Yosemite Causing Havoc on my iMac

[gsahli]

drgrafix,
In your original Etrecheck, I saw two possible issues.
First, your /etc/hosts file has been modified. No problem if you did this to identify other computers on your local network. If that's not the case, you should copy and paste it here for us to look at. You need to use the Terminal or Go > Go to folder menu to see it. Changes to this file can block OS X from getting automatic xProtect malware detection updates.

Second, you have ArcSoft marketing adware called ConnectService.app installed. It urges you to buy new software. Uninstall like this:
lion - What is 'connectservice.app' - Ask Different

 

[drgrafix]

drgrafix,
In your original Etrecheck, I saw two possible issues.
First, your /etc/hosts file has been modified. No problem if you did this to identify other computers on your local network. If that's not the case, you should copy and paste it here for us to look at. You need to use the Terminal or Go > Go to folder menu to see it. Changes to this file can block OS X from getting automatic xProtect malware detection updates.

Second, you have ArcSoft marketing adware called ConnectService.app installed. It urges you to buy new software. Uninstall like this:
lion - What is 'connectservice.app' - Ask Different

OK... What I did was got rid of the ArcSoft garbage, hope I got all of it. I also restored my hosts file to OEM normal.

My main problem seems to down to Mail now, lets call it "My Mail Task". Whenever I select an email to read, then decide to respond with both text and an image (typical as I do a lot of design work), I get the beach ball in mail, then eventually in Finder as well. Elapsed time to open an email, write the word "TEST" and then click on the paper clip, then wait for the 500 mb (small) JPG image/attachment to appear in the reply... a minimum of 8 minutes, sometimes as long as 17 minutes. I tried getting some help in Apple Support but the guy who was trying to help me was vague in what he meant by "Testing" his suggestions. He showed me how to use the Console App, had me run some tests, but I guess I misunderstood him and I posted the results for the above "My Mail Task" after he gave me different directions. I tried apologizing, explaining that a 72 year old non-techie was only trying to give him feedback to diagnose.

Anyway, if I can get this mail problem resolved, it would be great.

Mike

 

[harryb2448]

Sounds like you did a simple upgrade of Yosemite. Personally always do a format of the hard drive and a clean install after making a bootable USB thumb drive of whatever the new operating system is.

You have an current external drive? Consider doing a clean install.

 

[MacInWin]

I have a suggestion for your mail task. Instead of trying to directly attach an image or file of that size, why not open a DropBox account and drop the file there, then from there you can share it by getting the URL of the file at Dropbox and sending that link to your client. The Client can then download the image as a file directly from Dropbox. It's really not hard to do, and the client's email doesn't get choked with large attachments. I find the up/down load to Dropbox to be much faster than attaching to mail. The image is visible to anybody with the link, or you can restrict it. But even with the link, people can only see THAT file, not any others on DropBox.

 

[drgrafix]

Sounds like you did a simple upgrade of Yosemite. Personally always do a format of the hard drive and a clean install after making a bootable USB thumb drive of whatever the new operating system is.

You have an current external drive? Consider doing a clean install.

I'm seriously giving some thought to what you're suggesting. I'm a neophyte when it comes to doing this on a Mac. What happens to my 1TB TimeMachine drive? If I discover I need something from way back can I ever access it? And what about programs and helpers that I bought through places like MacUpdate? Will those programs automatically restore themselves? Is there a layman's explanation of the pros/cons of doing this as well as how to make a bootable USB of Yosemite? I'm not there yet... but if all else fails. Plus, the mac is now running pretty good outside of mail. I have to try and figure out whats causing the problem.

I have a suggestion for your mail task. Instead of trying to directly attach an image or file of that size, why not open a DropBox account and drop the file there, then from there you can share it by getting the URL of the file at Dropbox and sending that link to your client. The Client can then download the image as a file directly from Dropbox. It's really not hard to do, and the client's email doesn't get choked with large attachments. I find the up/down load to Dropbox to be much faster than attaching to mail. The image is visible to anybody with the link, or you can restrict it. But even with the link, people can only see THAT file, not any others on DropBox.

I already use DropBox for my big files that I send out to fulfillment vendors. Seems like a PITA that I'd even have to do that with friends and family. All my kids and grandkids send me pix and video clips and likewise, I send them them as well, but pictures shot with my DSLR can be huge, I have to reduce them down to mailable size so I can put them in an email and comment on them individually.

Just wondering... is there another Mail program I could use with a mac, or a way to erase my Mail App and then restore it from another Mac via USB?

Mike

 

[MacInWin]

There are other email apps. My wife uses Thunderbird, but I personally don't like it. If you take the first suggestion of a clean install, that may fix whatever is slowing your mail down. I'd do that first, then once all is clean and fresh, see how mail works. One caution: If you use software from Adobe or MS or others that need "activation" or "registration" be sure to unactivate, or deregister before you wipe it out so that when you reinstall you can reregister, reactivate. Those products will need reinstalling, not recovery from the backup, because of how they install.

 

[drgrafix]

There are other email apps. My wife uses Thunderbird, but I personally don't like it. If you take the first suggestion of a clean install, that may fix whatever is slowing your mail down. I'd do that first, then once all is clean and fresh, see how mail works. One caution: If you use software from Adobe or MS or others that need "activation" or "registration" be sure to unactivate, or deregister before you wipe it out so that when you reinstall you can reregister, reactivate. Those products will need reinstalling, not recovery from the backup, because of how they install.

Good thing you mentioned that... I use Adobe CS4. If I go that route (clean install) I'll have to Google unactivate/deregister as I've never heard of that. Another big question would be how to deal with my existing emails. I have probably WAY too many sitting on my machine, is there a way to archive them and then restore so I can slowly go through them and extract the hundreds that need saving? Wish there was an App that would allow you to move all emails to a HDD but allow you to easily read/search/delete. Is there anything like that?

I keep wishing somebody will say I just need to delete the Mail App and then Re-Install, but it sounds like Mail either works or it doesn't.

Mike

 

[MacInWin]

In CS6, it's under Help, Deactivate. I don't recall where it was in CS4.

 

[drgrafix]

In CS6, it's under Help, Deactivate. I don't recall where it was in CS4.

Its the same in CS4... OK, thats easy. Trying to figure out how I can archive my emails with a seemingly broken Mail App. Every time I click on one, the spinning ball starts, so it'd take me a month of sundays to click and paste each email into a archive directory that can be accessed later on.

Tempted to try Thunderbird, but I don't know if it'll import everything, allow me to export that, and then use Mail to import once I've done a fresh install.

Just wondering why somebody in Apple Support can't help figure this out.

Mike

Edit: Just for kicks... installed Thunderbird using one of my three email accounts (the one with the most emails) and it works without any hangups including adding attachments. -M

 

[harryb2448]

Mike LionDiskMaker will make a bootable 8GB USB thumb drive. Have provided the download link. It is very simple to use. Alas you will have to download Yosemite again and use DiskMaker prior to running the Installer. Follow the insturctions, then with the thumb drive connected reboot, hold down 'C'. Leave Installer and go to utilities > Disk utility and run Erase Disk formatting Ma OS Extended (journaled).

Back to the Installer and run that. Hook up your TM backup, and in Utilities select and run Migration Assistant.


http://liondiskmaker.com