MBP getting slowwwwww......

[LongSticks]

Hi, I could with some advise and experience.

I have a 15" MBP that I use as my work machine - 8hrs a day, 6 days a week

It is
Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro6,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i7
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz

I have to run Parallels due to a lot of the work software I use being Win only. Currently this machine has 2x4gb ram sticks with one stick allocated to OSX ML and one to WIN 7 under Parallels.
Problem I have is that since I set the system up, the Windows software package's I use have had performance bumps and the whole system is getting slower. Unfortunately I also need the added features for work. Im sure its Memory hunger issue under Windows. Trouble is I have email etc and everything else set through OSX, main reason I use Parallels! Windows is purely work functional.
I have thought the problem through and have come up with 4 alternatives and would like opinions, experiences etc. It is important I get this right and sorted as I work freelance with Client data and it would be a major issue if I knacker the machine and can't work.

1. Win 7 & OSX ML both support more than 8gb ram! If I fit 2x8gb sticks of DDR3 1067, would the machine be able to see it?; would I see a difference?, I know I should?. Or is its use blocked by the BIOS? Has anyone tried it? Cheapest/quickest option
2. Install a 500gb SSD as main drive. As well as the speed hike in collecting data and opening programmes from the HD would I see a quickening from the faster drive when the memory is max'd out and the system is memory swapping? SSD solution, though expensive, would mean I can just clone my hard drive and reinstall to the new drive? Yes? Next Quickest solution

3. Wipe the 500gb I have and Install Bootcamp and let Win 7 use all 8GB of ram I have when I'm in Bootcamp. I know this requires no purchase, but as I can't clone the windows drive across? I will have to re install from fresh and the amount and complexity of the windows install will take 2days I reckon. And I know will never work as well as it did. I will end up with missing password and serial number issues. As this is a work set up I really don't fancy this one at all. Worst logistically

4. New rMBP….Havent really got the green at the moment and to be honest I was going to wait until the next iteration of retina comes out next year. I want to see if the 17" MBP popped back out again, as I miss the screen real estate in CAD and scheduling software I had in my previous MBP. Do we think they may relaunch the 17" if they can sort a retina screen and a powerful enough graphics card in a mobile configuration? Cashhhh...

Any help, experience or opinions welcome!

Ta

Ade

 

[NewishMacGuy]

Hi, I could with some advise and experience.

I have a 15" MBP that I use as my work machine - 8hrs a day, 6 days a week

It is
Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro6,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i7
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz

I have to run Parallels due to a lot of the work software I use being Win only. Currently this machine has 2x4gb ram sticks with one stick allocated to OSX ML and one to WIN 7 under Parallels.
Problem I have is that since I set the system up, the Windows software package's I use have had performance bumps and the whole system is getting slower. Unfortunately I also need the added features for work. Im sure its Memory hunger issue under Windows. Trouble is I have email etc and everything else set through OSX, main reason I use Parallels! Windows is purely work functional.
I have thought the problem through and have come up with 4 alternatives and would like opinions, experiences etc. It is important I get this right and sorted as I work freelance with Client data and it would be a major issue if I knacker the machine and can't work.

1. Win 7 & OSX ML both support more than 8gb ram! If I fit 2x8gb sticks of DDR3 1067, would the machine be able to see it?; would I see a difference?, I know I should?. Or is its use blocked by the BIOS? Has anyone tried it? Cheapest/quickest option
2. Install a 500gb SSD as main drive. As well as the speed hike in collecting data and opening programmes from the HD would I see a quickening from the faster drive when the memory is max'd out and the system is memory swapping? SSD solution, though expensive, would mean I can just clone my hard drive and reinstall to the new drive? Yes? Next Quickest solution

3. Wipe the 500gb I have and Install Bootcamp and let Win 7 use all 8GB of ram I have when I'm in Bootcamp. I know this requires no purchase, but as I can't clone the windows drive across? I will have to re install from fresh and the amount and complexity of the windows install will take 2days I reckon. And I know will never work as well as it did. I will end up with missing password and serial number issues. As this is a work set up I really don't fancy this one at all. Worst logistically

4. New rMBP….Havent really got the green at the moment and to be honest I was going to wait until the next iteration of retina comes out next year. I want to see if the 17" MBP popped back out again, as I miss the screen real estate in CAD and scheduling software I had in my previous MBP. Do we think they may relaunch the 17" if they can sort a retina screen and a powerful enough graphics card in a mobile configuration? Cashhhh...

Any help, experience or opinions welcome!

Ta

Ade

Though Sandy Bridge does make a significant difference in performance, if you can upgrade 16GB and an SSD, hybrid, or DIY "Fusion Drive" your laptop will be plenty fast enough to do what you need. Taking the cheapest upgrade option (16GB and a hybrid drive) should cost less than $200. You may not be able to upgrade to 16GB though.

You may also consider selling your 2010 MBP and upgrading to a 2011 Sandy Bridge or 2012 Ivy Bridge model. If you took good care of yours and trade smartly you should be able to do that trade for very little money and you'll gain Thunderbolt and possibly USB3.

 

[T5BRICK]

1. Win 7 & OSX ML both support more than 8gb ram! If I fit 2x8gb sticks of DDR3 1067, would the machine be able to see it?; would I see a difference?, I know I should?. Or is its use blocked by the BIOS? Has anyone tried it? Cheapest/quickest option

Your Mac, the mid 2010 15" MBP, only supports 2 x 4GB of RAM. I have read a couple stories of people running 2 x 8GB, but it isn't officially supported and I'm not sure how well it actually works. It might be worth looking in to though.

 

[Krazy Bill]

Do we think they may relaunch the 17" if they can sort a retina screen and a powerful enough graphics card in a mobile configuration?

Nobody bought the 17" when they made it... nobody will buy it with a retina display. It'll never happen.

And you're low on cash? How much do you think that would cost you anyway?

 

[LongSticks]

Nobody bought the 17" when they made it... nobody will buy it with a retina display. It'll never happen.

And you're low on cash? How much do you think that would cost you anyway?

I had two 17" before this one! Thought I'd shed some wait while Mobile this time, but realised that the weight wasn't worth the trade off against screen real estate.
Simply can't afford to replace at the moment so I'm looking for a 9-12month short fix as in my OP.

----------

Though Sandy Bridge does make a significant difference in performance, if you can upgrade 16GB and an SSD, hybrid, or DIY "Fusion Drive" your laptop will be plenty fast enough to do what you need. Taking the cheapest upgrade option (16GB and a hybrid drive) should cost less than $200. You may not be able to upgrade to 16GB though.

You may also consider selling your 2010 MBP and upgrading to a 2011 Sandy Bridge or 2012 Ivy Bridge model. If you took good care of yours and trade smartly you should be able to do that trade for very little money and you'll gain Thunderbolt and possibly USB3.

Thanks for the reply - like I said replacement will be ideally in the next generation in 6-12 months and for the next iteration.
Would really like to hear from some one that has taken the leap with the ram, just to check it out. It would be a major problem if I kill my work machine!

What did you mean by DIY Hybrid, are you talking about Data Doubling?

 

[NewishMacGuy]

Thanks for the reply - like I said replacement will be ideally in the next generation in 6-12 months and for the next iteration.
Would really like to hear from some one that has taken the leap with the ram, just to check it out. It would be a major problem if I kill my work machine!

What did you mean by DIY Hybrid, are you talking about Data Doubling?

There's a thread which popped up in the last couple of days about 16GB on pre-SandyBridge cMBPs. It seemed as if some got it to work but you have to use the right speed. Scroll back though the last 2 days worth of messages and you'll find it.

As for a DIY Fusion drive:
http://tomasz.korwel.net/2012/11/04/apple-fusion-drive-on-late-2010-macbook-pro/

I would put the SSD in the optibay though. Yeah a SATA II SSD is much slower than today's tech, but it'll be plenty faster than what you've got now, cheaper, and doesn't need the SMS that the optibay lacks.

 

[LongSticks]

There's a thread which popped up in the last couple of days about 16GB on pre-SandyBridge cMBPs. It seemed as if some got it to work but you have to use the right speed. Scroll back though the last 2 days worth of messages and you'll find it.

As for a DIY Fusion drive:
http://tomasz.korwel.net/2012/11/04/apple-fusion-drive-on-late-2010-macbook-pro/

I would put the SSD in the optibay though. Yeah a SATA II SSD is much slower than today's tech, but it'll be plenty faster than what you've got now, cheaper, and doesn't need the SMS that the optibay lacks.

Found the thread and thanks for you're help! Will do some more reading! SSD is definitely on the cards - probably look at a SATA 3 in the main drive as I need the opti bay at the moment.

 

[NewishMacGuy]

Found the thread and thanks for you're help! Will do some more reading! SSD is definitely on the cards - probably look at a SATA 3 in the main drive as I need the opti bay at the moment.

NP. If you're not going the DIY Fusion drive route, and you need more than 256GB of drive space, you may wish to consider a Seagate Momentus XT hybrid. 512GB SSDs are still pretty expensive at $400+ and I would be willing to sink that much into a pre-SandyBridge machine at this point. You'll never get any portion of that back in resale. I put them in our 2011 machines and they're both pretty fast.