Late 2011 Macbook Pro Starting To Run Slow

[heisenberg123]

I disagree. Upgrading to an SSD prior to installing the proper amount of RAM would reduce the life of the SSD, and still be quite slow. First, with inadequate RAM, the SSD will be utilized as virtual memory, offsetting the lack of physical RAM. By doing this, the computer will write tasks that are normally written to RAM, to the SSD. Because SSDs have only a finite amount of writes available to each transistor, you'll effectively shorten its lifetime, and increase the risk of data loss. Additionally, even fast SSDs pale in comparison to the speed of RAM – ~500MB/s in SSDs vs. ~23 GB/s in RAM (@1333 MHz). Therefore, the best solution would be to install the appropriate amount of RAM first, followed by an SSD upgrade. Once the proper amount of RAM is installed, an SSD will truly shine.

thanks for the info, obviously I never noticed this because I had already upgraded to 16GB of RAM a year before the SSD upgrade, all I can say is even a 16GB early 2011 MBP can be slow and beach balled to death with a slow HDD

 

[Mike Boreham]

Thanks for all of your input. This is going to be a really stupid question but bear with me. How do I back up my files and things? I have an external hard drive but is there a way to back everything up on the computer itself and how do I reinstall OS X?

I agree with another post you had about not really needing to to do a fresh install, however from the above it sounds like you don't do any regular backups at all.

Carbon Copy Cloner and Time Machine are both great. I use both, but I strongly recommend you do at least one of them, especially as you are doing some very unfamiliar (to you) things to hardware and software.

Solid backups are a huge piece of mind factor in computing.

 

[yjchua95]

can you link me your wallpaper please

Here you go

It's 2880x1800 because it was originally sized for my 15" rMBP

 

[MarcusCarpenter]

Here you go

It's 2880x1800 because it was originally sized for my 15" rMBP

Thanks x

 

[BigBeast]

Thanks for all of your input. This is going to be a really stupid question but bear with me. How do I back up my files and things? I have an external hard drive but is there a way to back everything up on the computer itself and how do I reinstall OS X?

Apple's Time Machine Support Page

 

[makris0000]

Update!

I just got my RAM in today and I installed it. The areas where the RAM is such a small area, it was a pain in the ass to take out the bottom stick, but I eventually got it. So far I noticed that my computer runs much faster and I looked on the Activity Monitor and I have 8GB installed and out of that 8GB, I now have over 3GB free compared to when I only had 4 GB installed and only had like 2-50MB free.

Good thing I upgraded my RAM Now my mac runs like new.

 

[BigBeast]

Update!

I just got my RAM in today and I installed it. The areas where the RAM is such a small area, it was a pain in the ass to take out the bottom stick, but I eventually got it. So far I noticed that my computer runs much faster and I looked on the Activity Monitor and I have 8GB installed and out of that 8GB, I now have over 3GB free compared to when I only had 4 GB installed and only had like 2-50MB free.

Good thing I upgraded my RAM Now my mac runs like new.

Glad it worked out. I had no doubt it would. If you really want fast, the next step is an SSD install.

 

[makris0000]

Glad it worked out. I had no doubt it would. If you really want fast, the next step is an SSD install.

Thanks. I doubt I will be having to do an SSD install because I plan on keeping my Macbook pro for another 2-3 years and then I am going to get an Macbook Air or another Pro. Not sure yet.

 

[OldMacUser]

... I plan on keeping my Macbook pro for another 2-3 years ...

You would most definitely want to explore installing an SSD if you intend to use the MacBook Pro for another 2-3 years .... just saying.

If you felt that installing additional RAM made your MacBook Pro runs like new, installing an SSD will make it feel like you supercharged it.

Serious.

 

[makris0000]

You would most definitely want to explore installing an SSD if you intend to use the MacBook Pro for another 2-3 years .... just saying.

If you felt that installing additional RAM made your MacBook Pro runs like new, installing an SSD will make it feel like you supercharged it.

Serious.

I guess but I only need it to work so I can get my school work done for m y classes until I get another Pro or an Air, then I will eventually upgrade this to an SSD.

 

[Altemose]

I guess but I only need it to work so I can get my school work done for m y classes until I get another Pro or an Air, then I will eventually upgrade this to an SSD.

I put a Samsung 840 Evo in my MBP and it flies. It is also nice to know that my hard drive isn't susceptible to damage being carried in my bag with my books for school. No moving parts is a heck of a lot more reliable.