                     Oldest backup: 2011-06-28 11:14:24 +0000                     Last backup: 2014-02-16 17:42:32 +0000                     Size of backup disk: Adequate                              Backup size 465.44 GB &gt; (Disk used 126.84 GB X 3)          Time Machine details may not be accurate.          All volumes being backed up may not be listed.Top Processes by CPU:               1%          WindowServer               1%          mds               1%          EtreCheck               0%          opendirectoryd               0%          coreservicesdTop Processes by Memory:          127 MB          mds_stores          98 MB          VShieldScanner          74 MB          com.apple.IconServicesAgent          66 MB          Microsoft Outlook          66 MB          DropboxVirtual Memory Information:          1.83 GB          Free RAM          1.13 GB          Active RAM          488 MB          Inactive RAM          572 MB          Wired RAM          281 MB          Page-ins          0 B          Page-outs

Allan Jones · Answer

Uninstalling MacAfee would be  a great start. Almost every "pay-for" anti-virus program causes a huge performance hit on a Mac.You also have a few things installed I don;t recognize, but let&#x27;s evict MacAfee first and see how far that gets you.

Waspsting · Answer

HI AllanThanks for your response.  Unfortunately I tried that before and it made no difference.  MacAfee comes as part of my BT Broadband package, and I&#x27;m reluctant to disable it as I&#x27;ve been advised that if I don&#x27;t have some form of AntiVirus (even on a Mac), I would not be eligible for any recompense if my details were hacked.

Drexus · Answer

You have Adobe PDF Viewer twice as an internet plugin. I would have this taken care of by Preview, as Adobe&#x27;s web viewer is magnitudes heavier.Antivirus… I&#x27;m not going into that discussion. I will say this: I&#x27;ve owned 29 Macs since 1991, I&#x27;ve spent 25 years working many systems as part of my technical background. In all my years I&#x27;ve never seen, nor herd of anyone getting a virus that I know. I&#x27;ll just leave that right there.Your best option after that: Fonts. Yes, fonts. I&#x27;d put money on the fact you have more than a boatload of fonts. Trim it down, clean it up, and turn off the ones you don&#x27;t use all the time (activate later as needed). This alone can shave 15 seconds off system boot.Give as you live plugin?There seems to be a lot going on here.

Waspsting · Answer

Thanks for your helpful response.  I&#x27;ll have a go at the things you suggest and hopefully it will speed things up. I&#x27;m sure you&#x27;re right about antivirus on a Mac, but I have tried disabling it and it didn&#x27;t seem to make any difference.

MichelPM · Answer

You need to completely uninstall this antivirus software per instructions on the AV developer&#x27;s website.It is NOT necessary on Mac OS X and only causes system wide issues.If you feel the need or are compelled to have antivirus software on your Mac, the least system intrusive ones areClamXAVVirusBarrier Express (found in the Mac App Store).

thomas_r. · Answer

MacAfee comes as part of my BT Broadband package, and I&#x27;m reluctant to disable it as I&#x27;ve been advised that if I don&#x27;t have some form of AntiVirus (even on a Mac), I would not be eligible for any recompense if my details were hacked.That seems to be a bit of a deceptive statement on the part of BT, since I seriously doubt they would give you anything you would consider to be "recompense" in any event, whether you follow their recommendations or not. And McAfee really wouldn&#x27;t protect you that well anyway... it caught only around half of the malware I threw at it in recent testing:Mac anti-virus testing 2014Note the actual data file, which shows historical data from last year&#x27;s testing as well. McAfee is nothing if not consistent... 😁Uninstall McAfee completely. There should be an uninstaller in the Applications folder somewhere. Don&#x27;t just drag the McAfee app to the trash, and don&#x27;t use any kind of all-purpose third-party uninstaller.I also note that you&#x27;ve got iAntivirus installed. Although that one&#x27;s not going to be causing any issues, it&#x27;s also almost completely worthless, worse by far than McAfee. See the same testing results for details. Drag that one to the trash.Once those are gone, if the problem doesn&#x27;t go away, see my Mac Performance Guide.

Waspsting · Answer

Thanks to MichelPM and thomas_r for useful advice, which I will action as suggested.First time I&#x27;ve needed to take part in the Apple Support Community, and I&#x27;m very impressed that there are such helpful people out there.

MichelPM · Answer

You are very welcome!It&#x27;s nice to for all of us to be appreciated here once in a while.Thank you and be well!😉

K Shaffer · Answer

After attending to details such as suggested above, you may also wish to consider advantages of using an externally enclosed hard disk drive as part of your backup scheme, for TimeMachine, instead of the iMac&#x27;s own internal hard disk drive. If you have a wireless base station, that may support an external drive; a wired USB  or FireWire HDD would be faster to connect to the iMac and likely have fewer issues overall. A self- powered externally enclosed HDD could support a bootable copy/clone of your Mac OS X in a partition, for faster restores if you were to ever need a second boot system to run the Mac.In addition, you may check into the idea of upgrading system RAM, in so much as the computer can use as much as 16MB and you have 4GB installed. The RAM specs are rather tight, so get quality RAM by a reputable manufacture, of correct specification. Often cited: OWC esales, &amp; Crucial brands seem tops.Built-in MemoryNoneMaximum Memory16 GBMemory Slots4 - 204-pin PC3-10600 (1333 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM{per MacTracker from http://mactracker.ca database mid-2010 iMac 21.5} •How to remove or add RAM in iMac:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1423Good luck &amp; happy computing! 🙂

Built-in Memory	None
Maximum Memory	16 GB
Memory Slots	4 - 204-pin PC3-10600 (1333 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM