My Macbook is lagging

[revalationist]

It takes ages to type, the dock lags a lot, and its just really annoying

Specs:

MacBook Pro
Early 2011

Processor 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5

Memory 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

Graphics Intel HD Graphics 3000 384 MB

Software Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2

So, this just came out of nowhere, as I type I'm having to put up with this enormous lag. Any suggestions?

 

[GGJstudios]

It takes ages to type, the dock lags a lot, and its just really annoying

Have you restarted your Mac, which is a basic first step in problem resolution?

For performance issues, there are a few things you can check:

• Check your Login Items under System Preferences > Accounts to see what you have automatically launching.
• Also check /Library/LaunchAgents/ and /Users/yourusername/Library/LaunchAgents/ for items launching at startup
• Look at what widgets you may have running.
• Launch Activity Monitor and change "My Processes" at the top to "All Processes". Then look to see what may be consuming system resources.
• Take a look at the System Memory tab at the bottom of Activity Monitor to see if you have excessive "page outs", a sign that you may benefit from more RAM.
• Make sure you're not running any 3rd party antivirus app, as many of those will drain resources, reducing performance. They're not needed to protect your Mac.
• If a drive is constantly active or your CPU utilization is high (possibly with increased temps and fan speed) when you're not running any apps, check to see if Spotlight is indexing by looking at the Menu Bar icon:
  
  (not indexing)
  
  (indexing)

 

[revalationist]

Oh, and storage:

287.74 GB free out of 319.21 GB

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Launch Activity Monitor and change "My Processes" at the top to "All Processes". Then look to see what may be consuming system resources.

I got something called kernel_task, and its hogging a lot of memory. But is that a system process?

 

[GGJstudios]

I got something called kernel_task, and its hogging a lot of memory. But is that a system process?

Yes, it is. Is it also putting high demands on the CPU? Did you restart, as suggested?

 

[revalationist]

Also, its not anything new. I hadn't changed anything, or downloaded anything and this just happened, I have restarted, spotlight isn't indexing, and I created a new user account and deleted the old one but the problem still persists.

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Yes, it is. Is it also putting high demands on the CPU? Did you restart, as suggested?

if its a system process, I'm guessing i can't terminate it. It is putting a lot of cpu usage (around 270 %CPU) and has 299MB Intel 64 memory or something like that



EDIT: BREAKTHROUGH. When it spiked down to 130%CPU, I got a few lag-free moments. I'm guessing this is a source of the problem.

I should probably atop editing, but I think this is right, because its now at 300% and I'm lagging like I have never before

 

[GGJstudios]

if its a system process, I'm guessing i can't terminate it. It is putting a lot of cpu usage (around 270 %CPU) and has 299MB Intel 64 memory or something like that

The kernel is your operating system, so no, you can't terminate it. Check the rest of the items on the list I posted.

 

[revalationist]

Check the rest of the items on the list I posted.

Check your Login Items under System Preferences > Accounts to see what you have automatically launching.
Also check /Library/LaunchAgents/ and /Users/yourusername/Library/LaunchAgents/ for items launching at startup

None.

Look at what widgets you may have running.

I haven't changed widgets since long before the problem started

Launch Activity Monitor and change "My Processes" at the top to "All Processes". Then look to see what may be consuming system resources.
Take a look at the System Memory tab at the bottom of Activity Monitor to see if you have excessive "page outs", a sign that you may benefit from more RAM.

0 it says (page outs)

Make sure you're not running any 3rd party antivirus app, as many of those will drain resources, reducing performance. They're not needed to protect your Mac.

I'm not.

If a drive is constantly active or your CPU utilization is high (possibly with increased temps and fan speed) when you're not running any apps, check to see if Spotlight is indexing by looking at the Menu Bar icon: (not indexing) (indexing)

It isn't




So what I can gather here is that I need to reinstall my operating system, because I believe it's causing this due to it hogging CPU%

anyway, ill get to that tomorrow.

hope it works