MBP extremely slow, HDD cable replaced

Question

Hello!A week ago or so, my beloved sturdy workhorse (Macbook Pro model A1278 mid-2012) became suddenly and unreasonably slow, freezing constantly and beachballing while performing even the easiest tasks. However, before I managed to assess the situation, the infamous flashing question mark on boot appeared, warranting the change of the HDD cable as per these instructions:MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012 Hard Drive Cable Replacement - iFixitAfter successfully replacing the HDD cable, I was relieved to see that my files were intact, but the laptop was still running extremely slow, albeit semi-reliably and not crashing no more. Since I used it pretty much every day for past five years, I&#x27;d say that installing SSD (or maybe even upgrading RAM) would be in order and would appreciate any inputs on what should I be doing next. Here&#x27;s an EtreCheck report, it took 35min which reinforces my "waning HDD" theory:EtreCheck version: 3.4 (420)Report generated 2017-07-19 13:11:51Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.comRuntime: 35:11Performance: PoorProblem: Computer is too slowDescription:Computer is too slow, beachballing occurs while running and using pretty much any program, replaced the HDD cable saving the computer from perpetual flashing question mark.Hardware Information:ⓘ    MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)    [Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty &amp; Service]    MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro9,2    1 2,9 GHz Intel Core i7 (i7-3520M) 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 &#x3D; Normal - Cycle count &#x3D; 1880Video Information:ⓘ    Intel HD Graphics 4000 - VRAM: 1536 MB        Color LCD 1280 x 800Disk Information:ⓘ    APPLE HDD TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk0: (750,16 GB) (Rotational)    [Show SMART report]        EFI (disk0s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) &lt;not mounted&gt;[EFI]: 210 MB        (disk0s2) &lt;not mounted&gt;[CoreStorage Container]: 749.30 GB        Recovery HD (disk0s3 - Journaled HFS+) &lt;not mounted&gt;[Recovery]: 650 MB    HL-DT-ST DVDRWGS31N()USB Information:ⓘ     USB20Bus         hub_device             hub_device                Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad                Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver                Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub                    Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller     USB20Bus         hub_device            Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)     USB30BusThunderbolt Information:ⓘ    Apple Inc. thunderbolt_busVirtual disks:ⓘ    Macintosh HD (disk1 - Journaled HFS+) /[Startup]: 748.93 GB (106.23 GB free)        Physical disk: disk0s2 749.30 GB OnlineSystem Software:ⓘ    macOS Sierra10.12.5 (16F73) - Time since boot: less than an hourConfiguration files:ⓘ    /etc/sudoers, File size 1302 but expected 1563    /etc/sysctl.conf - File exists but not expectedGatekeeper:ⓘ    Mac App Store and identified developersClean up:ⓘ    /Library/LaunchAgents/com.avast.secureline.update-agent.plist        /Library/Application Support/AvastSecureLine/components/update/com.avast.secureline.update-agent        Executable not found!    /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.wdc.WDPrivilegedHelper.plist        /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.wdc.WDPrivilegedHelper        Executable not found!    ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.spotify.webhelper.plist        ~/Library/Application Support/Spotify/SpotifyWebHelper        Executable not found!    3 orphan files found. [Clean up]Kernel Extensions:ⓘ        /Library/Extensions    [loaded]    at.obdev.nke.LittleSnitch (3.7 - SDK 10.11) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.kairos.driver.DuetDisplay (1.1.2 - SDK 10.11) [Lookup]        /System/Library/Extensions    [not loaded]    com.ZTE.driver.ZTEUSBCDCACMData (ZTEDriver_MacV1.3.33) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.ZTE.driver.ZTEUSBMassStorageFilter (ZTEDriver_MacV1.3.33) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.driver.JRDMassStorageDriver32 (1.0.3) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.driver.JRDMassStorageDriver64 (1.0.3) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.driver.JRDUSBModemData32 (1.0.1) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.driver.JRDUSBModemData64 (4.0.8) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.focusrite.driver.usb2audio (1.8 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.master (5.9 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.wdc.driver.1394HP (1.0.11 - SDK 10.4) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.wdc.driver.1394_64HP (1.0.1 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.wdc.driver.USBHP (1.0.11) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.wdc.driver.USB_64HP (1.0.0 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.zte.driver.cdc_ecm_qmi (1.0.23) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.zte.driver.cdc_usb_bus (1.0.23) [Lookup]        /System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns    [not loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.leopard (5.9 - SDK 10.4) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.panther (5.9 - SDK 10.-1) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.snowleopard (5.9 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.tiger (5.9 - SDK 10.4) [Lookup]System Launch Agents:ⓘ    [not loaded]    6 Apple tasks    [loaded]    183 Apple tasks    [running]    93 Apple tasksSystem Launch Daemons:ⓘ    [not loaded]    39 Apple tasks    [loaded]    172 Apple tasks    [running]    107 Apple tasksLaunch Agents:ⓘ    [running]    at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent.plist (Objective Development Software GmbH - installed 2016-10-02) [Lookup]    [failed]    com.avast.secureline.update-agent.plist (? 4f732c42 0 - installed 2015-06-16) [Lookup] - /Library/Application Support/AvastSecureLine/components/update/com.avast.secureline.update-agent: Executable not found!    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist (? c3a2a448 be93c7fb - installed 2016-11-16) [Lookup]    [running]    com.rosettastone.rosettastonedaemon.plist (Rosetta Stone Ltd. - installed 2016-10-02) [Lookup]    [loaded]    org.macosforge.xquartz.startx.plist (Apple Inc. - XQuartz - installed 2012-09-27) [Lookup]Launch Daemons:ⓘ    [loaded]    PACESupport.plist (Shell Script ab6b5614 - installed 2012-07-11) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    PT.updd.plist (? 0 ? - installed 2016-11-15) [Lookup]    [running]    at.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist (? 4ffc17c9 249815ba - installed 2016-10-02) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (? 2afb3af7 a0305b84 - installed 2017-06-14) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.apple.aelwriter.plist (Apple, Inc. - installed 2013-05-30)    [running]    com.apple.qmaster.qmasterd.plist (Apple, Inc. - installed 2010-08-25)    [running]    com.freemacsoft.appcleanerd.plist (? f7188468 7d92d211 - installed 2013-05-19) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (? 6d8cb30e afb3bef0 - installed 2010-08-25) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.microsoft.office.licensingV2.helper.plist (Microsoft Corporation - installed 2016-04-11) [Lookup]    [running]    com.nordvpn.NordVPN.Helper.plist (TEFINKOM &amp; CO S.A - installed 2017-02-28) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (Shell Script e3fefdd2 - installed 2016-09-22) [Lookup]    [running]    com.paceap.eden.licensed.plist (? 31c2e993 dfd5a873 - installed 2013-06-08) [Lookup]    [running]    com.prey.agent.plist (Shell Script 714c4ad6 - installed 2017-03-02) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.sfr.sfr3g.plist (? 3439e71 86bdc726 - installed 2013-06-30) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.surteesstudios.Bartender.BartenderInstallHelper.plist (Surtees Studios Limited - installed 2016-12-24) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.wdc.WDPrivilegedHelper.plist (? 9f7f4405 0 - installed 2016-10-02) [Lookup] - /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.wdc.WDPrivilegedHelper: Executable not found!    [loaded]    org.macosforge.xquartz.privileged_startx.plist (Apple Inc. - XQuartz - installed 2012-09-27) [Lookup]User Launch Agents:ⓘ    [loaded]    com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent.plist (Dropbox, Inc. - installed 2017-07-19) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.google.keystone.agent.plist (Google, Inc. - installed 2017-03-28) [Lookup]    [failed]    com.spotify.webhelper.plist (? b76f297e 0 - installed 2014-07-17) [Lookup] - ~/Library/Application Support/Spotify/SpotifyWebHelper: Executable not found!    [loaded]    com.valvesoftware.steamclean.plist (? cd870406 f03ac3b1 - installed 2017-07-02) [Lookup]User Login Items:ⓘ    CheatSheet    Programm        (/Applications/CheatSheet.app)    NordVPN    Programm        (/Applications/NordVPN.app)    iTunesHelper    Programm (? 0 - installed 2017-05-16)        (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)    Flux    Programm        (/Applications/Flux.app)    Dropbox    Programm        (/Applications/Dropbox.app)    AppCleaner Helper    Programm (? 0 - installed 2013-05-19)        (/Applications/AppCleaner.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/AppCleaner Helper.app)    WDDriveUtilityHelper    Programm        (/Applications/WD Drive Utilities.app/Contents/WDDriveUtilityHelper.app)    Alfred 2    Programm        (/Applications/Alfred 2.app)    Actions Server    Programm        (/Applications/Actions Server.app)Internet Plug-ins:ⓘ    FlashPlayer-10.6: 26.0.0.131 (installed 2017-06-17) [Lookup]    QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2017-07-10)    Flash Player: 26.0.0.131 (installed 2017-06-17) Outdated! Update    JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 111 build 14 (installed 2016-11-16) Check version    SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.0.0 (installed 2010-08-25) [Lookup]Safari Extensions:ⓘ    [enabled]    AdBlock - BetaFish, Inc. - https://getadblock.com (installed 2015-10-19)    [enabled]    WikiWand - WikiWand - http://wikiwand.com (installed 2017-02-20)    [enabled]    Zotero Connector - Center for History and New Media - http://www.zotero.org/ (installed 2015-09-29)Audio Plug-ins:ⓘ    DVCPROHDAudio: 1.3.2 (installed 2013-06-08)    Hear: 1.1.3 (installed 2014-12-08) [Lookup]    BartenderAudioPlugIn: 1.0.0 (installed 2016-09-14) [Lookup]3rd Party Preference Panes:ⓘ    Flash Player (installed 2017-06-14) [Lookup]    Java (installed 2016-11-16) [Lookup]Time Machine:ⓘ    Skip System Files: NO    Mobile backups: ON    Auto backup: YES    Volumes being backed up:        Macintosh HD: Disk size: 748.93 GB Disk used: 642.70 GB    Destinations:        Time Machine Backup [Local]        Total size: 999.86 GB        Total number of backups: 2        Oldest backup: 23.12.16, 09:15        Last backup: 10.07.17, 08:50        Size of backup disk: Too small            Backup size 999.86 GB &lt; (Disk used 642.70 GB X 3)Top Processes by CPU:ⓘ         6% WindowServer         4% kernel_task         2% mdworker         1% ps         1% Little Snitch AgentTop Processes by Memory:ⓘ    786 MB    kernel_task    176 MB    Dropbox    168 MB    Google Chrome    125 MB    Finder    122 MB    mds_storesTop Processes by Network Use:ⓘ    Input     Output    Process name    177 MB    8 MB      openvpn    231 KB    212 KB    mDNSResponder    56 KB     18 KB     Dropbox    4 KB      4 KB      netbiosd    0 B       184 B     SystemUIServerTop Processes by Energy Use:ⓘ      7.64 WindowServer      3.68 AddressBookSourceSync      0.94 Google Chrome      0.88 accountsdVirtual Memory Information:ⓘ    3.83 GB Available RAM    950 MB    Free RAM    4.17 GB Used RAM    2.91 GB Cached files    512 KB    Swap UsedSoftware installs:ⓘ    Microsoft OneNote: 15.35.1 (installed 2017-06-19)    OneDrive: 17.3.6916 (installed 2017-06-24)    OneDrive: 17.3.6919 (installed 2017-07-02)    Wunderlist: 3.4.7 (installed 2017-07-10)    Install information may not be complete.Many thanks in advance and have a great day!! T

Esquared · Answer

You can make a diagnostic of the drive with the freen trial version of DriveDX: https://binaryfruit.com/drivedxIf it reports serious issues, it&#x27;s time to replace the drive. Make sure you have backups of everything on that disk!

TitoPartija · Answer

Hi, thanks for your swift reply! DriveDX showed no errors and overall good health indicators, but the computer still lags and stutters. I&#x27;ll make a backup in any case, as I really do not want to lose my files.

alex7375 · Answer

I have the same MBP mid-2012 13-inch.I use to have the same problems until I upgraded it with 16gb. of ram and 500gb. SSD.I have had no problems since. performs great now.I recommend you upgrade your hard-drive with an SSD.They are really inexpensive now.You can get a 120gb. SSD for $84Amazon.com: OWC / Other World Computing 120GB Mercury Electra 6G 2.5&amp;quot; Serial-ATA 7mm Internal Solid State Drive, 55…120gb is more than enough for most people however if you want to pay more than get a larger SSD.With 120gb. you can install MacOS Sierra and many apps.Fine for default apps and iWork suite, MS office, Photoshop, basic office productivity apps.If you plan on doing video editing , photo editing or saving allot of music then get a bigger SSD.Until then I suggest you take the following steps.1) Disable file syncing within apps ( Chrome, dropbox, icloud, safari, etc . ).It is all this file syncing between apps that is confusing your macbook and generating allot of read/writes to the hard-drive.2) Disable bookmark and photo and file syncing between apps.Open the setting for each app and disable these features.Use the default apple apps that came with your mac.Use iWork suiteDo not use Google Chrome as it eats up allot of ram.8gb of ram is okay. 16gb of ram is better but not necessary unless you are doing allot of video editing.TookkitAmazon.com: 38 in 1 Maintenance Tool Steel Magnetic Screwdriver set, Repair Kit for Apple MacBook Pro, Desktop Computer,…

TitoPartija · Answer

Hi Alex, thank you so much for your extensive and helpful input! In case somebody stumbles upon this thread in the future, I&#x27;d like to offer a quick review of things how they happened, maybe it will be of some help:1. After replacing the HDD cable; HD worked, but was still extremely slow and unresponsive 2. I replaced my original HD with a Samsung SSD - however the problem explained above persisted even with a new HDD cable and a new SSD3. Returned the replacement HDD cable, ordered three different ones off the Internet and one out of three did the trick! 4. Returned three (yes, three!) replacement HDD cables that didn&#x27;t work, the laptop runs smoother and faster than ever. If there is a bottom line to my little adventure, it&#x27;ll probably be the fact that the HDD (now SSD, wohoooo) cables are most obvious culprit for flashing question mark issue and that the first one you order might not be working properly. It could also be due to the fact that I did something wrong in my attempt to replace the cable, but snooping some more around the forums made me realize that is sadly a common issue. Good luck and thank you all on the forum!

Csound1 · Answer

Uninstall Avast, it is not needed and it will affect the way your Mac runs.

TitoPartija · Answer

Will do, thanks!