what is SIMBL

Many thanks to you and Mr. Root. Good to know that it was benign.

I had been looking for a conflict that has caused some applications to open very slowly after I upgraded from Mavericks to Sierra recently. This is especially true with plugins in Photoshop, though the corresponding standalone versions are equally glacial. This only applies to some - others are fine. I got rid of anything Etrecheck suggested might be the cause, SIMBL being one of them. Unfortunately it's made no difference to the slowness. There must be a conflict somewhere but I can't find it. I am using an iMac with 16Gb RAM and 512 Mb VRAM which should be enough to run the apps in question. In fact they do run fine but only after taking an eternity to open. Any thoughts?

Fool that I am, I don't know how to post other than by copying and pasting. So here goes...

EtreCheck version: 4.2.1 (4C020)

Report generated: 2018-04-26 15:14:19

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime: 5:40

Performance: Below Average

Problem: Computer is too slow

Major Issues:

Anything that appears on this list needs immediate attention.

No Time Machine backup - Time Machine backup not found.

Heavy CPU usage - Some processes are using an unusually high amount of CPU.

Minor Issues:

These issues do not need immediate attention but they may indicate future problems.

Heavy RAM usage - This machine is using a large amount of RAM.

Apps crashing - There have been numerous app crashes.

Unsigned files - There is unsigned software installed. They appear to be legitimate but should be reviewed.

Low performance - EtreCheck report took over 5 minutes to run. This is unusual.

Vintage hardware - This machine may be considered vintage.

Hardware Information:

iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010) - Vintage!

iMac Model: iMac11,3

1 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 (i3) CPU: 2-core

16 GB RAM At maximum

BANK 0/DIMM0 - 4 GB DDR3 1333 ok

BANK 1/DIMM0 - 4 GB DDR3 1333 ok

BANK 0/DIMM1 - 4 GB DDR3 1333 ok

BANK 1/DIMM1 - 4 GB DDR3 1333 ok

Video Information:

ATI Radeon HD 5670 - VRAM: 512 MB

iMac 2560 x 1440

Drives:

disk0 - WDC WD1001FALS-40Y6A0 1.00 TB (Mechanical)

Internal SATA 1.5 Gigabit Serial ATA

disk0s1 - EFI (MS-DOS FAT32) [EFI] 210 MB

disk0s2 - Macintosh HD (Journaled HFS+) 998.70 GB

disk0s3 - Recovery HD (Journaled HFS+) [Recovery] 1.03 GB

disk1 - 1394Vender 480.10 GB

External FireWire

disk1s1 - EFI (MS-DOS FAT32) [EFI] 210 MB

disk1s2 - S*********k (Journaled HFS+) 478.46 GB

disk1s3 - Recovery HD (Journaled HFS+) [Recovery] 1.43 GB

Mounted Volumes:

disk0s2 - Macintosh HD 998.70 GB (283.34 GB free)

Journaled HFS+

Mount point: /Volumes/Macintosh HD

disk1s2 - S*********k 478.46 GB (160.50 GB free)

Journaled HFS+

Mount point: /

Network:

Interface en0: Ethernet

One IPv4 address

Interface fw0: FireWire

Interface en1: Wi-Fi

802.11 a/b/g/n

One IPv4 address

Interface en2: Bluetooth PAN

System Software:

macOS Sierra 10.12.6 (16G29)

Time since boot: About a day

System Load: 3.48 (1 min ago) 2.74 (5 min ago) 2.54 (15 min ago)

Security:

Unsigned Files:

Launchd: /Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist

Executable: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/CS5ServiceManager/CS5ServiceManager.app/Contents/MacOS/CS5Service Manager -launchedbylogin

Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK

Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.micromat.TechToolProDaemon.plist

Executable: /Library/PreferencePanes/TechTool Protection.prefPane/Contents/PlugIns/TechToolProDaemon.app/Contents/MacOS/TechT oolProDaemon

Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK

Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.memeo.WDMemeod.plist

Executable: /Library/Application Support/Memeo/WD Anywhere Backup/Daemons/WDMemeod

Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK

Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.arcsoft.eservutil.plist

Executable: /Library/Application Support/ArcSoft/esinter/eservutil

Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK

Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.line6.l6ksettingmgr.plist

Executable: /System/Library/Extensions/Line6Audio.kext/Contents/Resources/L6KSettingMgr

Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK

Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist

Executable: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/SwitchBoard/SwitchBoard.app/Contents/MacOS/launch.switchboard

Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK

Launchd: /Library/LaunchAgents/net.culater.SIMBL.Agent.plist

Executable: /Library/ScriptingAdditions/SIMBL.osax/Contents/Resources/SIMBL Agent.app/Contents/MacOS/SIMBL Agent

Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK

Launchd: /Library/LaunchAgents/com.micromat.TechToolProAgent.plist

Executable: /Library/PreferencePanes/TechTool Protection.prefPane/Contents/PlugIns/TechToolProAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/TechTo olProAgent

Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK

Launchd: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.google.keystone.agent.plist

Executable: /Users/***/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Cont ents/Resources/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleSoftwareUpdate Agent -runMode ifneeded

Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK

Kernel Extensions:

/Library/Application Support/Roxio

[Not Loaded] TDIXController64.kext (Corel Inc., 2.0)

/Library/Extensions

[Loaded] LittleSnitch.kext (Objective Development Software GmbH, 3.8.2 - SDK 10.11)

[Not Loaded] RDUSB0033Dev.kext (Roland Corporation, 1.0.0 - SDK 10.9)

/System/Library/Extensions

[Not Loaded] Soundflower.kext (1.5.1)

[Not Loaded] IKStompIO1Driver.kext (1.0.0)

[Not Loaded] RT2500USBWirelessDriver.kext (1.1.0.0)

[Not Loaded] NetBlockade.kext (1.0)

[Not Loaded] NIUSBGuitarRigMobile.kext (2.4.21 (R30))

[Not Loaded] NIUSBAudioDriver.kext (2.4.21 (R30))

[Not Loaded] VoilaDevice.kext (1.1 - SDK 10.1)

[Loaded] Terminus.kext (4)

[Not Loaded] IKStealthPedalDriver.kext (1.0.0)

[Not Loaded] TrackballWorks.kext (1.1.1 - SDK 10.6)

[Not Loaded] Line6Audio.kext (7.1.0 - SDK 10.5)

[Not Loaded] Line6VariaxUSB.kext (1.0.1)

[Not Loaded] M-AudioFireWireBeBoB.kext (1.10.2)

[Not Loaded] daspi.kext (1.3)

[Not Loaded] RoxioBluRaySupport.kext (1.1.6)

[Not Loaded] Pen Tablet.kext (Pen Tablet 5.3.3-3 - SDK 10.8)

[Not Loaded] WD1394HPDriver.kext (1.0.5)

[Not Loaded] IOFireWireWDHID.kext (1.1.2)

[Not Loaded] WDUSBHPDriver.kext (1.0.1)

System Launch Agents:

System Launch Daemons:

Launch Agents:

Launch Daemons:

User Launch Agents:

User Login Items:

Default Folder X Helper Application (?

(/Library/PreferencePanes/Default Folder X.prefPane/Contents/Resources/Default Folder X Helper.app)

Flux Application (?

(/Applications/Flux.app)

Spark Daemon Application (?

(/Applications/Spark.app/Contents/SharedSupport/Spark Daemon.app)

Alfred 3 Application (Running with Crayons Ltd

(/Applications/Alfred 3.app)

App Tamer Application (St. Clair Software

(/Applications/App Tamer.app)

ClipMenu Application (?

(/Applications/ClipMenu.app)

Ejector Application (?

(/Applications/Ejector.app)

iStat Menus Application (Bjango Pty Ltd

(/Applications/iStat Menus.app)

Jumpcut Application (?

(/Applications/Jumpcut.app)

MagiCal Application (?

(/Applications/MagiCal.app)

Optimal Layout Application (Benedict Lowndes

(/Applications/Optimal Layout.app)

SMARTReporter Application (Mac App Store

(/Applications/SMARTReporter.app)

SnapNDrag 3.6.1 Application (?

(/Applications/SnapNDrag 3.6.1.app)

Smart Scroll Application (Marc Moini

(/Library/PreferencePanes/Smart Scroll.prefPane/Contents/MacOS/Smart Scroll.app)

Internet Plug-ins:

WacomNetscape: 2.1.0-1 (installed 2014-10-17)

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: 3.3.7.2 (installed 2015-10-12)

VLC Plugin: 2.2.2 (installed 2016-02-10)

Silverlight: 5.1.40416.0 (installed 2015-06-13)

FlashPlayer-10.6: 29.0.0.140 (installed 2018-04-10)

PDF Browser Plugin: 2.1 (installed 2014-08-01)

WacomTabletPlugin: WacomTabletPlugin 2.1.0.2 (installed 2014-10-17)

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2018-04-19)

Flash Player: 29.0.0.140 (installed 2018-04-10)

PDEPrint: 2.0 (installed 2005-02-27)

iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 (installed 2014-08-01)

AdobePDFViewer: 8.0.0 (installed 2014-08-01)

GarminGpsControl: 4.0.4.0 Release (installed 2014-08-01)

JavaAppletPlugin: 15.0.1 (installed 2016-09-25)

Audio Plug-ins:

DVCPROHDAudio: 1.3.2 (installed 2014-09-23)

iWow: (installed 2014-08-01)

Hear: 1.1.0 (installed 2014-08-01)

Safari Extensions:

3rd Party Preference Panes:

Adobe Version Cue CS3 (installed 2014-08-01)

Application Enhancer (installed 2014-08-01)

AppTrap (installed 2018-04-15)

Default Folder X (installed 2015-07-22)

EarthDesk (installed 2014-09-23)

FinderPop (installed 2014-09-27)

Flash Player (installed 2018-03-27)

Flip4Mac WMV (installed 2015-10-12)

TrackballWorks (installed 2014-10-21)

Line6AudioMIDI (installed 2014-08-01)

PreferencesPane (installed 2011-07-28)

MacFUSE (installed 2014-08-01)

MenuMeters (installed 2014-08-01)

Native Instruments USB Audio (installed 2014-08-01)

Perian (installed 2014-08-01)

Silk (installed 2014-09-23)

Smart Scroll (installed 2018-03-13)

SuperTab (installed 2016-06-29)

TechTool Protection (installed 2014-08-01)

YAMAHA-USBMIDIPatch (installed 2014-08-01)

Time Machine:

Time Machine Not Configured!

Top Processes by CPU:

Top Processes by Memory:

Top Processes by Network Use:

Top Processes by Energy Use:

Virtual Memory Information:

Diagnostics Information (past 7 days):

2018-04-26 14:16:19 iStatMenusDaemon Crash (3 times)

2018-04-25 19:38:55 mds_stores CPU (once)

2018-04-25 19:23:28 SIMBL Agent.app Crash (once)

2018-04-25 19:23:28 TechToolProAgent.app Crash (once)

2018-04-25 19:21:22 Last Shutdown Cause: 3 - Hard shutdown (once)

2018-04-25 19:20:21 PenTabletDriver.app Crash (once)

End of report

I am very grateful for your taking the time to look at this. I have started a much needed spring clean of my system which it definitely needs. I have updated iStatMenu and thrown out a number of redundant prefpanes. The ClamX was actually running a scan when I did the etrecheck report - rookie error. (Is it true that there are no known viruses on Macs? Is ClamX really unnecessary?)

The strange thing to me is that, even as clogged as it is, my system ran well enough on Mavericks. The slowness in opening some apps only occurred when moving to Sierra.

Many thanks again for your response.

Thanks for the advice about ClamX. After my clean-up, I still have the same problem of slow opening apps, or at least some of them. There must be a conflict somewhere but I have yet to find it.

This is the first time I've used this forum even though I've used Macs since the last century. I am impressed with your responsiveness and help. Maybe my next query will be easier to solve. Thanks again.

After trying every alternative I think I came up with a solution. I did indeed boot into Safe Mode and the problem vanished. So I went through the process of removing login items and adding them to see which one caused it. At the end of that lengthy procedure the problem of slow opening apps remained. I thought I should try Onyx and Disk Utility but again no breakthrough. I had noticed on Onyx that you could delete the font caches, so gave that a try. On re-start it worked fine - but for one time only. The next time I opened the same app it was as slow as ever. Figuring it must be something to do with the fonts, I opened FontBook and asked it to delete all user fonts, all fonts that weren't native to the OS.

Re-start and Voila! It must have been a corrupt font or several of them because now it's opening things at the proper speed. So - fingers crossed - it should be OK now.

Many thanks to those who chipped in on this and hopefully it might help someone else who finds they have the same problem.