slow MBP (2009) even AFTER upgraded 8GB memory??

Hey everyone.. new here. I've been reading your forums to figure out other issues but I've gotten so frustrated with this computer I had to make an account to ask it myself!!!

I have a 2009 Macbook Pro unibody, 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and a 500 GB HD. (OS X version 10.6.8)

It came with 4 GB of memory but since it has been running SO FRUSTRATINGLY SLOW for the past few months, I recently bought 8GB of memory and replaced it.. still slow as molasses.

I edit with Final Cut Pro, so I need my computer to go fast. It used to be fine, but now it's taking 5-6 second files 6 or more minutes to render!

I've also had issues with my wireless internet going slow as well, I've tried changing the DNS stuff and it didn't really work. Flash videos start out fine, then after a few minutes become unwatchable as they basically only play a few frames per second of the video while the audio stays normal.. so I only get a few moving pictures with all the sound.. It's SO annoying! I'm trying to edit a music video and it's going to take way longer than it should.

My mouse sometimes freezes and then jumps ahead too.

Can someone give some suggestions how to fix this? I've already cleared out a lot of files on my hard drive, to the point where it was less than half full, but still running slow.

The memory did show up in the About this Apple so I'm assuming I installed it correctly.

I tried getting different kinds of coolbook applications to slow down the fans but I heard those aren't really good for the computer.. what else can I do??

Thanks for your help!

Download and run the free OnyX maintenance utility in auto mode. That will clean the caches and run the cleanup scripts. Also use it to repair permissions.

And... boot your machine with its install DVD and run Disk Utility directly from the DVD. Run a verify and repair on the entire hard drive. Let's see if the hard drive has any problems. Slow downs can be attributed to many things including hardware errors on the drive.

Alright, will d

Ok, I'm worried doing that will delete stuff... Unfortunately my wd 1 tb hd broke so I no longer have a way to back up my data.. Will anything get deleted?

nerdyblonde said:

Ok, I'm worried doing that will delete stuff... Unfortunately my wd 1 tb hd broke so I no longer have a way to back up my data.. Will anything get deleted?

Click to expand...

If you use Onyx...nothing other than what is supposed to be deleted will be deleted (old or duplicate preference files, and it will empty various caches).

Just use Onyx's default setting's (don't check any additional box's)...and you will be fine. I just ran Onyx on my computer yesterday...and everything is fine.

- Nick