Frozen - Beach ball won't stop spinning

Question

I have had my iMac for just over a year now and am generally delighted with it. I had extra memory fitted at the factory.  One major niggle is when I try to do more than one thing at a time I get the beach ball.  I have tried to wait until the ball finishes spinning but sometimes it will just keep going.  Even for several hours!Is my Mac faulty, is it overloaded in some way?   Any help or advice would be gratefully appreciated.My iMac is running El Capitan 10.11.6.  I have downloaded all the latest security apps.

Kappy · Answer

Ways to help make a slow Mac faster17 Reasons Why Your Mac Runs Slower Than it ShouldSlow Mac Performance? This Article Solves It!Fix slow start-ups in OS X | MacFixIt - CNET ReviewsHow to fix slow shutdown and startup times. | MacTip.net6 Easy Tips to Speed Up OS X Yosemite on Your MacVisit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on the SBBOD.Avoid using third-party cleanup software. Usually this software does more bad than good. You don&#x27;t need it. All computers become slower over time even under normal use. Experienced users erase the hard drive and do a clean install from scratch from time to time; or whenever installing a major OS upgrade. Doing so means you must maintain regular and multiple backups.Add more RAM or cut back on the number of concurrently running applications and utilities. Remove unnecessary anti-malware software and any software that promises to clean your Mac. Check for runaway processes: Runaway applications can shorten battery runtime, affect performance, and increase heat and fan activity. Also, visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on dealing with The Spinning Beach Ball of Death.The Ultimate FixBackup everything, erase the drive, reinstall OS X, and restore your data from the backup. Reinstall third-party software from original media/scratch.