Mac Mini 2012 getting slow

[Denis1987]

I have 2012 Mac Mini (i7, 16 GB ram, SSD), running OS X on one SSD disk and Windows 10 on another SSD disk. I am using two full HD monitors.

I am mostly using Windows 10. The problem is that comupter is getting slow. For exmaple, in Microsoft Word, when clicking right click to copy sth, it can takes up to 2 seconds before showing the window. If I select multiple pages and click copy, it can take up to 3 seconds before I can continue to work (computer freezes).

Is that due to old machine? Bad graphics?

Any ideas?

 

[pdxplm]

I have 2012 Mac Mini (i7, 16 GB ram, SSD), running OS X on one SSD disk and Windows 10 on another SSD disk. I am using two full HD monitors.

I am mostly using Windows 10. The problem is that comupter is getting slow. For exmaple, in Microsoft Word, when clicking right click to copy sth, it can takes up to 2 seconds before showing the window. If I select multiple pages and click copy, it can take up to 3 seconds before I can continue to work (computer freezes).

Is that due to old machine? Bad graphics?

Any ideas?

I've definitely noticed the same slowness on my 2012 mini as well. I've got the latest updates to Catalina and very minimal software on it..but it drags opening safari, office, email. I've got 16gigs of ram and an SSD with a ton of free space. It's a great little machine, but showing it's age

 

[USB3foriMac]

One option is SSD: what model do you have?
Samsung 850 EVO and other models had/have the problem that after data is written to the SSD, reading the data becomes more and more difficult with time (after several weeks). It had/has something to do with the bits degrading inside the data cells.
Samsung then released a firmware upgrade, which rewrites/refreshes the data after some time. So you can better read performance at the expense of reliability, as the cells are more stressed.
To verify this option, you could backup, wipe, and restore the SSD. Or just read a (large) file that was written to disk some time ago (2 months or so). Maybe a movie file or so. Copy it to a fast SSD/your desktop/ the same SSD. If the copy speed is slow, it is the read speed that causes the problem, provided you know for sure that your target drive has sufficiently fast writing speed.

Another option is you are out of RAM; so use the application "Activity Monitor", go to Memory, and check how much memory is used vs available. You can search on the options "wired" etc to understand more about what they mean.

Also, if your CPU has a fan (likely), it could be dirty (dust), and not cooling any more, causing the CPU to throttle.
Search about how to check your CPU temperature and CPU frequency (e.g. "Intel Power Gadget"). Helpful to understand whether the CPU is a limit.

There could be more options, but above is what comes to my mind first.

 

[Denis1987]

I have Crucial 500 MX, CPU never reseaches 100 % based on Activity Monitor. I replaced thermal paste and cleand the computer not long ago. Also RAM is never above 10 Gb of usage, so at least 6 GB free all the time. Could it be connected with graphics? I think my mac has Intel 4000.

 

[Denis1987]

I checked the temperature in os X and in windows. It is constantly around 75-80 d C. If i start working (copying etc) it goes towards 90. So it seems to be a cooling problem?

 

[newellj]

I have Crucial 500 MX, CPU never reseaches 100 % based on Activity Monitor. I replaced thermal paste and cleand the computer not long ago. Also RAM is never above 10 Gb of usage, so at least 6 GB free all the time. Could it be connected with graphics? I think my mac has Intel 4000.

I wonder if driving two full HD displays isn't a big contributor to the problem. If you disconnect one display, does the issue reduce or go away? I'm driving a single 24-inch 1200p (1920 x 1200) display, which in theory should be a little more of a burden than a single 1080p display (assuming that's what you're referring to as full HD).

I don't do the sort of work you're doing on my 2012 and I don't run Windows on it. My temps are usually in the 55-60 dC range. 90 dC seems pretty toasty and could be the culprit.

 

[USB3foriMac]

The MX500 should be fast enough, but just to make sure, run Crystaldiskmark and post the result.
Also best to check the CPU frequency with the mentioned Intel tool. This will better tell you whether the CPU is thermal throttling.
Another possibility is having the SSD in an external enclosure. The "removal policy" might play some tricks with you.
Also, it could be that the application uses single thread only, and the base frequency of your CPU is low. Something you might see with the Intel tool, too, or by other means.
Your CPU temp looks high to me, the cooling is certainly limited in this small machine. But again, this would cause thermal throttling mentioned above, checkable with the Intel tool.
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I wonder if driving two full HD displays isn't a big contributor to the problem. If you disconnect one display, does the issue reduce or go away? I'm driving a single 24-inch 1200p (1920 x 1200) display, which in theory should be a little more of a burden than a single 1080p display (assuming that's what you're referring to as full HD).

I don't do the sort of work you're doing on my 2012 and I don't run Windows on it. My temps are usually in the 55-60 dC range. 90 dC seems pretty toasty and could be the culprit.

Good point. Your Mac uses the integrated graphics of the CPU, causing the temp rise. High resolution not only causes demand on the graphics but also the CPU itself, adding to the load and having less performance available for your application as such.

That the system appears to freeze should however be more related to the periphery, e.g. SSD.

 

[Boyd01]

Have not noticed any change in my 2012 2.6ghz i7 quad mini with 16gb RAM. I primarily boot it into Sierra from a 1tb Samsung t3 USB SSD, which works great. I use Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Office 365, and am also developing a 3d map application using LIDAR data with webGL that runs in Safari.

Recently installed Catalina on the internal SSD (an original Apple SM256e). Seems to work fine, but I haven't used it much yet. I only drive one monitor - an ancient 23" Apple Cinema Display at 1920x1200 via an HDMI to DVI adapter. I have a BlackMagic UltraStudio box connected to the thunderbolt port which drives a 21" Sony 1080p studio monitor that is used as an external video device in Final Cut Pro (this is not recognized as a regular Mac monitor for other software).

Never did any temperature checking, etc because everything works fine as-is. The only time I hear the fans is when I render video, do extended recording in Logic or work extensively with my webGL site in Safari. No experience running windows on this Mac.

 

[Denis1987]

I found the problem (thank to newellj !!! ). I am having two HP monitors 1920*1200. I disconeted one and immediately no more lag when copying etc. Computer became considerabely less hot So is it the problem in CPU or GPU? Probably there is no solution.. If I want two monitors and fast computer I need to replace computer....

 

[Boyd01]

But you said this is a recent problem. Did you always have two monitors, or is that something new?

 

[Denis1987]

I mean, I believe that it is worse than it was in 2013 but probably it is somehow connected that newer Windows needs better specs than it was needed a few years ago.

 

[ivnj]

I scored a used Samsung 860 EVO 250gb off eBay for 42 dollars and 18 cents. I will see how it arrives. And 840 had the degrading cells problem. But I believe that was fixed in the 850 and 860.

 

[deviant]

I scored a used Samsung 860 EVO 250gb off eBay for 42 dollars and 18 cents. I will see how it arrives. And 840 had the degrading cells problem. But I believe that was fixed in the 850 and 860.

why? the new one is like 15 bucks more. I wouldn't buy a used ssd

 

[ivnj]

70 plus tax 77 - 42 =35. Not 15. Plus even on ebay others are bidding upwards of 50 even used ones.

 

[marclondon]

I have a 2012 i7 Mini that got too slow for me last year and I've bought a 2018 i7 and it's like night and day. However, one bank of memory failed on the 2012 cutting it down to 8GB from 16GB. It's a known fault with the board connector. It also has a 512GB Crucial SSD and I think that has seen better days. I have it as a back up machine now.

 

[Micky Do]

I have 2012 Mac Mini (i7, 16 GB ram, SSD), running OS X on one SSD disk and Windows 10 on another SSD disk. I am using two full HD monitors.

I am mostly using Windows 10. The problem is that comupter is getting slow. For exmaple, in Microsoft Word, when clicking right click to copy sth, it can takes up to 2 seconds before showing the window. If I select multiple pages and click copy, it can take up to 3 seconds before I can continue to work (computer freezes).

Is that due to old machine? Bad graphics?

Any ideas?

My 2009 Mac Mini got slow a couple of times......

First time, when it was about 4 years old, I got the shop to check it, to increase the RAM, and to install Mountain Lion (with very slow internet, and no credit card, I could not do it in my apartment). They also cleaned the dust out. After that it ran fine.....

About four years later it got slow again, and the fan started spinning fast. I got the shop to check it, and was ready to buy a new 2014 model. Also considered replacing the original HDD. They cleaned the dust out, and reckoned the HDD was still OK, so did not replace it. I also upgraded to El Capitan (free upgrade, and good internet to my apartment by then, I could do it myself) After that it ran fine....

I used that Mac Mini until late last year..... moving around a bit now, it is in storage, (using a MacBook Air for now) but when I get settled somewhere again (hopefully sooner rather than later) I'll set it up on a desk again. If it does slow down again, it will be the to replace it wth a new Mac Mini.

So, I suggest ..... clean the dust out, and your 2012 Mini will likely work fine again.

On the other hand, if Windows is your thing, there are other small computers out there which might be better suited to your needs..... personally, I prefer use MacOS, so will stick with Mac.