How to fix slow running MBPro

[vjaaan]

I have a MacBook Pro (2010) running Yosemite, 4 G memory, that is barely running some days. I looked in Utilities for a way to diagnose and fix this, but I was not finding what I need.

Can someone recommend how to speed this computer up? Desktop photo icons often don't even load the photo --- just some generic icon. Page scrolling sometimes has long delays. Many of features take forever to get moving.

Thanks.

 

[Bending Pixels]

Increase the RAM to 8GB and either install a 7200 rpm HD or a SSD

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Your hard drive is most likely dying 5-6 years is about right, replace it with an ssd drive and it'll be better than new.

 

[snaky69]

I have a MacBook Pro (2010) running Yosemite, 4 G memory, that is barely running some days. I looked in Utilities for a way to diagnose and fix this, but I was not finding what I need.

Can someone recommend how to speed this computer up? Desktop photo icons often don't even load the photo --- just some generic icon. Page scrolling sometimes has long delays. Many of features take forever to get moving.

Thanks.

Sudden slowness, especially in a laptop with a spinning hard drive is often due to the hard drive about to crap out. Being in a laptop means it gets jostled around a lot more than a desktop, and hard drives don't like sudden movement.

Keep a good backup handy, you may need it sooner than you'd like.

 

[Fishrrman]

Put an SSD into it.
Cheap and VERY easy to do.

You DON'T need a "top end" SSD, because the slower SATA bus on a 2010 MBPro can't support it.
BUT -- any "economy" SSD will do, and all will run about the same.

I'd suggest Crucial or a "Sandisk Plus".
The "sweet spot" price-wise is around 240gb right now.

Use this ifixit.com guide to see how to do the drive swap:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2010+Hard+Drive+Replacement/4305

Final advice:
Be sure to use THE RIGHT TOOLS.
You'll need a Phillips #00 driver and a TORX T-6 driver.
Can be found at hardware stores, online, etc.

 

[matt_on_a_mtn]

SSD and a RAM bump will have it running smooth for a good while longer for minimal cash.

 

[vjaaan]

Thank you all for your replies. I was hoping there was a disc cleanup/defrag type of program that would help.

I think I'll just go ahead and buy the new MacBook Pro. It's about time.

 

[Jana Lukas]

Which SSD would you guys recomend for a early 2011 MBP? It's working perfectly fine, just this week I'm facing a bit of slowness prob due to my work load with video editing I've being working.
I'm between up grade my ram or HD, and Apple don't upgrade it to a SSD so I'm open to third party options

 

[Weaselboy]

Which SSD would you guys recomend for a early 2011 MBP? It's working perfectly fine, just this week I'm facing a bit of slowness prob due to my work load with video editing I've being working.
I'm between up grade my ram or HD, and Apple don't upgrade it to a SSD so I'm open to third party options

IMO the Samsung EVO 850 or the Crucial MX200 are about the best bang for the buck right now. Just grab whichever you can get cheapest.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I'm with weaselboy those are the 2 best current ssd's price/performance wise