Macbook sluggish

[danipoak]

So I have now had my Macbook for just over a year and it has just now started to become noticeably more sluggish than it was. It used to log me in in less than 10 seconds. Now I would say it's under a minute. Programs start up slower, the disaster of a program that is iTunes is now even more of a disaster. It freezes more often than I am able to use it. Any suggestions on a general clean up of the machine? I really don't want to reformat, pain in the ass. What about uninstalling programs I do not need? In windows you have to uninstall in the applications menu, do I just delete the program in the applications folder on a Mac and that uninstalls the program too?

[kenneth]

To uninstall the apps on the mac you just delete the app. I would back up all the things you can and then just reformat. I know you don't want to but that would be the best route. PC's come with a ton of preloaded programs so it is beneficial to delete everything. The mac doesn't come preloaded with all of that BS so I don't think that is going to be beneficial.

[eplantz]

Try running ****tail or OynX to clean up caches and logs.

Use either to do normal periodic maintenance.

[eplantz]

hummmm...forum software doesn't like that program name

c o c k t a i l

[Napoleon_PhoneApart]

<casts lure into the water>

You have a virus. :smile:

[gotzaiPhone]

before you blow the machine clean, you can download iAntiVirus from the apple website for free. Its not too bad and the scan should show up any spyware, viruses or trojan horses you may have that could be slowing you down.

[Lincoln]

Here's a list of things to do, and I recommend you do them all, in order.

1) Download MacScan (http://macscan.securemac.com/) and have it scan your Mac, just in case you have some sort of trojan or spyware. If you do, have MacScan rid your system of the infected files.

2) Download OnyX (http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/11582) and allow it to check the S.M.A.R.T status and verify the startup volume when you open the app. (It will ask to do these things automatically.) Run everything in the Maintenance and Cleaning sections of the application.

3) Delete applications you do not need. Unfortunately, you do not entirely remove apps when you drag them to the Trash - they leave other files behind, and depending on what app we're talking about, those files can take up a rather significant amount of space and memory. Download CleanApp (http://www.synium.de/products/cleanapp/index.html) to remove all of these extra files, as well as other large files on your disk that haven't been used in a long time.

4) Reinstall Mac OS X. I know it's not fun to do, but it's really something that should be done every now and then to ensure your system keeps up to par. I reinstall mine every few months, and I never notice and lag or sluggishness on any of my Macs. Just use the OS X Install Disks that came with your Mac. You can find instructions for reinstalling the OS, depending on how you want to do it, here (http://www.dartmouth.edu/comp/support/library/software/os-help/reinstall-mac-osx/).

[danipoak]

Here's a list of things to do, and I recommend you do them all, in order.

1) Download MacScan (http://macscan.securemac.com/) and have it scan your Mac, just in case you have some sort of trojan or spyware. If you do, have MacScan rid your system of the infected files.

2) Download OnyX (http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/11582) and allow it to check the S.M.A.R.T status and verify the startup volume when you open the app. (It will ask to do these things automatically.) Run everything in the Maintenance and Cleaning sections of the application.

3) Delete applications you do not need. Unfortunately, you do not entirely remove apps when you drag them to the Trash - they leave other files behind, and depending on what app we're talking about, those files can take up a rather significant amount of space and memory. Download CleanApp (http://www.synium.de/products/cleanapp/index.html) to remove all of these extra files, as well as other large files on your disk that haven't been used in a long time.

4) Reinstall Mac OS X. I know it's not fun to do, but it's really something that should be done every now and then to ensure your system keeps up to par. I reinstall mine every few months, and I never notice and lag or sluggishness on any of my Macs. Just use the OS X Install Disks that came with your Mac. You can find instructions for reinstalling the OS, depending on how you want to do it, here (http://www.dartmouth.edu/comp/support/library/software/os-help/reinstall-mac-osx/).

Thanks for the tips. I've run through everything except for the reinstall process. Universities are so dependent on having a working computer now I simply can't afford to have my computer down for a few hours these days. Yeah, I spend my life studying! It is quite a bit more snappy now that it was though. I'll probably to an OSX reinstall over spring break, if I'm not partying too hard!

[chris]

Simple fix. Insert your original OS X disk that came with your Macbook. Restart as if you were going to reinstall the OS. After you boot up from the CD, go to Disk Utility.

Perform "repair permissions" once, even twice.
Peform "repair disk".

Permissions are the real fix. I'm betting nothing will happen when you do repair disk, but do it for good measure.

-Chris

[Hondamaker]

1) Download MacScan (http://macscan.securemac.com/) and have it scan your Mac, just in case you have some sort of trojan or spyware. If you do, have MacScan rid your system of the infected files.


Can you post an different d/l link for macscan? The page won't load. Thanks in advance.

[danipoak]

Simple fix. Insert your original OS X disk that came with your Macbook. Restart as if you were going to reinstall the OS. After you boot up from the CD, go to Disk Utility.

Perform "repair permissions" once, even twice.
Peform "repair disk".

Permissions are the real fix. I'm betting nothing will happen when you do repair disk, but do it for good measure.

-Chris

Out of curiosity what does a repair permissions and a repair disk do exactly?

[Lincoln]

Can you post an different d/l link for macscan? The page won't load. Thanks in advance.

You sure? I just tried it, and it seemed to work fine.

Out of curiosity what does a repair permissions and a repair disk do exactly?

Permissions are what they sound like; some settings that tell files what users can open and edit them. Repairing permissions will compare what a file's current permissions are to what the OS wants to permissions to be - if mismatched permissions shows up, the OS' expected permissions are set on the files.

This will not remove or damage your files, nor will it modify your ability to open things. Most of the permissions modified will be on files that are part of the OS; not your stuff, like images and documents.

[Hondamaker]

You sure? I just tried it, and it seemed to work fine.




Yeah, it loaded the next time I tried it.