Slow Mac Problem

Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
For some reason after the new updates my computer has been running slow.

I have an iMac 24 inch, 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2 GB Ram. I also running Leopard.

Even when I am running relatively nothing, things seem to slow down a bit and stop responding. Especially when watching videos online, it stops playing the video in some parts while the sound keeps going. My Firefox app has crashed a few times and doesn't seem to close properly. None of this happened in the past, even when using more stuff at the same time. What could be the cause of this?
 
Joined
Mar 24, 2008
Messages
90
Reaction score
5
Points
8
Location
UK
Your Mac's Specs
2G Mac Pro, 6Gb RAM, Lotsa HD space, 24" Samsung LCD
Open up your Applications folder, then open the Utilities folder and launch Activity Monitor. Have a look and see if anything is eating up your CPU cycles. You can sort the list in order of how much CPU each task is using by clicking on the column heading. Also make sure you have All Processes selected in the drop-down list. This may give a clue if there's some background task slowing things down.

The problem with streaming video is that there's also stuff external to your iMac that can impact it's performance, so it's worth checking out performance using a variety of sources or different websites.

Have you upgraded to the latest version of Firefox (2.0.0.14) to see if that helps?
 
OP
K
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I have mate. There is nothing especially draining at all. There was this thing that surprised me with a Microsoft program that's 'Kind' was "Power PC' and since mine is Intel Core 2 Duo I stopped the process to see what would happen. Essentially, nothing did. Still the same.

It's simply that the computer has become a lot slower and less responsive than before. Whilst I am doing not much more than I used to be doing just a few days before.

And yes, I have the latest Firefox.
 
OP
K
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I just tried changing about 10 album covers and it took like 2 minutes to do whereas a week ago this was a 5 seconds max task.

Would really like to know what is going on.
 
Joined
Apr 20, 2008
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Suffering Likewise

This sounds exactly the same sort of problem I've been having since the latest EFI firmware update amongst others. My mac is desperately slow to respond to even the simplest of tasks, takes ages to come out of sleep and has now had 3 complete crashes in one morning. I've not installed any new software since the update. The only thing I've done is change the Time Machine drive to a larger capacity (but I'm having the problems with that drive either on or off). It's driving me mad and I just want to go back to the machine as it was the other week when it zipped along no problems.

I have a new iMac 20" Intel Core 2 2.4GHz 2MB Ram so it really shouldn't slow up just using Firefox and iTunes!
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I am having the same problem. It can take 2-3 minutes for something to open once I click on it. It takes so long that I can never tell if it's frozen or still working on opening it. Even if I try to open the hard drive. It happens all the time, even if I have nothing open and I have just started up the computer. It's still under AppleCare so I may just send it in. It worked fine until about the time I installed Leopard, but I have re-installed that and is has not improved.
 
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
2,255
Reaction score
47
Points
48
Your Mac's Specs
Al iMac 20" 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
You guys have completely powered down and restarted your iMacs right?

The last few updates have caused serious lag after being installed. A power down and restart fixes it every time.
 
OP
K
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
How do you power down and restart? You mean turn the computer off? Reboot it? If so, I've done that. If not, could you direct me?
 
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
874
Reaction score
11
Points
18
Location
Alabama
Your Mac's Specs
Mid 2009 MacBook Pro  Mid 2007 iMac  4G iPod Touch  iPhone 4S  iPad
Click "Apple/Shut Down". Shut it off a a few minutes and start it back up. Can't hurt. Although I have to admit I'm not sure it does anything a "Restart" doesn't do, I'd give it a try.
 
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
2,255
Reaction score
47
Points
48
Your Mac's Specs
Al iMac 20" 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
Yep, just making sure you haven't just put it to sleep since, instead of a proper shutdown.
 
Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Messages
118
Reaction score
4
Points
18
Location
Perth, Australia
Your Mac's Specs
2.5ghz Penryn MBP, 4 Gb Ram, 512mb 8600M GT, 250gb HDD & Black 30gb iPod, Black 16gb iPhone 3G
IThere was this thing that surprised me with a Microsoft program that's 'Kind' was "Power PC' and since mine is Intel Core 2 Duo I stopped the process to see what would happen.

are you still using Office 04 on your imac?
that wasnt a program designed for the intel chips hence why it shows up as a PPC program, Office 08 is universal so it shows up at Intel.
 
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
874
Reaction score
11
Points
18
Location
Alabama
Your Mac's Specs
Mid 2009 MacBook Pro  Mid 2007 iMac  4G iPod Touch  iPhone 4S  iPad
This post might help you. I ran this script and my MB picked up a little pep in its step!
 
OP
K
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
are you still using Office 04 on your imac?
that wasnt a program designed for the intel chips hence why it shows up as a PPC program, Office 08 is universal so it shows up at Intel.

No mate, I have the newest Office.


Also, I have shut down my computer a few times in fact. No difference.
 
OP
K
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
This post might help you. I ran this script and my MB picked up a little pep in its step!

Thanks, but I've used apps to already run those scripts.

I am quite confused and am thinking of starting over. The lags are seriously a bother. To know why they've happened would be good for preventing them later on also.
 
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
874
Reaction score
11
Points
18
Location
Alabama
Your Mac's Specs
Mid 2009 MacBook Pro  Mid 2007 iMac  4G iPod Touch  iPhone 4S  iPad
Thanks, but I've used apps to already run those scripts.

I am quite confused and am thinking of starting over. The lags are seriously a bother. To know why they've happened would be good for preventing them later on also.
I understand. I wouldn't want to go that route, either. But I wouldn't hesitate if I thought it would remedy the situation.
 
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Points
1
my mac has been running a little sluggish as well. I am not sure what update you guys are all talking about ( not that tech savy sorry ) so i cannot say whether or not i have noticed it being slow due to that fact or after having installed it. I can however say that in the past week or two i have noticed that my mac has seemed a little more sluggish. not too horrible but something is making me think that i am not treating it right...or are there utilities or things you can run like fragment or stuff like in windows? once again i am not too sure, but just asking?
 
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Points
1
ps - sorry i forgot to add that i am noticing most of my delays with the opening of programs and just the like example : while in iTuens, opening preferences, i would notice is lagging between tab switching or when opening up the actually program of iTunes....seems like a lot of people are having the same problems, maybe it did have something to do with the download/update?
 
Joined
Aug 17, 2007
Messages
138
Reaction score
1
Points
18
I am experiencing the same issue as well. It takes like 2-3 mintues for me for me to launch MS Word 08 when it only takes like 10 seconds on a windows machine. I have the n24" 2.4 GHZ Core 2 Duo iMac with 2 GB of Ram. Its not as fast as it was when I first opened it
 
OP
K
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I am going to reinstall the OS.

I don't want some of the files I have deleted. What should I backup before I try such a thing?
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top