Macbook Pro 13” (mid 2012) speed problem, or is it me?

pigoo3

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I understand what you are explaining, but to me it seems that the slowdown does not happen after half a day or a day, it typically happens within an hour or two-three. I use 3-4 apps regularly (Safari, Mail, Outlook) and I am not excessively doing all kind of data-hungry things.

Like I mentioned...the amount of time it takes for the swap file & page outs to "grow" to a value to effect system performance is different for different people. If this happens to you within 2-3 hours...then that's probably due to your usage patterns being more extensive than someone else's.

I would suggest having Activity Monitor open 100% of the time so you can monitor the page out & swap file values...so you can see what's "normal" for you & your computer. This will allow you to see them "grow"...and reboot more often as necessary to maintain optimal system performance.

You also could have some sort of app. constantly running in the background that is causing the page-outs & swap file to grow quickly. I've also found (for example) that online gaming can cause the page-out & swap file sizes to grow quickly.

Is there a technical solutions for lowering the ”Page Outs” and the ”Swap Used” when my Mac is on, instead of having to restart my Mac to get the optimal figures?

Not that I'm aware of. Restarting/rebooting seems to be the best method...and larger amounts of installed ram helps.

- Nick
 
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Hi Nick,

I noticed that more than often you have given advice on the Page Outs/Swaps , and I am sorry you had to explain it again (as I should have used a more extensive Google/Forum search).

I restarted my Macbook in between your new posts, and my Page outs and Swap used = 0 for the time being.

I removed ”Memory Clean” as well, and I removed TVMobilis (a DNLA streaming program, which it seems works in the background. I had to delete it through a terminal command though, but I managed)
 

pigoo3

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I noticed that more than often you have given advice on the Page Outs/Swaps , and I am sorry you had to explain it again (as I should have used a more extensive Google/Forum search).

Well...sometimes threads "evolve"!;) Initially it didn't seem like we were heading down the "page outs" and "swap file" route (seemed like it might have been something else initially). Just the way it goes sometimes!:)

I restarted my Macbook in between your new posts, and my Page outs and Swap used = 0 for the time being.

Good deal...that's what it's supposed to do.:) Keep an eye on those values & see what happens.

One other thought. If you reboot the computer...and launch all the apps. that you normally run simultaneously...then click on the "CPU" tab in Activity Monitor...what sort of "% User", "% System", and "% Idle" do you see?

- Nick
 

pigoo3

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...and I removed TVMobilis (a DNLA streaming program, which it seems works in the background. I had to delete it through a terminal command though, but I managed)

I think that you added this info while I was replying. A program like this (running in the background)...potentially constantly)...could be the source of your problems. That's why I was asking what your Activity Monitor "CPU" values were.

It's very possible that you DO NOT need a ram upgrade (4gig is enough)...and that it's this or these background apps. that could be the trouble.

- Nick
 
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I have kept an eye on Activity Monitor

Just 10 seconds ago I had 0 at both Page Outs and Swaps, and then I accessed a website using Flash video and (only) the Swaps increased from 0 to 140MB within a second.

I then had helpd using 99% of CUP, Googled that, used Onyx to do a rebuild, and when re-checking Activity Monitor the Swaps were also down to 19 MB. Opening up the same website with that Flash video and the Swap remained at 19MB ?!
 
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Another update:

Page-outs: 0
Swap used: (still!) 19 MB

Opened Outlook for Mac

Swap used: > 300 MB

Outlook closed: Swap used: 241 MB

Chrome closed: Swap used: 205 MB

Mail for Mac opened: Swap used: 294 MB

Free memory 330 MB (?)
Wired 1,05 GB
Active: 1,48 GB
Inactive: 1.13 GB
Used: 3,65 GB

Mail for Mac closed and Swap remains at close to 290 MB

A few minutes later, Swap is at 221 MB

Free memory: 1,0 GB
Wired 1.04 GB
Active 1.22 GB
Inactive 752 MB
Used: 2,99 GB
 
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Don't know if you've solved this yet, but ive just logged on and looked at this thread. In your first screen shot you will see mdworker taking up 32.7% cpu usage. This is spotlight indexing your drive/s and isn't uncommon, but should complete in 15-60 mins depending on the amount of data on the disk/s.You said youve done a disk check, and its not faulty but have you an external drive plugged in? It could be this is faulty and spotlight is having difficulty indexing it. Either way check activity monitor again when it slows and see if mdworker is still using high cpu usage
 
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Hi Bazanders,

Well the page-outs have remained at ZERO all the time now, and the Swap used now increases to a normal level (for instance after having my MacbookPro on for 24-36 hours, it has a Swap of 540MB). After a fresh restart this gets to 0 again, and if used during the day, the Swap file sometimes increases but stays at a fairly low level now.

I did notice that -after 24-36 hours- ”Safari Webcontents” uses an enormous amount of RAM, but simply closing and opening Safari solves that problem.

Regarding my speed problems: I haven't encountered any major slow downs anymore, neither the beach-ball even Outlook for Mac hasnt crashed on my since! I did delete some 3rd party applications (some sort of memory-freeing-app , a video background streaming-service app and some sort of Mac-Cleaning program -which would sometimes prompt me to use its services). Perhaps it is this crapware that actually slowed down my Mac.

Opera for Mac still takes 20 bounces to open though -with Mail, Outlook, Safari, Calendar, Notes and Word open- (but I can live with that for the moment)
 
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chas_m

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At this point I'm inclined to think that Opera is at fault there. Would be nice to know if that was "on first launch" or "anytime I relaunch it, even a few seconds after I quit it."

Glad to hear that everything else is running tickety-boo again. I'd suggest to you to simply get in the habit of quitting Safari when you're done with it for the day -- it only takes a moment to relaunch, and avoids the issue of "memory leak" after >24 hours.

I agree with you that your "Mac-Cleaning program" -- sure wish you'd mentioned that before -- and those others you deleted are likely to have contributed to the improvements in the Mac's operation. Still not quite clear on why you need BOTH Mail AND Outlook open ...
 
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MacInWin

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Long shot possibility: Could the Opera be the Opera install file instead of the Opera application? I don't use Opera, so I don't know how it installs. Theoretically, if it's the install, he should get a request for his password, but he didn't mention it. But he didn't mention the crapware cleaning porgrams either...
 
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Long shot possibility: Could the Opera be the Opera install file instead of the Opera application? I don't use Opera, so I don't know how it installs. Theoretically, if it's the install, he should get a request for his password, but he didn't mention it. But he didn't mention the crapware cleaning porgrams either...

It's the app (not an install file).
 

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