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21" 2012 iMac, being super slow, please help

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GadgetGeek407

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 26, 2009
994
61
florida
I have 8gb 1tb. I recently upgraded to Sierra and also have vmware fusion installed with windows 7. I noticed once I upgrade everything got VERY slow, I found a few posts talking about how the the icloud backup desktop feature could be causing it, I disabled it, still was slow. I then called Apple Care, they tried all kinds of steps and nothing worked.

I then deleted my entire hard drive and did a fresh install of Sierra and it was noticeably faster but I notice once again it got super slow again. What is causing this slowness? Is there anything I can do to find out? If I even click on chrome or safari it literally takes forever to even open. Same thing when I print anything or open anything. Please help...
 
T

tubeexperience

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2016
3,192
3,897
GadgetGeek407 said:
more than likely the 480gb maybe the 960
Click to expand...

Here are some of SSDs that you should look at:

Toshiba OCZ Trion 150

Mushkin Enhanced Reactor

ADATA Premier SP550

SSD prices have went up in the last three months due to NAND shortage, so you'll need to shop around.

For 480 GB, you should be able to get any of those for $100 or less.

For 960 GB, you should be able to get any of those for $200 or less.
 
Last edited:
J

JustMartin

macrumors 6502a
Feb 28, 2012
787
271
UK
I have the same model iMac as you and have not experienced any slowing down or other issues. Have you tried running hardware check? Also worth taking a look at activity monitor and seeing whether anything is sucking up your CPU or memory.
 
Fishrrman

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,074
13,104
OP:

Since you have a 2012 model with USB3, you could save yourself A LOT of potential trouble by NOT opening the iMac, and using an EXTERNAL SSD in a USB3 enclosure to boot and run the iMac.

It will be faster, easier, won't cost much more, AND you eliminate all the risks of fooling around inside the iMac. This board gets repeated posts from folks who thought they could open an iMac up, add a drive, and then.... broke something inside.
Are you sure -- SURE -- that you can open the iMac and do the drive swap without problems?

An SSD mounted in the proper USB3 enclosure will run nearly as fast as if it were installed on the internal SATA bus. Speeds should be up around 85% of what you'd get from an internal, or even better. Nothing you could notice "in real life" usage.

You might consider a drive like this:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ZTRY532?tag=delt-20

Pretty much just
- plug it in
- initialize with Disk Utility
- install the OS
- set startup disk pref pane to the external SSD, and then...
- reboot

And when the time comes when you get something new, just UNplug the SSD and "take it with you"....
 
T

tubeexperience

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2016
3,192
3,897
Fishrrman said:
OP:

Since you have a 2012 model with USB3, you could save yourself A LOT of potential trouble by NOT opening the iMac, and using an EXTERNAL SSD in a USB3 enclosure to boot and run the iMac.

It will be faster, easier, won't cost much more, AND you eliminate all the risks of fooling around inside the iMac. This board gets repeated posts from folks who thought they could open an iMac up, add a drive, and then.... broke something inside.
Are you sure -- SURE -- that you can open the iMac and do the drive swap without problems?

An SSD mounted in the proper USB3 enclosure will run nearly as fast as if it were installed on the internal SATA bus. Speeds should be up around 85% of what you'd get from an internal, or even better. Nothing you could notice "in real life" usage.

You might consider a drive like this:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ZTRY532?tag=delt-20

Pretty much just
- plug it in
- initialize with Disk Utility
- install the OS
- set startup disk pref pane to the external SSD, and then...
- reboot

And when the time comes when you get something new, just UNplug the SSD and "take it with you"....
Click to expand...

Using an external SSD doesn't provide as much speed and reliability as an internal SSD.
 
Fishrrman

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,074
13,104
tube wrote:
"Using an external SSD doesn't provide as much speed and reliability as an internal SSD."

Your post, regarding "reliability" is simply nonsense, and nothing more.

I write this post as a result of almost 4 years of booting and running a late-2012 Mac Mini using an SSD sitting in a USB3/SATA docking station. It boots and runs beautifully and almost never crashes. (Aside: it WILL crash if I do something in software that I know in advance will crash it, but in regular use... never.)

I realize it's "not quite as fast" as if I'd mounted the SSD internally, but the read speeds I get (431mbps) are nearly what I'd get if internally-mounted (isn't the theoretical max for SATA3 around 500mpbs?).
The differences are measurable using apps that measure such things, but the "real world perception" between the two is barely noticeable, or simply un-noticeable.

A Mac doesn't care from which device it's booted, so long as the connection is solid.
Consider all those who for years ran Mac Plus'es, SE's, SE30's, etc. from external SCSI drives (I did).
All you need is a good copy of the OS and a connection that's speedy.
 
G

GadgetGeek407

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 26, 2009
994
61
florida
Interestingly enough I once again went into disk utility, erased the 1tb drive then put a clean install of OS Sierra. I couldn't even open two DMG at the same time and still slow. Once I shutdown the system is keeps hanging on a black screen with the mouse showing. The drive in hardware test as well as disk utility tests find nothing wrong. Is it possible the drive is slowly going bad and that's why it's slowing down?

This machine I use for internet purposes and have VMware with Windows 10 solely for the purpose of running car dealership software.
 
G

GadgetGeek407

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 26, 2009
994
61
florida
Looking at the 525gb crucial. I don't need too much cause have plenty externals but figured good to have a decent size for resale.

If I open it to install wouldn't that void my extended Apple Care?

I have another iMac where the hard drive went bad it's under warranty I asked if I can pay and they install SSD they said no so what does one do?
 
Taz Mangus

Taz Mangus

macrumors 604
Mar 10, 2011
7,815
3,504
GadgetGeek407 said:
Looking at the 525gb crucial. I don't need too much cause have plenty externals but figured good to have a decent size for resale.

If I open it to install wouldn't that void my extended Apple Care?

I have another iMac where the hard drive went bad it's under warranty I asked if I can pay and they install SSD they said no so what does one do?
Click to expand...

There is potential to damage something if you open the iMac to work on it. Not everyone wants to tear apart an iMac to install parts inside it. The idea for a external SSD is the best option. Besides if you needed to use AppleCare Apple could remove the SSD and replace with an Apple authorized HD. The USB3 interface (5Gb/s) is more than fast enough to support the max 600Mb/s speed of the SATA SSD. You could use the external SSD as the boot HD and use the internal HD for user accounts.
 
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