how do I speed up my safari browser

Question

Level 1

0 points

how do I speed up my safari browser

I am seeing slower and slower performance of my my 2009 iMac... It is most noticeable lately in working with Safari (or any browser it seems).

I know there is likely some maintenance work to be done but am not certain where to start.

I located the thread about EtreCheck and went ahead and used that app to review the system data. That seems to be a fairly clean report save a couple items.

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

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

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

[not loaded] ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 319.21 GB Disk used: 261.31 GB

Destinations:

My Book [Local]

Total size: 3.00 TB

Total number of backups: 95

Oldest backup: 2014-01-12 21:03:30 +0000

Last backup: 2015-06-06 11:16:02 +0000

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 3.00 TB > (Disk size 319.21 GB X 3)

FreeAgent Drive MAC [Local]

Total size: 319.73 GB

Total number of backups: 43

Oldest backup: 2015-02-09 13:30:59 +0000

Last backup: 2015-06-06 12:16:48 +0000

Size of backup disk: Too small

Backup size 319.73 GB < (Disk used 261.31 GB X 3)

I have two different external drives... and am still not completely clear on how to manage that... the one drive is noted as too small.

It does not seem to me the above issues would affect safari performance but that is why I am posting here.

I'd appreciate assistance from the community. Thank you!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jun 6, 2015 6:32 AM

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Answer 1

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,532 points

Jun 6, 2015 7:44 AM in response to gbedenkop

Please post an EtreCheck report of your system and we can look for obvious issues.

Reply

Answer 2

gbedenkop Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 6, 2015 9:43 AM in response to rkaufmann87

OK... here is the full report. Appreciate the review.

Problem description:

Very slow web browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox)

EtreCheck version: 2.2 (132)

Report generated 6/6/15, 7:46 AM

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 (20-inch, Early 2009) (Verified)

iMac - model: iMac9,1

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

Video Information: ℹ️

NVIDIA GeForce 9400 - VRAM: 256 MB

iMac 1680 x 1050

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.3 (14D136) - Time since boot: 0:18:25

Disk Information: ℹ️

WDC WD3200AAJS-40H3A0 disk0 : (320.07 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 319.21 GB (57.90 GB free)

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

OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5670S

USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

Seagate FreeAgent Go 320.07 GB

EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

FreeAgent Drive MAC (disk1s2) /Volumes/FreeAgent Drive MAC : 319.73 GB (6.31 GB free)

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Fitbit Inc. Fitbit Base Station

Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Firewire Information: ℹ️

WD My Book 111D 800mbit - 800mbit max

EFI (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

My Book (disk2s2) /Volumes/My Book : 3.00 TB (2.39 TB free)

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Applications/VMware Fusion.app

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vmci (90.6.3) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vmioplug.14.1.3 (14.1.3) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vmnet (0249.89.30) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vmx86 (0249.89.30) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vsockets (90.6.0) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.wdc.driver.1394HP (1.0.9) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.wdc.driver.USBHP (1.0.11) [Click for support]

/Users/[redacted]/Library/Application Support/WDufu/4381/PLXDevicePlugin.app

[not loaded] com.wdc.driver.WdDeviceType00 (1.1) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.wdc.driver.WdDeviceType05 (1.1) [Click for support]

Launch Agents: ℹ️

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

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

[running] com.rosettastone.rosettastonedaemon.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

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

[running] com.fitbit.galileod.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.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]

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

[running] com.wdc.SmartwareDriveService.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.wdc.WDSmartWareService.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 [Click for details]

[not loaded] ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

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

HazelHelper UNKNOWN (missing value)

VMware Fusion Start Menu Application (/Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/VMware Fusion Start Menu.app)

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

AdobeResourceSynchronizer Application Hidden (/Applications/Adobe Reader.app/Contents/Support/AdobeResourceSynchronizer.app)

Google Drive Application (/Applications/Google Drive.app)

Google Chrome Application Hidden (/Applications/Google Chrome.app)

Fitbit Connect Menubar Helper Application (/Applications/Fitbit Connect.app/Contents/MacOS/Fitbit Connect Menubar Helper.app)

WD Quick View Application (/Library/Application Support/WDSmartWare/WDQuickView.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.41.0.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

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

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 2.3.2.6 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.11 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.188 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.188 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.41.0.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.11 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.5.1 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Scorch: Version: 6.0.2 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 45 Check version

User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

npBcsMcTcIO: Version: Unknown [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

1Password

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

Flash Player [Click for support]

Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]

Hazel [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]

WDQuickView [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 319.21 GB Disk used: 261.31 GB

Destinations:

My Book [Local]

Total size: 3.00 TB

Total number of backups: 95

Oldest backup: 2014-01-12 21:03:30 +0000

Last backup: 2015-06-06 11:16:02 +0000

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 3.00 TB > (Disk size 319.21 GB X 3)

FreeAgent Drive MAC [Local]

Total size: 319.73 GB

Total number of backups: 43

Oldest backup: 2015-02-09 13:30:59 +0000

Last backup: 2015-06-06 12:16:48 +0000

Size of backup disk: Too small

Backup size 319.73 GB < (Disk used 261.31 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

8% mdworker(15)

3% Google Chrome Helper(5)

1% WindowServer

0% fontd

0% Google Chrome

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

674 MB kernel_task

434 MB Google Chrome Helper(5)

377 MB mds_stores

205 MB mdworker(15)

172 MB spindump

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

3.56 GB Free RAM

4.44 GB Used RAM

0 B Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Jun 6, 2015, 07:25:21 AM Self test - passed

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Answer 3

poikkeus1

Level 4

2,454 points

Jun 6, 2015 9:54 AM in response to gbedenkop

Do you use "Top Sites" on Safari? That can really gobble up system resources on older machines. If so, disable Top Sittes:

http://osxdaily.com/2012/03/26/disable-top-sites-in-safari/

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Answer 4

gbedenkop Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 6, 2015 12:15 PM in response to poikkeus1

Thanks poikkeus1... not a top site user, but did note lots of cookies saved which I deleted...

Reply

Answer 5

MichelPM

Level 10

80,968 points

Jun 6, 2015 12:44 PM in response to gbedenkop

Ditch ALL Googlewares. They are ALL a serious resource hogs on the OS X system.

The additional benefit is that you'll stop Google from mining your data when you surf the web

https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95319?hl=en

https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2375081?hl=en

If you do not like Apple's Safari web browser, download, install and try Mozilla FireFox, instead.

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox

The current, up-to-date version of FireFox is fully compatible with OS X and is regularly updated by the great developers of the Mozilla group.

I have, also, stopped using the Google search engine regularly (due to Google's privacy policies or lack thereof) and I now use DuckDuckGo as my default search engine.

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Answer 6

MichelPM

Level 10

80,968 points

Jun 6, 2015 12:46 PM in response to gbedenkop

Also, remove/uninstall all of the Western Digital (wdc) software. It is not needed by OS X.

Reply

Answer 7

gbedenkop Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 7, 2015 3:28 PM in response to MichelPM

I saw you had moved away from Yosemite on your 2009 iMac from another post. My details were incorrectly listing Snow Leopard as my IOS version. I did update to Yosemite... wondering if that was a mistake with this older machine?

Am considering your other suggestions as well... Haven't had opportunity yet to do anything further. Removing Chrome and Drive seems like an option you suggest often. I believe a good house cleaning to clear more free disk space is in order as well...

Thanks for your posts.

G

Reply

Answer 8

MichelPM

Level 10

80,968 points

Jun 7, 2015 4:51 PM in response to gbedenkop

You really aren't that low on hard drive free space, yet, but if you want to do some hard drive cleaning.

Here are some general tips to keep your Mac's hard drive trim and slim as possible

You should never, EVER let a computer hard drive get completely full, EVER!

With Macs and OS X, you shouldn't let the hard drive get below 15 GBs or less of free data space.

If it does, it's time for some hard drive housecleaning.

Follow some of my tips for cleaning out, deleting and archiving data from your Mac's internal hard drive.

Have you emptied your Mac's Trash icon in the Dock?

If you use iPhoto or Aperture, both have its own trash that needs to be emptied, also.

If you store images in other locations other than iPhoto, then you will have to weed through these to determine what to archive and what to delete.

If you are an iMovie/ Final Cut user, both apps have their own individual Trash location that needs to be emptied, too!

If you use Apple Mail app, Apple Mail also has its own trash area that needs to be emptied, too!

Delete any old or no longer needed emails and/or archive to disc, flash drives or external hard drive, older emails you want to save.

Look through your other Mailboxes and other Mail categories to see If there is other mail you can archive and/or delete.

STAY AWAY FROM DELETING ANY FILES FROM OS X SYSTEM FOLDER!

Look through your Documents folder and delete any type of old useless type files like "Read Me" type files.

Again, archive to disc, flash drives, ext. hard drives or delete any old documents you no longer use or immediately need.

Look in your Applications folder, if you have applications you haven't used in a long time, if the app doesn't have a dedicated uninstaller, then you can simply drag it into the OS X Trash icon. IF the application has an uninstaller app, then use it to completely delete the app from your Mac.

To find other large files, download an app called Omni Disk Sweeper.

http://www.omnigroup.com/more

Also, Find Any File

http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/

Typically, iTunes and iPhoto libraries are the biggest users of HD space.

move these files/data off of your internal drive to the external hard drive and deleted off of the internal hard drive.

If you have any other large folders of personal data or projects, these should be archived or moved, also, to the optical discs, flash drives or external hard drive and then either archived to disc and/or deleted off your internal hard drive.

Moving iTunes library

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449

Moving iPhoto library

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2506

Moving iMovie projects folder

http://support.apple.com/kb/ph2289

A disclaimer,

Things to consider before moving your iPhoto Library Folder to a new or external location like an external hard drive.

If you make movies on any iDevices using iMovie for iOS,, then transfer the video footage, the IOS version of iMovie saves the footage as a movie file in IPhoto for IOS and will automatically get transferred to iPhoto for the Mac when you upload the video from your iDevice.

Newer versions of iMovie will work and link those video files found in your iPhoto Library on your Mac, but those links can be lost if you move your iPhoto library and you will not be able to relink that video afterwards as the current versions of iMovie seem to not have a relink option for the video portion of the files (ironically, current versions of iMovie HAVE the ability to re-link the audio files from the video footage, though (The inability to re-link the video files could be a possible bug or oversight in current versions iMovie).

The lost video links show up as "blacked-out" video blocks with no content.

Before moving the iPhoto Library

If you make movies with iMovie using iPad or iPhone video then 'Consolidate' the files before you finish. This will gather (albeit by duplicating) all the relevant files in the project in one place. After consolidating/duplicating all of the audio and video footage to a seperate, independent location,it should be safe to move your iPhoto library.

The potential way to circumvent this issues maybe to try and import iPad and iPhoto video directly into iMovie which would be another solution.

Good Luck!

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Answer 9

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

Jun 8, 2015 8:19 AM in response to gbedenkop

Safari/Preferences/Advanced - enable the Develop menu, then go there and Empty Caches. Quit/reopen Safari and test. Then try Safari/History/Show History and delete all history items. Quit/reopen Safari and test. You can also try try Safari/Clear History and Web Site Data. The down side is it clears all cookies.Doing this may cause some sites to no longer recognize your computer as one that has visited the web site. Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J. When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder. Select Library./Caches/com.apple.Safari/Caches.db and move it to the trash.

Safari Corruption See post by Linc Davis

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