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Brand New iMac 4K Performing Slow

Hi all!

few days ago I bought the Newly released iMac 4K, the main version without changes in hardware.


When I started using it I realised that it was performing quite slow, but it did not bothered much as I though that because it was brand new it might need it to 'warm up' a little bit.

Now , after 3 days still the same, slower than my Macbook Air mid 2012!


I migrate information from my Time Machine copy, and I connected my 8TB of external data as well. It was performing even more slow than before, but (again) I though it might be the indexing of 8TB in the spotlight... now that's done and still performing slow in things like:

- moving windows

- opening windonws

- opening apps

-typing in safari

- opening safari taps.

- responding in general.


Shall I wait a bit more???


Im quite frustrated as is a brand new item, any help much appreciated.


regards

Posted on Oct 19, 2015 3:52 PM

Reply
23 replies

Oct 19, 2015 4:07 PM in response to Daniel LO

Hi Daniel,


can you tell us more about the config you actually have ?


Is this the 21,5" version with 5400 rpm Hard Drive ? Those kind of disks are kinda slow. Your MacBook Air has an SSD which is quite faster for accessing datas (even if it's a 2012 version).

If I had to recommend at least one option for those new 21,5 iMac, it's the SSD or Fusion Drive disk.


Hope this help.

Mat.

Oct 20, 2015 7:50 AM in response to Daniel LO

Most reports of slow Macs turn out to be the fault on unneeded third-party software. See if any of the following apply to your Mac:


1) Are you running any anti-virus/internet security applications?

2) Are you running any "cleaning/tune-up/optimization" applications?

3) Any peer-to-peer or torrent downloading software?

4) Any third-party disk backup software that came bundled with an external hard drive?

5) Any online backup scheme other than iCloud (Carbonite; GoogleDrive; MS One Drive)?

6) Did your financial institution ask you to install Trusteer EndPoint Protection (also known as Trusteer Rapport)?


All are known inhibitors of proper Mac performance

Oct 20, 2015 8:21 AM in response to Allan Eckert

I just purchased the iMac Retina 4K on 10/16 and I seem to have the same problem with it running slow. I thought there would be a major difference in speed. Here is my report from etrecheck. Can someone help? I did call Apple and they did look at some things and said things all look good and of course the turn it on and turn it back on periodically will fix it spiel. But I'm not buying it. This thing should be screaming fast.


EtreCheck version: 2.5.5 (215)

Report generated 10/20/15, 11:10 AM

Runtime 1:49

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?)

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)

[Click for Technical Specifications]

[Click for User Guide]

iMac - model: iMac16,2

1 3.1 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 4-core

8 GB RAM Not upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1867 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1867 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

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


Video Information: (What does this mean?)

Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200

iMac 4096 x 2304


System Software: (What does this mean?)

OS X El Capitan 10.11 (15A2301) - Time since boot: about 2 hours


Disk Information: (What does this mean?)

APPLE HDD HTS541010A9E662 disk0 : (1 TB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

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

Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 998.98 GB (796.43 GB free)

Core Storage: disk0s2 999.35 GB Online


USB Information: (What does this mean?)

Broadcom Corp. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple, Inc. Keyboard Hub

Apple, Inc Apple Keyboard


Thunderbolt Information: (What does this mean?)

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus


Configuration files: (What does this mean?)

/etc/sysctl.conf - File exists but not expected


Gatekeeper: (What does this mean?)

Mac App Store and identified developers


Kernel Extensions: (What does this mean?)

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.MCCI.SLAB_USBtoUART (1.02.0f2) [Click for support]


Launch Agents: (What does this mean?)

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


Launch Daemons: (What does this mean?)

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.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]


User Launch Agents: (What does this mean?)

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

[running] com.amazon.music.plist [Click for support]


User Login Items: (What does this mean?)

iTunesHelper UNKNOWN Hidden (missing value)

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

CaddieSyncExpress Application (/Applications/CaddieSyncExpress.app)


Other Apps: (What does this mean?)

[running] com.apple.xpc.launchd.oneshot.0x10000006.EtreCheck

[running] com.skyhawke.CaddieSyncExpress.47392


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

SkyCaddiePlugIn: Version: 1.02 [Click for support]

Default Browser: Version: 601 - SDK 10.11

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.13 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 19.0.0.226 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.10411.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Flash Player: Version: 19.0.0.226 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.5.6 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.13 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

CouponPrinter-FireFox_v2: Version: 1.1.10 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 60 build 27 Check version


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

BrowserPlus_2.9.8: Version: 2.9.8 [Click for support]

npBcsMcTcIO: Version: Unknown [Click for support]


Safari Extensions: (What does this mean?)

Pin It Button


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

BrowserPlus [Click for support]

Flash Player [Click for support]

Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]


Time Machine: (What does this mean?)

Skip System Files: NO

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Destinations:

TOSHIBA EXT [Local]

Total size: 999.86 GB

Total number of backups: 94

Oldest backup: 1/19/14, 8:47 PM

Last backup: 10/12/15, 7:34 PM

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 999.86 GB > (Disk size 0 B X 3)


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

2% WindowServer

1% fontd(2)

1% bird(2)

0% ContainerMetadataExtractor(2)

0% cloudpaird(2)


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

875 MB kernel_task

557 MB mdworker(31)

508 MB Safari(2)

270 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent(2)

197 MB WindowServer


Virtual Memory Information: (What does this mean?)

472 MB Free RAM

7.54 GB Used RAM (1.18 GB Cached)

0 B Swap Used


Diagnostics Information: (What does this mean?)

Oct 20, 2015, 08:53:23 AM Self test - passed

Oct 19, 2015, 09:20:03 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-10-19-212003_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

Oct 18, 2015, 10:50:28 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-10-18-225028_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

Oct 17, 2015, 01:41:53 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-10-17-134153_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

Oct 28, 2015 1:23 PM in response to oreoman26

Im having the same issue but have no idea what this means can any one help?


EtreCheck version: 2.6.1 (221)

Report generated 28/10/2015, 20:18

Runtime 3:25

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?)

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)

[Click for Technical Specifications]

[Click for User Guide]

iMac - model: iMac16,2

1 3.1 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 4-core

8 GB RAM Not upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1867 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1867 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

Wireless: Unknown

Video Information: (What does this mean?)

Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200

iMac 4096 x 2304


System Software: (What does this mean?)

OS X El Capitan 10.11 (15A2301) - Time since boot: less than an hour


Disk Information: (What does this mean?)

APPLE HDD HTS541010A9E662 disk0 : (1 TB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

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

Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 998.98 GB (725.19 GB free)

Core Storage: disk0s2 999.35 GB Online


USB Information: (What does this mean?)

HGST G-Drive Slim 500.11 GB

EFI (disk3s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

G-DRIVE (WORK) (disk3s2) <not mounted> : 499.76 GB

Broadcom Corp. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple, Inc. Keyboard Hub

Apple Inc. Apple Keyboard

HitachiGST G-DRIVE slim 500.11 GB

disk2s1 (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

G-DRIVE (backup) (disk2s2) <not mounted> : 499.76 GB

Canon MX920 series


Thunderbolt Information: (What does this mean?)

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus


Gatekeeper: (What does this mean?)

Mac App Store and identified developers


Launch Agents: (What does this mean?)

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

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

[failed] com.trusteer.rapport.rapportd.plist [Click for support] [Click for details]


Launch Daemons: (What does this mean?)

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.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.trusteer.rooks.rooksd.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] jp.co.canon.MasterInstaller.plist [Click for support]


User Launch Agents: (What does this mean?)

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


User Login Items: (What does this mean?)

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


Other Apps: (What does this mean?)

[running] com.apple.xpc.launchd.oneshot.0x10000009.EtreCheck

[running] jp.co.canon.ij.ica.scanner5.80672.8990228D-2CB4-4D1B-91F4-77841DDE0D76


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

Default Browser: Version: 601 - SDK 10.11

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.3.1.3 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

NP_2020Player_WEB: Version: 6.0.0.11 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.13 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 19.0.0.226 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.40728.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Flash Player: Version: 19.0.0.226 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

NP_2020Player_IKEA: Version: 5.0.94.1 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.13 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.5.7 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

EPPEX Plugin: Version: 10.0 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 7 Update 60 Check version


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

Flash Player [Click for support]

Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]

Trusteer Endpoint Protection [Click for support]


Time Machine: (What does this mean?)

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: NO - Auto backup turned off

Volumes being backed up:

G-DRIVE (WORK): Disk size: 499.76 GB Disk used: 499.76 GB

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 998.98 GB Disk used: 273.79 GB

Destinations:

TimeMachineBackup [Network]

Total size: 0 B

Total number of backups: 78

Oldest backup: 04/06/2014, 20:09

Last backup: 23/10/2015, 16:33

Size of backup disk: Too small

Backup size 0 B < (Disk used 773.55 GB X 3)


G-DRIVE (backup) [Local]

Total size: 499.76 GB

Total number of backups: 1

Oldest backup: 23/10/2015, 23:21

Last backup: 23/10/2015, 23:21

Size of backup disk: Too small

Backup size 499.76 GB < (Disk used 773.55 GB X 3)


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

4% com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

4% Safari

2% WindowServer

1% hidd

1% fontd(2)


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

966 MB kernel_task

279 MB mdworker(23)

213 MB mds_stores

188 MB Keynote

180 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent


Virtual Memory Information: (What does this mean?)

805 MB Free RAM

7.21 GB Used RAM (2.81 GB Cached)

12 MB Swap Used


Diagnostics Information: (What does this mean?)

Oct 28, 2015, 08:11:41 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Microsoft Excel_2015-10-28-201141_[redacted].hang

Oct 28, 2015, 07:24:22 PM Self test - passed

Oct 28, 2015, 02:52:21 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Kernel_2015-10-28-145221_[redacted].panic [Click for details]

Oct 27, 2015, 07:11:25 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/findNames_2015-10-27-191125_[redacted].crash

Nov 22, 2015 10:59 AM in response to Daniel LO

My iMac 4k (base level with the 5400rpm drive) runs fine, given the spinning platter. But I am having a LOT of trouble with external USB 3 drives (a Drobo 3G and a single 5TB drive). I have yet to get a good Time Machine backup of my computer. :/ It could be your external drive, see if performance is normal with that drive (array, I assume) disconnected.

Nov 30, 2015 1:25 PM in response to Allan Jones

same problem for me. brand spanking new imac. been using mac for 25 years and never had such poor performance. I have Box as a cloud based option and run peer to peer very occasiionally but not since I bought the computer. opening any program, logging in. getting a song to play in i tunes, refreshing a window takes 30 seconds to 3 minutes!


ridiculous.

Nov 30, 2015 1:31 PM in response to Ajnabi

Is it a 21.5"? Unless you bought it with an SSD, the hard drive spins/writes/reads about 33% slower than the one in a 27" iMac as it is only 5400 rpm vs. the faster 7200 rpm. I tried one once (in a Macbook Pro) and immediately ordered an SSD to replace it with. Much more difficult to do in a new iMac.


Also, how much RAM do you have?

Nov 30, 2015 1:57 PM in response to Ajnabi

Ajnabi wrote:


yes it is a 21.5. standard configutation out of the Apple store. 5400/1TB


3.1GHz
1TB (5400-rpm) hard drive
Configurable up to 2TB Fusion Drive or 512GB of flash storage (SSD)

so this means, essentially, Apple has made a second class computer and is selling it without any forewarning that there could be performance issues?

Apple is VERY upfront about publishing the system specifications on ALL of their products. In addition, there are many tools available to you including third party reviews, benchmark tests etc..that you can use prior to making a buying decision. If you choose to not take advantage of any of these tools, then perhaps you should look be looking inward and not at criticizing Apple.

Nov 30, 2015 2:07 PM in response to Ajnabi

I've been somewhat familiar with the slower hard drive because I had one once (not for very long!!) and found it to be just too slow for the things I use it for. However, a lot of people use them, especially in laptops, and they are fine with them - it all depends what you use the thing for; if it's mainly web browsing, emails, and such, it'll be fine. But, if you're into editing/rendering photos or videos, then you will absolutely notice the difference. As well, as i5 processor is slower than an i7 and 8 GB of RAM should be good for a lot of stuff except graphics/photos/video work or games.


If you're not happy and you bought it directly from Apple, there is a 14 day return period for a full refund - you could return it and choose something more tailored to what you need it for. Make sure you do your due diligence (research) first!

Brand New iMac 4K Performing Slow

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