iMac running very slow

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Just in the last week or so, my imac has been running very slowly.
On the internet, it takes forever for pages to load and i can't watch any video (even if they are fully streamed) without them being very choppy. I thought it could be just a problem with safari but same thing happens on google chrome. Its not just my internet connection because it takes like 3 minutes for my mail and any other applications to open. I only know computer basics so i have no idea why my mac is suddenly being a piece.

I'm also having a unrelated issue with safari too. It always randomly goes back to the previous page i was just at.
 

pigoo3

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I'd like to attempt to answer your question/solve the problem...but we really need more info about your computer. iMac's have been made since 1998...so there's a wide range of possibilities!

- Nick
 
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I got my mac last christmas...
When i said basic i mean very basic, so i don't know what else to tell you about it.
 

chscag

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Well no one is going to be able to assist you with a "basic" iMac. How about clicking on the Apple symbol at the upper left of your screen and then click on "About This Mac", and further click on the tab that says "More Info". Copy and paste in your next reply.
 

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How full is your hard drive?

- Nick
 
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Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac10,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 3.06 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: IM101.00CC.B00
SMC Version (system): 1.52f9
 

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I know that you said that your computer knowledge is "basic"...so anything beyond this point may be a bit difficult. We can try & troubleshoot further...or since this is an almost new computer...and still under warranty I assume...you could let the Apple folks look at it.

Your choice...let us know,:)

- Nick
 
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Any help you could give i would appreciate.
Since my warranty is finished, sending my mac to apple is my last resort.
 

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try updating flash,

repairing permissions (go into disk utility, click the first aid tab, select "macintosh hd" from the sidebar, click repair permissions)

is it just internet that is running slowly or is Finder slow to do stuff, is it giving you the beachball alot?
 
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Its not just the internet, finder is just as slow, 60 percent of the time i'm on my computer i have the beachball waiting for something.

After repairing permissions should i restart my computer?
 

pigoo3

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Any help you could give i would appreciate.
Since my warranty is finished, sending my mac to apple is my last resort.

I'm assuming that you bought/received this Mac computer new...if so...you said you got it "last Christmas". Last Christmas was Christmas 2010 (less than 3 months ago). The automatic/minimum Applecare warranty is 12 months...which would mean your Mac is covered until December, 2011.

- Nick
 

robduckyworth


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you can do if you want.
 
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By last Christmas i meant Christmas 2009, and it was bought new.

It seems the permission thing didn't work, its still running slow.
 
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If everything is running slow could be your hdd is going out. Seems like yor computer is
New enough that this shouldn't be a problem but if it was faulty right from the start, it could be the issue
 

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By last Christmas i meant Christmas 2009, and it was bought new.

It seems the permission thing didn't work, its still running slow.

It always helps to be very clear with details like "last Christmas"...you can see how Christmas 2009 & Christmas 2010 makes a BIG difference in this conversation regarding warranty coverage.

In any case...the more and more things that we suggest, and you try...and that doesn't help...the closer & closer we get to the possibility that your hard drive is starting to go bad. Slow-downs like you're experiencing can be related to a hard drive starting to go bad.

What I would do at this point is make sure anything that you have stored on this hard drive (that is important) is backed up! You never know...5 minutes from now your hard drive could completely crash...losing EVERYTHING!:(

Then what I would do is:

- Boot your computer from the gray disks that came with the computer (hold down the "c" key after you insert the disk & restart the computer).
- Disk #2 has a hardware test program on it that you should run. This may give you an indication if the hard drive is going bad.
- You can also reboot the computer from gray disk #1. This disk has a program on it "Disk Utility" that you can launch. There's a button that you can click in the program window (Repair Disk)...you could try this as well...and see what the results are.

The bottom line is...your hard drive may be going bad..and may need to be replaced (around $50-$75 for a new HD). This is something some users can do...but doing it on an iMac is not that easy. So if your mechanical skills are not the best...you may need a computer professional to do it.

Good luck,

- Nick
 
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my computer used to run perfectly and i was so glad i turned to mac, but since the past couple of weeks it started this. So if its my hdd being faulty wouldnt it have always been slow, or atleast more than 2 weeks?
 

pigoo3

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my computer used to run perfectly and i was so glad i turned to mac, but since the past couple of weeks it started this. So if its my hdd being faulty wouldnt it have always been slow, or atleast more than 2 weeks?
Sometimes hard drives die all at once...and sometimes they die slowly. If your hard drive is dying a slow death...it's hard to say when it started...and when it will finally die completely.

I think you have all of the info you need to access the situation. It's up to you to perform the diagnostic steps I've suggested...and possibly replace the HD (which may be a real possibility...and not really that big of a deal):)

Good luck,

- Nick
 

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just to chip in, ill back pigoo3 and say that it sounds alot like the hard drive is starting to fail.

i would do a backup, or setup regular backups starting now so you dont lose your data, and seek out a replacement.
 
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I recommend that you run all of the routine maintenance suggested here:

OS X Maintenance And Troubleshooting

That may resolve all of your problems. If it doesn't, we can troubleshoot further knowing that it is a more unusual problem. The next step would be to rule out it being a software problem. Let us know when you have completed everything suggested on that page.
 

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