Macbook Pro running slow/(crawling) after 10.9.4 update

Question

Level 1

16 points

Macbook Pro running slow/(crawling) after 10.9.4 update

I paste in information on the system from EtreCheck below.

The Macbook is really crawling very slowly.

It may be a coincidence, but happened when I restarted after the latest software update 1st july from OSX 10.9.3 to OSX 10.9.4

Regarding How does it behave/How slow:?

Now, every task that may require the use of resources not recently used (menus, lists etc.) will take exceedingly long time. For example after the desktop appears with the top menu, it will take 3-4 min before any menus can be pulled down, same with dock, 3-4 min to show up. Clicking an app, 3-4 min before launches. Then after launched, some apps may run OK, for example Logic Pro.

When working in the Finder. Opening a folder may take 3-4 min, before the the file list shows. Then selecting a file - takes a minute before it gets hi-lighted. But is then fast to drag to an open folder on the backup drive. Copying a folder to a backup drive, is also fast.

Another example: It took two hours from logging in at this Forum, until getting here to post.!! (I'll read answers from another machine)

What I have done:

I have backed up with Time Machine,, in addition to manually backing up files.

I have ran Disk Utility and it reports the hard disk is OK. I have ran fix permission, only two were fixed. No difference.

I have reset the System Management Controller (SMC). No difference.

It is not a network problem, My network is fast and smooth with other devices,

I don't want to change hard drive 'just in case'. It fast to restore files from the backup. However

I have many licences apps and contents which will take several weeks to restore. I've done that before.

Is it likely that it is the hard disk that is failing without disk utility having a clue?

SYSTEM -INFO:

EtreCheck version: 1.9.12 (48)

Report generated 10 Jul 2014 12:06:30 GMT+2

Hardware Information:

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011) (Verified)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1

1 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 2 cores

4 GB RAM

Video Information:

Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 384 MB

Color LCD 1280 x 800

System Software:

OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 0 days 2:7:15

Disk Information:

TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk0 : (750,16 GB)

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

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 749,3 GB (571,85 GB free)

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

MATSHITADVD-R UJ-8A8

USB Information:

Seagate Expansion Desk 2 TB

EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted>: 209,7 MB

Seagate Expansion Drive (disk1s2) /Volumes/Seagate Expansion Drive: 2 TB (1,74 TB free)

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Thunderbolt Information:

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper:

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions:

[not loaded] com.zoom.R16USBAudioDriver (1.4.0 - SDK 10.6) Support

[not loaded] jp.co.roland.RDUSB0127Dev (1.0.0) Support

Startup Items:

RDUSB0127Startup: Path: /Library/StartupItems/RDUSB0127Startup

Problem System Launch Daemons:

[failed] com.apple.msrpc.netlogon.plist

Launch Daemons:

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support

Launch Agents:

[invalid] entries

[running] com.zoom.R16DeviceManager.plist.svn-base Support

[running] com.zoom.R16DeviceManager.plist Support

User Launch Agents:

[failed] com.fastestyoutubedownloader.TrialExpired.GoldFreeFirstWeek.plist Support

User Login Items:

iTunesHelper

Internet Plug-ins:

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 13.0.0.214 - SDK 10.6 Support

Flash Player: Version: 13.0.0.214 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9

Audio 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 10.9

iTunes Plug-ins:

Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9

3rd Party Preference Panes:

Flash Player Support

GR-55 Support

ZOOM R16ControlPanel Support

Time Machine:

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 697.84 GB Disk used: 165.26 GB

Destinations:

Seagate Expansion Drive [Local] (Last used)

Total size: 2

Total number of backups: 17

Oldest backup: 2014-07-04 07:43:35 +0000

Last backup: 2014-07-10 10:39:24 +0000

Size of backup disk: Adequate

Backup size 2 > (Disk used 165.26 GB X 3)

Time Machine details may not be accurate.

All volumes being backed up may not be listed.

Top Processes by CPU:

0% hidd

0% WindowServer

0% RDUSB0127Setupd

0% SystemUIServer

0% Finder

Top Processes by Memory:

219 MB mds_stores

70 MB Finder

61 MB Safari

57 MB WindowServer

41 MB mds

Virtual Memory Information:

1.71 GB Free RAM

1.15 GB Active RAM

131 MB Inactive RAM

1.01 GB Wired RAM

255 MB Page-ins

0 B Page-outs

Posted on Jul 10, 2014 6:16 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Melophage

Level 5

7,213 points

Jul 10, 2014 2:03 PM in response to tordenspyd

tordenspyd,

has Zoom Corporation released kernel extensions which are compatible with Mavericks? When I looked at their R16 page, they only claimed compatibility up to Snow Leopard.

Do you have the latest version of the Mavericks USB driver for the Roland GR-55 (1.0.1) installed?

The “entries” launch agent is strange; do you know what it goes with?

Have you tried uninstalling the fastestyoutubedownloader.com user launch agent, in case that’s causing a problem?

Your installed version of Flash Player is outdated; the latest version can be downloaded from here.

Reply

Answer 2

tordenspyd Author

Level 1

16 points

Jul 11, 2014 12:44 PM in response to Melophage

Thanks Melophage

You ask some (5) questions regarding the output of Etrecheck

Re #4 :"Have you tried uninstalling the fastestyoutubedownloader.com user launch agent, in case that’s causing a problem?"

Yes, now I have. Now it takes 40 min. from powerup to the login screen.!

My system report showed as I posted, before the removal:

"User Launch Agents:

[failed] com.fastestyoutubedownloader.TrialExpired.GoldFreeFirstWeek.plist"

I am ignorant about the matter. I too was surprised to find that item and the conspiracy deamon on my left shoulder had wild thoughts.

The app that generated the Launch Agent must have been FastestYouTubeDownloader.app,

It was downloaded as an app and no uninstaller. I think it was supposed to run fast the first week, and if you paid for it(upgrade license), it would remain fast or else work slowly. I tried it on one file and then threw it in the trash, as I would have no more use for it. But a nagging/promo dialog telling me the trial period was over came up 1st july, while the nagging came up I was notified (by appstore) that a new update of my system required a restart. I pressed that, my system was updated to 10.9.4 and after the update everything was slow. So the conspiracy deamon was whispering that maybe the app had made everything slow, by mistake, and not just the FastestYouTubeDownloader.

I really don't think so.

But I think the developers have to leave a mark somewhere to tell them that I have tried the software and maybe they have chosen the User Launch Agent for this? Then trying to remove it may just cause more problems, since it is not anything I should be able to do for obvious reasons.

I couldnt see what it was really doing from its content, it seems to me it should do nothing if the application was not found.

Re # 1 and #2

I have had these drivers all the time and not experienced problems with earlier versions of Mavericks.

Also, the ZOOM and the GR-55 is not connected.

Both had at least their own kernel-extension, a launch agent and a preference panel, but possibly more.

But I have now tried the Uninstaller that accompanies the GR-55 driver to remove it. It gave no improvements.

Re # 5

I have apperently two Flash Players, both have the same version number, one is outdated.?

Probably not good, but probably not my main problem(s).? I'm not using Flash often.

Re # 3

I have no idea, what the following listing

Launch Agents:

[invalid] entries

may refer to. In my HD/Library/LaunchAgents folder I only have

"com.zoom.R16DeviceManager.plist" the other entry in the report with same file name with added extension ".svn-base" I have no idea where is coming from.

I think this is not my primary problem though? even if I am curious where it comes from.

My Conclusions

Obviously with a boot time of more than 45 min doing diagosics and tests takes long time.

The Disk Utility verifies the disk as OK. Onyx verifies the disk as OK (mabe the same test?).

I think my maachine is just getting worse. There must be a serious problem, not just a fine tuning issue.

The conspiracy deamon on my other sholder tells me that Apple have decided its time for me to buy a new computer again :-) ,It would have been a good idea if not for the pain of reinstalling licensed software which will require a 2 week vacaition doing nothing but restoring, Possibly having to purchase new licences costing more than the computer.

Reply

Answer 3

Melophage

Level 5

7,213 points

Jul 11, 2014 6:43 PM in response to tordenspyd

tordenspyd,

I haven’t used the R16, the GR-55, or the FastestYouTubeDownloader app, which is why I’d asked questions about those. I have no idea what the “entries” launch agent represents; my first thought was that it might represent some sort of file corruption (which Disk Utility wouldn’t be able to detect — as opposed to filesystem corruption, which Disk Utility would be able to detect), but since I’d never seen it before, I’d asked a question about it as well. Having two entries for the Flash Player is common; updating Flash Player will update both entries. In my view, an app without an uninstaller (or at least without uninstallation instructions) shouldn’t be installed. Is there a way to contact the publisher of the FastestYouTubeDownloader app, to see if they have an uninstaller or uninstallation instructions available?

If the current issue is due to a hard disk problem, then you could try running System Information, selecting ▼ Hardware → Storage on the left-hand side of its window, and then looking at its Physical Drive → S.M.A.R.T. Status on the right-hand side of its window, to see if it has a value of anything other than “Verified”; a value of “Verified” represents a disk in good condition. Another possible hardware problem might be that your internal SATA cable is faulty; neither Disk Utility nor the Apple Hardware Test would be able to detect a problem with that. A faulty internal SATA cable could cause a perfectly good internal disk to behave poorly.

Reply

Answer 4

tordenspyd Author

Level 1

16 points

Jul 12, 2014 6:09 AM in response to Melophage

Thanks Melophage

The Hardware Test/Ardware/'SATA/SATA EXpress' of System Information.app - indicated that the S.M.A.R.T. status was "Verified."

I guess this means that the self diagnostic capability that is built into this drive ( a TOSHIBA MK75559GXF) has not discovered any malfunction.?

I did not know how to check the S.M.A.R.T. status myself, so thanks for that. That is useful.

The other reports and tests and diagnostics of System Information, reported OK, allthough running slowly as everything else.

Reply

Answer 5

Melophage

Level 5

7,213 points

Jul 12, 2014 7:32 PM in response to tordenspyd

tordenspyd,

the “Verified” status suggests that it’s not due to a hardware problem with your disk, and you’ve noted that Disk Utility has found no problem with your disk’s filesystem; that leaves either a hardware problem with some other component, such as your internal SATA cable, or a corruption issue with some number of files in your disk’s filesystem. If you’re comfortable with opening up your MacBook Pro, you could remove your internal disk to boot from it externally (by putting it into an external disk enclosure, or connecting it with a SATA-to-USB or SATA-to-FireWire adapter) using Startup Manager. If it runs well externally, but runs poorly internally, that would point to the internal SATA cable as the problem. If it runs just as slowly externally, then the problem lies with some number of files in your disk’s filesystem.

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Answer 6

tordenspyd Author

Level 1

16 points

Jul 14, 2014 12:29 AM in response to Melophage

Thanks Melophage

I did put the disk in an external external hard disk box and booted from that. My MacBook Pro was still crawling.

So it did not solve the case but I learned that changing the hard disk would not be difficult to do myself if I need to in the future.

I did however do something else that apparently remedied my problem and now my MacBook Pro runs super again.

I made a reinstall of the OSX using the-built in recovery disk

OS X Mavericks: Reinstall OS X

The whole process took about 2 hours including download and reinstallation, but was completely automatic and smooth.

This could have been my 1st option, then I would have saved time, but learned less, and I regarded it as a less safe process if had a hardware issue .

All my licences seems to be still working and I am very relieved and can get on to do what I use this mac for.

I still don't know what the problem was, and that makes me a little uncomfortable. It is as if one particular routine or patch t used by most program parts got corrupted by the upgrade somehow.

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