Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
I am trying to hold onto my iMac5 (Intel Duo Core) as long as I can. It is running very slow and I would like to clean out older software--previous versions of pages, for example. Can I uninstall all these older versions without impacting current files? And how do I uninstall so that everything is gone? Thanks.
MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)
Before you start deleting software download and run Etrecheck. Copy and paste the results into your reply. It's a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here in the ASC to help identify the more obvious culprits that can cause slowdown.
It's best to describe the problem in as much relevant detail as possible, rather than what you think is causing it or how you think it should be solved.
For example, if the computer is slow, which specific actions are slow? Is it slow all the time, or only sometimes? What changes did you make, if any, just before it became slow? Have you seen any alerts or error messages? Have you done anything to try to fix it? Most importantly, do you have a current backup of all data? If the answer to the last question is "no," back up now. Ask if you need guidance. Do nothing else until you have a backup.
Here are some general tips to keep your Mac's hard drive trim and slim as possible
You should never, EVER let a computer hard drive get completely full, EVER!
With Macs and OS X, you shouldn't let the hard drive get below 15 GBs or less of free data space.
If it does, it's time for some hard drive housecleaning.
Follow some of my tips for cleaning out, deleting and archiving data from your Mac's internal hard drive.
Have you emptied your Mac's Trash icon in the Dock?
If you use iPhoto or Aperture, both have its own trash that needs to be emptied, also.
If you store images in other locations other than iPhoto, then you will have to weed through these to determine what to archive and what to delete.
If you are an iMovie/ Final Cut user, both apps have their own individual Trash location that needs to be emptied, too!
If you use Apple Mail app, Apple Mail also has its own trash area that needs to be emptied, too!
Delete any old or no longer needed emails and/or archive to disc, flash drives or external hard drive, older emails you want to save.
Look through your other Mailboxes and other Mail categories to see If there is other mail you can archive and/or delete.
STAY AWAY FROM DELETING ANY FILES FROM OS X SYSTEM FOLDER!
Look through your Documents folder and delete any type of old useless type files like "Read Me" type files.
Again, archive to disc, flash drives, ext. hard drives or delete any old documents you no longer use or immediately need.
Look in your Applications folder, if you have applications you haven't used in a long time, if the app doesn't have a dedicated uninstaller, then you can simply drag it into the OS X Trash icon. IF the application has an uninstaller app, then use it to completely delete the app from your Mac.
To find other large files, download an app called Omni Disk Sweeper.
Also, Find Any File
http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/
Download an app called OnyX for your version of OS X.
http://www.titanium.free.fr/downloadonyx.php
When you install and launch it, let it do its initial automatic tests, then go to the cleaning and maintenance tabs and run the maintenance tabs that let OnyX clean out all web browser cache files, web browser histories, system cache files, delete old error log files.
Typically, iTunes and iPhoto libraries are the biggest users of HD space.
move these files/data off of your internal drive to the external hard drive and deleted off of the internal hard drive.
If you have any other large folders of personal data or projects, these should be archived or moved, also, to the optical discs, flash drives or external hard drive and then either archived to disc and/or deleted off your internal hard drive.
Moving iTunes library
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
Moving iPhoto library
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2506
Moving iMovie projects folder
http://support.apple.com/kb/ph2289
Good Luck!
Problem description:
Computer runs very slow.
EtreCheck version: 2.1.1 (104)
Report generated December 8, 2014 11:29:38 AM EST
Hardware Information: ℹ️
iMac (17-inch, Late 2006) (Verified)
iMac - model: iMac5,1
1 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2-core
1 GB RAM
BANK 0/DIMM0
512 MB DDR2 SDRAM 667 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM1
512 MB DDR2 SDRAM 667 MHz ok
Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Video Information: ℹ️
ATY,RadeonX1600 - VRAM: 128 MB
iMac 1440 x 900
spdisplays_display_connector
System Software: ℹ️
Mac OS X 10.6.8 (10K549) - Uptime: 9 days 20:37:9
Disk Information: ℹ️
WDC WD1600JS-40TGB0 disk0 : (149.05 GB)
S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified
- (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 159.70 GB (49.53 GB free)
USB Information: ℹ️
Micron Built-in iSight
Western Digital My Passport 07B8 931.48 GB
S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified
- (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
My Passport for Mac (disk1s2) /Volumes/My Passport for Mac : 999.83 GB (879.69 GB free)
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Kernel Extensions: ℹ️
/System/Library/Extensions
[not loaded] com.flipvideo.IOUSBCameraMassStorage (1.0.1) [Support]
Startup Items: ℹ️
M-Audio Firmware Loader: Path: /Library/StartupItems/M-Audio Firmware Loader
Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite
Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[not loaded] org.samba.winbindd.plist [Support]
Launch Agents: ℹ️
[running] com.flipvideo.FlipShare.AutoRun.plist [Support]
[running] com.hp.productresearch.plist [Support]
Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Support]
[running] com.flipvideo.FlipShareServer.launchd.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Support]
User Launch Agents: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Support]
[running] com.ecamm.printopia.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Support]
[not loaded] jp.co.canon.Inkjet_Extended_Survey_Agent.plist [Support]
[running] ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist [Support]
User Login Items: ℹ️
iTunesHelper UNKNOWN (missing value)
Microsoft AU Daemon Application (/Applications/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app/Contents/MacOS/Microsoft AU Daemon.app)
AdobeResourceSynchronizer UNKNOWN (missing value)
Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector2 ApplicationHidden (/Library/Printers/Canon/IJScanner/Utilities/Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector2.app)
AdobeResourceSynchronizer ApplicationHidden (/Applications/Adobe Reader.app/Contents/Support/AdobeResourceSynchronizer.app)
Octoshape Application (/Users/[redacted]/Library/Octoshape/Octoshape.app)
WDDriveUtilityHelper Application (/Applications/WD Drive Utilities.app/Contents/WDDriveUtilityHelper.app)
Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)
Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
DirectorShockwave: Version: 11.0.0r458 [Support]
Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Support]
Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 2.4.1.4 [Support]
Musicnotes: Version: 1.19.0 [Support]
AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 10.1.12 [Support]
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 15.0.0.239 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
Silverlight: Version: 4.0.60831.0 [Support]
Flash Player: Version: 15.0.0.239 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.6.6
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.6 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.12 [Support]
EPPEX Plugin: Version: 3.0.5.0 [Support]
Scorch: Version: 6.1.0 [Support]
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 13.9.8 - SDK 10.6 Check version
User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
OctoshapeWeb: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.8 [Support]
Stamps.com: Version: 1.1.12 [Support]
Safari Extensions: ℹ️
1Password-1
Audio Plug-ins: ℹ️
iSightAudio: Version: 7.6.6
3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️
Flash Player [Support]
Flip4Mac WMV [Support]
Printopia [Support]
Time Machine: ℹ️
Time Machine information requires OS X 10.7 "Lion" or later.
Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
5% WDDriveUtilityHelper
3% mDNSResponder
2% WindowServer
1% mds
0% ps
Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
92 MB Mail
73 MB WebProcess
68 MB AdobeReader
64 MB Pages
57 MB Safari
Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
30 MB Free RAM
594 MB Active RAM
288 MB Inactive RAM
161 MB Wired RAM
3.57 GB Page-ins
2.19 GB Page-outs
Diagnostics Information: ℹ️
I think you would see a marked improvement in performance if you increased the installed RAM. You only have 1gb which is barely enough for any real-world use. The amount of Page-outs that are showing is a good indicator that the Mac craves more RAM. Good places to buy are Macsales or Crucial:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac
I think both companies ship worldwide.
Paul_31 is right. I'm surprised you can even run with only 1 GB of RAM. You're model use 3 GB of RAM. So go to one of the suppliers suggested by Paul and order a 2 GB module for your particular Mac, and iMac5,1, and add it to the unused memory slot in your Mac. This link describes how to remove and install memory: How to remove or install memory
Thanks, have ordered a Memory Kit. As I read on the link you provided, it says to put equal amounts into each slot, so I ordered 4GB-- two 2GB cards to install. Will report back in a week or so when I have them in hand and installed.
Cleaning out unused software
