Why does my late 2011 MacBook Pro run so slow?

Question

Why does my late 2011 MacBook Pro run so slow?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEw9Yqx2xJU (watch towards the end when I try to watch a twitch stream)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eTL6Rf_gT4&feature=youtu.be

Specs on my laptop: http://imgur.com/a/XHvNO

This is what I have to deal with using this laptop, in the second video it shows my iPhone 6 running twitch no problem while my MBP looks like its going to have a heart attack. I have cox cable and get up to 100mb download speed so my internet speed isn't the issue, I can watch HD movies with no issues on my iPhone and desktop computer. The MacBook Pro says I need to replace the battery soon, maybe replacing that will fix the issue? I have no idea what I have to do or buy to improve the performance, I thought maybe it was my HD but I reformatted and installed El Capitan on a different HD last night and its the same issue.

I understand that devices get old and slow down, I am not expecting to do anything heavy on this laptop but I can't even browse the internet without my MacBook running extremely slow even if nothing else is running in the back. I think I should at least be able to browse the internet, its gotten to the point where I just leave my laptop off and use my iPhone 6 to watch movies when I am in bed because my iPhone 6 runs everything fine. After about 5 years this is what my MacBook Pro look's like: http://imgur.com/a/gcFaa

Other than needing to be cleaned I think its in pretty good shape for a laptop that is around 5 years old, no physical damage, no liquid damage, I've taken pretty good care of it. I bought this MacBook Pro brand new from apple around 2012, if there is a way I can somehow fix this MacBook Pro I would like to. If I have to spend hundreds replacing hardware I would rather just save up for a new laptop. Any advice? Seems like a hardware issue, like something is failing? Its just pretty disappointing because I spent around $1,300 on this laptop and it runs like complete crap, meanwhile my desktop PC that I bought a year after and spent $1,300 still runs amazing.

Posted on Jul 23, 2016 3:05 PM

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Answer 1

dominic23

Level 10

84,018 points

Jul 23, 2016 4:15 PM in response to radioheadjayr

Please run EtreCheck and post the report here.

http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Download it, open Downloads folder, click on it to open and select ”Open”.

“Choose a problem” from the popup menu box and then “Start EtreCheck” in the dialog.

Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar and select “Copy to Clipboard” .

Paste it here when you reply.

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Answer 2

Jul 23, 2016 4:59 PM in response to dominic23

EtreCheck version: 2.9.13 (267)

Report generated 2016-07-23 16:46:53

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime 3:17

Performance: Good

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:

Runs extremely slow, I can’t even use the browser without it running super slow.

Hardware Information: ⓘ

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011)

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

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1

1 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 2-core

16 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

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

Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 1917

Video Information: ⓘ

Intel HD Graphics 3000

Color LCD 1280 x 800

System Software: ⓘ

OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 (15G31) - Time since boot: about 4 days

Disk Information: ⓘ

TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk2 : (750.16 GB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

rip (disk2s2) /Volumes/rip : 749.30 GB (748.67 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk2s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

WDC WD10JPVT-22A1YT0 disk0 : (1 TB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

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

Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 998.97 GB (956.73 GB free)

Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

Core Storage: disk0s2 999.35 GB Online

USB Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Thunderbolt Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper: ⓘ

Mac App Store and identified developers

System Launch Agents: ⓘ

[not loaded] 8 Apple tasks

[loaded] 151 Apple tasks

[running] 79 Apple tasks

System Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[not loaded] 47 Apple tasks

[loaded] 153 Apple tasks

[running] 90 Apple tasks

User Launch Agents: ⓘ

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2016-07-19) [Support]

[failed] com.valvesoftware.steamclean.plist (2016-07-23) [Support]

User Login Items: ⓘ

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

Other Apps: ⓘ

[running] com.google.Chrome.62752

[running] com.valvesoftware.steam.ipctool

[loaded] 413 Apple tasks

[running] 190 Apple tasks

Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

Default Browser: 601 - SDK 10.11 (2016-07-08)

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2016-07-08)

3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ

None

Time Machine: ⓘ

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

6% WindowServer

1% Google Chrome Helper(8)

1% kernel_task

0% fontd

0% corestoragehelperd

Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

1.33 GB Google Chrome Helper(8)

1.09 GB kernel_task

475 MB softwareupdated

246 MB Google Chrome

213 MB Finder

Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

6.44 GB Free RAM

9.56 GB Used RAM (6.85 GB Cached)

0 B Swap Used

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Answer 3

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Jul 24, 2016 4:06 AM in response to radioheadjayr

Your MBP needs a new battery.

Install the original RAM and see if there is a performance improvement.

Ciao.

Reply

Answer 4

Jul 24, 2016 5:29 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

What do you mean by install the original RAM? The original RAM that my MacBook Pro came with is still in there, I haven't changed it.

I just reinstalled on OSX on a SSD and it still runs super slow, is the bad battery that needs to be replaced the reason why everything is running so slow? I don't know what else it can be, I'm considering replacing the battery but they are around $100 so I just want to be sure before I buy one.

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Answer 5

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Jul 24, 2016 6:16 AM in response to radioheadjayr

A new 2011 MBP from Apple could only be ordered with a maximum of 8 GB RAM. Since you have 16 GB RAM installed, then I know it has been changed at one time, by you or someone else. Macs have a well deserved reputation for being selective in regards to RAM, and it may be that the current RAM is not what a Mac likes or may be failing.

In regards to the battery, with 1191 cycles it has passed well beyond it's maximum design parameters of 1000 cycles and can fail at any time. Old batteries can expand and severely damage a MBP. To replace the battery or not is your decision. It is not likely the reason for the overall poor performance.

Ciao.

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Answer 6

Jul 24, 2016 11:55 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Yeah you are right, at one point my MacBook Pro was the only thing I had so I replaced my optical drive with a 1 TB HD to store all my stuff, and I just remembered when I replaced my optical I also upgraded my RAM to 16 GB years ago. I have no idea where that ram is now.

So it could be the ram then? Because my computer ran fine for years with the upgraded ram and just started running really slow a few months ago.

Reply

Answer 7

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Jul 24, 2016 3:36 PM in response to radioheadjayr

Run an Apple Hardware Test. It may offer additional relevant information:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201257

Note that an error free AHT is not conclusive.

Ciao.

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