How To Increase System Performance / Get More From RAM

[thejackinthepac]

Hi.

I'm currently using an old 10.5.8 macbook with 2gb of ram and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend some methods/programs I can use or things I can do to help speed up my system performance. I do a lot of browser-heavy work but everything is slow, sluggish and takes ages to open.

I don't use many applications at a time, I've disabled the desktop widgets/dashboard, I've uninstalled everything I don't use, removed as much start-up stuff as I can, installed 'iFreeMem' so I can optimize from time to time (I need to do this a lot!).

I know a newer system is needed, but for now, if I could get some recommendations on ways to get rid of the spinning wheel of death for minutes at a time, it would be greatly appreciated (I can barely open two web browsers in under 2 minutes without the machine then totally freezing up).

Thanks.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Since you did not specify which model you use, the Mac OS X version is only an indicator of you having a MacBook from 2006 or 2007 or 2008, there is not that much to go on regarding RAM, as some models support 3 to 6 GB of RAM. A past thread of yours indicates you having a 2008 MB, thus 6 GB of RAM can be had via getting one 2 GB and one 4 GB 200-pin DDR2 SO-DIMM RAM module, maybe just getting 4 GB RAM via two 2 GB 200-pin DDR2 SO-DIMM RAM modules will suffice your needs.

Open Activity Monitor and go to the System Memory* tab and look for Page Outs and Swap used and report back.

Using Activity Monitor to show you CPU and RAM usage​

* Mac OS X: Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor​

Upgrading RAM in MacBooks and MacBook Pros​

As for the long start times, maybe your HDD is getting slower and slower due t being old, maybe think about getting a newer HDD or even an SSD.

You can use the following applications to benchmark the speed of your HDD / SSD, to see, if it is the culprit:

• AJA System Test
• Blackmagic Disk Speed Test
• Xbench

If you want to enhance the performance of your Mac, be sure to check these two articles, do not just use applications, that promise to do it for you.

• Performance Tips For Mac OS X
• Mac Performance Guide

 

[thejackinthepac]

Yeah, its a 2008 macbook, although the HDD was replaced about 18 months ago. My page out = 42.12mb, my swap used = 91.42 mb. Thanks for those links, I'll be sure to check through them.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Yeah, its a 2008 macbook, although the HDD was replaced about 18 months ago. My page out = 42.12mb, my swap used = 91.42 mb. Thanks for those links, I'll be sure to check through them.

Those are normal page outs and do not indicate a need for more RAM. If you look at those numbers again AFTER a day of usage (after a restart in the morning, since those numbers a cumulative), and refrain from using iFreeMem (since it only empties the INACTIVE RAM*), maybe those numbers change and indicate a need for more RAM.

* Mac OS X: Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor​

Maybe also think about getting Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard from the Apple Online Store for 19 USD and upgrade to that, since it is more efficient and less resource intensive.

And also know, that deleting stuff or applications will not make your Mac faster, since the storage has nothing to do with performance, unless you get less than 10 or 5 GB of free storage capacity.

And I hope, you also do not use any AV software in the background, which may take up valuable resources.

 

[thejackinthepac]

I was getting close to 10GB of harddrive left, so I deleted a lot of stuff and got some external storage to keep the drive as clean as possible. No AV software running, although I do occasionally need to do light video editing. (It's probably just overdue for an upgrade).