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How can i make my old macbook run faster?
- Thread starter CompLuter
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When I have too many programs open at once, or when my computer hasn't been restarted in a few hours, I can try to click something and my computer can take 10 seconds to up to a minute to respond (the color pinwheel spins.) Restarting helps a little. With programs like photoshop, I click a button and then get up and go for a walk lol.
The reason i haven't bought more ram sticks to add to my computer is that i've been waiting to buy a new computer anyway. I want to get the macbook pro 15" when it comes out. I use my laptop for business (excel, word, entourage) as well as for art (photoshop, illustrator, various apps.) Lots of multitasking. When I upgrade my computer, how much RAM do you think I need to have on there to keep everything running smoothly? Can I do all of this stuff at once on a mbp anyway?
Don't worry about an SSD if you're going to upgrade soon but a RAM upgrade is a must (and 2x1GB is mighty cheap too, especially for those old 2006ers).
With a brand new MBP you'll be able to multi-task as much as you'd like, and if it becomes a problem a RAM upgrade is always pretty cheap (especially compared to the price the MBP will run you).
With a brand new MBP you'll be able to multi-task as much as you'd like, and if it becomes a problem a RAM upgrade is always pretty cheap (especially compared to the price the MBP will run you).
The reason restarting helps is because it closes down all your programs that are chewing up the tiny tiny little bit of RAM you have. If you had enough RAM, rebooting would only slow you down.
Evidence: open Activity Monitor, and look at the memory tab. If "swap used" is anything other than zero, you don't have enough RAM for what you're trying to do, and the size of swap is the bare minimum extra you would need. For comparison, I have 8GB of RAM, and all of that gets chewed up by lots of web browser windows.
Evidence: open Activity Monitor, and look at the memory tab. If "swap used" is anything other than zero, you don't have enough RAM for what you're trying to do, and the size of swap is the bare minimum extra you would need. For comparison, I have 8GB of RAM, and all of that gets chewed up by lots of web browser windows.
Defo more memory, cheap upgrade and will speed everything up.
SSD would be overkill if you plan to replace but if you get a decent one you can just swap it into your new machine when you get it.
SSD would be overkill if you plan to replace but if you get a decent one you can just swap it into your new machine when you get it.
Might I suggest that you wait it out another two weeks before upgrading the RAM?
Unless the cost of the RAM upgrade you will do is so cheap anyway?
With strong rumors of a refresh around the corner, why not just keep the machine as is, transfer the data over, then rebuild the machine from scratch?
Unless the cost of the RAM upgrade you will do is so cheap anyway?
With strong rumors of a refresh around the corner, why not just keep the machine as is, transfer the data over, then rebuild the machine from scratch?
this is what i will probably do.
i was hoping maybe there was some kind of magical button i could push
thanks to everyone for your suggestions! when the mbps come out, i'm going to get as much ram as i can!