Glacially slow MacBook Pro (Page 2): Mine is the Premium version, not free. I've been using MalwareBytes for 8+ years. I would not run my computer without it doing a daily scan. Mark...

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

a6k wrote:

MalwareBytes is a very good, free app that you can run anytime (and should run periodically). There is also a free BitDefender app for Mac which does the same thing and should be used the same way. I have and use both.

Mine is the Premium version, not free. I've been using MalwareBytes for 8+ years. I would not run my computer without it doing a daily scan.
Mark

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

chrissybabe wrote:

I don't think that this will help you in the short term but all Mac users and potential users should check out youtube videos by Louis Rossmann. Put you off Macs for life.

Ah, yes, the angry renegade computer repair guy who thinks he’s smarter than the rest of us. He just puts me off rude jerks. YouBoob is full of “experts” like that. I suppose he’s right twice a day, like my wife’s dead grandfather clock...

steve Loc: Iowa

defragment perhaps?

jblayney Loc: Colorado Springs Co.

Mizee, I have a 2009 MacBook Pro and I had the same problem. I had the battery changed, that didn't help, so I upgraded my HD to an SSD drive and then the Beach Ball was gone and it was a lot faster. I suggest you look for a Computer Repair Shop that works on Apple Products and ask about up grading your computer.

AirWalter Loc: Tipp City, Ohio

mizzee wrote:

A few weeks ago, my 2014 Mac slowed to a crawl. It now takes hours for updates. Just bought the Northrop book recommended here and it refused to download the practice images. I have the most recent update for the Mac installed. Any ideas for what may be causing the problem? P. S. I am not a computer person. I thought I’d try here before spending a lot of quality time at Apple.

VIRUS!!! Check for virus and malware before worrying about hardware failure! Also check your internet speed!

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

burkphoto wrote:

Ah, yes, the angry renegade computer repair guy who thinks he’s smarter than the rest of us. He just puts me off rude jerks. YouBoob is full of “experts” like that. I suppose he’s right twice a day, like my wife’s dead grandfather clock...

You are a little right. I find his manner a bit 'off' also. But being a prick doesn't stop you from being right. I have had a little exposure to Apple 'repairs' though and there is some truth in what he says. The 'right to repair' is something worth fighting for. I think you have EVs so maybe not a problem to you (yet) but the way society is going you won't be allowed to remove the skin of your own rice pudding soon.
Every single piece of electronic and mechanical equipment thrown away because it 'cannot/too expensive', as judged by the 'experts', to be repaired is another step closer to a world too hot and too depleted of resources to be able to live on it. Won't worry you, of course, but your grandchildren won't thank you.
Rampant capitalism is the biggest enemy of trying to fix this planet now.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Another trick is to reset the RAM modules. My elderly MBP is also plaqued with the spinning beach ball. I got the Tidbits Take Control book on the subject and have tried everything through the first half of the book and no soap. I do believe the Mac OS keeps track of things and is probably reading caches for repeating old actions.

jcboy3 wrote:

Try the standard stuff first. Make sure you have ... (show quote)

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

It is worth noting that if your Mac is old enough Apple may no longer be supporting it and the Apple Store techs won’t touch it. Not supporting a product means Apple no longer stocks spare parts. Same deal with other PCs.

Tigger1 wrote:

I have the same vintage Mac but have not experienc... (show quote)

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

MalwareBytes is no longer free. I bought a copy some 6 months ago and the license is for 1 year of service. MalwareBytes is not a ‘standalone’ app but uses company resources. Although it says my Mac is ‘clean’ my Mac has spinning beach ball too much. Last time I went to print I had to wait for the print order panel to come up. Its a mess.

a6k wrote:

MalwareBytes is a very good, free app that you can run anytime (and should run periodically). There is also a free BitDefender app for Mac which does the same thing and should be used the same way. I have and use both.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

Get a can of air duster and carefully blow out the unit thru the ventelation openings, often heat will cause the processor to step down speed to stop overheating. Then if problem still exists you probably have a hard drive that is to full or is failing.

jerrydownunder Loc: Newcastle, NSW Australia

mizzee wrote:

A few weeks ago, my 2014 Mac slowed to a crawl. It now takes hours for updates. Just bought the Northrop book recommended here and it refused to download the practice images. I have the most recent update for the Mac installed. Any ideas for what may be causing the problem? P. S. I am not a computer person. I thought I’d try here before spending a lot of quality time at Apple.

Agree with the Apple tech support option. Critical to "older" mac computers is the version of OS your are running. As the computers get older and the OSs get newer and do more and more, the older computers have a hard time keeping up with the OS operating requirements. Some of the older Mac computer won't run the newer OS software simply because they don't have the CPU or GPU horsepower to do so. The Apple people can help with that.

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

jerrydownunder wrote:

Some of the older Mac computer won't run the newer OS software simply because they don't have the CPU or GPU horsepower to do so. The Apple people can help with that.

Yes. The Apple people can certainly help you with that. It's called 'selling you a new one'.