Why does my MacBook go slow?

I've noticed my computer going slowly mainly while using Safari (on YouTube) and iTunes. My video / music will just pause for a few moments and there will be a faint (almost clicking) sound coming from my computer. Why does this happen and how do I fix it?

Hi,
Make sure there's enough free space on the startup disk.
Right or control click the MacintoshHD icon. Click Get Info. In the Get Info window you will see Capacity and Available. Make sure you always have a minimum of 15% free disk space.
Carolyn

Similar Messages

Why does my macbook run slow?

Browsers, iphoto load very slowly. I have to do a lot of force quitting. I empty cache, and have only a dozen or so, mostly alias items on my desktop, but my machine is behaving like the pc it once replaced.
Is there a repair software recommended? Or should i take to a dealer for service. Thanks for any help. The following is my info:

When openning mail or Sarfari or almost any application it takes for ever to load; Send something to printer and it locks up for 5 minute then finally send to printer; over all performation is very slow?

Why are my MacBooks so slow on the network when everything else is fast?

Last month, my apartment complex changed its network from a pretty wide open Wi-Fi to one where we must enter a user name and password every 30 days for each machine. Since then, both my MacBooks (2012 MBP running 10.8.3 and 2008 white MB running 10.7.5) have very slow connections. Web pages will fail to load, or load incredibly slowly (as in the progress bar moves an inch then stops). We get bursts of activity (as also seen in Activity Monitor) lasting for seconds (limited to 4mbps down/0.2mbps up by the new ISP). This occurs on both Safari and Firefox. iTunes music store, the Mac App store, Mail, and Spotify all exhibit identical behavior. My iPad, iPhone, and another's Windows netbook connect without any obvious difficulty. We had a rep from the new ISP come to check out our connection, and he believes that the problem is directly related to the MacBooks (a virus on both?).
Things I've tried without change in behavior (with the 2012 MBP):
1. Connecting directly to ethernet (and turning off AirPort).
2. Restarting the computer and the router.
3. Logging in elsewhere in the complex
4. Changing DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
5. Deleting AirPort and re-installing in System Prefs
6. Following the excellent "Step by Step to Fix Your Mac" https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3353 on these forums, including clearing every cache imaginable with Onyx, and uninstalling Java, Silverlight, Flash, and any System Pref plugins.
7. Sorting through Activity Monitor to find anything else running on my CPU of consquence--I don't think so.
8. Confirming good ping and down/up speeds on Speedtest.net with my iPhone
I know little about networking, but I'm learning. Any other suggestions? Why does the MacBook behave differently on this network?

bowsplash wrote:
Thank you for the suggestions. I agree that my ISP rep looked a little confused by my problem. He was comfortable using Terminal (at least for basic network queries--more than I know how to do).
Although I physically have the ISP's router in my apartment, the ISP has changed the password, and I'm unable to change channels (though that shouldn't explain the peristent problem on ethernet). I've tried restarting it many times, including unplugging it.
I just emptied my trash (and restarted the computer). 500gb HD, 24gb free. No change in performance.
You're running out of HD space. That's the problem.
Empty the trash in the Dock as well as iPhoto’s trash!
Open up your application folder & go through all your apps. Trash all the apps you no longer want and/or use.
An easier way to do this is to open the Application folder in list view & press the Command+j keys.
In the the dialog that appears, click the "This Window Only" button & the "Calculate All Sizes" check box.
Wait a bit until your file & folder sizes have all been calculated, then click the "Size" column to sort your apps from the fattest to the most anorexic.
Get rid of all your photo files you don't want and/or need. Same goes for those pics off the websites you downloaded (gifs, jpegs, etc.). Or transfer/move them all to a photo/movie storage site like ImageShack and Photobucket, 2 of the most popular FREE storage sites.
Get rid of all your video & music files you no longer view and/or listen too. Especially, if you already have the actual CD/DVDs or you can later redownload from a website. Or transfer them all to a FREE video/movies and/or music storage site.
Use Spotlight to make sure you got rid of everything. You can even trash directly from Spotlight! Better yet, download this FREE software called Find File. This app puts Spotlight to shame (works w/Mountain Lion).
Drag what you don't want and/or need to the trash. Better yet, download this neat little shareware app *demo* called AppZapper. It basically does all the work for you by not only trashing the apps but the apps preference files, caches & all its associated files.
Another software that does the above is AppDelete. Best of all this software is free!
Burn what you want and/or need onto CDs or DVDs. Not everyone has the luxury of purchasing an external HD and/or the system requirements for iCloud to store their "stuff.”
Dropbox is a free storage utility to check out.
You can check with your ISP to see if they offer *free* storage space. Most if not all do now-a-days. There are thousands if not millions of *free* storage facilities on the web also. Use your favorite search engine to search them out as they come in different storage sizes to fit your needs & wants.
Check for duplicate fonts.
Applications>Font Book
Select “All Fonts”
If you see any “black dots” next to any fonts this mean you have duplicates and/or multiple versions of these fonts.
To clean this up, select a “black dotted” font or the Apple + *click* to select multiple dotted fonts;
Edit>Resolve>Duplicates.
What the above does is turns off the duplicates & multiple version fonts. Not delete them.
More than likely the “extras” were installed by other programs and/or other users.
Clear out font caches
Use FontNuke. It does all the work for you. And, best of all it’s *FREE*.
Printer Drivers
Get rid of all the printer drivers you don’t need & use except the ones for your *current* printer(s)/scanner(s).
HD>Library>Printers Folder
If you accidently threw something out that you needed for your printer/scanner it can be easily obtained from the manufacturer’s website and/or from the CD that came w/the printer/scanner.
Garage Band
Has about 1GB of loops stored. Get rid of some some them. You surely don’t use, like and/or need them all.
HD>Library>Audio/Apple Loops>Apple>Apple Loops For GarageBand
Or just get rid of the Garage Band app altogether if you don’t use it.
Get rid of extra languages
Strip your computer down to your “native” tongue.
You can do this with a *FREE* utility called Monolingual. Another app that apparently does all the work for you. I’ve never used it. However, a lot of users here swear by & recommend it highly.
However, there is a warning for *native English speakers*. Make sure you keep BOTH English and English (United States).
Other Resources:
HD Space Checkers:
Disk Inventory X (FREE)
WhatSize (SHAREWARE)
OmniDiskSweeper (FREE)
GrandPerspective (FREE - donation)
==================
Mac Performance Guide
Slimming your hard drive
Rule of thumb: You should never let your hard drive get to where you have only 10-15% of space left.
Quick fix
How To Quickly Free Up Hard Drive Space on Mac OS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO-mlLApEuk

Why does the MacBook Retina 15" do software scaling to the native resolution of 2880x1800?

OS X does not allow changing the viewport resolution to the native 2880x1800, and it suggests 1440x900 as a retina optimized one. This means that software scaling is done on the fly. My question is, why?
I have two suspicions:
1. Running everything at the native resolution puts a bigger strain on the GPU, hence slowing down the OS, putting down battery time.
2. The number of apps using retina-ready sprites is miniscule, hence Apple does not want to mess with the user experience. Although I doubt it, as software post-processing is done even now, and apps with non-retina sprites look slightly blurred. If the native resolution would have been used, they would just look a bit more blurry.
Just some comments:
1. Switching to the native resolution will make everything smaller, up to the point of not being usable. But this is a non-argument, as the OS could be smart enough to use bigger versions of the sprites/icons/text. Apple already demands that developers use hi-res sprites (OS X Human Interface Guidelines), hence everything could be scaled x2 and it would be the same size at 2880x1800, as it is at 1440x900 in the current version of the OS.
2. Technically it is possible, as outlined here: Running the Retina MacBook Pro at Full 2880x1800 Resolution. Have a look at the comments too, there are some interesting observations in line with this question, but no definite answers.
3. I am aware that the OS X Cocoa server is running at native resolution at all times. This question is concerned with the viewport resolution, which requires hacks to be set to the native one.
Can answer on Quora if preferred (http://www.quora.com/OS-X/Why-does-the-MacBook-Retina-15-do-software-scaling-to- the-native-resolution-of-2880x1800)

Ah right at the top.
panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff7fa40cbf1a): "GPU Panic: [<None>] 5 0 a0 d9 9 8 0 3 :
This is a common problem with new Mac notebooks. There arre many threads on this and other forums about it.
Tae your Mac to an Apple store to be fixed or replaced.

Why does my macbook pro retina display shutdown while entering the administer account

why does my macbook pro retina display shutdown while entering the administer account

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of the test is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party software that loads automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, or by corruption of certain system caches.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain iMacs. The next normal boot may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin. Test while in safe mode. Same problem? After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

What is application memory and why does my macbook pro keep running out of it?

what is application memory and why does my macbook pro keep running out of it?

There is excessive swapping of data between physical memory (that is, the memory chips on the logic board) and virtual memory (one or more files on the startup volume.) That activity is relatively slow and causes the whole system to be less responsive. It can happen for two reasons:
          A long-running process with a memory leak (a kind of bug)
          Not enough memory for your usage pattern
Please note that if the cause is a memory leak, installing more memory will not help. That's likely if you already have more than 4 GB of memory. Tracking down a memory leak can be difficult, and it may come down to a process of elimination.
These instructions are for OS X 10.9 and later. Some details may be slightly different for earlier versions of OS X.
When you notice the swap activity, open the Activity Monitor application and select All Processes from the View menu, if it's not already selected. Select the Memory tab. Click the heading of the Real Mem column in the process table twice to sort the table with the highest value at the top. If you don't see that column, select
          View ▹ Columns ▹ Real Memory
from the menu bar.
If one process (excluding "kernel_task") is using much more memory than all the others, that could be an indication of a leak. A better indication would be a process that continually grabs more and more real memory over time without ever releasing it. Here is an example of how it's done.
The processes named "Safari Web Content" render web pages for Safari. They use a lot of memory and may leak if certain Safari extensions or third-party web plugins are installed. Consider them prime suspects.
Another process often implicated in memory leaks is "inkjet4" or "inkjet8," which is a component of the HP printing software. If it's present, force-quit the process in Activity Monitor to solve the problem temporarily. Empty the print queues in the Printers & Scanners preference pane (which has a slightly different name in each recent version of OS X.) If you don't use an HP printer, reset the printing system. Otherwise, if the problem is recurrent, update the software (which may not help) or contact HP support.
"Wired" memory should be a small part of the total. That memory is not swapped, but it makes less physical memory available which may then result in swapping. If you have a lot of wired memory, that's usually an indication of a memory leak in a third-party program that modifies the operating system at a low level. Ask for guidance in that case.
If you don't have an obvious memory leak, your options are to install more memory (if possible) or to run fewer programs simultaneously.
The next suggestion is only for users familiar with the shell. For a more precise, but potentially misleading, test, run the following command:
sudo leaks -nocontext -nostacks process | grep total
where process is the name of a process you suspect of leaking memory. Almost every process will leak some memory; the question is how much, and especially how much the leak increases with time. I can’t be more specific. See the leaks(1) man page and the Apple developer documentation for details.

Why does my MacBook Pro and Mac Pro keep freezing?

Why does my MacBook Pro freeze?
MacBook Pro
2.4 GHz intel Core2 Duo
4BB 1067 MHz DDR3
OSX 10.6.8 Snow Leopard
I turned it on and I went to safari to look things up. Safari froze and then the whole thing became unresponsive - the mouse could move the cursor but it couldn't open any programmes.
Tried safe boot several times. No help.
Tried to repair disc permissions. The first time it got a little way then said 'user stopped repair' or something - though I didn't touch it. Tried again it got all the way through and said 'repairs complete'. But no help.
Couldn't clear cache etc as couldn't get to the relevant part to do it.
Opened in single user mode. Ran the fsck -fy thing twice. First time it said both “The volume appears to be OK” AND “FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED.” In 2nd run it just said “The volume appears to be OK”. No help.
Booted it up from the Superduper bootable backup version on a USB external drive. It seemed to boot up ok but then tried to click on something and the same thing happened - spinning beach ball and it just hung.
Erased hard drive and reinstalled snow leopard but it just does the same thing. Suggesting a hardware issue not software but...the Eerie thing is, we tried backup version on boyfriends Mac Pro and it worked fine on there but 24hrs later his Mac Pro has got exactly the same screen freezing, unresponsive issue. Could this suggest there's something evil lurking on my back up? Can't get an appointment at Genius Bar until next week and need to get some work done, so hoping someone might have some ideas?
Cheers
Kerry

KaiDonald wrote:
... does Apple products work much better with using Apple routers?
While a genuine Apple router is likely to result in success, the reason for having one instead of another product is that it eliminates a lot of uncertainty. For example, we do not know the model D-Link product you have so no one is in position to speculate what the problem might be. Also, it makes support on this forum easier since there are only three AirPort models to choose from and they all work more or less the same.
Generally speaking your iPods, iPads, MacBooks, and AppleTV ought to work with any router though, provided it is fairly recent and meets accepted industry standards. If in doubt you can purchase an AirPort Base Station, which comes with 90 days of free telephone support. If it does not result in any improvement for you, you can always return it for a complete refund. The return period is 14 days and be sure to keep all material - receipt, box, manuals, etc...
If you elect this option be sure to follow its installation instructions, the most important of which is to power down your modem prior to connecting the AirPort Extreme, Express, or Time Capsule. All your other equipment will need their network settings adjusted to "forget" the D-Link network and connect to the new one.

Why does my MacBook Pro make background music and video quieter when I am on FaceTime?

Why does my MacBook Pro make background music and video quieter when I am on FaceTime? When my girlfriend and I are trying to watch a movie on Netflix together while on FaceTime my MacBook Pro always decreases the volume of any background sound on my computer so I can barely hear it. Is there a way to fix this? Thank you!

Have the same issue too. Apple can you please change this annoying feature. You are making long distance relationships more difficult.
I like how Facetime was with the old iOS, where nothing was dimmed. OR at least maybe if you could give users the option to turn on or off dimming of facetime.

Why does my macbook pro "goes to sleep" when charging?

Why does my macbook pro "goes to sleep" when charging? It is working fine without charging but once I attach the charger to my laptop, it just blacks out or goes to sleep mode and I can't wake it up unless I unpluck the charger.
I read from threads that it is a logic board problem....How do I solve this problem?

Try an SMC reset. Follow the method for "a battery you should not remove yourself."
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964

Why does my Macbook Air make a single buzz/beep?

Why does my Macbook Air make a single buzz/beep every time I open it or turn it on? It doesn't happen after again after the initial buzz. If I open it after it has been sleeping, it starts up and then there is a buzz. This has only happened since I downloaded iOS Maverick.

Beeps on startup:
1 beep = no RAM installed
2 beeps = incompatible RAM types
3 beeps = no good banks
4 beeps = no good boot images.
5 beeps = processor is not usable
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2538

Why does my Macbook keep going to sleep every 10-20 secs!

why does my Macbook keep going to sleep every 10-20 secs when first turning on then it seems ok after about 10 mins ? This has only happened since upgrding to Lion 3 days ago, it's driving me mad!

You are most welcome

Why does my macbook pro get hot

Why does my Macbook pro get hot while I am only on my email account? This is a recent change. It gets too hot too put in my lap. Is it a battery issue.

Open Activity Monitor in the Utilities folder. Select All Processes from the Processes dropdown menu. Click twice on the CPU% column header to display in descending order. If you find a process using a large amount of CPU time (>=70,) then select the process and click on the Quit icon in the toolbar. Click on the Force Quit button to kill the process. See if that helps. Be sure to note the name of the runaway process so you can track down the cause of the problem.

Why does my macbook shut down when I am watching a film using airplay on apple TV?

why does my macbook shut down when I am watching a film using airplay on apple TV?

It appears to shut down and all the open programmes are closed

Why does my Macbook memory show full in other

why does my Macbook memory show full in other

If you are a Lion user, this may offer an explanation:
http://pondini.org/TM/30.html
Ciao.

Why does my macbook show emails as being sent twice

why does my MacBook Pro show emails as being sent twice

You don't need to delete them form iTunes on your computer. Notice the dotted circles next to the songs. That indicates that the songs are essentially in limbo. They may not be on your iPad or they might appear in the Music app but will not play.
Sometimes unsyncing those songs will totally remove those ghost traces of the music nd sometimes, you have to restore the iPad to get rid of those traces of the songs.
If you Google "grey dotted circles next to songs in iTunes" you will find a plethora of articles that talk about this.

Why does my MacBook go slow?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for