iMac 2019 Garageband freeze SSD needed

[jimmyjazzz]

Hi all

I have a 2019 21.5 inch machine
3.6 GHz Quad Core Intel Core i3
8GB 2400 MHz DDR4

Never liked it since buying it but can't afford to buy new yet.

Garageband freezes all the time and always has.

I can give more details if required but any help would be great.

Cheers for advice

Jimmy

 

[Bigwaff]

I can give more details if required but any help would be great.

Cheers for advice

What troubleshooting have you already done?

 

[jimmyjazzz]

I remember when I first bought it I had Apple Care and they tweaked around with it over the phone. Not sure whether anything changed if it did it didnt change for good, (I never used it much until I retired last year).

Chat gpt sends me round in circles and tries to get me to 'freeze tracks' which you can't do or 'GarageBand > Preferences > Audio/MIDI, increase the Buffer Size' which you also can't do.

Then it goes on to tell me that I should convert midi tracks to audio files which is not the point.

The message I get every time it freezes is attached

 

[Bigwaff]

You need more system memory. Upgrade to 16GB. You will need to take it to a service shop as it requires disassembling the iMac. But it is doable. While in there, have them swap out internal HD for an SSD, if you don’t already have SSD internal. How much internal storage installed? How much free space left?

 

[Fishrrman]

The answer looks to be:
The iMac you have isn't well-equipped enough to handle the tasks you're loading upon it.

It needs more RAM and probably needs an SSD inside, too.
(you didn't tell us what kind of DRIVE is inside).

What you REALLY need is an m4 Mac Mini with 32gb of RAM and a 1tb SSD.
Things will go much more smoothly...

 

[DeltaMac]

You may get some improvement by adding RAM. Your 2019 iMac can be upgraded to 16, or 32GB, or even 64GB. The RAM slots are NOT user accessible, and is a big job to completely disassemble your iMac, needed to get at the RAM slots, which are on the back side of the logic board. That would also be a good opportunity to swap out an HDD for an SSD, as a spinning hard drive will cause very noticeable "slow-down" issues.
Might be other helpful tips on this page.

 

[jimmyjazzz]

Thanks all for your suggestions. Not sure if I have a SSD memory or not. It is a Fusion Drive and when I chatgpt for a solution I have found solid state = yes (if that makes any sense). So I think so.

Is there anyway I can improve the RAM externally?

Show my naivety when buying. Previous to this iMac I had one I bought in 2010 which never faulted and ran Garageband with no issues. I assumed an iMac 10 years later would do the same with even less trouble.

Is there a way I can go back to a less heavy version of garageband

 

[DeltaMac]

"Fusion Drive" means that your iMac has 2 storage devices. One is a 1TB HDD (has a spinning platter, NOT an SSD.)
The other device is a very small SSD, probably 32GB.
The 2 devices are joined by software, so you will only show one drive.

On the other hand, RAM (random-access memory) is not part of storage, or your fusion drive. RAM is volatile, which means that if you shut your computer off, you immediately lose everything that is stored in RAM.
Storage (your hard drive, or your Fusion drive) is not dumped when shutting power off. That's where all your apps, the Mac system, all your files and documents are all stored. That does not change, unless you make changes to it as the user.

I still suspect that you may have a failing drive (or simply is not working as well as it did when new). Again, that's where everything is stored, and that's where your system software is accessed.
If the hard drive (your Fusion drive) would need to be replaced, it is not a simple job where you can do "something" through a simple access panel on the back.
AND, you may also not have sufficient RAM for the software that you would like to use, including Garageband.
The RAM on your 21.5-inch iMac is replaceable, but requires full disassembly to get at the RAM slots. NOT something for the novice. (Compared to the larger 27-inch iMac that Apple used to sell, which had a small access door on the back of the screen, very simple and quick to change the RAM sticks. NOT so easy on your 21.5-inch iMac, unfortunately.)

 

[Fishrrman]

Only way to say it:
The OP needs a more capable Mac.
It may not be cost-effective to do major surgery on what he has now.
This will depend on:
- whether or not he has a good Mac shop nearby (or the ability and confidence to do a big job himself (a job that will be fraught with hazards...)
and...
- if there is a good shop, how much they will charge for the procedure
and finally...
- how much the OP is willing to spend to update a 6-year-old Mac.

Again, I'll suggest an m4 Mini with 32gb of RAM and a 1tb SSD.
You can save some $$ by buying from Apple's online refurbished store.
That's what I did... no regrets...

 

[jimmyjazzz]

Only way to say it:
The OP needs a more capable Mac.
It may not be cost-effective to do major surgery on what he has now.
This will depend on:
- whether or not he has a good Mac shop nearby (or the ability and confidence to do a big job himself (a job that will be fraught with hazards...)
and...
- if there is a good shop, how much they will charge for the procedure
and finally...
- how much the OP is willing to spend to update a 6-year-old Mac.

Again, I'll suggest an m4 Mini with 32gb of RAM and a 1tb SSD.
You can save some $$ by buying from Apple's online refurbished store.
That's what I did... no regrets...

Could I ask for more info on the 'm4 Mini with 32gb of RAM and a 1tb SSD'. Not sure I can find the right thing. Also would I need to buy a monitor?

It is a bit concerning that Garageband did this freezing lark from day one - so my machine being 6 year old isn't the issue I don't think.

 

[jimmyjazzz]

"Fusion Drive" means that your iMac has 2 storage devices. One is a 1TB HDD (has a spinning platter, NOT an SSD.)
The other device is a very small SSD, probably 32GB.
The 2 devices are joined by software, so you will only show one drive.

On the other hand, RAM (random-access memory) is not part of storage, or your fusion drive. RAM is volatile, which means that if you shut your computer off, you immediately lose everything that is stored in RAM.
Storage (your hard drive, or your Fusion drive) is not dumped when shutting power off. That's where all your apps, the Mac system, all your files and documents are all stored. That does not change, unless you make changes to it as the user.

I still suspect that you may have a failing drive (or simply is not working as well as it did when new). Again, that's where everything is stored, and that's where your system software is accessed.
If the hard drive (your Fusion drive) would need to be replaced, it is not a simple job where you can do "something" through a simple access panel on the back.
AND, you may also not have sufficient RAM for the software that you would like to use, including Garageband.
The RAM on your 21.5-inch iMac is replaceable, but requires full disassembly to get at the RAM slots. NOT something for the novice. (Compared to the larger 27-inch iMac that Apple used to sell, which had a small access door on the back of the screen, very simple and quick to change the RAM sticks. NOT so easy on your 21.5-inch iMac, unfortunately.)

Many thanks for your very useful info. Can I just say that Garage band did this from DAY 1! Everytime I used it. Mac help did a few twiddles but it carried on and I was too busy to play around with it at the time.

Do you think an external SSD might help?

 

[Fishrrman]

"It is a bit concerning that Garageband did this freezing lark from day one - so my machine being 6 year old isn't the issue I don't think."

Have you considered trying another DAW app other than GarageBand?
Probably depends on if you are using real instruments vis-a-vis "virtual" instruments.

My preference is Cubase.
If your needs are not "too heavy", there are "light" versions of Cubase (AI and LE, etc.).
They offer a free trial...

 

[Calaveras]

You need more system memory. Upgrade to 16GB. You will need to take it to a service shop as it requires disassembling the iMac. But it is doable. While in there, have them swap out internal HD for an SSD, if you don’t already have SSD internal. How much internal storage installed? How much free space left?

This is the answer.
Your machine is an Intel CPU iMac, which puts you behind the eight ball. Since Apple has since moved on to Apple Silicon. The real answer is to get a used M1 Mac so you can be current with Apple's updates.
But if you want to make this work you need to address the bottlenecks. Nothing can be done about the CPU. But storage can be upgraded to a newer faster SSD. I'm pretty sure it already has an Apple SSD, but there are newer faster ones.
The real gamechanger would be a ram upgrade. Default on those was 8gb, which is minimum just to run MacOS really.


The other option is to go through and uninstall every 3rd party thing, or just copy your profile to a USB drive and do a factory reset. Then try running Garageband.
But I suspect that you are on a version of MacOS and Garageband that straddles Intel and Apple Silicon. So it's expecting more of your computer than it can give. If that is the case you may try to downgrade to an earlier version of MacOS. However, if the firmware has been updated past a certain point, it's a one way street. A 2022 firmware won't let you load a 2019 version of MacOS. That happened to my Mac Pro.

 

[zarmanto]

At a glance, I don't think that's a Fusion drive; your screenshots appear to identify it as an SSD. To find out with certainty, you could open Disk Utility, as it should tell you very plainly that the volume is made up of either one or two drives and identify the drive types. (I think the disk info window you captured would probably also say this... but as I've personally never trusted the Fusion drive concept in the first place, I don't have one to compare.)

The simplest and most likely answer (as others have mentioned) is that the iMac doesn't have enough RAM to handle Garageband effectively. A quick search on the inter-tubes yields the following supporting verbiage from a music production enthusiast's website:

Does GarageBand Use a Lot of RAM?​

From my own personal experience, I can say that 8GB of RAM is not enough to operate Garageband without occasional glitches, crashes, or temporary buffering periods. Garageband can function with 8GB of RAM, but 16GB would make your workflow much smoother.

 

[jimmyjazzz]

"It is a bit concerning that Garageband did this freezing lark from day one - so my machine being 6 year old isn't the issue I don't think."

Have you considered trying another DAW app other than GarageBand?
Probably depends on if you are using real instruments vis-a-vis "virtual" instruments.

My preference is Cubase.
If your needs are not "too heavy", there are "light" versions of Cubase (AI and LE, etc.).
They offer a free trial...

Cubase! I loved cubasis in 1997 when I got my first pc and a sandblaster gold card! I have never got over the shift they made which made my old files redundant. I try to make garagband do what cubasisdid! I would consider you advice but I read on the cubase website that I would need a bigger processor that I have at the moment so I might be back to square one.

 

[jimmyjazzz]

At a glance, I don't think that's a Fusion drive; your screenshots appear to identify it as an SSD. To find out with certainty, you could open Disk Utility, as it should tell you very plainly that the volume is made up of either one or two drives and identify the drive types. (I think the disk info window you captured would probably also say this... but as I've personally never trusted the Fusion drive concept in the first place, I don't have one to compare.)

The simplest and most likely answer (as others have mentioned) is that the iMac doesn't have enough RAM to handle Garageband effectively. A quick search on the inter-tubes yields the following supporting verbiage from a music production enthusiast's website:

this is what I found from disk utility

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"I would consider you advice but I read on the cubase website that I would need a bigger processor that I have at the moment so I might be back to square one."

You could always try to scrounge up an OLDER VERSION of Cubase...

 

[zarmanto]

this is what I found from disk utility

Well, that does seem to be fairly clear. I guess it's a Fusion Drive after all. Huh.

(I still think your primary culprit is RAM... but yeah, you probably want to do something about that Fusion Drive at some point... preferably at the same time.)