I've only recently installed Mavericks 10.9.5 (I know...) and I'm now seeing this low level activity all the time. This didn't happen with OSX, and must slowly be wearing the hard drive out.
I'm not connected to the internet. No browser is open, and it doesn't matter if Little Snitch is switched off, nor indeed if everything is off.
What's going on? How do I stop this?
Cheers! 😉
MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)
Click the CPU tab within Activity monitor to see if there is a process with high CPU usage that might explain the disk activity.
You can see the CPU activity in the CPU column in the image above. I clicked it (hence it's blue) to show what the CPU is up to.
If you click the CPU tab as opposed to Disk, it may show more detail. See below.
Does this help?
While there is nothing obvious showing there, it may be worth shutting down or removing "Memory Clean". If this doesn't improve the amount of disk read/write, download and run EtreCheck and post the results for examination.
I'm VERY interested to know why you decided to use Memory Cleaner. Was there some problem before?
OS X tries to use all available RAM, to reduce disk access. Memory Clean increases disk access, slowing down your Mac.
Activity Monitor -> Disk sort by "Bytes Read", as your graph shows lots of read activity.
Since I/O is relatively slow, the task causing the reads would not consume a lot of CPU.
Also suggest posting the EtreCheck output
<https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6174>
and looking at the Page-in numbers. If they are very high, it could be caused by the memory cleaner throwing out perfectly good code pages that then have to be read back in. Anyway, if you post the EtreCheck output, someone can analyze it.
I got Memory Clean because it was recommended to me https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/memory-clean/id451444120 though I've never actually used it! I'm surprised to see it running in the background there. You think I should remove it?
Anyway, I switched it off, but it made no difference.
I've tried switching off various things, but with no luck.
Here's the Activity Monitor shortly after boot up
and here's Etre (the battery cycle count is totally wrong!)
EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)
Report generated 18 February 2015 13:07:42 GMT
Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck
Hardware Information: ℹ️
MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo (aluminum unibody) (Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro5,3
1 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2-core
8 GB RAM Upgradeable
BANK 0/DIMM0
4 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM0
4 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok
Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Battery Health: Check Battery - Cycle count 559
Video Information: ℹ️
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M - VRAM: 256 MB
Color LCD 1440 x 900
L226W 1680 x 1050 @ 60 Hz
NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT - VRAM: 256 MB
System Software: ℹ️
OS X 10.9.5 (13F34) - Time since boot: 0:8:47
Disk Information: ℹ️
TOSHIBA MK3255GSXF disk0 : (320.07 GB)
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) /Volumes/Macintosh HD : 319.73 GB (68.38 GB free)
HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS23N
USB Information: ℹ️
Seagate Expansion Desk 3 TB
disk1s1 (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
Mouthful 1TB (disk1s2) /Volumes/Mouthful 1TB : 600.59 GB (494.62 GB free)
Lap Boot 3 (disk1s3) / : 499.48 GB (256.65 GB free)
Recovery HD (disk1s4) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB
Data D (disk1s5) /Volumes/Data D : 500.00 GB (281.33 GB free)
Data E (disk1s6) /Volumes/Data E : 1.00 TB (666.31 GB free)
LB2 Time Machine (disk1s7) /Volumes/LB2 Time Machine : 399.12 GB (238.49 GB free)
Apple Internal Memory Card Reader
Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Configuration files: ℹ️
/etc/sysctl.conf - Exists
Gatekeeper: ℹ️
Anywhere !
Kernel Extensions: ℹ️
/Applications/Toast 10 Titanium/Toast Titanium.app
[not loaded] com.roxio.BluRaySupport (1.1.6) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.roxio.TDIXController (1.7) [Click for support]
/Library/Extensions
[loaded] at.obdev.nke.LittleSnitch (4228 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]
/System/Library/Extensions
[not loaded] com.digidesign.fwfamily.driver (7.4.2f1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.digidesign.iokit.DigiDal (8.0.1f1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.digidesign.iokit.DigiIO (8.0.1f1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.digidesign.mbox2.boot.driver (8.0.1f1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.digidesign.mbox2.driver (8.0.1f1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.master (5.7.1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.wacom.kext.pentablet (5.2.4) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.wacom.kext.wacomtablet (6.1.2) [Click for support]
/System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns
[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.leopard (5.7.1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.panther (5.7.1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.snowleopard (5.7.1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.tiger (5.7.1) [Click for support]
Startup Items: ℹ️
Digidesign Mbox 2: Path: /Library/StartupItems/Digidesign Mbox 2
DigidesignLoader: Path: /Library/StartupItems/DigidesignLoader
PACESupport: Path: /Library/StartupItems/PACESupport
Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite
Problem System Launch Agents: ℹ️
[loaded] com.paragon.NTFS.trial.plist [Click for support]
Launch Agents: ℹ️
[running] at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent.plist [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.divx.dms.agent.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.divx.update.agent.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.wacom.pentablet.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.wacom.wacomtablet.plist [Click for support]
[running] net.culater.SIMBL.Agent.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.startx.plist [Click for support]
Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[running] at.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] bootpickerprefs.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.autodesk.adlm.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.autodesk.backburner_manager.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.autodesk.backburner_server.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.autodesk.backburner_start.plist [Click for support] [Click for details]
[running] com.autodesk.dl_mpd.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.autodesk.sw_bwmgr.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.autodesk.sw_dbd.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.autodesk.sw_ifffs.plist [Click for support] [Click for details]
[running] com.autodesk.sw_probed.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.autodesk.sw_server.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.autodesk.sw_start.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.autodesk.wiretapgateway.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.barebones.authd.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.bombich.ccc.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.bombich.ccchelper.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.digidesign.fwfamily.helper.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.noiseindustries.FxFactory.AE.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.noiseindustries.FxFactory.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.stclairsoft.DefaultFolderXAgent.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.privileged_startx.plist [Click for support]
[failed] PACESupport.plist [Click for support]
User Launch Agents: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.nero.HSMMonitor.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.redgiantsoftware.updater.plist [Click for support]
User Login Items: ℹ️
Neu UNKNOWN (missing value)
iTunesHelper UNKNOWN (missing value)
Default Folder X Helper Application (/Users/[redacted]/Library/PreferencePanes/Default Folder X.prefPane/Contents/Resources/Default Folder X Helper.app)
CopyPaste Pro Application (/Users/[redacted]/Desktop/utils/CopyPaste Pro.app)
CCAAgent UNKNOWN (missing value)
Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.38.6.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]
WacomNetscape: Version: Unknown [Click for support]
OVSHelper: Version: 1.1 [Click for support]
Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 2.3.4.1 [Click for support]
OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.2.3 [Click for support]
WacomSafari: Version: Unknown [Click for support]
Silverlight: Version: 4.0.50401.0 [Click for support]
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 16.0.0.257 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
DivXBrowserPlugin: Version: 2.2 [Click for support]
Flash Player: Version: 16.0.0.257 - SDK 10.6 Cannot contact Adobe
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.7
googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.38.6.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.1 [Click for support]
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.2.3 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 14.9.0 - SDK 10.7 Check version
Safari Extensions: ℹ️
DivX Plus Web Player HTML5 <video>
Audio Plug-ins: ℹ️
DVCPROHDAudio: Version: 1.3.2
Digidesign CoreAudio: Version: 8.0.1 [Click for support]
3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️
PenTablet [Click for support]
Default Folder X [Click for support]
DigidesignMbox2 [Click for support]
Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro [Click for support]
DivX [Click for support]
Flash Player [Click for support]
Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]
fuse-ext2 [Click for support]
Growl [Click for support]
MacFUSE [Click for support]
NTFS-3G [Click for support]
Paragon NTFS for Mac ® OS X [Click for support]
Perian [Click for support]
REDcode [Click for support]
WacomTablet [Click for support]
Time Machine: ℹ️
Skip System Files: NO
Mobile backups: ON
Auto backup: NO - Auto backup turned off
Volumes being backed up:
Lap Boot 3: Disk size: 499.48 GB Disk used: 242.83 GB
Destinations:
LB3 Time Machine [Local]
Total size: 359.87 GB
Total number of backups: 6
Oldest backup: 2015-01-04 03:52:12 +0000
Last backup: 2015-02-15 14:50:06 +0000
Size of backup disk: Too small
Backup size 359.87 GB < (Disk used 242.83 GB X 3)
Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
7% mds_stores
7% WindowServer
4% mds
2% Activity Monitor
1% sysmond
Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
266 MB mds_stores
215 MB com.apple.IconServicesAgent
77 MB Dock
52 MB WindowServer
52 MB Activity Monitor
Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
5.65 GB Free RAM
1.45 GB Active RAM
496 MB Inactive RAM
724 MB Wired RAM
373 MB Page-ins
0 B Page-outs
Diagnostics Information: ℹ️
Feb 18, 2015, 12:55:31 PM Self test - passed
Thoughts?
Many thanks.
Try un-installing Paceapp according to the developer's un-install instructions.
SIMBL is a sytem hack. Try removing it.
SIMBL Uninstall (2) See solution posted by Linc Davis .
Thanks Eric. Nearly there!
Got rid of SIMBL. The Pace drivers came with Digidesign's Pro Tools, but that version of PT doesn't work with Mavericks, so since I don't want to pay for the upgrade I'll use it on a boot option under OSX.
So, the read/write is much reduced, but not entirely gone... (why didn't this happen under OSX?)
You also have conflicting apps installed. NTFS-3G (and it's related MacFuse), and Paragon NTFS for Mac. They are two entirely separate products that do the same thing. Which means they are going to conflict with each other over what app is handling write access to your NTFS drives. Pick one and fully remove the other.
The Activity Monitor -> DIsk tab, then sort the Disk tab by bytes read. The Disk tab will show accumulated bytes read. The CPU tab shows bytes read during the last sample.
If you want to find what task is doing the most disk I/O you need to use the Disk tab.
Non-stop activity - what is going on?
