MacBook Pro mid 2010 freezes constantly

[wickedking94]

So for the past few days my MBP has been freezing for a good 5 minutes at a time if I do anything that takes even the tiniest amount of CPU power.

Opening a photo in photoshop, loading webpages, and god forbid if theres anything with flash on a webpage, and it just completely stops.

The only programs open are Chrome, Mail, and iTunes, and its never been like this before.

System Specs:
2.4Ghz Core 2 Duo (which is a useless piece of junk anyway)
8GB DDR3 ram
500GB 7200RPM HDD
GeForce 320M 256MB Graphics

Really dissapointed with how poorly a 2 year old computer thats been decently upgraded is performing. Its that stupid Core 2 Duo its such an old piece of crap. The first Core 2 Duo's came out in 2006. im using 6 year old hardware in a 2 year old machine.

Wish I had waited a bit and gotten one with a Core i5

 

[xxcysxx]

did you by any chance upgraded the os to mountain lion, and did it start to do this freezing after mountain lion?

if you haven't update to mountain lion, then i would recommend checking the ram. borrow a set of ram from another laptop or a friend and try it out for a few days and see if the freezing go away.

next will be the hard drive, could be something running in background hogging up system resources.

 

[wickedking94]

I don't think its mountain lion because its been running ML since the day it came out with no problems.

I've tested my ram with some ram testing programs and it comes back fine.

Same with my HDD, ran several disk checking programs and they all say its fine.

:/

 

[derbothaus]

So for the past few days my MBP has been freezing for a good 5 minutes at a time if I do anything that takes even the tiniest amount of CPU power.

Opening a photo in photoshop, loading webpages, and god forbid if theres anything with flash on a webpage, and it just completely stops.

The only programs open are Chrome, Mail, and iTunes, and its never been like this before.

System Specs:
2.4Ghz Core 2 Duo (which is a useless piece of junk anyway)
8GB DDR3 ram
500GB 7200RPM HDD
GeForce 320M 256MB Graphics

Really dissapointed with how poorly a 2 year old computer thats been decently upgraded is performing. Its that stupid Core 2 Duo its such an old piece of crap. The first Core 2 Duo's came out in 2006. im using 6 year old hardware in a 2 year old machine.

Wish I had waited a bit and gotten one with a Core i5

You bought the absolute cheapest Macbook you could. Apple offers old stock as their low end models. 2010 had 15" Arrandale i7's. How did you decently upgrade it? GPU? CPU? That's what it needs. Memory speeds nothing up unless you are swapping and a superfluous upgrade at under 100.00 for 8GB. I don't see an SSD in there. 7200 from 5400 is not all that massive. Couple ms response maybe 10MB/s transfer. Stay on 10.6 as they still rock that OS. The 10.7+ needs far greater power to do even simple stuff. My 2.8GHz core2duo 2008 chokes too. I added an SSD and it was better but I put 10.6 back on it and it is back to a powerhouse.

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I don't think its mountain lion because its been running ML since the day it came out with no problems.

I've tested my ram with some ram testing programs and it comes back fine.

Same with my HDD, ran several disk checking programs and they all say its fine.

:/

So all of a sudden? What did you install? 3rd party possibly. How full is the HD?

 

[Dark Void]

I have the same model as you.

Just curious - why do you feel that the processor is junk? Just because it's older hardware?

 

[wickedking94]

You bought the absolute cheapest Macbook you could. Apple offers old stock as their low end models. 2010 had 15" Arrandale i7's. How did you decently upgrade it? GPU? CPU? That's what it needs. Memory speeds nothing up unless you are swapping and a superfluous upgrade at under 100.00 for 8GB. I don't see an SSD in there. 7200 from 5400 is not all that massive. Couple ms response maybe 10MB/s transfer. Stay on 10.6 as they still rock that OS. The 10.7+ needs far greater power to do even simple stuff. My 2.8GHz core2duo 2008 chokes too. I added an SSD and it was better but I put 10.6 back on it and it is back to a powerhouse.

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So all of a sudden? What did you install? 3rd party possibly. How full is the HD?

Technically not the cheapest as they still had the plastic unibody MacBooks back then.

Also didn't know about apple selling old stock or whatever it is back then, and I didn't have to means to order one anyway.

Can't really go to 10.6 (although thats still my favorite) some of my video and graphics software is 10.8 specific, and last time I tried that it took me 4 days to get Maya and my adobe stuff to work again.

As for "decently upgrading" it, I put in 4GB ram to the maximum of 8GB. Swapped the 250GB 5400 RPM drive for a 500GB 7200 RPM drive. It gives me about 70 Mb/s write and 85 Mb/s read so not bad for a HDD. An SSD thats the same size as my drive now is pretty expensive, especially since the improvement wouldn't be that much.. Can't do anything about my CPU or GPU since their soldered to the board.

The only thing I've "installed" recently was to add a 60GB bootcamp partition for Windows 7 but thats been there a week before my troubles started. I have 160GB free out of 500GB. (ill be up to around 200GB free once I clean up some video projects in a few days)

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I think I'm just going to have to hold out until I get a job (not easy where I am) and get myself a new fully loaded MBP 15"

 

[Inside_line]

You may have bought your computer in 2010, but if you have a C2D then it's a mid 2009 machine at the latest. The "mid 2010" machine is arrandale, not C2D.

Your problem sounds mechanical hard drive related. For a mechanical drive to work well, it needs to be defragmented and have a significant amount of free space, else it starts fragmenting new writes which compounds the problem. You just added a partition, so the Mac partition is likely fragmented now. Macs write to disk a lot, and will fragment a drive quickly. This is one reason why it's good to format and start from scratch. That, or just get an SSD and forget about fragmentation altogether.

 

[Blue Sun]

OP, I very much doubt what you're experiencing is due to limitations in the Core 2 Duo architecture. Sounds to me like you would benefit from a clean install (and possibly an SSD).

I think you will be pleasantly surprised if you opt this route.

 

[wickedking94]

You may have bought your computer in 2010, but if you have a C2D then it's a mid 2009 machine at the latest. The "mid 2010" machine is arrandale, not C2D.

Your problem sounds mechanical hard drive related. For a mechanical drive to work well, it needs to be defragmented and have a significant amount of free space, else it starts fragmenting new writes which compounds the problem. You just added a partition, so the Mac partition is likely fragmented now. Macs write to disk a lot, and will fragment a drive quickly. This is one reason why it's good to format and start from scratch. That, or just get an SSD and forget about fragmentation altogether.

Well I must have an oddity then. A mid 2010 MBP with a Core 2 Duo.
I couldn't possibly know what model my computer is.

And yeah just did a clean install. And again, I can't afford a 512GB SSD.

 

[wickedking94]

OP, I very much doubt what you're experiencing is due to limitations in the Core 2 Duo architecture. Sounds to me like you would benefit from a clean install (and possibly an SSD).

I think you will be pleasantly surprised if you opt this route.

But heres why I DO think its because the Core 2 Duo is a old piece of *****.
Things that require HDD speed work fine, such as video capture and file transfers work fine. But when I get into CPU intensive stuff like video rendering and flash player, that when I get issues.

And done a clean install. Can't afford a 512GB SSD. Please people stop suggesting an SSD.

 

[derbothaus]

An SSD thats the same size as my drive now is pretty expensive, especially since the improvement wouldn't be that much.

That is just uninformed. It is a massive experience lift. 260MB/s r/w. .02 ms response vs. 12ms+. Thousands of iops vs. hundreds. If you need processor power then it wont change that. But A Core 2 Duo is a Core 2 Duo. It was a powerhouse, like you said, in 2008. I don't understand why you are complaining as you know what a Core 2 Duo is and how old it is. It isn't the Mac's fault but the buyer of the Mac, right. It is what it is.
Also flash should be better than other Macbooks as a 320 actually has HW acceleration (9400m and 320) Unless 10.7/ 10.8 broke it. Try flash on a Core 2 Duo and ATI or Nvidia 8600GT. Super terrible. Rev's the temps to over 80ºC as everything is done on the CPU.

 

[Dark Void]

Not sure why you are bashing the C2D anyway - still much more than most people actually need out of a processor.

 

[sweetbrat]

I had a C2D up until last year (hubby has it now). It was a late 2008, and worked fine opening Photoshop, opening any webpage, etc. The age of your computer isn't the issue. The bottom line is that the processor didn't become old and unusable overnight. If these problems just suddenly started happening then there's something wrong, either hardware or software. Don't blame it on the C2D...it's still a fine machine and should do the things you mentioned without a hitch. The fact that it doesn't means there's something else going on. When you did the clean install, did you try going to Flash webpages before you reinstalled all your software? Did you reinstall your programs and stuff from scratch, one at a time?

Kinda sounds like you're looking for a reason to justify a new computer...

 

[wickedking94]

I had a C2D up until last year (hubby has it now). It was a late 2008, and worked fine opening Photoshop, opening any webpage, etc. The age of your computer isn't the issue. The bottom line is that the processor didn't become old and unusable overnight. If these problems just suddenly started happening then there's something wrong, either hardware or software. Don't blame it on the C2D...it's still a fine machine and should do the things you mentioned without a hitch. The fact that it doesn't means there's something else going on. When you did the clean install, did you try going to Flash webpages before you reinstalled all your software? Did you reinstall your programs and stuff from scratch, one at a time?

Kinda sounds like you're looking for a reason to justify a new computer...

Reinstall my software program by program? It would take a solid week to re-download and re-install all my programs. I erased my drive, installed ML, then restored my software, preferences, and files from my time machine backup.

And yeah I've been watching youtube and stuff well before, and lately its been struggling with it.

And it didn't become slow over night its been pretty lousy the last 6 months, especially when compared to a friends newer one with an i5. His computer easily renders 3-4 times faster in maya.

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Not sure why you are bashing the C2D anyway - still much more than most people actually need out of a processor.

But I would consider rendering in Maya and Adobe After Effects outside of what most people need. In processor intensive tasks, every Mhz, core, hyper thread, cache, and instruction set counts.

And mine falls far short of what I would consider acceptable performance for these tasks.

 

[Dark Void]

But I would consider rendering in Maya and Adobe After Effects outside of what most people need. In processor intensive tasks, every Mhz, core, hyper thread, cache, and instruction set counts.

And mine falls far short of what I would consider acceptable performance for these tasks.

I guess the question is then why did you purchase a computer with a processor that isn't up to par with your usage.

 

[wickedking94]

That is just uninformed. It is a massive experience lift. 260MB/s r/w. .02 ms response vs. 12ms+. Thousands of iops vs. hundreds. If you need processor power then it wont change that. But A Core 2 Duo is a Core 2 Duo. It was a powerhouse, like you said, in 2008. I don't understand why you are complaining as you know what a Core 2 Duo is and how old it is. It isn't the Mac's fault but the buyer of the Mac, right. It is what it is.
Also flash should be better than other Macbooks as a 320 actually has HW acceleration (9400m and 320) Unless 10.7/ 10.8 broke it. Try flash on a Core 2 Duo and ATI or Nvidia 8600GT. Super terrible. Rev's the temps to over 80ºC as everything is done on the CPU.

How is it my fault that at the time I had money for a MacBook all I could get was a Core 2 Duo? And I know what a Core 2 Duo is, because as I said before I've been hearing about them for 6 years, and they were great back then. My complaint is that its an older processor design in a fairly modern computer. I'm sure if my computer even had an i3 over the C2D then it would work better.

And flash is always a power drain on my computer so I've never noticed any improvement from the 320M. Half the time I load a youtube page I get a "shockwave flash failed to load" error.

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I guess the question is then why did you purchase a computer with a processor that isn't up to par with your usage.

Because thats what was available. It was this or a PC and despite my complaints I'm still confident I made the right choice.

This was all I could afford and all my local computer store carried and at the time I had no means of ordering one from apple. Going back 2 years to get a MacBook Pro with and i5 or i7 meant a 15" which is far more expensive then a 13". And I hadn't started making videos and animations in Maya an AE yet so I had no idea I would need a stronger CPU

 

[Dark Void]

Because thats what was available. It was this or a PC and despite my complaints I'm still confident I made the right choice.

Fair enough. When did you purchase it though? You have the last C2D model - couldn't wait for i5?

 

[wickedking94]

Fair enough. When did you purchase it though? You have the last C2D model - couldn't wait for i5?

Basically how it was was that my mother got a bunch of money from some investment stuff or something of that nature (I was 16 at the time) and she agreed to get me a MBP for my 16th birthday so I would have a computer of my own to take to school and such. ( I'm eternally grateful to my mother for that) So it was a now or never kind of deal. And the mid 2010's were only a few months old then (I think they came out in march and my birthday is in august) so I knew they're wouldn't be a refresh for a while.

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Basically I don't really hatw the C2D, I'm just a little sad/disappointed/annoyed that my super awesome laptop is starting to struggle with newer stuff.

Its like watching a favorite pet get old and start having trouble walking.

And while I love my pets way more than my MBP its still my first Mac. Im a bit attached

Anyway, I think im going to get one of those adapters that lets you put a hard drive where your ODD is and try and get enough for a 64GB SSD and put my OS and my important programs on that.

I reset my SMC and it seems to be working fine now, so I guess this thread can be closed.

 

[drambuie]

If you wanted a 13" MBP with an i5 or i7, you would have had to wait for the mid-2011 models. The Core i CPUs were in the 15" and 17" MBPs only in 2010. The C2D is an excellent CPU, and I would suspect that your problem lies elsewhere. I see you've upgraded your RAM, so have you run a memory test since the slowdown began? Also, have you checked Activity monitor to see if anything is hogging the CPU cycles?

 

[derbothaus]

My complaint is that its an older processor design in a fairly modern computer.

That is a fair complaint. I meant no disrespect. I just thought you were like "This Mac sucks". A PC of same specs could have the same thing said about it. Now that you need much more power than you did originally.

And flash is always a power drain on my computer so I've never noticed any improvement from the 320M. Half the time I load a youtube page I get a "shockwave flash failed to load" error.

That is something else going on. Do you use ClicktoFlash extension? You should. Most stuff can play in HTML5 wrapper. using 100% less processor. Some stuff still needs flash but you decide where and when it loads. Nice for the Core 2's. It is a total fail on Apples part with video acceleration across the board though. Not just Flash's fault. Netflix uses 80-200% CPU on an i7 and in Windows on same system it uses 4-10%. That's huge. Apple does not share API's with 3rd parties readily. We all suffer.

 

[wickedking94]

I wish everyone would just switch to HTML5 for video already. YouTube has had a HTML5 "trial" for like 3 years now.

 

[makaveli559m]

Basically how it was was that my mother got a bunch of money from some investment stuff or something of that nature (I was 16 at the time) and she agreed to get me a MBP for my 16th birthday so I would have a computer of my own to take to school and such. ( I'm eternally grateful to my mother for that) So it was a now or never kind of deal. And the mid 2010's were only a few months old then (I think they came out in march and my birthday is in august) so I knew they're wouldn't be a refresh for a while.

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Basically I don't really hatw the C2D, I'm just a little sad/disappointed/annoyed that my super awesome laptop is starting to struggle with newer stuff.

Its like watching a favorite pet get old and start having trouble walking.

And while I love my pets way more than my MBP its still my first Mac. Im a bit attached

Anyway, I think im going to get one of those adapters that lets you put a hard drive where your ODD is and try and get enough for a 64GB SSD and put my OS and my important programs on that.

I reset my SMC and it seems to be working fine now, so I guess this thread can be closed.

Its Mountain Lion, on my MacBook Pro 2009 it would lock up and it had never done that with Lion. I put back Lion on it and it ran great with no problems. Now on my MBP 2010 all the 10.8.2 does is speed up the fan speeds, I dont call that a perminant fix. ML still has issues with thermal problem that the next os would probably fix all together.

 

[blatopilot]

Try uninstalling Chrome to see if that improves anything.

 

[wickedking94]

Try uninstalling Chrome to see if that improves anything.

Whats wrong with Chrome?

 

[wickedking94]

Okay so I got rid of Chrome, went back to Safari, updated flash and all that and its a massive improvement in performance. Flash loads way faster and doesn't eat up resources anymore.