Late 2013 21.5" iMac Running Very Slow

Question

Level 1

4 points

Late 2013 21.5" iMac Running Very Slow

Do I need more RAM to make my mac faster? If so how? I read that you cant do it yourself for the late 2013 iMac. Not very knowledgable with this stuff so any feedback is appreciated!! Report below.

EtreCheck version: 2.9.11 (264)

Report generated 2016-04-29 10:42:22

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime 8:59

Performance: Below Average

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

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

Problem: Computer is too slow

Description:

iMac runs VERY slow for all applications when I have Adobe Suite running (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign). When I close these programs the computer seems to go faster. I am a graphic designer and need all of these applications open simultaneously while I work.

Hardware Information: ⓘ

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013)

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

iMac - model: iMac14,1

1 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 4-core

8 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

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

Video Information: ⓘ

Intel Iris Pro

iMac 1920 x 1080

System Software: ⓘ

OS X El Capitan 10.11.4 (15E65) - Time since boot: about 2 days

Disk Information: ⓘ

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

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 999.35 GB (695.89 GB free)

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

USB Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Chicony Wireless Device

Wacom Co.,Ltd. CTL-470

HP ENVY 5660 series

Thunderbolt Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper: ⓘ

Mac App Store and identified developers

System Launch Agents: ⓘ

[not loaded] 7 Apple tasks

[loaded] 150 Apple tasks

[running] 66 Apple tasks

[killed] 15 Apple tasks

15 processes killed due to insufficient RAM

System Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[not loaded] 46 Apple tasks

[loaded] 151 Apple tasks

[running] 79 Apple tasks

[killed] 12 Apple tasks

12 processes killed due to insufficient RAM

Launch Agents: ⓘ

[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist (2016-04-12) [Support]

[failed] com.adobe.ARMDCHelper.cc24aef4a1b90ed56a...plist (2015-11-25) [Support]

[running] com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist (2016-02-26) [Support]

[loaded] com.coupons.coupond.plist (2016-01-11) [Support]

Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist (2015-11-25) [Support]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.SMJobBlessHelper.plist (2015-11-25) [Support]

[loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist (2014-07-27) [Support]

[running] com.adobe.adobeupdatedaemon.plist (2016-04-12) [Support]

[loaded] com.adobe.agsservice.plist (2016-04-12) [Support]

[failed] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2016-04-15) [Support]

[loaded] com.ea.origin.ESHelper.plist (2016-01-31) [Support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensingV2.helper.plist (2015-09-11) [Support]

User Launch Agents: ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist (2014-07-27) [Support]

[failed] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist (2015-11-25) [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2016-03-02) [Support]

[running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist (2016-04-27) [Support]

User Login Items: ⓘ

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

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

Box Sync Application (/Applications/Box Sync.app)

Spotify Application (/Applications/Spotify.app)

AdobeResourceSynchronizer Application (/Applications/Adobe Acrobat DC/Adobe Acrobat.app/Contents/Helpers/AdobeResourceSynchronizer.app)

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

Box Edit Application (~/Library/Application Support/Box/Box Edit/Box Edit.app)

Box Local Com Server Application (~/Library/Application Support/Box/Box Edit/Box Local Com Server.app)

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

Other Apps: ⓘ

[running] com.Box.Box-Edit.111712

[running] com.adobe.CCLibrary.180832

[running] com.adobe.CCXProcess.180512

[running] com.adobe.InDesign.107872

[running] com.adobe.acc.AdobeDesktopService.91552.AEAAEF78-C2FF-4918-BE92-A51AF1A7D2A0

[running] com.adobe.accmac.181152

[running] com.box.Box-Local-Com-Server.112032

[running] com.box.sync.56352

[running] com.getdropbox.dropbox.58912

[running] com.google.Chrome.60832

[running] com.google.GoogleDrive.1952

[running] com.hp.devicemonitor

[loaded] com.microsoft.autoupdate.fba.98912

[loaded] 396 Apple tasks

[running] 185 Apple tasks

[killed] 32 Apple tasks

Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

AdobeAAMDetect: 3.0.0.0 - SDK 10.9 (2016-04-12) [Support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: 21.0.0.226 - SDK 10.6 (2016-04-21) [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2016-04-14)

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 15.010.20060 - SDK 10.8 (2016-03-20) [Support]

Flash Player: 21.0.0.226 - SDK 10.6 (2016-04-21) [Support]

AdobePDFViewer: 15.010.20060 - SDK 10.8 (2016-03-20) [Support]

CouponPrinter-FireFox_v2: 5.4.2 - SDK 10.10 (2016-01-11) [Support]

Default Browser: 601 - SDK 10.11 (2016-04-14)

JavaAppletPlugin: 15.0.1 - SDK 10.11 (2014-07-27) Check version

3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ

Flash Player (2016-04-15) [Support]

Time Machine: ⓘ

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

6% kernel_task

4% WindowServer

3% Google Chrome Helper(13)

2% sysmond

2% usbmuxd

Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

2.30 GB Google Chrome Helper(13)

791 MB kernel_task

319 MB Adobe InDesign CC 2015

221 MB Google Chrome

221 MB Box Sync

Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

22 MB Free RAM

7.98 GB Used RAM (2.03 GB Cached)

218 MB Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ⓘ

Apr 28, 2016, 01:00:49 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-28-130049_[reda cted].crash

com.google.GoogleDrive.FinderSyncAPIExtension - /Applications/Google Drive.app/Contents/PlugIns/FinderSyncAPIExtension.appex/Contents/MacOS/FinderSy ncAPIExtension

Apr 28, 2016, 01:00:32 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-28-130032_[reda cted].crash

Apr 28, 2016, 01:00:16 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-28-130016_[reda cted].crash

Apr 28, 2016, 12:59:25 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-28-125925_[reda cted].crash

Apr 28, 2016, 12:55:18 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-28-125518_[reda cted].crash

Apr 28, 2016, 12:55:09 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-28-125509_[reda cted].crash

Apr 28, 2016, 12:43:13 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-28-124313_[reda cted].crash

Apr 28, 2016, 12:28:37 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-28-122837_[reda cted].crash

Apr 28, 2016, 11:09:11 AM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-28-110911_[reda cted].crash

Apr 28, 2016, 08:53:50 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Adobe Photoshop CC 2015_2016-04-28-085350_[redacted].hang

/Applications/Adobe Photoshop CC 2015/Adobe Photoshop CC 2015.app/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Photoshop CC 2015

Apr 27, 2016, 05:59:09 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-27-175909_[reda cted].crash

Apr 27, 2016, 01:02:13 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Adobe Photoshop CC 2015_2016-04-27-130213_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Details]

Apr 27, 2016, 12:40:01 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-27-124001_[reda cted].crash

Apr 27, 2016, 12:36:50 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-27-123650_[reda cted].crash

Apr 27, 2016, 09:53:22 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Box Sync_2016-04-27-095322_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Details]

/Applications/Box Sync.app/Contents/MacOS/Box Sync

Apr 27, 2016, 07:51:25 AM Self test - passed

Apr 26, 2016, 10:39:51 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-26-223951_[reda cted].crash

Apr 26, 2016, 12:38:13 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-26-123813_[reda cted].crash

Apr 26, 2016, 12:35:20 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/FinderSyncAPIExtension_2016-04-26-123520_[reda cted].crash

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), 8 GB, 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5

Posted on Apr 29, 2016 8:50 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 29, 2016 8:56 AM in response to slaughtesj

Login items can be responsible for slowing a Mac down ...

Open System Preferences > Users & Groups then select the Login Items tab.

Remove one item at a time then restart your Mac to test.

"iMac runs VERY slow for all applications when I have Adobe Suite running (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign). When I close these programs the computer seems to go faster. I am a graphic designer and need all of these applications open simultaneously while I work."

I'd start with the AdobeResourceSynchronizer first.

User Login Items: ⓘ

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

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

Box Sync Application (/Applications/Box Sync.app)

Spotify Application (/Applications/Spotify.app)

AdobeResourceSynchronizer Application (/Applications/Adobe Acrobat DC/Adobe Acrobat.app/Contents/Helpers/AdobeResourceSynchronizer.app)

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

Box Edit Application (~/Library/Application Support/Box/Box Edit/Box Edit.app)

Box Local Com Server Application (~/Library/Application Support/Box/Box Edit/Box Local Com Server.app)

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

Reply

Answer 2

Allan Jones

Level 9

68,966 points

Apr 29, 2016 9:21 AM in response to slaughtesj

It behooves you to get this working as-is because, as you've read, the RAM in your iMac model is not "user accessible." Although you "can" get to the RAM slots, Apple did not want anyone opening the computer and made sure it was a difficult task that would void any warranty coverage. Besides, with prudence, you should be able to run on 8GB RAM. My wife's iMac is similar but older and has no RAM issues with 8GB RAM.

I'm with Caroline--too much stuff in User Login Items. I would include removing Chrome and it is a known bloated resource hog. Look lower in the report:

Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

2.30 GB Google Chrome Helper(13)

791 MB kernel_task

319 MB Adobe InDesign CC 2015

221 MB Google Chrome

221 MB Box Sync

Chrome Helper alone is using more than 25 percent of your physical RAM.

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 29, 2016 9:30 AM in response to slaughtesj

I see it took almost 9 minutes to download the EtreCheck report.

It is also possible that your hard drive may be failing.

Also you do not have TimeMachine turned on.

I would buy an external hard drive and make a full backup using either Time Machine or you could use a third party application such as Carbon Copy Cloner Carbon Copy Cloner (Not free, but worth the price) or Super Duper to copy all data from the internal HDD as well as the recovery partition.

Better to error on the safe side.

Kim

Reply

Answer 4

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Apr 29, 2016 11:44 AM in response to slaughtesj

When you see a beachball cursor or the slowness is especially bad, note the exact time: hour, minute, second.

These instructions must be carried out as an administrator. If you have only one user account, you are the administrator.

Launch the Console application in any one of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.

The title of the Console window should be All Messages. If it isn't, select

SYSTEM LOG QUERIES ▹ All Messages

from the log list on the left. If you don't see that list, select

View ▹ Show Log List

from the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Each message in the log begins with the date and time when it was entered. Scroll back to the time you noted above.

Select the messages entered from then until the end of the episode, or until they start to repeat, whichever comes first.

Copy the messages to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Paste into a reply to this message by pressing command-V.

The log contains a vast amount of information, almost all of it useless for solving any particular problem. When posting a log extract, be selective. A few dozen lines are almost always more than enough.

Please don't indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.

Please don't post screenshots of log messages—post the text.

Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.

When you post the log extract, you might see an error message on the web page: "You have included content in your post that is not permitted," or "The message contains invalid characters." That's a bug in the forum software. Please post the text on Pastebin, then post a link here to the page you created.

If you have an account on Pastebin, please don't select Private from the Paste Exposure menu on the page, because then no one but you will be able to see it.

Reply

Answer 5

MichelPM

Level 10

80,980 points

Apr 29, 2016 2:44 PM in response to slaughtesj

I have going on a tear about all the new slimline, 21 inch screen iMacs, lately.

I am not holding any punches with these models.

Unless you get one of these with a fast CPU, 16 GBs of RAM and a Fusion Drive or full blown SSD, the lesser 21 in h screen iMacs are going to run slower with Yosemite and El Capitán.

The problems/pitfalls?

8 GBs of RAM isn't enough to run OS X El Cap well as a chunk of the needed RAM goes for VRAM needed by the Integrated ( not discreet) Graphics processor.

So, OS X is never getting the full benefit of the total 8 Gbs of RAM.

Couple that to a slower, underperforming laptop standard 5400 RPM hard drive, your iMac has the makings of a slower performing iMac.

Plus, being a graphics designer type, your taxing the system even more by leaving resource hungry/eating apps, like leaving the entire Adobe CS suite all running simultaneously with the other Adobe apps that you aren't always immediately using running in the background, possible with a font manager running in the background, OS X Mail app possibly running in the background as well as possibly a web browser running in the background.

Your iMac model simply does not have enough resources available to be running your setup the way your are working, currently.

I been working as a graphics guy and long time Photoshop expert for 20+ years.

Here's my advice for working with Adobe apps.

Unless you are importng/exporting images, you should really be using Adobe Photoshop, ALONE, EXCLUSIVELY, with no other Adobe apps running in the background. AND, if possible, NO other running background apps.

Adobe Photoshop IS the largest resource eating app of ALL the Adobe apps.

You CAN get by with running InDesign and Illustrator together, but Photoshop needs all of your Macs's resources it can get!

This my workflow on my older 2009 iMac with 16 GB of RAM.

I run Adobe Photoshop exclusively by itself with only my font manager open and that's it until I am ready to send images to either Illustrator or InDesign.

I think you'll find yourself and your Mac running happier if you try using my process and methodology on this topic.

Good Luck to you!

Reply