HT203184: Apps can affect Mac performance, battery runtime, temperature, and fan activity

Learn about Apps can affect Mac performance, battery runtime, temperature, and fan activity
SusanPEI

Q: RAM upgrade

I increased the RAM to 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 on my mid-2012 MBP and it has been sluggish and non-responsive since.  Instant on is gone and it's acting more like a PC than a Mac!  Can the RAM be increased to 16 GB (2 x 8 GB)?  If so, are there specific brands that have been proven to be reliable in Apple products, or should only Apple RAM be used?

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), null

Posted on Jul 16, 2016 3:30 AM

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Q: RAM upgrade

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  • Helpful answers

  • by SusanPEI,

    SusanPEI SusanPEI Jul 16, 2016 3:47 AM in response to SusanPEI
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 16, 2016 3:47 AM in response to SusanPEI

    Sorry, wrong forum!  Please ignore!

  • by Esquared,

    Esquared Esquared Jul 16, 2016 3:54 AM in response to SusanPEI
    Level 6 (8,405 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 16, 2016 3:54 AM in response to SusanPEI

    Crucial and OWC have the most favorable reviews here. But slowness can have many causes: including (bad) software and failing hard drives. So it's better to investigate first.

     

    Can you post an Etrecheck report of the current setup? http://etrecheck.com

  • by SusanPEI,

    SusanPEI SusanPEI Jul 16, 2016 4:06 AM in response to Esquared
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 16, 2016 4:06 AM in response to Esquared

    EtreCheck version: 2.9.13 (267)

    Report generated 2016-07-16 08:03:31

    Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

    Runtime 3:37

    Performance: Good

     

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

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

     

    Problem: Beachballing

    Description:

    Upgraded RAM to 8GB from 4 GB and instant on is gone, system is sluggish and often non-responsive (beach balling).  I want to restore response time and optimize performance.

     

    Hardware Information:

        MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)

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

        MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro9,2

        1 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-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

        Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 394

     

    Video Information:

        Intel HD Graphics 4000

            Color LCD 1280 x 800

     

    System Software:

        OS X El Capitan 10.11.5 (15F34) - Time since boot: about 19 days

     

    Disk Information:

        APPLE HDD HTS547550A9E384 disk0 : (500.11 GB) (Rotational)

            EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

            Recovery HD (disk0s3) /Volumes/Recovery HD  [Recovery]: 650 MB (76 MB free)

            Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 498.88 GB (417.51 GB free)

                Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

                Core Storage: disk0s2 499.25 GB Online

     

        MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-8A8   ()

     

    USB Information:

        Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

        Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

        Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

        Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

            Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

     

    Thunderbolt Information:

        Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

     

    Gatekeeper:

        Mac App Store and identified developers

     

    Kernel Extensions:

            /Applications/Tunnelblick.app

        [not loaded]    net.tunnelblick.tap (20111101 (Tunnelblick build 3153) Unsigned - 2012-10-23) [Support]

        [not loaded]    net.tunnelblick.tun (20111101 (Tunnelblick build 3153) Unsigned - 2012-10-23) [Support]

     

    System Launch Agents:

        [not loaded]    7 Apple tasks

        [loaded]    146 Apple tasks

        [running]    85 Apple tasks

     

    System Launch Daemons:

        [not loaded]    42 Apple tasks

        [loaded]    149 Apple tasks

        [running]    100 Apple tasks

     

    Launch Agents:

        [running]    com.bitdefender.antivirusformac.plist (2016-05-04) [Support]

        [loaded]    com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2016-07-16) [Support]

        [running]    com.trusteer.rapport.rapportd.plist (2016-03-19) [Support]

     

    Launch Daemons:

        [failed]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2016-05-09) [Support]

        [loaded]    com.bitdefender.AuthHelperTool.plist (2016-05-04) [Support]

        [running]    com.bitdefender.agent.plist (2015-10-15) [Support]

        [loaded]    com.bitdefender.upgrade.plist (2016-05-04) [Support]

        [loaded]    com.google.keystone.daemon.plist (2016-07-16) [Support]

        [loaded]    com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (2014-11-06) [Support]

        [running]    com.trusteer.rooks.rooksd.plist (2016-03-19) [Support]

     

    User Launch Agents:

        [running]    com.akamai.single-user-client.plist (2015-10-03) [Support]

     

    User Login Items:

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

     

    Other Apps:

        [running]    com.bitdefender.CoreIssues

        [running]    com.bitdefender.Daemon

        [running]    com.bitdefender.UpdDaemon

        [running]    com.google.Chrome.51872

        [running]    com.google.GoogleDrive.52192

        [running]    com.microsoft.Excel.60192

        [running]    com.microsoft.autoupdate.fba.84832

        [running]    org.mozilla.firefox.49632

        [loaded]    387 Apple tasks

        [running]    225 Apple tasks

     

    Internet Plug-ins:

        Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: 2.4.4.2 (2012-09-21) [Support]

        FlashPlayer-10.6: 21.0.0.242 - SDK 10.6 (2016-05-22) [Support]

        QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2016-05-23)

        Flash Player: 21.0.0.242 - SDK 10.6 (2016-05-22) Outdated! Update

        Default Browser: 601 - SDK 10.11 (2016-05-23)

        SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.6.5 - SDK 10.6 (2016-06-22) [Support]

        Unity Web Player: UnityPlayer version 5.3.1f1 - SDK 10.6 (2016-01-13) [Support]

        Silverlight: 5.1.40416.0 - SDK 10.6 (2015-08-03) [Support]

     

    User internet Plug-ins:

        Google Earth Web Plug-in: 7.1 (2013-10-07) [Support]

     

    Safari Extensions:

        TrafficLight - Bitdefender SRL - http://trafficlight.bitdefender.com/ (2015-10-15)

     

    3rd Party Preference Panes:

        Akamai NetSession Preferences (2015-10-03) [Support]

        Flash Player (2016-05-09) [Support]

        Flip4Mac WMV (2012-05-15) [Support]

        Trusteer Endpoint Protection (2016-04-28) [Support]

     

    Time Machine:

        Skip System Files: NO

        Auto backup: YES

        Volumes being backed up:

            Macintosh HD: Disk size: 498.88 GB Disk used: 81.37 GB

        Destinations:

            Data [Network]

            Total size: 3.00 TB

            Total number of backups: 68

            Oldest backup: 2014-11-08, 10:43 PM

            Last backup: 2016-07-16, 7:39 AM

            Size of backup disk: Excellent

                Backup size 3.00 TB > (Disk size 498.88 GB X 3)

     

    Top Processes by CPU:

             6%    WindowServer

             3%    kernel_task

             1%    fontd

             0%    hidd

             0%    Google Drive

     

    Top Processes by Memory:

        1.34 GB    com.apple.WebKit.WebContent(12)

        999 MB    Safari

        843 MB    kernel_task

        131 MB    AntivirusforMac

        106 MB    mdworker(9)

     

    Virtual Memory Information:

        43 MB    Free RAM

        7.96 GB    Used RAM (1.22 GB Cached)

        304 MB    Swap Used

     

    Diagnostics Information:

        Jul 16, 2016, 06:34:22 AM    ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/suggestd_2016-07-16-063422_[redacted].crash

            /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreSuggestions.framework/Versions/A/Support/ suggestd

  • by alex7375,Helpful

    alex7375 alex7375 Aug 8, 2016 1:17 PM in response to SusanPEI
    Level 2 (210 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 8, 2016 1:17 PM in response to SusanPEI

    I have the same MBP. I recently did a hardware upgrade to an 500gb. SSD and 16gb. of Crucial memory.

    The SSD is more important for good performance.

    My MBP performs great now. Boot up time is quick and Apps open instantly.

    I did the upgrades myself and it cost me about $200

     

    I highly recommend you replace your hard-drive with an SSD.

     

    My mid-2012 MBP performs like a NEW $2000 MBP now. It works really good.

  • by Esquared,

    Esquared Esquared Jul 16, 2016 4:40 AM in response to SusanPEI
    Level 6 (8,405 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 16, 2016 4:40 AM in response to SusanPEI

    Try uninstalling Bitdefender and Trusteer: both are known causes of slowness, and are useless otherwise.

  • by SusanPEI,

    SusanPEI SusanPEI Jul 16, 2016 4:49 AM in response to alex7375
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 16, 2016 4:49 AM in response to alex7375

    Thanks, Alex.  I bought a Crucial MX300 2.5 inch SSD 750 GB on Amazon Prime Day, so I'm hoping it will be the answer.  I'm also going to upgrade to 16 GB RAM, so my MBP should soon be operating like new. 

  • by SusanPEI,

    SusanPEI SusanPEI Jul 16, 2016 4:50 AM in response to Esquared
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 16, 2016 4:50 AM in response to Esquared

    Thanks.  I'll try that.  And, I just uninstalled and reinstalled Adobe Flash Player, since it was a problem.   Thanks for your help!

  • by alex7375,Solvedanswer

    alex7375 alex7375 Jul 16, 2016 5:51 AM in response to SusanPEI
    Level 2 (210 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 16, 2016 5:51 AM in response to SusanPEI

    Don't forget to enable "trim" support for your new SSD after you get the operating system installed on the new SSD.

    Open "terminal app" and enter this command "sudo trimforce enable" then select YES and YES again....reboot once complete.

     

    I used "Carbon copy cloner app" to clone my hard-drive onto the new SDD.

    Just download and run as a trial for a FREE use.

    http://bombich.com/

     

    You will also need a "USB to Sata adapter" to connect your new SSD to a USB port on your Mac so you can clone your drive.

    https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-SATA-Drive-Adapter-Cable/dp/B00HJZJI84/ref=sr_1_ 2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468673456&sr=8-2&keywords…

  • by SusanPEI,

    SusanPEI SusanPEI Aug 8, 2016 1:26 PM in response to alex7375
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 8, 2016 1:26 PM in response to alex7375

    Thanks.  I'll try that.  And, I just uninstalled and reinstalled Adobe Flash Player, since it was a problem.  

     

    8 August 2016 - just installed the new Crucial RAM (16 GB) and the new Crucial MX300 750 GB SSD.  My MBP is now responding lightning fast and I'm a happy woman!  I enabled trim as you suggested and have just restarted the MBP.  So far, so good!  Thanks so much for your advice!