All my apps take over a minute to launch

[kevs]

I just upgraded to Photoshop CC, and was surprised the app takes 3 minutes to lauch, so I timed other apps, Safari, Excel.. all at least a minute and it goes on... Now I've with with Apple for 15 years, and I have never seen speedy launches but just amazing 2016 El Capitan and everything is so slow to launch. Any ideas on this? Thanks.

 

[Slydude]

You didn't mention which Mac you are using but no Mac modern enough to run El Capitan should take that long to launch an app. A couple of questions occur to me. If we can answer those it might move us closer to finding the problem.

1. What are the specs of this Mac (Go to the Apple menu and choose About this Mac).. Please include the information ibn how much memory is installed as well.
2. How much space is free on the hard drive?
3. If you check the main drive with Disk Utility does it report any errors?

 

[McBie]

Basic troubleshooting advice ..... launch the activitymonitor.app (from applications/utilities ) look at the cpu and sort by CPU usage.
Look at what the statistics indicate, if possible post a screenshot.
Secondly launch the console.app ( from the same location ) and look at the log file .... maybe something goes wrong when loading apps ( the log will tell you )
Lastly, check the status of the hard drive and available RAM as mentioned in the post above.
Do you have any sort of antivirus app. operational on your mac that is scanning files " on access " ?
Cheers ... McBie

 

[kevs]

Thanks Sly others, the Mac tested fine with DU, but...

I'm not going to invest more time/ money in my 2009 27" imac. So final question: Would you guys buy now "neutral", mid cycle, or wait out another 6 months or so for the next 27" imac. Thanks!

 

[Raz0rEdge]

I have a 2009 i7 iMac that I recently put a SSD into (replacing the 1TB HDD). With a fresh install of El Capitan, the machine works great and all apps launch within a few seconds as compared to before with the HDD. I already had 16GB of memory and the SSD upgrade was totally worth it to give the machine new life.

 

[kevs]

I do need more Ram, only 4gb, and it's $300 at least to install / buy, I don't install my self. Why dont I just buy a new machine instead of investing in a 7 year old machine? Do others agree? and then again, buy now, or wait 6 months?

 

[chscag]

Why would it cost $300 to buy and install it? Installing memory in your iMac is easy and fast and is a do it yourself job. The memory modules can be purchased from Amazon (Crucial memory) or Mac Sales. www.macsales.com

As for purchasing a new iMac, I would wait to see what Apple has to offer. The iMac line may not be updated for quite a while and yet again, maybe in 6 months. Only Apple knows. ;D

 

[pigoo3]

Do others agree?

Nope…don't agree.

- Nick

 

[kevs]

Pig, Ch, for you it's easy, for me it's a PITA. And in addition to memory, there is the SSD replacement, so all that could be what 400 to 500 together? And the machine is going on 7 years old. Do I want to be investing hundreds of dollars into a 7 year old machine? And then keep for a few more years to 10 years?

as for buying new, why wait for 6 months or more? That is a long wait correct? I also need to buy a new 11" macbook air, but they has a "WAIT" recommendation from this site as it over 360 days since last one.

 

[pigoo3]

Pig, Ch, for you it's easy, for me it's a PITA.

You didn't answer some of the questions asked of you earlier in the thread so that we could continue troubleshooting!

It's very possible this computer may need no $$$ invested. Spending $1500 on a new computer seems silly to me if we might be able to fix things by answering a few questions & doing a little troubleshooting.

The problem is almost definitely something to do with the hard drive (mechanical, maintenance, or software related). Worst case scenario…install a new HD for less than $100 (DIY).

Once the HD problem is sorted out. Then spend $60 for an 8gig ram upgrade.

- Nick

 

[Raz0rEdge]

The iMac Buying Guide says that we are in the middle of the current iMac life cycle and there will likely not be any new one for at least another 6-9 months. If you have the money to buy a new iMac, then buy it.

 

[kevs]

PIgoo, I did run the DU test and it was fine. No errors, though a new software (etrecheck), said there was some issue ( Plenty of Space HD, memory is 4gb, so I guess it could use some). But I've also having issues with my macbook air for space and to do a new 128 GB mac HD installed is $250 to $300. I have no interest in DIY normally. If I was flat broke no question, I would DIY as much as possible, but....

It's been on my mind that the computer is from 12/09, it's been a great run, and I've been thinking it's a year or two away from being replaced no? So maybe this is a good time? There is that point right, where you say, do I want to spend any more money into this product. Don't agree? Thanks again Razor...

 

[pigoo3]

It's been on my mind that the computer is from 12/09, it's been a great run, and I've been thinking it's a year or two away from being replaced no? So maybe this is a good time? There is that point right, where you say, do I want to spend any more money into this product.

Hey. If you've already ben thinking about a new computer. Then you're going to be predisposed to buying new…and anti-fix.

I can almost guarantee that if:

- some maintenance was run
- or HD was wiped, OS reinstalled, and apps reinstalled
- or the HD was replaced (if necessary)

…the problem would be solved.

And a ram upgrade would just be a bonus.

- Nick

 

[kevs]

Thanks Nick, here is my question, it almost deserves it's own thread, but I'll ask it here for all:

For both Desktops and laptops, when do you want to upgrade to a new machine? Theoretically you can keep repairing for 10 years right?

 

[pigoo3]

For both Desktops and laptops, when do you want to upgrade to a new machine?

- When the current computer is no longer capable of doing what you need it to do.
- When newer models have desirable features that the current computer does not have.
- When the current computer is not capable of running the latest OS version (and this is desirable).
- When the current computer is not capable of running newer apps…or not capable of running newer versions of apps the user currently uses.
- When the computer is not compatible with desirable peripheral devices.

Of course all of these needs & desires need to be weighed against a persons budget. Almost all of us would like a new computer based on the rational above. But sometimes those needs don't justify the expenditure (many different budgets & differing household priorities out there).

- Nick

 

[kevs]

Nice answer Nick, so to get ahead of the curve a bit. Not sure you can answer this, but it's a good question, at what year generally for Mac, imacs/ desktops does and imac or macbook airs stop working with the OS and peripherals? I mean, before my 27", I think the longest I had a desktop was 4-5 years? And now this one is at 6 1/2 almost.... My laptop is about 4.

 

[pigoo3]

...at what year generally for Mac, imacs/ desktops does and imac or macbook airs stop working with the OS and peripherals?

In the 30 years I've been using Apple products…I feel that we are in a very unusual time in regards to your question above. It used to be that a particular model Apple computer was good for 2-3 OS versions before it either did not have the "horsepower" to run the latest OS…or Apple basically made the system requirements of an newer OS beyond the hardware abilities of an older model. Currently…some computer models as far back as 2007 can run the latest Mac OS (10.11 El Capitan)…that's 9 years!!! Unheard of in the years prior to this.

So in the long gone past…computer hardware evolution & OS evolution usually were the factors that made a computer obsolete…and in a way forced us to upgrade after only maybe 2-3 years. It would seem that hardware & OS evolution has slowed in a way…allowing us to hang onto our computers longer.

To more simply answer your question. 3-5 years seems to be a norm of sorts when folks feel like they need to upgrade. As far as peripherals. Sometimes Apple does things with devices and OS/iOS versions…where something like an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple watch, etc. needs a certain hardware requirement or OS requirement to function together. In an "All Apple Household"…this sometimes forces users to upgrade a device before it is really obsolete..in a desire to maintain inter-Apple device harmony.

In your situation…it sounds like your 2009 27" iMac still meets your needs…there's just this slowness issue that is the main complaint. I'm pretty darn sure the issue is HD related (could be starting to fail)…or it needs some serious maintenance done on it to restore it to its former "snappiness".

- Nick

 

[rosario1990]

I think your device is getting slower after upgrade. I have same issue. My device apps also launch very late.

 

[kevs]

Thanks NIck, great points, I remember the 2-3 year era too and have been surprised I have had this 6. I have a Macbook air that is 4 years old and to me seems new. I've owned a TV set 20 years and I was still fine with it when I trashed it for a flat panel. So I don't need the the shiny thing. Strangely just in the last two weeks something happened on both machines that woke me up. I got Photoshop CC and it takes three minutes to start, and found all my apps take a long time. And with the laptop, it s now always struggling for space on the startup, and I don't even put things on it. Mainly just system files and 65 GB is not enough. I can easily upgrade both machines to work great, probably perfectly, but then I pause, and think (especially being oldtimer like you -- I'm on Mac since 1998), do I want to invest, even a few hundred dollars into these machines... so these post help think this through.....

 

[McBie]

Basic troubleshooting advice ..... launch the activitymonitor.app (from applications/utilities ) look at the cpu and sort by CPU usage.
Look at what the statistics indicate, if possible post a screenshot.
Secondly launch the console.app ( from the same location ) and look at the log file .... maybe something goes wrong when loading apps ( the log will tell you )
Lastly, check the status of the hard drive and available RAM as mentioned in the post above.
Do you have any sort of antivirus app. operational on your mac that is scanning files " on access " ?
Cheers ... McBie

Any news on this one mate ?

I don't understand why everyone is so focussed on a " disk issue ". It could be a disk issue, but it can also be something else.
DiskUtility.app is not the holy grail either, too often it comes up with no issue when there are in fact issues.

As Nick put it nicely, you only need to replace your computer when it no longer delivers on your requirements.

My 2 cents.

Cheers ... McBie