IMac Running Very Slow

Question

Silvia1964 Author

Level 1

8 points

IMac Running Very Slow

Hello~

We had had this IMac for more than 7 years and recently started to run very slow. I do understand , per EtreCheck that on RAM we are low but can somebody else guide me on what else can I do, per this report, to fix the slowness?

EtreCheck version: 2.9.10 (261)

Report generated 2016-03-25 10:23:15

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime 4:22

Performance: Good

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

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

Click the [Remove] links to remove adware.

Problem: Computer is too slow

Description:

My computer is very slow

Hardware Information: ⓘ

iMac (24-inch, Early 2008)

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

iMac - model: iMac8,1

1 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2-core

2 GB RAM - Insufficient RAM! Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

1 GB DDR2 SDRAM 800 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM1

1 GB DDR2 SDRAM 800 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

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

Video Information: ⓘ

ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro - VRAM: 256 MB

iMac 1920 x 1200

System Software: ⓘ

OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 (14F1605) - Time since boot: about one day

Disk Information: ⓘ

Hitachi HDP725032GLA380 disk0 : (320.07 GB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 319.21 GB (40.79 GB free)

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

USB Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

Fitbit Inc. Fitbit Base Station

Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Polar Electro Oy Polar M400

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Gatekeeper: ⓘ

Mac App Store and identified developers

Adware: ⓘ

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.onlineapplicationnotice.AppNotice.plist

One adware file found. [Remove]

Kernel Extensions: ⓘ

/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.joshuawise.kexts.HoRNDIS (6 - SDK 10.6 - 2016-03-22) [Support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.aliph.driver.jstub (1.1.2 - SDK 10.7 - 2016-03-22) [Support]

[not loaded] com.olympus.CamBlockCommandsDevice (2.0.0 - 2016-03-22) [Support]

[not loaded] com.olympus.CamBlockCommandsDeviceUP (2.0.0 - 2016-03-22) [Support]

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

[not loaded] com.olympus.CamFWSerialBusProtocolTransport (2.0.0 - 2006-11-30) [Support]

[not loaded] com.olympus.CamUSBMassStorageClass (2.0.0 - 2006-11-30) [Support]

Startup Items: ⓘ

ParallelsDesktopTransporter: Path: /Library/StartupItems/ParallelsDesktopTransporter

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite

System Launch Agents: ⓘ

[not loaded] 6 Apple tasks

[loaded] 144 Apple tasks

[running] 42 Apple tasks

[killed] 20 Apple tasks

20 processes killed due to insufficient RAM

System Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[not loaded] 44 Apple tasks

[loaded] 136 Apple tasks

[running] 67 Apple tasks

[killed] 15 Apple tasks

15 processes killed due to insufficient RAM

Launch Agents: ⓘ

[failed] com.adobe.ARMDCHelper.cc24aef4a1b90ed56a...plist (2016-02-21) [Support]

[not loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Support]

[failed] com.sophos.uiserver.plist (2012-12-26) [Support]

Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist (2016-02-21) [Support]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.SMJobBlessHelper.plist (2016-02-21) [Support]

[failed] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2016-03-07) [Support]

[loaded] com.apple.aelwriter.plist

[running] com.fitbit.galileod.plist (2015-10-30) [Support]

[not loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.skype.skypeinstaller.plist (2014-03-07) [Support]

[failed] com.sophos.autoupdate.plist (2012-11-07) [Support]

[failed] com.sophos.intercheck.plist (2012-11-07) [Support]

[failed] com.sophos.notification.plist (2012-11-07) [Support]

User Launch Agents: ⓘ

[failed] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist (2011-10-07) [Support]

[failed] com.apple.SafariBookmarksSyncer.plist

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2016-03-03) [Support]

[running] com.onlineapplicationnotice.AppNotice.plist (2016-02-22) Adware! [Remove]

~/Library/Application Support/Spigot/AppNotice

User Login Items: ⓘ

iTunesHelper UNKNOWN (missing value)

jose UNKNOWN (missing value)

Safari Application (/Applications/Safari.app)

AdobeResourceSynchronizer UNKNOWN (missing value)

Jawbone Updater Application (/Applications/Jawbone Updater.app)

FlowSync Application (/Applications/FlowSync.app)

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

Other Apps: ⓘ

[running] com.aliph.Jawbone_Updater.61660

[running] com.fitbit.GalileoMenubar.88924

[running] fi.polar.FlowSync.94036

[loaded] 360 Apple tasks

[running] 126 Apple tasks

[killed] 40 Apple tasks

Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

Google Earth Web Plug-in: 6.0 (2010-11-23) [Support]

Default Browser: 600 - SDK 10.10 (2015-07-16)

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: 2.4.0.11 (2011-10-16) [Support]

CouponPrinter-FireFox: Version 1.1.5 (2010-02-01)

OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: 12.3.6 (2013-04-28) [Support]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 15.010.20060 - SDK 10.8 (2016-03-14) [Support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: 21.0.0.182 - SDK 10.6 (2016-03-12) [Support]

Silverlight: 4.0.60531.0 (2011-10-16) [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2015-10-26)

Flash Player: 21.0.0.182 - SDK 10.6 (2016-03-12) Outdated! Update

CitrixICAClientPlugIn: 11.2.0 (2011-10-26) [Support]

iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 (2010-04-03)

AdobePDFViewer: 15.010.20060 - SDK 10.8 (2016-03-14) [Support]

CANONiMAGEGATEWAYDL: 3.0.0.2 (2009-03-06) [Support]

CouponPrinter-FireFox_v2: Version 1.1.6 (2011-09-20) [Support]

MeetingJoinPlugin: Unknown - SDK 10.2 (2015-08-13) [Support]

User internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

BrowserPlus_2.9.8: 2.9.8 (2010-09-09) [Support]

fbplugin_1_0_3: Unknown (2010-02-26) [Support]

Safari Extensions: ⓘ

CustomerAid (2016-03-07)

SlickSavings (2015-12-06)

3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ

BrowserPlus (2010-09-09) [Support]

Citrix Online Plug-in (2011-10-26) [Support]

Flash Player (2016-03-07) [Support]

MacFUSE (2009-06-03) [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: 319.21 GB Disk used: 278.43 GB

Destinations:

My Book [Local]

Total size: 999.37 GB

Total number of backups: 8

Oldest backup: 3/21/10, 7:02 PM

Last backup: 4/12/10, 11:00 PM

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 999.37 GB > (Disk size 319.21 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

24% mdworker(6)

3% WindowServer

1% fontd

1% kernel_task

0% com.apple.WebKit.Plugin.64

Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

332 MB kernel_task

199 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

59 MB Safari

51 MB mdworker(6)

35 MB com.apple.WebKit.Plugin.64

Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

44 MB Free RAM

1.96 GB Used RAM (377 MB Cached)

45 MB Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ⓘ

Mar 24, 2016, 03:21:01 PM Self test - passed

Thanks

Silvia

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Mar 25, 2016 8:36 AM

Reply

Answer 1

den.thed

Level 10

92,392 points

Mar 25, 2016 9:21 AM in response to Silvia1964

1. Uninstall the sophos av-ware as per the developers instructions.

it isrobbing your system of valuable resources and not necessary with OS X

2. Remove any un-nessessary User Launch, User Login Items and Internet Plugins.

stream line and run less stuff at the same time

3. Upgrade your RAM.

a. for the Apple Installation Instructions

see > Install memory in an iMac - Apple Support

b. the 2x2= 4GB kit from OWC macsales.com is only $32

see > http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/iMac/Intel_Core_2_Duo_PC2-6400

Reply

Answer 2

Silvia1964 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 12, 2016 1:40 PM in response to den.thed

Thanks.
This IMac already has 2 GB. If I go to 4 like you suggest, do I have to take off the 2 to install the 4 or do I just add 4 more and make it 6?. Not sure about how many slots this IMac has for Ram

Reply

Answer 3

K Shaffer

Level 8

36,058 points

Oct 1, 2016 6:11 AM in response to Silvia1964

There are two memory slots so both RAM chips need to be replaced with higher

capacity chips, as mentioned in the Support article previously linked above, per

your model build year & display size specification related to your product here:

• Install memory in an iMac - Apple Support

According to http://mactracker.ca and macsales, your computer can use a total of 6-GB RAM

so that would be one slot with a 4-GB chip and the other one, with a 2-GB memory chip.

Maximum Memory 6.0 GB (Actual) 4.0 GB (Apple)

Memory Slots 2 - 200-pin PC2-6400 (800MHz) DDR2 SO-DIMM

The Support site also has a few helpful images on memory chip location, and etc.

Also, the OWC macsales site has helpful videos for upgrade items, free to view.

Hopefully you removed those resource robbing items mentioned earlier and also

got rid of the Safari extensions that are marginal. The computer could use larger

capacity hard disk drive, since that one was rather snug back in March. Remove

any old copies of anything you don't need right now, that you created & saved in

the Macintosh HD. And a second archive storage external drive is recommended.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

Reply

Answer 4

padams35

Level 4

3,613 points

Oct 1, 2016 6:11 AM in response to Silvia1964

Sadly the early 2008 iMacs only have 2 slots for RAM so you would need to take out the original. However your mac does unofficially support a maximum of 6GB of ram in the form of 2GB+4GB, so if you want to install 6GB that is an option.

Reply

Answer 5

Silvia1964 Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 7, 2016 5:24 AM in response to K Shaffer

Thank you K Shaffer.
I will need to read more about if it's capable of holding 6 Gig in the form of (2 Gig + 4 Gig). As far as I've read it can only go up to 4 Gig (2Gig + 2Gig)

Reply

Answer 6

Allan Jones

Level 9

78,782 points

Oct 7, 2016 9:18 AM in response to Silvia1964

Dear Silvia,

That model will handle up to 6GB RAM but that requires a special and expensive module that, I believe is sold by only one vendor--at least only one I trust: OWC (macsales.com). The special 4GB module is roughly three times more expensive per gig than regular RAM.

Upgrading to 4GB RAM is about US$33 :https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/6400DDR2S4MP/

Upgrading to 6GB RAM is about US$109: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/6400DDR2S6GP/

I believe that if you get rid of Sophos, 4GB RAM will do fine.

You can do the 6GB route but I simply wanted you to understand the extra cost for a computer that cannot run the latest Mac OS and that you may replace in the next year or so.

Reply