SMC is wonky (10.7.5)

I have been having issues with the SMC getting corrupted - at least that's my understanding.

The symptoms are a slow running Mac-mini, Safari very slow (often with beachball), Sype taking up to minute to launc, and a USB card reader that won't work properly (doesn't mount).

After resetting the SMC (shut down, unplug, wait, plug back in), everything was peach for a week or two. Now the issues are back.

Could a defective USB card reader be to blame? What are potential candidates that may corrup the SMC? Could it be an issue other than a corrupted SMC?

LeChuck said:

After resetting the SMC (shut down, unplug, wait, plug back in), everything was peach for a week or two. Now the issues are back.

Click to expand...

Your issues have nothing to do with the SMC. Please read a couple of the links in my signature (Beachballs & Speedup)...and give some of the suggestions a try. You will then have a much better understanding of how things work!

- Nick

I have dealt with most of those issues mentioned in your links on my pervious Mac computers. I didn't notice anything unusual in the Activity Monitor.

I know that resetting the SMC cures the issues I have described, while a restart will not help.
I know that all those issues started with my USB card reader, and that resetting the SMC cures those issues.
I know that Skype needs up to minute to start up ever since there have been issues with the card reader, and that resetting the SMC makes Skype start up within 2 seconds.

I'm not saying that the card reaser is the reason or cause, and that resetting the SMC is fixing the issues, I'm saying that I am observing that the card reader appears to be the cause and that resetting the SMC resolves those issues. It may well be something else than the SMC.

My actual question remains unanswered. Even if it's not relevant to the issues I am experiencing, just to satisfy my curiosity, I would like to know how and by what the SMC gets corrupted.

LeChuck said:

The symptoms are a slow running Mac-mini, Safari very slow (often with beachball), Sype taking up to minute to launc, and a USB card reader that won't work properly (doesn't mount).

Click to expand...

Again...most of these issues are cured via the suggestions in the two links I recommended.

Other possibilities are:

- the hard drive is beginning to fail
- the hard drive is too full (usually around 90% full or more)
- computer has a small amount (by today's standards) of installed ram
- possibily a combination of the above

* Nick

pigoo3 said:

Again...most of these issues are cured via the suggestions in the two links I recommended.

Other possibilities are:

- the hard drive is beginning to fail
- the hard drive is too full (usually around 90% full or more)
- computer has a small amount (by today's standards) of installed ram
- possibily a combination of the above

* Nick

Click to expand...

No signs of HD failure.
HD is nowhere near full.
Only 4GB RAM - can put in more.
This Mac-mini (Processor 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5) is a little over half a year old.

Drive Genius 3 s set up for maintenance.

I'm not big on restarting - believe in equilibrium for minimizing mechanical wear.

Will the purge command in the Terminal achieve RAM clearing just the same as a reboot?