applications loading slow after mavericks

Question

I&#x27;ve noticed as of lately, my applications load up slowly on my early 2011 MBP. Also my start up time is slower than it used to be. I&#x27;m currently running Mavericks 10.9.2. I&#x27;m assuming it&#x27;s a RAM issue.I only have 4 GB of RAM, and I assume it would be enough. When I search the apple site to buy RAM, because I was considering on upgrading to 8 GB of RAM, I cannot find it for this model. Has anyone purchased any RAM as of late, and if so can you provide me with the make and Model?

Melophage · Answer

RichInniss,8 GB of RAM for your model MacBook Pro can be bought from here, among other places. However, your slowdown might be due to some other cause than lack of RAM. If you haven’t done so already, download and install EtreCheck; please include in your reply the output from a run of EtreCheck.

RichInniss · Answer

Here is the output from EtreCheckHardware Information:          MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2011)          MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,2          1 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4 cores          4 GB RAMVideo Information:          Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 384 MB          AMD Radeon HD 6750M - VRAM: 1024 MBSystem Software:          OS X 10.9.2 (13C64) - Uptime: 0 days 0:49:44Disk Information:          TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk0 : (750.16 GB)                    EFI (disk0s1) &lt;not mounted&gt;: 209.7 MB                     Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 749.3 GB (352.84 GB free)                    Recovery HD (disk0s3) &lt;not mounted&gt;: 650 MB           MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-898  USB Information:          Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad           Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub                     Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller           Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)           Logitech USB Keyboard           Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver FireWire Information:Thunderbolt Information:          Apple Inc. thunderbolt_busLaunch Daemons:          [System] com.absolute.rpcgeo.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.absolute.rpcnet.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.barebones.textwrangler.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.mice.360Daemon.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.micromat.TechToolProDaemon.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist 3rd-Party support linkLaunch Agents:          [System] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.google.keystone.agent.plist 3rd-Party support link          [System] com.micromat.TechToolProAgent.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.akamai.single-user-client.plist 3rd-Party support link          [not loaded] com.spotify.webhelper.plist 3rd-Party support link          [not loaded] com.valvesoftware.steamclean.plist 3rd-Party support linkUser Login Items:          gfxCardStatusInternet Plug-ins:          o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.2.4.18058 3rd-Party support link          Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9          AdobeExManDetect: Version: AdobeExManDetect 1.1.0.0 - SDK 10.7 3rd-Party support link          Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16   - SDK 10.8 3rd-Party support link          AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 10.1.9 3rd-Party support link          FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 13.0.0.182 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link          Silverlight: Version: 5.1.10411.0 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link          Flash Player: Version: 13.0.0.182 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link          QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3          googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.2.4.18058 3rd-Party support link          iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8          AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.9 3rd-Party support link          SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link          JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 14.9.0 - SDK 10.7 Outdated! UpdateSafari Extensions:          AdBlock: Version: 2.6.18Audio Plug-ins:          BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9          AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9          AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - 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:          CitrixOnlineWebDeploymentPlugin: Version: 1.0.39 3rd-Party support link3rd Party Preference Panes:          Akamai NetSession Preferences  3rd-Party support link          Connect360  3rd-Party support link          Flash Player  3rd-Party support link          Flip4Mac WMV  3rd-Party support link          MacFUSE (Tuxera)  3rd-Party support link          MusicManager  3rd-Party support link          Perian  3rd-Party support link          TechTool Protection  3rd-Party support link          XBox 360 Controllers  3rd-Party support linkOld Applications:          Microsoft Language Register:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Additional Tools/Microsoft Language Register/Microsoft Language Register.app          Wondershare Helper Compact:          Version: 2.2.6.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Applications/Wondershare Helper compact/Wondershare Helper Compact.app          Solver:          Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Add-Ins/Solver.app          SLLauncher:          Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Silverlight/OutOfBrowser/SLLauncher.app          /Users/[redacted]/Applications/Akamai                    checkclientstatus:          Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    macui:          Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Akamai NetSession Uninstaller:          Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link          /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011                    Microsoft PowerPoint:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Excel:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Outlook:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Word:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Document Connection:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link          smcFanControl:          Version: 2.3 - SDK 10.4 3rd-Party support link          MiroVideoConverter:          Version: 2.6 - SDK 10.0 3rd-Party support link          Couchbase Server:          Version: 2.0.0-dev4 - SDK 10.0 3rd-Party support link          /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office                    Microsoft Graph:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Database Utility:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Office Reminders:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Upload Center:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    My Day:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    SyncServicesAgent:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Open XML for Excel:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Alerts Daemon:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Database Daemon:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Chart Converter:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    Microsoft Clip Gallery:          Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link          Adobe AIR Installer:          Version: 3.3 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Installers/AdobeDigitalPublishingCS6/ContentViewer/Adobe AIR Installer.app          dynamiclinkmanager:          Version: 6.0.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/dynamiclink/CS6/dynamiclinkmanager.app          dynamiclinkmediaserver:          Version: 6.0.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/dynamiclinkmediaserver/1.0/dynamiclinkmediaserver.app          Microsoft AutoUpdate:          Version: 2.3.6 - SDK 10.4 3rd-Party support link                    /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app          SA Color Finesse 3 UI:          Version: 3.0.6(275) - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link                    /Applications/Adobe After Effects CS6/Plug-ins/Effects/Synthetic Aperture/(CF3 Support)/SA Color Finesse 3 UI.app          /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 linkTime Machine:          Skip System Files: NO          Mobile backups: OFF          Auto backup: NO - Auto backup turned off          Volumes being backed up:                    Macintosh HD: Disk size: 697.84 GB Disk used: 369.23 GB          Destinations:                    My Passport [Local] (Last used)                    Total size: 2                      Total number of backups: 2                     Oldest backup: 2012-11-24 04:36:49 +0000                     Last backup: 2013-01-20 18:51:35 +0000                     Size of backup disk: Adequate                              Backup size 2  &gt; (Disk used 369.23 GB X 3)          Time Machine details may not be accurate.          All volumes being backed up may not be listed.Top Processes by CPU:              17%          mds               3%          WindowServer               1%          EtreCheck               0%          Safari               0%          ocspdTop Processes by Memory:          176 MB          mds_stores          152 MB          Safari          118 MB          com.apple.WebKit.WebContent          66 MB          Dock          45 MB          FinderVirtual Memory Information:          1.37 GB          Free RAM          1.43 GB          Active RAM          208 MB          Inactive RAM          1019 MB          Wired RAM          507 MB          Page-ins          0 B          Page-outs

Melophage · Answer

RichInniss,before you’d upgraded to Mavericks, did you confirm that all of your third-party apps were compatible with Mavericks?Your virtual memory information shows that insufficient RAM is not the cause of your slowdown, if you had your usual set of apps running when you’d run EtreCheck. Your top CPU process when you ran EtreCheck was mds, AKA Spotlight. How recently have you installed Mavericks? When you’d first installed it, was it version 10.9.2, or was it an earlier version of Mavericks?If you boot into Safe mode, is its performance after logging in just as slow as it is in normal mode?