how to improve MAC speed...

[MagicBoy]

Best way to determine if you need more RAM is to watch your paging and and how big your swap memory is. On my 2008 MacBook with 4GB running Yosemite, with about half dozen websites open in Safari, and the system will already start using virtual memory. With the prices of RAM being so low now, why not give yourself a little headroom?

Post #9.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Best way to determine if you need more RAM is to watch your paging and and how big your swap memory is. On my 2008 MacBook with 4GB running Yosemite, with about half dozen websites open in Safari, and the system will already start using virtual memory. With the prices of RAM being so low now, why not give yourself a little headroom?

But the machine is not being used with the software that it will be running for his kids, so that argument is pointless.

 

[pastrychef]

Post #9.

Note... I did try activity monitor, with following findings (not sure how to upload a screenshot or pic )

Memory
Physical memory 4gb
Memory used 3.96gb ( could that be the issue right there??)
Virtual memory 5.88gb
Swap used 16.3mb

Of his 4GB, 3.96GB is used. Virtual memory is already up to 5.88GB. Don't you think it's time for additional memory?

 

[pastrychef]

But the machine is not being used with the software that it will be running for his kids, so that argument is pointless.

I was just talking about Safari.

 

[vkd]

Incorrect. The memory pressure graph is green. OS X will use all the available memory to increase performance. Please learn how to interpret memory usage on OS X.

I'd fit an SSD as a first step if the Mac is running OS X 10.9 or later.

Sorry to call you out but I am not incorrect.

 

[MagicBoy]

Sorry to call you out but I am not incorrect.

Well prove it then. Saying "I am not incorrect" wouldn't stand up in court.

 

[vkd]

Well prove it then. Saying "I am not incorrect" wouldn't stand up in court.

Prove what? I can tell you factually that in at least 4 separate cases I have personally added more RAM to a computer, be it an iMac or not, and improved performance. Including this mid-2011 27" iMac which came with 4GB RAM. It was a bottleneck. Now it has 16GB and runs satisfactorily. No other changes.

 

[MagicBoy]

Prove what? I can tell you factually that in at least 4 separate cases I have personally added more RAM to a computer, be it an iMac or not, and improved performance. Including this mid-2011 27" iMac which came with 4GB RAM. It was a bottleneck. Now it has 16GB and runs satisfactorily. No other changes. Anything else, NastyBoy?

Where are these facts? "I think it's quicker" is an opinion, not a fact. It's also on your machine, not the OPs. Benchmark scores or stats indicating that paging activity was reduced would be a fact.

Going back to Post #9 there are two key facts given by the OP :
Swap used 16.3mb
Memory pressure graph is flat and half of box is green ??

If the iMac is running short of memory then the swap used would be far above that nominal value, and the memory pressure graph would not be green.

Oh, and thanks for the insult.

 

[Kissmyne]

I am surprised at how many here suggests more RAM for a 2009 machine with 4GB already, that will only be used for games and homework. It will not help at all to upgrade it. An SSD would help though, but RAM? Geez. There's sure is a lot of users who don't know what they are talking about.

Agreed, if memory pressure is low that is not the issue. Some apps will page to the HDD regardless of how much RAM you have.. SSD would be far more noticeable performance wise for this situation. Another thing to lookout for is runaway processes.. I saw blued using 70GB of virtual mem on a computer I worked on a while back(as an example)...

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

I was just talking about Safari.

That doesn't make it any different, because based on OPs description, Safari will not be used very much.

 

[pastrychef]

This thread is going nowhere. I'm gone. Good luck.

 

[vkd]

Where are these facts? "I think it's quicker" is an opinion, not a fact. It's also on your machine, not the OPs. Benchmark scores or stats indicating that paging activity was reduced would be a fact.

Going back to Post #9 there are two key facts given by the OP :
Swap used 16.3mb
Memory pressure graph is flat and half of box is green ??

If the iMac is running short of memory then the swap used would be far above that nominal value, and the memory pressure graph would not be green.

Oh, and thanks for the insult.

Insult was no problem. Fortunately or unfortunately I can't give you any more or I will get banned.

Please, my dear friend, do some research on the internet IT sites about this subject. I am short of time to go searching for all the info for you but it is out there. I have not enough time to debate this with you. Thanks.

 

[MagicBoy]

I don't need to do "research on the internet". I've got a qualification from Apple that proves my knowledge of OS X.

 

[h9826790]

2 main options.

1) Format the HDD and install 10.6.8. Which is the best OS for HDD.

2) Upgrade to SSD and then 10.10.5 will be much more responsive.

In either case, more RAM will help but not necessary.