Leopard Lag on iMac - How do I troubleshoot it?

Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
225
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Location
Norfolk, England
Your Mac's Specs
White Macbook (refurb), 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo, 2 GB Memory, 60GB HDD
My 24inch 2.4GHz iMac is installed with Leopard and is pretty much an exact mirror of my Macbook, in terms of the programs installed and settings.

But whilst the Macbook runs completely smoothly, my iMac is very laggy at non-replicable random moments. For example, sometimes I would just be closing a window and it will take 1 or 2 seconds to close it, displaying a beach ball during the lag. Closing another window a moment later will probably be fine. This 1 to 2 second lag with the beach ball happens very often with the smallest tasks; stuff like browsing front row, expose, spaces, opening a new tab in safari. Its a miserable experience especially since my iMac is much more powerful than my Macbook!

I've got 4GB of Ram too and it happens regardless of how much free ram I have. I've tried to see if there is a spike in any CPU processes when the lag occurs, but there isn't anything unusual. I've looked at the Disk Activity but can't find a pattern between that and the lag.

I've had this problem ever since I've got my iMac, which is less than a year old. I recently reinstalled leopard to see if it'd make a difference, obviously not. I've run the Techtools Deluxe test which it passed. I haven't run Disk utility yet myself but that's because AppleCare recently changed the graphics card and told me that they ran Disk Utility themselves and found no error. Note: I thought the graphics card was the problem which is why it was replaced but the new one hasn't made a difference - the lag is still there.

Finally, I do notice that when I wake up from sleep my airport takes ages to connect to my wireless network (around 10 seconds) compared to my macbook which normally connects instantly (I did this test placing the iMac and Macbook in the same place).

I thought I could work this out myself with the aid of google but now I accept that I desperately need help!
 
Joined
May 22, 2005
Messages
2,159
Reaction score
67
Points
48
Location
Closer than you think.
Your Mac's Specs
Performa 6116 2GBSCSI 8MB OS 7.5.3
Open Activity Monitor to see if a program or process that is running either goes unresponsive or spikes CPU percentages during the lag cycles.

Observe the time and look in Console for events with that time.
 
OP
S
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
225
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Location
Norfolk, England
Your Mac's Specs
White Macbook (refurb), 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo, 2 GB Memory, 60GB HDD
I've tried that, but nothing is registered in the console when the lag happens.

The activity monitor is the same - its never one program that has a CPU spike. It is always the program that I'm trying to do something with, like closing a window, that comes on top of the CPU process list. But like I said, that program is not just one but could be any such as safari, mail, ical, skype etc.
 
Joined
May 22, 2005
Messages
2,159
Reaction score
67
Points
48
Location
Closer than you think.
Your Mac's Specs
Performa 6116 2GBSCSI 8MB OS 7.5.3
Did you try the,...

Create a new user and log in as that user.

I know you said you reloaded 10.5, but if it was an archive install or you moved your data back, this might determine if there is something corrupt in your profile.
 
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
574
Reaction score
4
Points
18
Location
Toronto
Your Mac's Specs
2xiMac24 w Parallels 6 (1x White, 1x Aluminum), iPhone 3GS with iOS5
I have the 2.4 and a solution from another Forum is to re-establish the "prebinding" use Terminal - I cut/pasted it rather than retyped:

sudo update_prebinding -debug -root / -force

I did this and it is running faster so it is worth a try. Wish I could claim the fame but it was my first time in Terminal. Fingers crossed and it can only help. Of course a backup would be wise if you mess something up.
 
OP
S
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
225
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Location
Norfolk, England
Your Mac's Specs
White Macbook (refurb), 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo, 2 GB Memory, 60GB HDD
I have the 2.4 and a solution from another Forum is to re-establish the "prebinding" use Terminal - I cut/pasted it rather than retyped:

sudo update_prebinding -debug -root / -force

I did this and it is running faster so it is worth a try. Wish I could claim the fame but it was my first time in Terminal. Fingers crossed and it can only help. Of course a backup would be wise if you mess something up.

Is there a way to reverse this if something goes wrong?

The worst thing about this error is that I can't find a way to replicate it, so I'm not sure if AppleCare will even take it in for repair cos I don't know how to describe it better than "My computer is lagging with all applications but I can't replicate it. It's passed every normal test you propose. Am I screwed?"!

I'll test out the new user thing and report back.
 
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
574
Reaction score
4
Points
18
Location
Toronto
Your Mac's Specs
2xiMac24 w Parallels 6 (1x White, 1x Aluminum), iPhone 3GS with iOS5
I would guess that is what the back up is for. I typed it wrong and only part of the instructions were done. Nothing happened but I was warned to back up. I gambled and won - I would let it happen as it is not a machine changing event - just an forced update of some system thing. Your call but I gambled and went ahead.
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
24" Core2Duo with 4GB RAM
Hey StevenH,

I exactly facing the same problem as yours!!
Do you find any solution yet?? Please help!
 
OP
S
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
225
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Location
Norfolk, England
Your Mac's Specs
White Macbook (refurb), 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo, 2 GB Memory, 60GB HDD
Do you have wireless problems too? Where sometimes you will wake up from sleep and it ttakes ages to connect to the wireless network? Also, just to make sure we have the exact same setup, do you have the wireless aluminum apple keyboard and wireless mighty mouse?

Oh for god sake: it's happening right now. Every few sentences it will lag and give me the beach ball. There. There. Not here. There. Grrrrrrrr......

What do you reckon the chances are of Apple taking this in and just giving me a brand new one?

p.s. I haven't had time to try out the new user
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
101
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Your Mac's Specs
alienware,mbp,imac(3),blackjack,Hp running macintosh,
same thing has been happening to my friend
 
Joined
Jan 27, 2008
Messages
1,515
Reaction score
55
Points
48
Location
Estero, FL
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 17" 1Ghz G4  iPhone 3G  10.5.5
Do you have wireless problems too? Where sometimes you will wake up from sleep and it ttakes ages to connect to the wireless network? Also, just to make sure we have the exact same setup, do you have the wireless aluminum apple keyboard and wireless mighty mouse?

Oh for god sake: it's happening right now. Every few sentences it will lag and give me the beach ball. There. There. Not here. There. Grrrrrrrr......

What do you reckon the chances are of Apple taking this in and just giving me a brand new one?

p.s. I haven't had time to try out the new user
Do you have a wired keyboard and mouse to try?
Also, do you have iStat installed by any chance?

Could try Repairing permissions and Verify disk with Disk Utilty.

Have you tried an Erase and Install? (drastic measure, I know, but when all else fails...)
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
24" Core2Duo with 4GB RAM
Do you have a wired keyboard and mouse to try?
Also, do you have iStat installed by any chance?

Could try Repairing permissions and Verify disk with Disk Utilty.

Have you tried an Erase and Install? (drastic measure, I know, but when all else fails...)

I had tried all the suggestions searched over the internet.
But no one can really solve the problem.
I having an Imac 24"inch, 2.4ghz with 4GB Ram.
Wired aluminium keyboard and mouse.
(tried different apply mouse and keyboard, same...)

Tried repair disk permission - same.
Tried create new user account - same.
Tried reset PRAM - same.
Tried reinstall, erase the disk image, - same.

What else can we tried?

I'm locate in Hong Kong, I knew if bring to Apple repair it's nothing can solve, the most I scared about is after repaired, the problem still exists...


Tried reinstall, same..

The problem mostly happen to the hardware part mostly.
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
24" Core2Duo with 4GB RAM
Joined
Jan 27, 2008
Messages
1,515
Reaction score
55
Points
48
Location
Estero, FL
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 17" 1Ghz G4  iPhone 3G  10.5.5
Did you download the firmware update and try to install it?
Sometimes the Software update doesn't catch firmware updates.

It will tell you if it's already installed or not when you try.
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
24" Core2Duo with 4GB RAM
Did you download the firmware update and try to install it?
Sometimes the Software update doesn't catch firmware updates.

It will tell you if it's already installed or not when you try.

Ya, just double check, it's with the latest firmware.

I bought this imac 24" inch with 4GB Ram at December 2007.
The firmware now showing:

IM71.007A.B03

I also tried downloaded and install the iMac graphic update 1.0
but when try to install it say "Your computer does not need this update".

So both solution is not a solution now..

Any new solution we can try?
 
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
574
Reaction score
4
Points
18
Location
Toronto
Your Mac's Specs
2xiMac24 w Parallels 6 (1x White, 1x Aluminum), iPhone 3GS with iOS5
Have you tried to turning off unused options like Bluetooth, Time Machine and unwanted services? These are on by default and I have them off.

Perhaps try stripping out one of the memory modules to run on 2GB. Perhaps a memory chip is going AWOL. Run for a while then exchange then to see if it is a ram chip issue.

Perhaps you can record the timing between the beach balls. It may be looking for a disconnected network item.
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
24" Core2Duo with 4GB RAM
Have you tried to turning off unused options like Bluetooth, Time Machine and unwanted services? These are on by default and I have them off.

Perhaps try stripping out one of the memory modules to run on 2GB. Perhaps a memory chip is going AWOL. Run for a while then exchange then to see if it is a ram chip issue.

Perhaps you can record the timing between the beach balls. It may be looking for a disconnected network item.

THanks for the reply.

I dont think so it's related to the OSX problem since my mac mini (core duo) and my imac both running the same Leopard with same service.
Bluetooth tried turned off.

Ya, I tried run the RAM in 2GB also, it's still the same.
The beachball is 'always appear', like i tyingping: "always" this words, when typed a l w... then at the word W will 'lag' for a while (1 or 2 Secs, beachball come out and spin), then will continue appear the ..a y .. (lag again, spin again), s... etc.. etc.

So it's very annyoing and hard to see what causing it because it just happen all the time when I simply type a message.
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
24" Core2Duo with 4GB RAM
Hey, i'm sad that no anybody suggest a new solution which we can try about? ***..
 

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