General slowness on Mavericks

Start by uninstalling Avast! and updating VirtualBox.

Pete

Your memory usage is normal but Avast must go. Do not use anything other than Avast's uninstaller to remove it.

Your MacBook Pro has two memory slots. Each one has one 2 GB module installed. You can remove both and install two 4 GB modules for a total of 8 GB.

Purchase memory from OWC / MacSales or Crucial. Avoid PC-centric vendors who generally sell RAM that does not meet Apple's stringent specifications.

txlonewolf1 wrote:

Hi!

Saw in another thread advice to d/l & run EtreCheck & post results in a new discussion. I've pasted the results below.

It seems like RAM usage has been quite high - 3.99 GB used - I've been considering bumping up from 4GB to 8GB or maybe higher. Without cracking the case open, is there a way to determine how many slots I have as well as the current configuration of the physical RAM?

Thanks in advance,

txlonewolf1

System Profiler will show you the configured RAM in /Applications/Utilities/ or go via the Apple Menu > About this Mac > More Info > Even more something-or-other button 🙂

10.9 will try to use all the available RAM, so it's not unusual to see it maxed out. The real problem appears when you have a lot of 'swapping to disk'. You have 19MB of 'Swap used' after about an hour of usage? It's a concern, but not massively so. It should be better once you update or remove all those kernel extensions & startup items.

I'll post a bit more info soon.

txlonewolf1 wrote:

It seems like RAM usage has been quite high - 3.99 GB used - I've been considering bumping up from 4GB to 8GB or maybe higher. Without cracking the case open, is there a way to determine how many slots I have as well as the current configuration of the physical RAM?

Go to the APPLE icon at the upper left hand corner of your screen and

select About This Mac, then select More Info... then select Memory

txlonewolf1 wrote:

Thanks for all of the replies and helpful info.

What recommendations do you have for anti-virus. I know that Macs are much more resilient than Windows boxes and there are fewer threats that target Macs, but I'd really like to have something in place.

I'll also just uninstall VirtualBox - I haven't needed it for quite some time.

Many thanks, once again.

If you really feel you need some sort of AntiVirus then try ClamXav

It is far less intrusive than the others. Remember that Mac OSXs have built in security from malicious Malware.

Cheers

Pete

What recommendations do you have for anti-virus. I know that Macs are much more resilient than Windows boxes and there are fewer threats that target Macs, but I'd really like to have something in place.

You do. OS X already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. Keep it that way with software updates from Apple. Ill-conceived third party "anti-virus" garbage products are the primary reason for Mac instability, crashes and related problems reported on this site.

A much better question is "how should I protect my Mac":

• Never install any product that claims to "speed up", "clean up", "optimize", or "accelerate" your Mac. Without exception, they will do the opposite.
• Never install pirated or "cracked" software, software obtained from dubious websites, or other questionable sources. Illegally obtained software is almost certain to contain malware.
• Don’t supply your password in response to a popup window requesting it, unless you know what it is and the reason your credentials are required.
• Don’t open email attachments from email addresses that you do not recognize, or click links contained in an email:
  • Most of these are scams that direct you to fraudulent sites that attempt to convince you to disclose personal information.
  • Such "phishing" attempts are the 21st century equivalent of a social exploit that has existed since the dawn of civilization. Don’t fall for it.
  • Apple will never ask you to reveal personal information in an email. If you receive an unexpected email from Apple saying your account will be closed unless you take immediate action, just ignore it. If your iTunes or App Store account becomes disabled for valid reasons, you will know when you try to buy something or log in to this support site, and are unable to.
• Don’t install browser extensions unless you understand their purpose. Go to the Safari menu > Preferences > Extensions. If you see any extensions that you do not recognize or understand, simply click the Uninstall button and they will be gone.
• Don’t install Java unless you are certain that you need it:
  • Java, a non-Apple product, is a potential vector for malware. If you are required to use Java, be mindful of that possibility.
  • Disable Java in Safari > Preferences > Security.
  • Despite its name JavaScript is unrelated to Java. No malware can infect your Mac through JavaScript. It’s OK to leave it enabled.
• Block browser popups: Safari menu > Preferences > Security > and check "Block popup windows":
  • Popup windows are useful and required for some websites, but popups have devolved to become a common means to deliver targeted advertising that you probably do not want.
  • Popups themselves cannot infect your Mac, but many contain resource-hungry code that will slow down Internet browsing.
  • If you ever see a popup indicating it detected registry errors, that your Mac is infected with some ick, or that you won some prize, it is 100% fraudulent. Ignore it.
• Ignore hyperventilating popular media outlets that thrive by promoting fear and discord with entertainment products arrogantly presented as "news". Learn what real threats actually exist and how to arm yourself against them:
  • The most serious threat to your data security is phishing. To date, most of these attempts have been pathetic and are easily recognized, but that is likely to change in the future as criminals become more clever.
  • OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.
  • Never install something without first knowing what it is, what it does, how it works, and how to get rid of it when you don’t want it any more.
  • If you elect to use "anti-virus" software, familiarize yourself with its limitations and potential to cause adverse effects, and apply the principle immediately preceding this one.
  • Most such utilities will only slow down and destabilize your Mac while they look for viruses that do not exist, conveying no benefit whatsoever - other than to make you "feel good" about security, when you should actually be exercising sound judgment, derived from accurate knowledge, based on verifiable facts.
• Do install updates from Apple as they become available. No one knows more about Macs and how to protect them than the company that builds them.

Summary: Use common sense and caution when you use your Mac, just like you would in any social context. There is no product, utility, or magic talisman that can protect you from all the evils of mankind.

txlonewolf1 wrote:

Hey, Pete,

Thanks for the recommendation.

After following the link you provided and downloading from the site, I got this:

"The following disk images couldn't be opened."

Next to the clam...dmg is the specific error: "Disk image not recognized."

Any ideas re: that?

Try System Preferences > Security and Privacy > General and check Allow Apps Downloaded to 'Anywhere'. Retun it to it's default setting afterwards, for your own protection if you wish.

Cheers

Pete

txlonewolf1 wrote:

After following the link you provided and downloading from the site, I got this:

"The following disk images couldn't be opened."

Next to the clam...dmg is the specific error: "Disk image not recognized."

Sounds like the download was incomplete or corrupted in the download process. Try another copy. It should be 20,145,274 bytes and you can check it further using procedures described in SHA Checksum.

Another choice is to download the AppStore version, but it's an older version and lacks some features.

petermac87 wrote:

Try System Preferences > Security and Privacy > General and check Allow Apps Downloaded to 'Anywhere'. Retun it to it's default setting afterwards, for your own protection if you wish.

Not required to mount a .dmg (plus the application is signed) and a bad idea in any case since there are safer alternatives.

If a downloaded file won't open you can:

- right-click / control-click it and choose "Open" from the popup menu to get a dialog that will allow it.

- After attempting to open the file and receiving the refusal, open System Preferences->Security & Privacy->General tab and there will be a new button at the bottom of the window allowing it to be opened as an exception to the rule.

This way you don't ever have to disable your GateKeeper protection and chance forgetting to re-enable it.

txlonewolf1 wrote:

It seems like RAM usage has been quite high - 3.99 GB used - I've been considering bumping up from 4GB to 8GB or maybe higher.

You should ignore RAM use as the new Mavericks Memory Management system will attempt to use as much as possible. Instead, watch the colored graph in Activity Monitor that shows "Compression". If it stays green then you're fine. Yellow indicates you need to watch more closely. Red you need more RAM.

Many users are starting to find that their Macs run better with more than the stated minimum of 4GB, so you aren't alone. Some have no issues but adding more to my iMac made a huge difference. A lot depends on how you use your Mac.

- I'm currently taking a couple classes and the flavor du jour was Java...) - not much I can do about that for the forseeable future...

If you have no choice and you must use Java, then you must, but the salient point to bear in mind is that Java remains a potential threat for real malware to intrude upon your system. If you choose to run Java, you must accept the risk that comes with it.

Apple slams the door on Java threats as they arise by blocking outdated versions. A future Java exploit is certain to appear though, and no one can predict how it will manifest itself.

I haven't had any need for Java in so long I literally don't remember the last time I used it for anything. I know it was in the PowerPC era though. If everyone else would shun websites that require Java as well, it will help it to join Adobe's Flash Player in the fateful demise they both deserve. That is certain to occur anyway, as everyone migrates away from PCs and toward iPads and iPhones that don't run either product.

Perhaps OS X 10.10 a/k/a "iOS X" won't either 👿

txlonewolf1 wrote:

I'm currently taking a couple classes and the flavor du jour was Java...) - not much I can do about that for the forseeable future...

Does that mean browser Java or application Java? Apple only blocks older browser Java which is where all the threats have come from.

Although there are vulnerabilities for applications that need Java, there has never been a threat developed on that side of the house, as far as I am aware. Still, you would be wise to choose Java SE 7 for that if you have the choice, as Apple and Oracle have apparently decided not to support Java SE 6 any longer, so I expect to see a malware developer come up with an exploit using Java 6 any day now.

If you must use your browser for these classes, then make sure you only enable Java during the time you need to use it on those sites and disable it as soon as you are finished. Again, Java 7 is a must here. If you aren't sure which is in use visit Oracle's Java site or Java Tester.