macbook pro 2011 running slow

Question

Level 1

8 points

macbook pro 2011 running slow

Problem description:

my computer has been running ridiculously slowly to the point I am wondering if I am supposed to be upgrading to a different computer? Applications, documents, everything takes forever to open. Also Microsoft Word crashes pretty often. . . Then I ran the EtreCheck and am now fully freaking out from the multiple red lines reading FAILED. I am not at all computer savvy . . . I saw on another thread that I should uninstall Mackeeper? I have attached my EtreCheck info below for my system. But honestly, is this something I a very motivated novice can tackle or should I be taking the device in some where to get repaired? Is the latter is the case, where do people recommend? Geeksquad at BestBuy or the Apple store? I am at a total loss and my computer is my livelihood . . .

Thanks in advance for the support and direction!

EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)

Report generated February 23, 2015 at 9:39:35 PM PST

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011) (Technical Specifications)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1

1 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core

4 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Battery Health: Normal - Cycle count 457

Video Information: ℹ️

Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 384 MB

Color LCD 1280 x 800

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.1 (14B25) - Time since boot: 7 days 9:56:30

Disk Information: ℹ️

Hitachi HTS545032B9A302 disk0 : (320.07 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

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

Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 318.84 GB (37.51 GB free)

Core Storage: disk0s2 319.21 GB Online

MATSHITADVD-R UJ-8A8

USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Library/Application Support/MacKeeper/AntiVirus.app

[not loaded] net.kromtech.kext.AVKauth (2.3.7 - SDK 10.9) [Click for support]

[not loaded] net.kromtech.kext.Firewall (2.3.7 - SDK 10.9) [Click for support]

Problem System Launch Agents: ℹ️

[killed] com.apple.CallHistoryPluginHelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.icloud.fmfd.plist

[killed] com.apple.printtool.agent.plist

3 processes killed due to memory pressure

Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[killed] com.apple.AssetCacheLocatorService.plist

[killed] com.apple.ctkd.plist

[killed] com.apple.emond.aslmanager.plist

[killed] com.apple.GSSCred.plist

[killed] com.apple.nehelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.periodic-daily.plist

[killed] com.apple.periodic-weekly.plist

[killed] com.apple.softwareupdate_download_service.plist

[killed] com.apple.softwareupdated.plist

[killed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.xpc.smd.plist

[killed] org.cups.cupsd.plist

12 processes killed due to memory pressure

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[running] com.epson.eventmanager.agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.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.sonos.smbbump.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.zeobit.MacKeeper.AntiVirus.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] derby.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Click for support]

[failed] com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[...]@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist

[running] com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.40.2.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.10 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 4.0.60531.0 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.40.2.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.8 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.10 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8

EPPEX Plugin: Version: 3.0.5.0 [Click for support]

User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

CitrixOnlineWebDeploymentPlugin: Version: 1.0.105 [Click for support]

WebEx64: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

Pin It Button

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

Flash Player [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Skip System Files: NO

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 318.84 GB Disk used: 281.33 GB

Destinations:

Seagate Backup Plus Drive [Local]

Total size: 499.76 GB

Total number of backups: 61

Oldest backup: 2012-11-26 01:20:52 +0000

Last backup: 2015-02-19 18:14:23 +0000

Size of backup disk: Too small

Backup size 499.76 GB < (Disk used 281.33 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

13% WindowServer

8% Finder

3% hidd

3% com.apple.WebKit.Plugin.64

0% MDCrashReportTool

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

112 MB mds_stores

86 MB Finder

69 MB Mail

60 MB Safari

60 MB com.apple.WebKit.Plugin.64

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

32 MB Free RAM

727 MB Active RAM

701 MB Inactive RAM

1.34 GB Wired RAM

43.99 GB Page-ins

1.05 GB Page-outs

MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Feb 23, 2015 9:57 PM

Reply

Answer 1

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Feb 24, 2015 3:49 AM in response to aodear

Get rid of Mackeeper:

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3036

Ciao.

Reply

Answer 2

etresoft

Level 8

46,312 points

Feb 24, 2015 5:50 AM in response to aodear

While you don't need any "clean up" software, the direct cause of those red entires is Yosemite. It is extremely slow and RAM hungry, especially on older machines likes yours. Plus, Yosemite was designed for an SSD, not a spinning hard drive. You seem to have the original hard drive and those tend to fail after 3 years regardless. You could use a bigger backup drive too.

I suggest you go to OWC (https://www.macsales.com) and purchase an 8 GB RAM upgrade, a 500 GB SSD, and a 2 TB backup drive. That will give you another couple of years out of that machine.

Reply

Answer 3

aodear Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 24, 2015 7:09 AM in response to etresoft

Thank you. That is kind of what I suspected unfortunately. . . I did get rid of Mackeeper as the original poster suggested and am waiting to see if that helps. . . I am also looking into other ways to get me a little more speed until I am in a position to buy a new machine 4 months from now. . . any ideas short of buying more RAM or is that the only solution at this point?

Reply

Answer 4

etresoft

Level 8

46,312 points

Feb 24, 2015 8:17 AM in response to aodear

No. Yosemite really wants a lot of RAM and an SSD. Both are quite inexpensive and will significantly and noticeably improve performance.

Reply

Answer 5

aodear Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 24, 2015 9:17 PM in response to etresoft

Great! Thanks so much. I will try it this weekend!

Reply

Answer 6

Adel911

Level 1

0 points

Feb 26, 2015 8:40 PM in response to aodear

Can you please tell us what happens with you if you did those changes?

i'm having the same problem here

Reply

Answer 7

aodear Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 20, 2015 5:27 PM in response to Adel911

I just ordered the 8 GB RAM and 500 GB SSD today. I am more than a little anxious about installing the hardware myself as I do not have a tech bone in my body but the OWC website touts the process as easy and has many tutorials on "easy installation". The products also have a 30 day guarantee type of deal so I figure if I am not able to get it working properly I can hopefully put my computer back to the way it was and return the stuff.

I will definitely update you when I receive and install the items.

Getting rid of MacKeeper helped a ton though!!

Reply

Answer 8

aodear Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 20, 2015 5:33 PM in response to etresoft

Can you be more specific about what you mean by "back up drive"? I really do not know anything about computers and there are a million options on the OWC website. Is this the same as an external hard drive I can use to back up my files? such as this: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Seagate/STDR2000100/

Thanks in advance!!

Reply

Answer 9

etresoft

Level 8

46,312 points

Mar 20, 2015 5:46 PM in response to aodear

Almost, I suggest avoiding the portable drives. Get one that always runs under its own power. Recent versions of OS X have problems with some portable drives.

Reply

Answer 10

aodear Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 20, 2015 6:08 PM in response to etresoft

Sorry to keep bothering you but I am really confused.

at OWC here is what I think you are talking about (because I am a complete dumb dumb novice):

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/METB7DH2.0T/

Or:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/VOYQHDB2.0T/

or:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MED3FH7T2.0/

. . . if I haven't said it enough, thank you for your guidance in this!

Reply

Answer 11

etresoft

Level 8

46,312 points

Mar 21, 2015 12:04 PM in response to aodear

aodear wrote:

Sorry to keep bothering you but I am really confused.

It's no problem. That's what we are here for.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/VOYQHDB2.0T/

This is the one I would recommend. It is relatively inexpensive and supports Firewire 800. Plus, it is swappable so once you remove your existing hard drive, you can just plug your old hard drive in there to restore your files. When you buy a new computer at some point, it will support USB 3.0. Should you need to buy another hard drive for additional backups or archives, you can just plug it in. I have an external drive very similar to this and it is very useful. Your machine does not support USB 3.0, so you would be on USB 2.0. Your machine does support Thunderbolt, but external Thunderbolt drives are much more expensive. For a backup drive, that isn't critical.

Since you are doing a major swap out of components, make sure to turn Time Machine off on your current system before you start. Do one last backup, then turn Time Machine off. You want to keep your existing backups in pristine condition until things settle down. Once you have restored onto your new hard drive and everything looks good, you can turn Time Machine back on and point it at your new hard drive.

Post back if you have any problems.

Reply

Answer 12

aodear Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 24, 2015 9:27 PM in response to etresoft

HOOORRRAYYYY!! SUCCESS!! I changed out the SSD and the RAM with relative ease ( the OWC tutorials are dynamite) and now have a speedy machine! It was a little tricky to figure out how to get the OS X reinstalled but I was able to use my time machine (after formatting the new hard drive using disk utility- I idiotically did not understand that the external casing the hard drive arrived with was for formatting the new hard drive before starting the process). Its amazing, even typing is faster - I didn't realize how slow the machine had actually gotten! Thank you !!!!

So, the back up.. . thank you for the recommendation. I will go for it but what is it for? I am not sure why this part is so hard for me. Am I using it as my time machine device or saving things onto it piece meal or am I totally missing the point and making this harder than it needs to be? Basically- when am I plugging it into my computer and what am I doing with it?

Thanks a millions times over for getting my computer a new lease on its life!

Reply

Answer 13

aodear Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 24, 2015 9:31 PM in response to Adel911

If you have the same problem as me, I highly recommend this fix! It worked like a charm. Use etresoft's link for where to find the components. There are great tutorials on the site for how to install these hardware components.

Reply

Answer 14

etresoft

Level 8

46,312 points

Mar 25, 2015 3:27 AM in response to aodear

Congratulations! it is just for back ups. Ideally, your backup drive should be three time the size of the drives you are backing up. Time Machine needs some room to work its magic. As hard drives have gotten bigger, it is harder and more expensive to find such big drives. You can get away with a drive 2-3 times the size of your existing data. So, if you have a 500 GB drive with 300 GB free, you could probably get away with a 500 GB backup drive. But the smaller the backup drive, the harder Time Machine will have to work and the more problems you will have.

Finally, Time Machine is for backups, not archives. If you have files you want to save for posterity, or things like virtual machines that don't work well with Time Machine, you should manually archive those to some other drive. I use a 3 TB drive that has been portioned into a volume for Time Machine and one for archives. I periodically copy the archive files to yet more backup drives, just in case.

Reply