MacBook Pro suddenly running slow

Question

sungy Author

Level 1

7 points

MacBook Pro suddenly running slow

Hi.

I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) with 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 processor with 4GB for memory.

I only use it for Microsoft Word, emails, Netflix... typical college stuff.

But my laptop started running extremely slow over night sometime last week.

Since then, I have tried various recommendations that I found on the discussion board here, including:

Reset SMC
Re-install Yosemite OS X
Disk Utility first aid repair (permissions repair) - no error
Downloaded Etrecheck (reported no error)
Checked battery - have 400+ charges remaining
Checked storage - 400GB free of 500GB
Downloaded ClamXav - no malware

None of these helped/worked and my laptop continues to take minutes to type up a sentence on MS Word because it keeps freezing (with the little rainbow wheel).

It also repeatedly freezes for 10-20 seconds when trying to play music on iTunes or Spotify, and it is impossible to play any videos without the pauses and pixelated screens.

Also, if this is relevant, ever since these problems arose, my laptop doesn't automatically "sleep" when I close the screen, but stays on upon closing the screen and uses up battery and heats up my laptop.

All of this literally happened over night; my computer was running at optimal speed and I made absolutely no software changes/downloads for this to happen.

All of my software are up to date and I have three more weeks of exam period so this is very frustrating.

Can somebody please help?

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on May 18, 2015 2:35 PM

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Answer 1

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

May 18, 2015 3:14 PM in response to sungy

Reset the SMC again and the NVRAM:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063

Then try a safe boot:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

Any change?

Ciao.

Reply

Answer 2

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 18, 2015 8:55 PM in response to sungy

When you see a beachball cursor or the slowness is especially bad, note the exact time: hour, minute, second.

These instructions must be carried out as an administrator. If you have only one user account, you are the administrator.

Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.

The title of the Console window should be All Messages. If it isn't, select

SYSTEM LOG QUERIES ▹ All Messages

from the log list on the left. If you don't see that list, select

View ▹ Show Log List

from the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Each message in the log begins with the date and time when it was entered. Scroll back to the time you noted above.

Select the messages entered from then until the end of the episode, or until they start to repeat, whichever comes first.

Copy the messages to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Paste into a reply to this message by pressing command-V.

The log contains a vast amount of information, almost all of it useless for solving any particular problem. When posting a log extract, be selective. A few dozen lines are almost always more than enough.

Please don't indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.

Please don't post screenshots of log messages—post the text.

Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.

When you post the log extract, you might see an error message on the web page: "You have included content in your post that is not permitted," or "The message contains invalid characters." That's a bug in the forum software. Please post the text on Pastebin, then post a link here to the page you created.

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Answer 3

sungy Author

Level 1

7 points

May 21, 2015 8:59 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi,

thanks for the reply, I apologize for the delay in my reply; I have been busy with school work.

I did mark the exact hour, minute, second to the beachball cursor this morning, and when I opened the console activity log, weirdly the log omits many of the times that I have marked.

For example, I have written down a pause from 9:46:00 to 9:46:24, but the log shows:

21/05/2015 09:45:14.000 kernel[0]: pci pause: SDXC
21/05/2015 09:47:04.413 hidd[92]: IOHIDEventQueue unable to get policy for event of type 11. (e00002e8)

Or I had down 15:33:20 to 15:33:43 and 15:33:54 to 15:34:23 marked down, but the log shows:

19/05/2015 15:32:18.972 CoreServicesUIAgent[269]: Error -60005 creating authorization
19/05/2015 15:37:47.327 hidd[93]: IOHIDEventQueue unable to get policy for event of type 11. (e00002e8)

Like these, a lot of the times that I marked does not show on the log for some reason.

However, here are some of the logs that does show:

19/05/2015 10:50:13.528 WindowServer[140]: disable_update_timeout: UI updates were forcibly disabled by application "Microsoft Word" for over 1.00 seconds. Server has re-enabled them.
19/05/2015 10:50:16.539 WindowServer[140]: common_reenable_update: UI updates were finally reenabled by application "Microsoft Word" after 4.01 seconds (server forcibly re-enabled them after 1.00 seconds)
19/05/2015 11:53:28.371 AppleSpell[580]: *** -[NSMachPort handlePortMessage:]: dropping incoming DO message because the connection is invalid
19/05/2015 11:53:28.944 hidd[93]: IOHIDEventQueue unable to get policy for event of type 11. (e00002e8)

Hopefully you can make sense of what's going on.

I am seeing a lot of the "unable to get policy for event of type 11," if that means anything.

I really appreciate your help, thank you!

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Answer 4

sungy Author

Level 1

7 points

May 21, 2015 9:17 AM in response to Linc Davis

Also, this is what continually shows when I try to play videos:

21/05/2015 17:13:09.437 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]: (com.apple.imfoundation.IMRemoteURLConnectionAgent) The _DirtyJetsamMemoryLimit key is not available on this platform.

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 22, 2015 8:53 AM in response to sungy

It's likely that the startup drive is failing, or there is some other internal hardware fault.

Back up all data on the drive immediately if you don't already have a current backup. There are ways to back up a computer that isn't fully functional—ask if you need guidance.

Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider.

If privacy is a concern, erase the data partition(s) with the option to write zeros* (do this only if you have at least two complete, independent backups, and you know how to restore to an empty drive from any of them.) Don’t erase the recovery partition, if present.

Keeping your confidential data secure during hardware repair

Apple also recommends that you deauthorize a device in the iTunes Store before having it serviced.

*An SSD doesn't need to be zeroed.

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Answer 6

sungy Author

Level 1

7 points

May 22, 2015 9:05 AM in response to Linc Davis

thank you, I will make sure to do that.

To back up my drive, is TimeMachine enough or is that within the hardware?

How else can I back up my data?

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Answer 7

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 22, 2015 9:33 AM in response to sungy

is TimeMachine enough

It should be.

Reply

Answer 8

sungy Author

Level 1

7 points

May 23, 2015 5:39 AM in response to Linc Davis

Alright, thank you again!

Reply

Answer 9

DanielNa

Level 1

0 points

Aug 17, 2015 8:47 PM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc,

I am having a similar issue and i just did the etrecheck.

could you possibly help me out?

Problem description:

Extremely slow computer in all operations

EtreCheck version: 2.4.1 (137)

Report generated 8/17/15, 11:33 PM

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: (What does this mean?)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) (Technical Specifications)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro9,2

1 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core

4 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

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

Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 274 - SN = W03244P94D3LC

Video Information: (What does this mean?)

Intel HD Graphics 4000

Color LCD 1280 x 800

System Software: (What does this mean?)

OS X 10.10.5 (14F27) - Time since boot: about 3 hours

Disk Information: (What does this mean?)

APPLE HDD HTS545050A7E362 disk0 : (500.11 GB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

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

Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 498.88 GB (329.26 GB free)

Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked Converting

Core Storage: disk0s2 499.25 GB Online

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS31N ()

USB Information: (What does this mean?)

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Thunderbolt Information: (What does this mean?)

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Configuration files: (What does this mean?)

/etc/sudoers - Modified

Gatekeeper: (What does this mean?)

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: (What does this mean?)

/Library/Application Support/Avast/components/fileshield/unsigned

[loaded] com.avast.AvastFileShield (2.1.0 - SDK 10.10) [Click for support]

/Library/Application Support/Avast/components/proxy/unsigned

[loaded] com.avast.PacketForwarder (2.0 - SDK 10.10) [Click for support]

Launch Agents: (What does this mean?)

[running] com.avast.secureline.update-agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.secureline.userinit.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.avast.update-agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.userinit.plist [Click for support]

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

[unknown] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]

[running] Safe.Connect.client.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: (What does this mean?)

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

[loaded] com.avast.init.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.secureline.init.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.secureline.uninstall.plist [Click for support]

[failed] com.avast.secureline.update.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.uninstall.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.update.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.cloudpath.maccmd.plist [Click for support]

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

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]

[unknown] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] net.cloudpath.HelperTool.plist [Click for support]

[running] Safe.Connect.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: (What does this mean?)

[loaded] com.avast.home.userinit.plist [Click for support]

[failed] com.avast.secureline.home.userinit.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.valvesoftware.steamclean.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: (What does this mean?)

iTunesHelper Application (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

Internet Plug-ins: (What does this mean?)

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 15.0.1 - SDK 10.7 Check version

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 18.0.0.232 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Flash Player: Version: 18.0.0.232 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

SlingPlayer: Version: Unknown - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.5.2 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20913.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

MeetingJoinPlugin: Version: Unknown - SDK 10.2 [Click for support]

DirectorShockwave: Version: 12.1.6r156 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

User internet Plug-ins: (What does this mean?)

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: (What does this mean?)

Avast Online Security

3rd Party Preference Panes: (What does this mean?)

Flash Player [Click for support]

GoPro [Click for support]

Time Machine: (What does this mean?)

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: (What does this mean?)

5% WindowServer

2% storedownloadd

2% Avast

1% com.avast.daemon

1% com.avast.proxy

Top Processes by Memory: (What does this mean?)

635 MB Google Chrome Helper(8)

434 MB kernel_task

307 MB mds_stores

147 MB Google Chrome

143 MB mdworker(12)

Virtual Memory Information: (What does this mean?)

41 MB Free RAM

3.96 GB Used RAM (1.33 GB Cached)

49 MB Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: (What does this mean?)

Aug 17, 2015, 08:08:02 PM Self test - passed

Reply

Answer 10

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Aug 18, 2015 3:39 AM in response to DanielNa

Linc Davis rarely answers questions posed by others that the original poster. He also does not like Etrecheck reports.

Yosemite will run more efficiently if you install additional RAM. 8 GB RAM should be sufficient and the best sources of Mac compatible RAM are OWC and Crucial.

Rid you MBP of Avast. It is not necessary and is having an adverse affect on performance. Go to the developers web site for uninstallation instructions.

Rid the MBP of Google Chrome and its various parts. It is the glutton of browsers. Use Firefox, Safari or Opera instead.

Ciao.

Reply

Answer 11

Sep 16, 2015 11:35 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hey Linc, I'm also having issues with a slowness of my Macbook Pro
I'm trying to get a sense of what to do with "fixing" the problem but I don't quite know where to begin.

Here is my etrecheck

Problem description:

sudden slowness in my macbook pro

EtreCheck version: 2.4.2 (142)

Report generated 9/16/15, 1:05 PM

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: (What does this mean?)

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

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1

1 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 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 = 761 - SN = W01306PESD3BA

Video Information: (What does this mean?)

Intel HD Graphics 3000

Color LCD 1280 x 800

System Software: (What does this mean?)

OS X 10.10.5 (14F27) - Time since boot: less than an hour

Disk Information: (What does this mean?)

TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk0 : (750.16 GB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

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

Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 748.98 GB (694.18 GB free)

Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

Core Storage: disk0s2 749.30 GB Online

OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5970H ()

USB Information: (What does this mean?)

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: (What does this mean?)

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper: (What does this mean?)

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: (What does this mean?)

/Library/Extensions

[loaded] com.sophos.kext.sav (9.2.50 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.sophos.nke.swi (9.2.50 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.nike.sportwatch (1.0.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.wibu.codemeter.CmUSBMassStorage (1.0.7) [Click for support]

Problem System Launch Daemons: (What does this mean?)

[failed] com.wibu.CodeMeter.Server.plist [Click for support]

Launch Agents: (What does this mean?)

[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

[failed] com.adobe.ARMDCHelper.cc24aef4a1b90ed56a...plist [Click for support] [Click for details]

[loaded] com.citrix.AuthManager_Mac.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.citrix.ReceiverHelper.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.citrix.ServiceRecords.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.examsoft.softest.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.nike.nikeplusconnect.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.pharos.notify.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.pharos.popup.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.sophos.uiserver.plist [Click for support]

[running] net.juniper.pulsetray.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: (What does this mean?)

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.SMJobBlessHelper.plist [Click for support]

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

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

[loaded] com.ciscosystems.ciscoconnect.daemon.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.examsoft.softest.service.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.fitbit.galileod.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensingV2.helper.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.sophos.common.servicemanager.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] net.cloudpath.HelperTool.plist [Click for support]

[running] net.juniper.AccessService.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] net.juniper.UninstallPulse.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: (What does this mean?)

[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

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

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

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

[running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: (What does this mean?)

Spotify.tmp Application Hidden (~/Desktop/Spotify.tmp.app)

Internet Plug-ins: (What does this mean?)

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 45 Check version

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 2.4.1.4 [Click for support]

OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.3.3 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 15.008.20082 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 18.0.0.232 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20913.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 18.0.0.232 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

CitrixICAClientPlugIn: Version: 11.7.0 - SDK 10.7 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 15.008.20082 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

CouponPrinter-FireFox_v2: Version: Version 1.1.6 [Click for support]

DirectorShockwave: Version: 11.6.3r633 [Click for support]

3rd Party Preference Panes: (What does this mean?)

Citrix ShareFile Sync [Click for support]

Flash Player [Click for support]

Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]

Time Machine: (What does this mean?)

Mobile backups: ON

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 748.98 GB Disk used: 54.80 GB

Destinations:

Dai's My Passport [Local]

Total size: 999.83 GB

Total number of backups: 8

Oldest backup: 2013-08-26 16:40:32 +0000

Last backup: 2014-06-19 03:09:44 +0000

Size of backup disk: Adequate

Backup size 999.83 GB > (Disk used 54.80 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: (What does this mean?)

4% AdobeReader

3% Google Chrome Helper(8)

1% distnoted(2)

1% Google Chrome

1% WindowServer

Top Processes by Memory: (What does this mean?)

856 MB Google Chrome Helper(8)

407 MB kernel_task

164 MB softwareupdated

143 MB Google Chrome

98 MB AdobeReader

Virtual Memory Information: (What does this mean?)

55 MB Free RAM

3.94 GB Used RAM (846 MB Cached)

0 B Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: (What does this mean?)

Sep 16, 2015, 12:20:14 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Spotify_2015-09-16-122014_[redacted].hang

Sep 16, 2015, 12:03:06 PM Self test - passed

Sep 16, 2015, 12:00:21 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/AdobeReader_2015-09-16-120021_[redacted].hang

Sep 16, 2015, 11:57:11 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/AdobeReader_2015-09-16-115711_[redacted].hang

Sep 16, 2015, 11:45:27 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/AdobeReader_2015-09-16-114527_[redacted].hang

Sep 16, 2015, 09:12:14 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Microsoft Word_2015-09-16-091214_[redacted].hang

Sep 16, 2015, 09:11:37 AM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Finder_2015-09-16-091137_[redacted].crash

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Answer 12

Jan 12, 2016 8:56 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc,

I too have been having difficulty with my macbook pro (2012) suddenly running slow. I did what you told another user to do (copy and paste "syslog -k Sender kernel -k Message CReq 'Channel t|GPU D|I/O|find tok|n Cause: -' | tail | open -ef" into the Terminal. I received an output in the TextEdit that reads: " Jan 11 20:12:35 Kevins-MacBook-Pro kernel[0] <Debug>: Previous Shutdown Cause: -60 " . You said that there shouldn't be any text, so I am just wondering what this output means. Any help would be great!

Thanks,

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