Slow iMac

[slabman]

I have a 2.4 GHZ iMac, running 4 GB of ram, using Parallels for Windows and Leopard OSX. I have extremely slow response times (sometimes several minutes) when trying to load a file from the HD...even slower when using Windows, of course.

What areas should I be checking to increase speeds? Could my after-market RAM be poor quality? HD has a 100 gigs unused. Comments?

[Macsleuth]

Sounds like your drive might be on the way out.
Run the diag off the install CD

[ddeadserious]

I'd backup your hard drive immediately just in case of a catastrophic failure. I've had the same symptoms and it did end up being a hard drive failure.

You might try getting a bench test utility to run under Windows and it will stress test your hard drive(and other system hardware) and you may be able to pinpoint your problem, but I'd put money on hard drive going out.

[IJ Reilly]

Backing up is always a good idea, but the first diagnostic step is to run Disk Utility off the restore discs, or fsck in Single User Mode, if you know how.

If you suspect your third-party RAM, you can always remove it and find out if it makes any difference -- but usually bad RAM will cause your Mac to kernel panic, not run slowly.

[AlexisV]

Probably a simple disk error which Disk Utility can fix if you boot from the CD.

[Sun Baked]

Also us console.app to see if there is a major error creating issues.

Some people had some errors that were happening a lot and sucking up a lot of drive activity -- but these people tended to also run into full drives.

[slabman]

Disk Utility says my disk is functioning normally, so what else can I try? btw....where do I find "consol.app"?

[johto]

Disk Utility says my disk is functioning normally, so what else can I try? btw....where do I find "consol.app"?

Its name is "Console" and you find it under utilities.

[slabman]

Yeah, I found it last night, but this machine is still too slow. Thanks.

[IJ Reilly]

Removing your third-party RAM was also suggested.

[slabman]

Got my new 4 gigs of Crucial RAM today and installed it. My load times in Parallels are still in the MINUTES.....just a little too slow for my needs....eh?