Q: Slow Slow MiniMac after Yosemite upgrade, especially mail and safari

Hello! You have some unnecessary applications installed:

- CleanMyMac - to uninstall: Removing CleanMyMac safely

- McAfee (unless you're required to have this for work or school) - to uninstall: http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS101226&lc=1033&pf=1

Since you installed CleanMyMac there is also a chance you have adware installed on your Mac which can explain your slow Safari. I advise you download and run AdwareMedic (free, donate if you like it) which is an adware removal tool that has a good reputation for this purpose on these forums. http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php The best way to prevent this from ever happening again is to be vigilant about where you click and what you install. Alternatively, a good way to suppress ads that might tempt or annoy you is to install the AdBlock extension (free, donate if you like it) https://getadblock.com/

Hello again!

Good to know adware isn't the issue.

I’ve offered the steps below to similar posts in the past and they helped out getting to the solution (or at least find the cause). I suggest them to you too in this case. It will take you about 30 minutes or less to do these, depending on how bad the problem on your Mac is.

The goal here is to boot your Mac to the so-called Recovery partition where you’ll have a chance to repair the disk and the disk permissions using the Disk Utility and Password Utility. This might solve your issue and even if it doesn’t- it’s still a decent maintenance step to perform. These steps won’t erase your data or reinstall your Mac in any way if you follow instructions carefully. Make a back-up anyway, preferably with Time Machine.

Here’s how:

1/ Make sure your computer is completely shut down.

2/ You’ll have to be quick next: Press the Mac’s power button. As soon as you either hear the loud chime, or see the display light up - usually after a second or 2 - on your keyboard press [cmd] + [r] Keep these keys on your keyboard pressed until you either see an Apple Logo with a loading bar or a spinning gear.

After a few minutes, you’ll be presented with a Utilities screen. This is the Recovery partition. If this step is already giving you problems, try using a USB-keyboard. It doesn’t have to be an Apple-keyboard. If you have a Windows-tailored keyboard laying around, use the “Windows-flag” key in stead of the [cmd]-key and it should also work.

3/ Choose Disk Utility and click [continue]

Disk Utility will display your computer’s harddrive in the left column. The default name for it is “Macintosh HD” and is usually the second one from the top. Click on it and click on the [verify disk] button. This will check your “Macintosh HD” harddrive partition for errors. If found, click [repair disk]  unless you have a Fusion drive in your Mac and it says [fix] instead of [repair disk] please tell us before you continue! For a screenshot of what I mean, check this article from Apple: http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202574

4/ Once done with the verifying or repairing of your “Macintosh HD” click [repair disk permissions]

This will check your partition for permissions errors. A common myth about this feature is that it will fix all permissions issues on your Mac, which is not true, but it will fix most systemwide issues. Also, here is a list of error messages that you can safely ignore if they pop up:

http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203172

5/ Lastly we shall do a permissions/Access Control List repair on specifically your user’s home folder with a somewhat hidden tool in the Recovery partition. Close Disk Utility and find the menu called “utilities” in the top left corner of your computer’s display. It’s in between the menus “edit” and “window” Don’t be confused with the menu called “os x utilities” 

Choose Terminal. A somewhat old-fashioned looking window will pop up, waiting for a text command from you. This is the Terminal.

After the # type: resetpassword and press return. Note that there is no space between ‘reset’ and ‘password’ 

What you’ll see next is an rectangular window that gives you the option to reset passwords. We are not going to that, however. Instead, click on “Macintosh HD” at the top. In the pull-down menu below that, choose your user's accountname. Skip all the rest and at the very bottom click the [reset]-button.

A spinning gear will appear and may stay on for a second or several minutes. It’s hard to predict exactly how long.

If you have multiple users on your Mac, I advise you to repeat this step for all your users.

We’re ready to reboot your Mac now. Click on the Apple Menu and choose “startup disk” Choose to boot from “Macintosh HD” Please let us know if this solved your issue, or if the steps above did not work, or could not be performed for some reason.

It is not reasonable to expect a Mac to operate normally after using CleanMyMac. Like many ill-conceived "cleaning" utilities, it is capable of corrupting a Mac to the point that erasing it completely is the only practicable means of recovery. CleanMyMac is not the only example; it is merely popular due to marketing strategies that are as effective as they are intrusive.

There is no practicable way to reverse the effects of having used CleanMyMac2 other than to reinstall all affected files from backups or their original sources. Its developer's uninstallation instructions are ineffective despite their recent claims to the contrary. Only MacPaw, its developer, can know the reason for that, but I can think of two possibilities: either they are purposefully leaving components behind for reasons known only to them, or they simply don't know what they're doing. Neither one of those possibilities is particularly comforting for the user.

Reinstalling OS X alone will have no effect on either removing CleanMyMac or reversing the damage it is capable of inflicting upon a system.

Follow the applicable recovery procedure below:

• If you have a backup that you created prior to using CleanMyMac, now is the time to use it. For Time Machine, boot OS X Recovery, and at the Mac OS X Utilities screen, choose Restore from Time Machine Backup. Choose a date preceding the installation of CleanMyMac.
• If you do not have a backup that predates the use of CleanMyMac, create one now. To do that read Mac Basics: Time Machine backs up your Mac.
  • The recovery procedure will require that you erase the Mac using OS X Recovery, and then create a new user whose contents will be empty. You will then be able to use Setup Assistant to migrate your essential documents including photos, music, work products and other essential files.
  • When doing so, select only your previous User account and do not select "Applications", "Computer and Network Settings" or "Other files and folders". De-select those choices.
  • Subsequent to using Setup Assistant, you will need to reinstall the essential software you may require, once again remembering to install software only from their original sources, and omitting all non-essential software.

To erase and install Yosemite read: OS X Yosemite: Erase and reinstall OS X

To migrate your essential documents read: OS X Yosemite: Transfer your info from a computer or storage device and follow the procedure under Transfer info from a Time Machine backup or other storage device.

Uninstall any McAfee products. One or both of these removal instructions may be applicable. Do not reinstall it.

How to install or uninstall McAfee Internet Security for Mac

How to uninstall and reinstall McAfee Agent 4.x on Macintosh computers

 

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

  Ecosia - The search engine that plants trees [Installed]

 

 

Ecosia may be exploiting feel-good intentions but like any other adware it derives its revenue by injecting advertisements into your browser. That may result in unacceptable performance.

If you want to plant trees, plant trees, or pay someone else directly to plant them on your behalf. Directing capital toward that goal by funneling it through advertisers is at best an inefficient use of it.

I had the same problem after updating to Yosemite, Safari running like a stuffed pig.  I eventually found that Sophos antivirus was the problem.  Disabling it didn't work but once I uninstalled it Safari worked fine.