El Capitan 10.11.3 running very, very slow. See EtreCheck report…

Remove your third party apps that claim to protect, manage, boost performance, clean, etc. your computer. EG, Intego, DiskWarrior,

amalgamsab wrote:

Thanks very much, Bob. That really sped things up.

Why is it that those 3rd party apps purport to help yet they slow things down?

Steve 🙂

These are known as marketing, don't fall for it.

amalgamsab wrote:

Why is it that those 3rd party apps purport to help yet they slow things down?

1. you have money
2. they want it

That's all you need to know.

I'm having the same problem (as do lots of others, apparently!)

EVERYTHING is so painfully slow that my MacBook has become unusable... The cursor can't even keep up with the keyboard (and I'm no speed-typist) and I am getting constant beach balling on everything I do - in all applications. The icons in the Dock bounce for ages when trying to open Apps and any right-mouse click results in up to 20 seconds wait for a sub menu to appear!

I downloaded Etracheck and here's the report: (this is Take 2, after I removed some software no longer compatible with Yosemite apparently, and rebooted and reset SMC at the same time)

EtreCheck version: 2.7.8 (238)

Report generated 2016-01-27 21:27:24

Download EtreCheck from http://etrecheck.com

Runtime 6:28

Performance: Below Average

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

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

Click the [Check files] link for help with unknown files.

Problem: Computer is too slow

Hardware Information: ⓘ

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010)

[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro6,2

1 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 2-core

4 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

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

Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 1098 - SN = W0021PE95BWZA

Video Information: ⓘ

Intel HD Graphics

NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M - VRAM: 512 MB

Color LCD 1440 x 900

System Software: ⓘ

OS X El Capitan 10.11.3 (15D21) - Time since boot: less than an hour

Disk Information: ⓘ

Hitachi HTS545050B9SA02 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 (112.85 GB free)

Core Storage: disk0s2 499.25 GB Online

MATSHITADVD-R UJ-898 ()

USB Information: ⓘ

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

Apple Card Reader

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Gatekeeper: ⓘ

Mac App Store and identified developers

Unknown Files: ⓘ

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.flipvideo.FlipShare.AutoRun.plist

One unknown file found. [Check files]

Kernel Extensions: ⓘ

/Applications/EyeTV.app

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.Pluto2 (1.1) [Support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.DontMatchAfaTech (1.1) [Support]

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.DontMatchCinergy450 (1.1) [Support]

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.DontMatchCinergyXS (1.1) [Support]

[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.DontMatchEmpia (1.1) [Support]

[not loaded] com.novatel.driver.Merlin (1.7) [Support]

[not loaded] com.novatelwireless.driver.3G (2.0) [Support]

[not loaded] com.novatelwireless.driver.DisableAutoInstall (1.0.0) [Support]

[not loaded] com.twowire.MacPortX (1.0.0d2) [Support]

[not loaded] com.twowire.MacPortXEnetShim (1.0.0d2) [Support]

[not loaded] com.twowire.MacPortXVersionChecker (1.0.0d2) [Support]

[not loaded] nl.bjaelectronics.driver.PL2303 (1.0.0d1) [Support]

/System/Library/Extensions/NovatelMerlin.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[not loaded] com.novatel.driver.MerlinData (1.7) [Support]

/System/Library/Extensions/NovatelWireless3G.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[not loaded] com.novatelwireless.driver.3GControl (2.0) [Support]

[not loaded] com.novatelwireless.driver.3GData (2.0) [Support]

Launch Agents: ⓘ

[running] com.canon.SPPHelper.plist [Support]

[running] com.flipvideo.FlipShare.AutoRun.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.hp.help.tocgenerator.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.paragon.updater.plist [Support]

[running] jp.co.canon.SELPHYCP.BG.plist [Support]

Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.westerndigital.WD-SmartWare-Installer.plist [Support]

User Launch Agents: ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Support]

User Login Items: ⓘ

None

Other Apps: ⓘ

[running] com.etresoft.EtreCheck.146592

Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 20.0.0.286 - SDK 10.6 [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Flash Player: Version: 20.0.0.286 - SDK 10.6 [Support]

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 8.3.1 [Support]

DivXBrowserPlugin: Version: 1.4 [Support]

Default Browser: Version: 601 - SDK 10.11

SELPHY Photo Print Plugin: Version: 1.1.0.2 [Support]

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 5.1 [Support]

ContentUploaderPlugin: Version: 1.2 [Support]

Silverlight: Version: 3.0.40818.0 [Support]

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0

User internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

fbplugin_1_0_3: Version: Unknown [Support]

RealPlayer Plugin: Version: Unknown [Support]

Safari Extensions: ⓘ

Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on

3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ

DivX [Support]

Flash Player [Support]

NetUpdate [Support]

Time Machine: ⓘ

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: NO - Auto backup turned off

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 498.88 GB Disk used: 386.02 GB

Destinations:

Data [Network]

Total size: 0 B

Total number of backups: 0

Oldest backup: -

Last backup: -

Size of backup disk: Too small

Backup size 0 B < (Disk used 386.02 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

35% mdworker(3)

3% WindowServer

3% kernel_task

0% fontd

0% Dock

Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

485 MB kernel_task

111 MB Finder

102 MB UserEventAgent(2)

98 MB WindowServer

86 MB Dock

Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

77 MB Free RAM

3.92 GB Used RAM (615 MB Cached)

0 B Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ⓘ

Jan 27, 2016, 09:15:27 PM Self test - passed

Jan 27, 2016, 03:26:08 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.security.pboxd_2016-01-27-152608_[re dacted].crash

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RemoteViewServices.framework/XPCServices/com. apple.security.pboxd.xpc/Contents/MacOS/com.apple.security.pboxd

Jan 27, 2016, 03:17:24 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Numbers_2016-01-27-151724_[redacted].crash

com.apple.iWork.Numbers - /Applications/Numbers.app/Contents/MacOS/Numbers

I really am at the end of my tether with Apple: I was a massive user of Aperture (over 2 million images in total, over 100 libraries) and now this... Maybe it's time I ditched Apple once and for all? If I can't resolve this, I need to replace my MBP anyway and all the reasons I switched from Windows are now happening to my Mac (whilst friends who stuck with Windows rave about how much better that has become!)

I would be really grateful if anyone can help me - I would really rather not have to spend any money on anything at the moment (Professional Photography is possibly the worst business to be in these days), but I cannot function at all without a reasonably speedy image processing machine!

Thanks in advance (and apologies for hi-jacking someone else's thread!)

Thanks in advance (and apologies for hi-jacking someone else's thread!

No need to apologize. Just start your own Discussion. That's the best way (the only way, really) to receive competent and timely assistance.

Please read Writing an effective Apple Support Communities question.

Back up your Mac.

Actually I DID search to see if anyone else had the same issue and that is precisely why I posted on this thread... It wasn't marked as answered, but a reply was marked as 'Helpful' and it was feedback on the OP's Etracheck report, so I figured it was better to post on here, hoping for similar feedback, rather than clutter up the forum (and everyone's search results) with dozens of identical problems!

This practice of duplicating threads is frowned upon in every other forum I know of, and actually banned on some!

Thanks for nothing...

Vapresto wrote:

Actually I DID search to see if anyone else had the same issue and that is precisely why I posted on this thread... It wasn't marked as answered, but a reply was marked as 'Helpful' and it was feedback on the OP's Etracheck report, so I figured it was better to post on here, hoping for similar feedback, rather than clutter up the forum (and everyone's search results) with dozens of identical problems!

This practice of duplicating threads is frowned upon in every other forum I know of, and actually banned on some!

Hello Vapresto,

I can't speak for other forums, but John Galt definitely gave you good advice for this one. Only the original poster of a thread can award any points. So if you piggy back onto someone else's thread, no one who is trying to earn points is going to help. In fact, you would be lucky to get advice like John Galt's. Most people would just ignore your post entirely.

My interest is more in helping people use and read EtreCheck reports, so I'm a bit of an odd duck. I will tell you that your problem is significantly different than amalgamsab's problem. You have a different machine with a different configuration and significantly different possibilities. With only 4 GB RAM on an older machine running 10.11, it sounds like you just need more RAM and perhaps an SSD.

When you restart, you erase some of the performance data that EtreCheck looks for. If you waited a couple of days and started a new thread with a new EtreCheck report, I think you would find it much more useful.

I figured it was better to post on here, hoping for similar feedback, rather than clutter up the forum ...

Roger that. I understand some other user support forums might work that way, but this one just doesn't.

That's the reason for writing my User Tip. I can't make you or anyone else read it though. Your "thanks for nothing" comment will not help ingratiate yourself with those having both knowledge and the willingness to apply it to your problem. Good luck.

If you are using Photoshop and/or Lightroom:

4GB RAM + El Capitan + Photoshop and/or Lightroom == Sloth!

The Adobe apps are major RAM hogs. You definitely need to move to

at least 8GB.

For me, short session of 1/2 dozen 24 megapixel photos with Lightroom and then Photoshop

eats up almost 3 GB RAM! Working longer cranks it up more. Photoshop will use as much RAM

as possible then do disk swapping (slowwwwww).

AH, ok.. I didn't realise this forum was all about scoring points... I made the silly mistake of thinking it was all about helping each other, like you are doing - thank you (y)

i will take your advice and try again in a few days, but hasten to add the slow performance is only since installing El Capitan... I use my iMac for all heavy usage Apps and the MBP is more for web browsing, email and on location photo DAM (smallish Aperture libraries, with referenced Originals on an external G-drive)

up until now 4GB has been sufficient, but every single keystroke, mouse click, and App launch (and quit) is excruciatingly slow, since upgrading from Yosemite (and got noticeably worse with 10.11.3 yesterday!)

Thanks for the response and yes I am aware these programs are memory hogs, so I don't use them on my MBP. As above it's only really my web, mail, and on-site machine. It was acceptable until I upgraded to El Capitan, but unusable since 10.11.3 yesterday, and that is my concern... I haven't installed anything else, or anything new, just updated the OS 😟

I Have a 27" iMac with 12Gb RAM and use Thunderbolt drives for external storage. I do all my serious image editing on the iMac and use PS etc on there. Due to concerns about losing Aperture functionality, the iMac is used offline and will not be upgraded beyond Yosemite / Aperture 3.6, as I have over 2 million images in more than 100 libraries (all referenced)

Vapresto wrote:

AH, ok.. I didn't realise this forum was all about scoring points... I made the silly mistake of thinking it was all about helping each other, like you are doing - thank you (y)

Hey, look at the bright side - you got the 10 points for "Solved"! 🙂

i will take your advice and try again in a few days, but hasten to add the slow performance is only since installing El Capitan... I use my iMac for all heavy usage Apps and the MBP is more for web browsing, email and on location photo DAM (smallish Aperture libraries, with referenced Originals on an external G-drive)

up until now 4GB has been sufficient, but every single keystroke, mouse click, and App launch (and quit) is excruciatingly slow, since upgrading from Yosemite (and got noticeably worse with 10.11.3 yesterday!)

What you describe is pretty typical for someone upgrading an older machine to Yosemite and/or El Capitan. Also, since you just upgraded, Spotlight seems to be rebuilding its index. These new OS versions are hybrids of iOS and OS X. They really want to run from an SSD. Plus, with the new VM system, what constitutes "heavy usage" may not be what you think. You didn't mention what browser you use. From what I've seen, most people use Chrome. Chrome is exceptionally RAM-hungry and performs noticeably worse on the new OS versions. The old advice of only Photoshop users need lots of RAM just isn't true anymore. Chrome alone will easily take 2-2.5 GB of your 4 GB RAM.

Hmmm... not so sure: I don't use Chrome on my MBP (far too painful) and I have disabled EVERYTHING in Spotlight (I never use it anyway and it just slows everything down - especially painful with Aperture, as it seems to try and index every thumbnail and preview!)

Maybe my computer is toast and El Capitan has just finished it off, but I thought the main advantage of EC was to be more efficient? I only upgraded because others said it had made their older Macs faster, with less RAM than most newer machines?

Really regretting upgrading, to be honest - seriously considering going right back to Snow Leopard, which is when it worked best with Aperture 3... I have the discs for both, but just not sure I'm brave enough to format the drive!

I have a real downer on Apple, lately - I loved Aperture and became really slick with it. I hate anything Cloud-based, as we have really slow broadband here in the UK, so I am on a very expensive satellite system, with chronic latency issues and pay per GB fees! All automatic downloads are disabled (the last one cost me £20 in data transfer alone) and I refuse to accept Google's new T&C's where you cannot disable Automatic Upgrades to Google Earth, etc, so once a week I have to Force Quit their bloody irritating (and resource hungry) reminder dialogue box!

Grrrr....