My Mac is a pig

[omeletpants]

I thought I bought a state-of-the-art computer but this is the slowest computer I have ever used. It's a G5 with 1 gb ram and 10.4.7 OS. No matter what browser I use it takes forever for websites to come up. They just seem to hang even though my DSL test shows 5mb download speed. Could it be that I need to set the DSL to a different port? I can't beleive I need more ram as I do very little multi-tasking of apps. Any ideas how to get decent speed?

 

[Raid]

No matter what browser I use it takes forever for websites to come up. They just seem to hang even though my DSL test shows 5mb download speed. Could it be that I need to set the DSL to a different port?

After you do a speed test with your DSL you should ping the 'slow' website with the network utility. I'd bet the ping rate is super high. I doubt that the speed of your processor or quantity of RAM has anything to do with the loading of a website...unless it's all flash!

 

[mrzeve]

I thought I bought a state-of-the-art computer but this is the slowest computer I have ever used. It's a G5 with 1 gb ram and 10.4.7 OS. No matter what browser I use it takes forever for websites to come up. They just seem to hang even though my DSL test shows 5mb download speed. Could it be that I need to set the DSL to a different port? I can't beleive I need more ram as I do very little multi-tasking of apps. Any ideas how to get decent speed?

Try doing a hard reset of your DSL modem. Which is just fancy talk for leaving the power supply of the modem unplugged for about 2 minutes.

 

[plinden]

I thought I bought a state-of-the-art computer but this is the slowest computer I have ever used.

Is it only websites that are slow or is the computer itself slow at other tasks?

If it's only websites then it's likely a network problem as suggested above. If other programs are slow let us know and there'll be plenty of suggestions on how to find out what's wrong and how to fix it.

 

[Sdashiki]

I always get a kick from those that think their computer is slow because their browser pulls pages slowly.

Sigh.

 

[omeletpants]

I always get a kick from those that think their computer is slow because their browser pulls pages slowly.

Sigh.

I would have responded sooner but it took 15 seconds to refresh this page.

Everything runs slow. All my Microsoft apps take 2-3 times longer to open than on a PC.

 

[apfhex]

Can't compare Mac Office directly to the Windows version since they're pretty different, but you're on a G5 and it should be a very quick machine regardless (what's the CPU speed by the way? is it a Dual?). For your web browsing it sounds more like a network issue unless Safari is showing you a spinning ball (little spinning rainbow wheel). 1GB is definitely enough RAM for browsing and Office.

And did you buy the computer new or refurbished or used? You could always try reinstalling the OS if you think it's a software issue and can't find any other solutions.

 

[omeletpants]

Can't compare Mac Office directly to the Windows version since they're pretty different, but you're on a G5 and it should be a very quick machine regardless (what's the CPU speed by the way? is it a Dual?). For your web browsing it sounds more like a network issue unless Safari is showing you a spinning ball (little spinning rainbow wheel). 1GB is definitely enough RAM for browsing and Office.

And did you buy the computer new or refurbished or used? You could always try reinstalling the OS if you think it's a software issue and can't find any other solutions.

Dual, new. This is the same issue I had with the last one. I'm just going to resolve nyself to the fact that the trade-off for ease of use and no viruses is that Macs are pigs from a speed standpoint.

 

[Winterfell]

That's kind of a silly resolution as Macs are, by every measure, faster than any PC I have ever used, and you will be hard pressed to find many people that disagree.

There's something else going awry here; just need to find out what that might be.

I suppose it is possible that you've received two "duds" and are just very unlucky ... but that doesn't seem very likely either.

 

[jsw]

Sounds like a DNS issue.

In System Preferences->Network->Show: Built-in Ethernet (assuming that's how you're connected)->TCP/IP, what's being used as your DNS server?

Mine, FWIW, are 71.243.0.12 and 68.237.161.12. I have no idea what the best ones are.

 

[johnee]

Sounds like a DNS issue.

In System Preferences->Network->Show: Built-in Ethernet (assuming that's how you're connected)->TCP/IP, what's being used as your DNS server?

Mine, FWIW, are 71.243.0.12 and 68.237.161.12. I have no idea what the best ones are.

yeah, when I first got my cable modem, there were some network settings which made it VERY slow. After I changed them (someone at work told me what to set them to), it was MUCH faster.

unfortunately I don't remember what I did, but that sounds familiar

 

[jsw]

From a previous thread, these were recommended:

208.67.220.220
208.67.222.222

I just tried them and saw a difference.

 

[filmamigo]

My office machine is a P4 1.7, running Windows 2000 and Office 2000.

My home machine is a G5 1.8, running 10.4 and Office X for Mac.

Both run at similar speeds, but the Mac has better eye candy with similar performance. Some things are speedier on one machine than another, but I do ALOT of waiting for the Windows box to boot up, log on and launch many apps. The Mac boots in a quarter the time, and shuts down almost instantly. Office launches and runs quite quickly on the Windows box, but Photoshop 7 and Illustrator 9 are PIGS on the Windows box. Glacial launch times, sluggish redraw, etc. On the Mac, Office can be leisurely but not slow. Adobe apps fly on the G5, and are far more reliable than the Windows versions.

As for browsing, I don't use Safari anymore because I find it can be a little slow on the refresh. On the Mac I run Firefox, and I find it refreshes at exactly the same clip as I.E. The mac is on a 1mb ADSL and I never wait for a page -- for general browsing, Firefox keeps up with me and can redraw as quickly as I can navigate around the web.

Realistically, Mac OS X requires as much RAM as you can throw at it. 1gb should be fine, but I'm running 1.5gb. My iMac was very useable last night as I multitasked the following: Apple Compressor compressing a Quicktime DV file into MPEG2, Illustrator manipulating a 300 dpi 11"x17' poster, Photoshop manipulating a 3000x2000 image, Lightroom open with 1500 photos in the library, RapidWeaver editing a 7-page website, Mail running, and Firefox with three tabs open. Firefox remained very fast... I was browsing to pass time while Compressor was grinding away, and the machine was so quick, I forgot I had all of those apps open. Only when I went to shut down did I remember how much I had running.

Sounds like you really need an DSL/network config trouble shooting.

 

[yojitani]

Well, useful as these suggestions are, the op said that other apps are slow too. I might suggest, just temporarily, setting up a new user account and testing out the speed of your ordinary tasks there. Sometimes things do slow down - best to do a big of troubleshooting first.

Also, have you run Onyx?


(cool. those dns settings DO speed things up. WOW!)

 

[NuDarwin]

if you're entire computer is running slowly, chances are that there is some dort of directory corruption on your startup disk. run Alsoft DiskWarrior, and you will be going nice and speedy again.

also, I dislike programs like OnyX. I have seen programs like this mistakenly rename/delete/cripple important system files, thus putting the computer out of commission. the occasional run of DiskWarrior and Disk Utility should be all that you need.

 

[SMM]

"My Mac Is A Pig". Maybe you should learn something about computers before you write about them.

 

[omeletpants]

I'm using built-in ethernet and SBC DSL with IP setting of 68.78.114.215

 

[plinden]

I'm using built-in ethernet and SBC DSL with IP setting of 68.78.114.215

That's just your IP address - is there anything configured in the DNS server section? If not, try adding the two IP address mentioned earlier. It does seem to make a difference, for Safari anyway.

I still think there's something else wrong with your machine. I have an Intel Mac with 2GB RAM, and MS apps - which are running in Rosetta - are not noticeably slower than my PC at work. I certainly don't do much waiting. They should be faster on your dual G5 since they are PPC native apps.

Do what yojitani and try another account.

And run disk utility, verify hard drive.

Can you open activity monitor and take a look at what's using CPU when it's slow? And memory usage too? How much hard drive space do you have left?

If you listen carefully to your hard drive, is it making regular sounds like, whirr, whirr, whirr, pause, whirr, whirr, whirr, pause and so on? If so, it's likely a problem with the hard drive, maybe bad sectors, which can slow things down considerably.

It's very possible to get two bad machines in a row. If there's say, 5% lemons out there, the chances of getting two in a row is 1/400, which is still significant.

 

[Zwhaler]

I didn't bother reading every single post, but has anyone mentioned OnyX? OP - Try it out.

 

[Marky_Mark]

From a previous thread, these were recommended:

208.67.220.220
208.67.222.222

I just tried them and saw a difference.

Does anyone have a set that'll work best in the UK? I guess these are best in the US?

Thanks

 

[UKnjb]

From a previous thread, these were recommended:

208.67.220.220
208.67.222.222

I just tried them and saw a difference.

Does anyone have a set that'll work best in the UK? I guess these are best in the US?
Thanks

The settings that JSW quoted (same as the ones I use in the UK) are from OpenDNS. They installed a UK-based (London) server set-up last year to help speed things up, although I have not noticed any change in performance. It's always been quick for me.

 

[NuDarwin]

I didn't bother reading every single post, but has anyone mentioned OnyX? OP - Try it out.

i wouldn't. programs like onyx or macjanitor can really mess up your system. I have seen them accidentally delete or rename the wrong file, causing the machine to malfunction.

 

[omeletpants]

That's just your IP address - is there anything configured in the DNS server section? If not, try adding the two IP address mentioned earlier. It does seem to make a difference, for Safari anyway.

Nothing in the DNS server box. When I add as suggested it actually slows Camino even more

 

[TAV]

Have you input DNS servers as per your SBC region? Hard reset your modem as suggested?

http://dedicated.pacbell.net/faq/FAQs_techsupport.html#servresolv

Do you have Norton or like software running on your machine?

What (if any) programs are set to open automatically when you log in?

From a cold restart, what active processes are pulling on your CPU? (plinden's suggestion re: Activity Monitor)

Have you confirmed that your RAM is ok? (Apple HW Test, Memtest, Rember, etc.)

Have you run Disk Utility as suggested? Opened from another account as suggested?

You opened this thread stating that Macs are Pigs, but kind souls assumed that was a faint cry for help. Help has been offered, but little in terms of response other than resolving yourself to the "fact that Macs are pigs from a speed standpoint." They are not.

More feedback on member suggestions will drill down your issue.

 

[yojitani]

i wouldn't. programs like onyx or macjanitor can really mess up your system. I have seen them accidentally delete or rename the wrong file, causing the machine to malfunction.

I can see where you are coming from. Onyx needs to be used carefully. I think it is useful because it is an easy interface from which to run weekly, monthly etc scripts. Users who turn off their computers regularly tend not to benefit from these scripts (as I understand it). I would not recommend using it to remove any other files than the ones in your Trash.

Anyway, I'm guessing that some of the OP's problems are from a corrupt plist file or something of the like. That can be a total pain to sort out!

YT