Anyone still rocking a 11" Mid-2011 MBA?

[clausbvc]

Still OK

Running a mid-2011, 4 GB, but upgraded to 1TB SSD, on Yosemite 10.10.2.
Experiencing the occasional fan-flares, but not to often.
Using Duet screen extension on iPad Air2, which works very good, but time is beginning to show, when opening large documents etc.

Next move will probably be an 13" MB-Pro, unless better MBA alternatives come up.

 

[Reidan]

I have not checked the fan to see if it is clogged. That is a good suggestion. Now I just need to find the security bit screwdriver that came with my OWC SSD drive so that I can open it up.


Also, over the weekend I went and installed every update I could think of. Including upgrading to Yosemite. Did not help.

To answer some earlier questions I was asked.

My memory pressure is amber even sitting idle with no apps running.
Only apps I have running in background are:
Evernote Sync
Sophos Antivirus
Mint checking

At Idle Memory shows:
Physical Memory 2 Gb
Memory Used 1.99 Gb
Virtual Memory 2.26 Gb
Swap Used 697 Mb

Then when I launch a web browser virtual memory and swap file will both climb quickly. I have seen virtual memory get to over 4 Gb and swap to over 2 Gb.

Looking at memory usage by app when the performance issues start, the kernel is around 250 Mb. But the browser will be around 400 Mb. And Shockwave or Flash will also have 400 Mb. And both are climbing. It does it with Safari, Chrome and Firefox.

If I close the browser, either using the app close from the menu, or force quitting, things go back down and the fan will eventually slow down. So it is related to browser, or a plugin.

I saved a copy of the Yosemite install file in case I need to make a bootable flash drive and reinstall the OS from scratch.

Good News is that my new 13" Retina is due via UPS on Thursday. (I posted about it in other threads) So if needed I will be able to reload the OS clean and hopefully get it running properly again to give it to my wife. She loves the small size of it. But, she would only use it for web browsing. So I need to get the browser issues fixed before I can give it to her.

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Sorry I could not post screen shots of the memory screens. Typing this on my work Dell Laptop while my MBA is at home.

 

[motrek]

I have not checked the fan to see if it is clogged. That is a good suggestion. Now I just need to find the security bit screwdriver that came with my OWC SSD drive so that I can open it up.


Also, over the weekend I went and installed every update I could think of. Including upgrading to Yosemite. Did not help.

To answer some earlier questions I was asked.

My memory pressure is amber even sitting idle with no apps running.
Only apps I have running in background are:
Evernote Sync
Sophos Antivirus
Mint checking
...

So try not running this stuff and see what's taking up all your memory.

 

[Reidan]

My new rMBP 13" arrived on Thursday. Man, what a difference!!! Performance, screen, battery life, etc. I am so happy I got the upgrade.

 

[tmarks11]

My new rMBP 13" arrived on Thursday. Man, what a difference!!! Performance, screen, battery life, etc. I am so happy I got the upgrade.

congrats. 2GB of memory is getting long in the tooth to run latest OS X on. Bet you will be much happier not trying to fiddle around to try to force something to work with a modern OS that isn't optimized for an ancient computer.

Bet the new battery life will make you very happy.

That is why my 2010 MBA (2GB) is still "rocking" Lion.

 

[Reidan]

congrats. 2GB of memory is getting long in the tooth to run latest OS X on. Bet you will be much happier not trying to fiddle around to try to force something to work with a modern OS that isn't optimized for an ancient computer.

Bet the new battery life will make you very happy.

That is why my 2010 MBA (2GB) is still "rocking" Lion.

Yeah, I have contemplated rolling it back to Lion and giving it to my wife or son. Most likely my son, the wife does not seem interested in having it. She is happy with an iPad as her primary computer. And she still has a Windows Laptop, but rarely turns it on.

 

[motrek]

congrats. 2GB of memory is getting long in the tooth to run latest OS X on. Bet you will be much happier not trying to fiddle around to try to force something to work with a modern OS that isn't optimized for an ancient computer.

Bet the new battery life will make you very happy.

That is why my 2010 MBA (2GB) is still "rocking" Lion.

There's not much of an architectural difference between the 2010 MBA and the current ones. Apple can't really optimize OS X for one machine or the other--it's not like one is 32 bit and the other is 64 bit, or that sort of thing.

I was running Mavericks on my 2010 MBA when I sold it, and that ran as well or better than any previous OS that I had on it.

 

[windywalks]

That is why my 2010 MBA (2GB) is still "rocking" Lion.

How is Lion working out for you? I remember that even after it went through all the upgrades it was still a hog and Mountain Lion was almost a godsend.
I've got a 2011 MBA with 2GB of RAM and save for the occasional orange memory pressure it works very well for what it's used for - an office computer connected to a 20" ACD, web surfing and video watching. It runs Yosemite very well and stable (my mother would nag me to death if it didn't)

 

[tmarks11]

How is Lion working out for you? I remember that even after it went through all the upgrades it was still a hog and Mountain Lion was almost a godsend.

I have always been pretty happy with the 2010MBA performance (other than battery life).

But than I am also pretty happy with Yosemite in my 2012 MBA (8 GB).