My turtle Mini

I had my mac mini since last year August 2009, and from the day I took it out of the box I raved about how great apple really is, I switched because of the impressive reliability of my nano which to this day is the best thing I bought...for the last 5 months I've tried to keep this up but now I can not ignore the facts any longer.

The mini came with leopard and at some point I started to experience some delays in garageband when opening...or maybe it was a super slow crash, I do not know.

Spoke to the people at the istore and they recommended I get the snow leopard upgrade.
That done, I started to notice delays everywhere...things just started to take either long to happen or never happen. The only programs I loaded to date is firefox, vlc player and openoffice and I have 7 gigs of itunes...so I'm still left with some thing like 75gig of space.

When attempting to open a program, whether it is itunes or safari, firefox or anything else, it'll sometimes jump a few times (the icon at the bottom) and then wait a while (varying between 5secs to 20secs) and appear on the screen.
Other times it'll follow the same trend but just never appear, unless I select a command at the top bar...then may sometimes reappear, no guarantees though.

I usually go look on spaces for it but it's nowhere to be found...then sometimes after 1min or more it'll suddenly appear.

I spoke to people at the istore and they reset something said I must try it. This did not fix the problem.
Then they said something about 32bit not adapting well with 64bit and I heard snow leopard being blamed etc, Now they say I need more ram,

I'm a logical person and this does not sound logical to me, Unless I've overloaded the poor mini, I can't see why I'll need more ram to have the mini run as it should've run.
Seriously, I don't do any wild stuff on the mini, just browsing, email and itunes occasionally.

I switched because of the reliability of mac and now this one turns out to be my biggest nightmare.
I know one will never be issue free, but this is last problem I expected from apple...after all, my nano is still performing lightyears ahead of my expectations and the mini.

If someone can help or advise me what to do I will appreciate it, otherwise I'll just dump the mini in the bin.

Thx
Frustrated

How big is the hard drive, and how much of it it used?
The HFS+ filesystem is great when there's at least 25% to 35% free space. HFS+ never needs to be defragged - but like Karl Marx said there is no free lunch. That is one advantage to NTFS (filesystem used on Windows) you can defrag a hard drive with 90% of it used and gat a few more months out of it.
Sorry for the ramble...

Let's try something, go into disk utility and do a repair permissions on the primary volume.
Then download a utility called "Onyx" it has a hodgepodge of options for system maintenance and diagnosis.

If nothing else works, I think your system may just be work out and you could use a good old fashioned reformat. Back up all your stuff wipe the drive and reinstall the OS. However that is a last resort.

Two things:

1. Let us know the specs of your Mac Mini. You said that you have had your Mac Mini since August 2009...but we can't assume this was a new computer...it could be used...and thus could be older hardware...possibly leading to performance issues.

2. Have you ever repaired "permissions"? This may help with sluggishness. Open Disk Utility...and click on "repair permissions".

HTH,

- Nick

ah cr@p, I knew I forgot something (I swear, sometimes I have the memory span of a goldfish), here it is:

2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (I assume it's the 64bit, right?)
1GB 1067 MHz DDR3
and from other posts I found that I have the 64bit kernel

stock, as from the factory, and yes I bought it new.

@ Techiejustin & pigoo3 - HDD is 120gig and only 40gig used. I'm not sure but the guys at the istore could've tried that but I'll do it again just for incase.

I also read somewhere that a straight upgrade from leopard to snow is not the best idea...? The istore only offer me this option.

In the end, I'll try the trusty old format, which always work for PC.

thx a mil, I update

That's why, you're only running it with 1 gig of RAM. While Leopard took more disk space to run, its required RAM was only 2GB. Sounds like a combination of problems complicated by the upgrade to Snow Leopard which lists a minimum of 1GB of RAM to run properly. I'd get yourself a RAM upgrade in that sucker (go to 2GB or 4 if will take it).

DarkestRitual said:

That's why, you're only running it with 1 gig of RAM. While Leopard took more disk space to run, its required RAM was only 2GB. Sounds like a combination of problems complicated by the upgrade to Snow Leopard which lists a minimum of 1GB of RAM to run properly. I'd get yourself a RAM upgrade in that sucker (go to 2GB or 4 if will take it).

Click to expand...

Ok, I haven't tried the mini since yesterday after the "repair permissions" but if the consensus is that RAM could be the problem, I'll try it...just not keen on paying premium for RAM @ the istore, as where I can pay 3 times less at non apple shops.

In the past people have quickly went for the "you need more RAM" route with my PC and then a few weeks down the line I get stick with the same old problems, thus my sceptism about just juicing up RAM without a definate cause.

I think I'll opt for 2 x 2gig modules since the 64bit should be fine with it.

thx guys

More RAM will definitely help, but I don't think that's the real cause of your problems.

It doesn't sound like you do much maintenance on it, so I'm thinking possibly severe fragmentation or a corrupted directory, or maybe even the hard drive is trying to tell you its dying.

If you have an external hard drive (which of course you do because you're making backups on it, RIGHT?), I would clone the boot drive using Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper, boot from the clone to test it, then erase (zero out) the boot drive, and then restore from the clone.

This has the effect of really defragmenting the HD (and locking out any bad sectors on the hard drive). Shouldn't need to be done very often (once a year at most), but can help a number of issues.

If you don't have an external drive, at least do this much:

1. Boot the machine holding down the SHIFT key. Keep holding it until you see the words "SAFE BOOT" in red.

2. Restart the machine.

This clears out caches and resets some things and generally helps the machine run better. Can be done periodically (not needed very often but just ever once in a while).

Let us know if that helps.

Oh, one last thought: you're not storing tonnes of crap on your desktop are you?

chas_m said:

More RAM will definitely help, but I don't think that's the real cause of your problems.

Click to expand...

Well, I'll try anything to fix this problem...

chas_m said:

It doesn't sound like you do much maintenance on it, so I'm thinking possibly severe fragmentation or a corrupted directory, or maybe even the hard drive is trying to tell you its dying.

Click to expand...

Dying HDD after 6 months, I hope not...I didn't do much maintenance cause I figured I don't really use it that much...looks like I'll have to start.

chas_m said:

If you have an external hard drive (which of course you do because you're making backups on it, RIGHT?), I would clone the boot drive using Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper, boot from the clone to test it, then erase (zero out) the boot drive, and then restore from the clone.

Click to expand...

Yes, ext HDD in place...

chas_m said:

Oh, one last thought: you're not storing tonnes of crap on your desktop are you?

Click to expand...

Nope, I think there is only 1 icon on the destop...the mac HDD icon.

I think I must try all these remedial actions tonight...

Ok, first thing tried...repair permissions - this was my log...not sure what the last thing was that didn't get repaired due to a modification.

does it seem ok?

"
2010-03-17 22:06:32 +0200: Disk Utility started.

2010-03-17 22:07:05 +0200: Repairing permissions for “Macintosh HD”
2010-03-17 22:12:50 +0200: User differs on "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Home/lib/jvm.cfg", should be 0, user is 95.
2010-03-17 22:12:50 +0200: Repaired "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Home/lib/jvm.cfg".
2010-03-17 22:12:51 +0200: User differs on "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Libraries/classlist", should be 0, user is 95.
2010-03-17 22:12:51 +0200: Repaired "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Libraries/classlist".
2010-03-17 22:17:13 +0200: Permissions differ on "usr/share/derby", should be drwxr-xr-x , they are lrwxr-xr-x .
2010-03-17 22:17:14 +0200: Repaired "usr/share/derby".
2010-03-17 22:17:53 +0200: Warning: SUID file "System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/ARDAgent" has been modified and will not be repaired.
2010-03-17 22:29:46 +0200:
2010-03-17 22:29:51 +0200: Permissions repair complete"




Oh, and this didn't do much...I'll move on to the next option.

Onyx...although great to have around didn't seem to fix it.

on to the next one.

chas_m said:

1. Boot the machine holding down the SHIFT key. Keep holding it until you see the words "SAFE BOOT" in red.

2. Restart the machine.

This clears out caches and resets some things and generally helps the machine run better. Can be done periodically (not needed very often but just ever once in a while).

Let us know if that helps.

Click to expand...

Just finished and I'm not sure if there is an effect...nothing has been slow so far but I'll have to test for day or two.

I think the following will be inevitable: Install 2 x 2gig RAM module and do a proper clean install of snow.

Thx everyone for the speedy advice,

1GB of RAM is below today's bare minimum standards. Get upgrades from OWC RAM and you should notice a major increase in performance.

ZorroAMG said:

1GB of RAM is below today's bare minimum standards. Get upgrades from OWC RAM and you should notice a major increase in performance.

Click to expand...

That 8gig sure looks attractive...any reason why I should rather go for the 4gig kit instead of the 8gig kit ? would the 8 be worth it?

Cor80 said:

Ok, I haven't tried the mini since yesterday after the "repair permissions" but if the consensus is that RAM could be the problem, I'll try it...just not keen on paying premium for RAM @ the istore, as where I can pay 3 times less at non apple shops.

In the past people have quickly went for the "you need more RAM" route with my PC and then a few weeks down the line I get stick with the same old problems, thus my sceptism about just juicing up RAM without a definate cause.

I think I'll opt for 2 x 2gig modules since the 64bit should be fine with it.

thx guys

Click to expand...

I totally goofed. Leopard's required RAM was only 512MB. That's what I get for being intoxicated on the forum lol.

chas_m said:

More RAM will definitely help, but I don't think that's the real cause of your problems.

It doesn't sound like you do much maintenance on it, so I'm thinking possibly severe fragmentation or a corrupted directory, or maybe even the hard drive is trying to tell you its dying.

If you have an external hard drive (which of course you do because you're making backups on it, RIGHT?), I would clone the boot drive using Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper, boot from the clone to test it, then erase (zero out) the boot drive, and then restore from the clone.

This has the effect of really defragmenting the HD (and locking out any bad sectors on the hard drive). Shouldn't need to be done very often (once a year at most), but can help a number of issues.

If you don't have an external drive, at least do this much:

1. Boot the machine holding down the SHIFT key. Keep holding it until you see the words "SAFE BOOT" in red.

2. Restart the machine.

This clears out caches and resets some things and generally helps the machine run better. Can be done periodically (not needed very often but just ever once in a while).

Let us know if that helps.

Oh, one last thought: you're not storing tonnes of crap on your desktop are you?

Click to expand...

I doubt it's got severe fragmentation unless he's been running a non-journaled file system on his HDD, as OS X Journaled (extended) doesn't really frag much (theoretically it should never need to be defragged).

Your technical knowledge far surpasses my own though, Chas, and the OP would be well advised to follow at least the safe boot procedure. I wouldn't go totally bonkers and restore from a clone or anything, because 95% likely, it's not necessary.

If more RAM and the permissions repair doesn't take care of it, I'd definitely try this out.

DarkestRitual said:

I totally goofed. Leopard's required RAM was only 512MB.

Click to expand...

True, but I've seen several posts pointing to more RAM to run it efficiently. More is better, and for Leopard, 1GB will probably serve all users well, whereas half that might not.

Most definitely, my whole point with that post was that Snow Leopard requires more RAM despite being a lighter weight (as far as disk space goes) OS. So that combined with a lack of any maintenance on the machine probably caused these issues.