My mac is slowing down in a very irregular manner. Even with the identical programs open and performing similar tasks, sometimes it is reasonably fast, sometimes super, super slow. I have tried and failed to identify anything I am doing differently when the slow downs occur.
Mac
It would help us to help you if we could have some more technical info about your iMac.
If you like, please go ahead and download, install and run Etrecheck.
Etrecheck was developed as a simple Mac diagnostic report tool by a regular Apple Support forum user and technical support contributor named Etresoft.
Etrecheck is a small, unobstrusive app that compiles a static snapshot of your entire Mac hardware system and installed software.
This is a free app that has been honestly created to provided help in diagnosing issues with Macs running the newer versions of OS X.
It is not malware and can be safely downloaded and installed onto your Mac.
http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck
Copy/paste and post its report here in another reply thread so that we have a complete profile of your Mac's hardware and installed software so we can all help with your Mac performance issues. Thank You.
It would help us to help you if we could have some more technical info about your iMac.
If you like, please go ahead and download, install and run Etrecheck.
Etrecheck was developed as a simple Mac diagnostic report tool by a regular Apple Support forum user and technical support contributor named Etresoft.
Etrecheck is a small, unobstrusive app that compiles a static snapshot of your entire Mac hardware system and installed software.
This is a free app that has been honestly created to provided help in diagnosing issues with Macs running the newer versions of OS X.
It is not malware and can be safely downloaded and installed onto your Mac.
http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck
Copy/paste and post its report here in another reply thread so that we have a complete profile of your Mac's hardware and installed software so we can all help with your Mac performance issues. Thank You.
If this started happening without your having made any changes and without a warning of low disk space, then it's likely that the startup drive, or some other hardware component, is failing. Back up all data immediately, then make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.
There are ways to back up a computer that isn't fully functional. Ask if you need guidance.
Problem description:
My computer is slowing down dramatically, but irregularly. With the same programs open and similar tasks being performed, sometimes it reacts quickly, other times very slowly.
EtreCheck version: 2.2 (132)
Report generated 5/30/15, 5:01 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: ℹ️
iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011) (Technical Specifications)
iMac - model: iMac12,2
1 3.1 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 4-core
4 GB RAM Upgradeable
BANK 0/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
BANK 0/DIMM1
Empty
BANK 1/DIMM1
Empty
Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Video Information: ℹ️
AMD Radeon HD 6970M - VRAM: 1024 MB
iMac 2560 x 1440
System Software: ℹ️
OS X 10.10.3 (14D136) - Time since boot: 11:11:50
Disk Information: ℹ️
WDC WD1001FALS-403AA0 disk0 : (1 TB)
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 999.35 GB (416.43 GB free)
Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB
HL-DT-STDVDRW GA32N
USB Information: ℹ️
Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
Tablet PTZ-431W
Western Digital My Book 1234 3 TB
EFI (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
My Book (disk2s2) /Volumes/My Book : 3.00 TB (2.43 TB free)
Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Iomega HDD Iomega HDD 2 TB
disk1s1 (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 32 KB
Iomega HDD (disk1s3) /Volumes/Iomega HDD : 2.00 TB (2.95 GB free)
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Apple Internal Memory Card Reader
Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️
Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
Gatekeeper: ℹ️
Mac App Store and identified developers
Kernel Extensions: ℹ️
/System/Library/Extensions
[not loaded] com.wacom.driver.HIDTablet (6.0.0) [Click for support]
Startup Items: ℹ️
ProTec6b: Path: /Library/StartupItems/ProTec6b
Tablet: Path: /Library/StartupItems/Tablet
Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite
Problem System Launch Agents: ℹ️
[killed] com.apple.CallHistoryPluginHelper.plist
[killed] com.apple.CallHistorySyncHelper.plist
[killed] com.apple.cloudphotosd.plist
[killed] com.apple.coreservices.appleid.authentication.plist
[killed] com.apple.EscrowSecurityAlert.plist
[killed] com.apple.icloud.fmfd.plist
[killed] com.apple.photolibraryd.plist
[killed] com.apple.SafariNotificationAgent.plist
[killed] com.apple.scopedbookmarkagent.xpc.plist
[killed] com.apple.telephonyutilities.callservicesd.plist
10 processes killed due to memory pressure
Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[killed] com.apple.ctkd.plist
[killed] com.apple.icloud.findmydeviced.plist
[killed] com.apple.ifdreader.plist
[killed] com.apple.nehelper.plist
[killed] com.apple.softwareupdate_download_service.plist
[killed] com.apple.tccd.system.plist
[killed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist
7 processes killed due to memory pressure
Launch Agents: ℹ️
[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.adobe.CS4ServiceManager.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist [Click for support] [Click for details]
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.maintain.LogOut.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.maintain.PurgeInactiveMemory.plist [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.maintain.Restart.plist [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.maintain.ShutDown.plist [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.maintain.Sleep.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.maintain.SystemEvents.plist [Click for support]
Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.maintain.CocktailScheduler.plist [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.maintain.HideSpotlightMenuBarIcon.plist [Click for support]
User Launch Agents: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.citrixonline.GoToMeeting.G2MUpdate.plist [Click for support] [Click for details]
[not loaded] jp.co.canon.Inkjet_Extended_Survey_Agent.plist [Click for support]
User Login Items: ℹ️
iTunesHelper UNKNOWN (missing value)
Microsoft AU Daemon Application (/Applications/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app/Contents/MacOS/Microsoft AU Daemon.app)
Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX Application Hidden (/Applications/Canon Utilities/IJ Network Scanner Selector EX/Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX.app)
WDDriveUtilityHelper Application (/Applications/WD Drive Utilities.app/Contents/WDDriveUtilityHelper.app)
Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 5.1 [Click for support]
Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10
Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]
RhapsodyPlayerEngine: Version: 1.0.2 [Click for support]
RealPlayer Plugin: Version: Unknown [Click for support]
Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20513.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.188 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
Yahoo! Installer 3: Version: 1.0.128 [Click for support]
Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.188 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
QuickUpload: Version: 1.0.0.47 [Click for support]
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 15.0.0 - SDK 10.10 Check version
User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
CitrixOnlineWebDeploymentPlugin: Version: 1.0.105 [Click for support]
Unity Web Player: Version: UnityPlayer version 2.1.0f5 [Click for support]
3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️
Flash Player [Click for support]
Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]
Growl [Click for support]
Wacom Tablet [Click for support]
Time Machine: ℹ️
Auto backup: YES
Volumes being backed up:
Macintosh HD: Disk size: 999.35 GB Disk used: 582.91 GB
Destinations:
Iomega HDD [Local]
Total size: 2.00 TB
Total number of backups: 62
Oldest backup: 2014-08-09 15:03:21 +0000
Last backup: 2015-05-30 23:55:53 +0000
Size of backup disk: Adequate
Backup size 2.00 TB > (Disk used 582.91 GB X 3)
Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
2% WindowServer
1% fontd
0% taskgated
0% mdworker(10)
0% askpermissiond
Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
1.05 GB Adobe Photoshop CS5
506 MB kernel_task
152 MB Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5
135 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
90 MB mdworker(10)
Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
49 MB Free RAM
3.95 GB Used RAM
1.44 GB Swap Used
Diagnostics Information: ℹ️
May 28, 2015, 09:17:05 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Topaz Clarity_2015-05-28-211705_[redacted].hang
May 28, 2015, 09:16:10 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Topaz Clarity_2015-05-28-211610_[redacted].hang
May 28, 2015, 02:06:32 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-28-140632_[ redacted].hang
May 30, 2015, 08:15:51 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5_2015-05-30-081551_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]
May 30, 2015, 05:47:42 AM Self test - passed
I am going the opposite direction of Lnc Davis, and I propose thst your Mac needs more RAM installed.
WIth everything you are running, in addition to OS X Yosemite, your Mac is starved for RAM.
Your year and model Mac can take up to 32 GBs of RAM.
SInce you are using Photoshop, I would start by adding an additional 8 GBs of RAM for a total of 12 GBs of RAM.
Correct, compatible and reliable Mac RAM can ONLY be purchased from online RAM sources Crucial memory or OWC (http://www.macsales.com).
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/iMac/2011/DDR3_21.5_27
RAM is easy for a user to install as demonstrated here.
http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/imac_mid_2011_mem_h/
Good Luck!
Thanks so much for your help.
I checked the prices of additional RAM as you suggested. You thought that 8 GBs would be sufficient. Would adding 16 GBs be even more helpful or is that overkill for my primary purposes, which is processing photographs.
More RAM is always desirable, if you have the budget for more, go for it!
Your Mac may well be fine with 16 GBs of RAM.
My mac is slowing down in a very irregular manner. Even with the identical programs open and performing similar tasks, sometimes it is reasonably fast, sometimes super, super slow.
