I use a mac computer at work and have a few issues that I am trying to clear up. I know very little about Mac settings or workings because I am a PC user at home. The age old debate…
My mac is running dreadfully slow. I’m sure it could use more RAM , but I don’t control the purse strings in that department. My basic specs: 800MHz Power PC G4 processor; 256 MB SDRAM; running OS X 10.4.11. If any other specs would assist in responding, let me know what (and how/where I might find it) and I will be happy to provide it.
The first thing I was told to do was to run Disk Utility and fix the permissions. I did that and it maybe helped a bit, but still not even close to what it should be.
Is there some place on a mac where I can view all of the programs and processes currently running which might be eating up my RAM or an I barking up the wrong tree? I know that used to be a problem for me on my pc, but I don’t know where to look to monitor that info.
I seem to have the most trouble when I am in my e-mail and web browser. I use Firefox and Thunderbird, but I don’t believe the speed of our DSL connection is the culprit. I may be way off base, but a year or so ago when I first switched to the above browser and e-mail programs, I downloaded the basic files and then tried to install.
Instead of installing as a simple program/application with a desktop icon, they seem to have installed differently where my mac displays them as independent drives. Every time I open either program, a couple of windows pop up. One that appears to be an installation kind of thing although I have no idea for sure.
The other from an old anti-virus program that apparently reads this as a new external drive being connected so it wants to check for viruses.
Once up and running, I get a desktop icon designating it as a separate drive.
In the last photo I grouped four icons together: the server at work is the “A-Drive”; I have a USB flash drive “Toms Cruzer” connected; and there are my web browser and e-mail programs. Thunderbird and Firefox icons also appear active in the dock below, though not shown in the photo.
I wonder it that might be causing some of my delays. I have tried to reinstall the programs, but I keep getting the same functionality. I just downloaded a new web design program Amaya. And gosh darn it if it didn’t install the same way when I opened up the .dmg file. Is there some way I can install these programs to just act like normal applications? It is probably an easy fix or nuance that I just don’t know about being a primarily pc person.
AND if I am able to ‘solve’ that issue, is there a process to getting my current user settings and data into the newly installed programs – like my current e-mails still in the program and firefox preferences, etc.
Are there any other common tips I can try to improve my speed? Someone suggested that I reinstall the OS X software. Is that something I can do right overtop of my present system without any data loss or so I need to do all my major backups before trying something of that sort?
I have a desktop slide show that rotates through a series of photos of my daughter – changing every 5 seconds. That transition is flawless and regular with no hang ups or slow downs. But when I mouse over my dock or right click to close out a program on the dock, I am sometimes waiting for 10, 15, 60+ seconds for the simple menu to pop up. And then I usually wait at least as long for the Quit selection to have any effect.
I am sorry for the length and rambling nature of my query. I appreciate any help anyone can offer.
My mac is running dreadfully slow. I’m sure it could use more RAM , but I don’t control the purse strings in that department. My basic specs: 800MHz Power PC G4 processor; 256 MB SDRAM; running OS X 10.4.11. If any other specs would assist in responding, let me know what (and how/where I might find it) and I will be happy to provide it.
The first thing I was told to do was to run Disk Utility and fix the permissions. I did that and it maybe helped a bit, but still not even close to what it should be.
Is there some place on a mac where I can view all of the programs and processes currently running which might be eating up my RAM or an I barking up the wrong tree? I know that used to be a problem for me on my pc, but I don’t know where to look to monitor that info.
I seem to have the most trouble when I am in my e-mail and web browser. I use Firefox and Thunderbird, but I don’t believe the speed of our DSL connection is the culprit. I may be way off base, but a year or so ago when I first switched to the above browser and e-mail programs, I downloaded the basic files and then tried to install.
Instead of installing as a simple program/application with a desktop icon, they seem to have installed differently where my mac displays them as independent drives. Every time I open either program, a couple of windows pop up. One that appears to be an installation kind of thing although I have no idea for sure.
The other from an old anti-virus program that apparently reads this as a new external drive being connected so it wants to check for viruses.
Once up and running, I get a desktop icon designating it as a separate drive.
In the last photo I grouped four icons together: the server at work is the “A-Drive”; I have a USB flash drive “Toms Cruzer” connected; and there are my web browser and e-mail programs. Thunderbird and Firefox icons also appear active in the dock below, though not shown in the photo.
I wonder it that might be causing some of my delays. I have tried to reinstall the programs, but I keep getting the same functionality. I just downloaded a new web design program Amaya. And gosh darn it if it didn’t install the same way when I opened up the .dmg file. Is there some way I can install these programs to just act like normal applications? It is probably an easy fix or nuance that I just don’t know about being a primarily pc person.
AND if I am able to ‘solve’ that issue, is there a process to getting my current user settings and data into the newly installed programs – like my current e-mails still in the program and firefox preferences, etc.
Are there any other common tips I can try to improve my speed? Someone suggested that I reinstall the OS X software. Is that something I can do right overtop of my present system without any data loss or so I need to do all my major backups before trying something of that sort?
I have a desktop slide show that rotates through a series of photos of my daughter – changing every 5 seconds. That transition is flawless and regular with no hang ups or slow downs. But when I mouse over my dock or right click to close out a program on the dock, I am sometimes waiting for 10, 15, 60+ seconds for the simple menu to pop up. And then I usually wait at least as long for the Quit selection to have any effect.
I am sorry for the length and rambling nature of my query. I appreciate any help anyone can offer.