Noob, macbook running SLOW!

[3v0]

Hey guys. So I'm a total computer noob so I don't really know where to start here. I bought my macbook brand new in september. It's run awesome until the last month or 2. Internet will run super slow. If I try to load a page or even start safari it'll take like 5 minutes to load. Some times it'll be quick and other times it will be super slugish.
I also have a little over half my memory used up. Would that be a problem?

Is there anything I should delete, run a scan for "add ons" or useless extras?
I'm also running norton anti virus. Who recommends I keep this? I know macs are not prone to viruses but I've read a lot of places it's good to have just in case. Especially for ppl who sometimes use torrents n stuff.

So how can I make my computer run smoothly again?

 

[DoFoT9]

i 100% recommend that you delete norton antivirus right this very moment. you do not need antivirus.

i also think that the problem is more related to your internet being slow and not your mac.

can you take a screen shot (press apple + shift + 4 + spacebar) of the "system memory" tab in Activity Monitor? it can be found in Applications->Utilise (or via spotlight).

 

[3v0]

Like that?

I'll also have some lag loading apps though, but thats while im on the internet. So idk if that factors in.

 

[DoFoT9]

Like that?

I need to find how to put this up.

yup the picture i linked is the section you are after, down the bottom.

take a picture using :command: + :shift: + 3 + :spacebar:, it will save the image to your desktop. then post a reply to this thread on macrumors, when you scroll down hit the "attach image" button and you can post pictures from your computer!

 

[3v0]

yup the picture i linked is the section you are after, down the bottom.

take a picture using :command: + :shift: + 3 + :spacebar:, it will save the image to your desktop. then post a reply to this thread on macrumors, when you scroll down hit the "attach image" button and you can post pictures from your computer!

got it up.

 

[andalusia]

Try opening Disk Utility (Applications>Utilites), clicking on your hard drive in the left sidebar and clicking the Repair Disk Permissions button. See if this helps at all.

 

[3v0]

Try opening Disk Utility (Applications>Utilites), clicking on your hard drive in the left sidebar and clicking the Repair Disk Permissions button. See if this helps at all.

Ive tried that once a little bit ago, worked for a little. I just did it again.

anything else?

I heard about programs that will delete all these extra attached files that you don't need like various languages and stuff.

 

[DoFoT9]

Wirelessly posted (nokia e63: Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.2; U; Series60/3.1 NokiaE63-1/100.21.110; Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413)

yup the picture i linked is the section you are after, down the bottom.

take a picture using :command: + :shift: + 3 + :spacebar:, it will save the image to your desktop. then post a reply to this thread on macrumors, when you scroll down hit the "attach image" button and you can post pictures from your computer!

got it up.

ok,wont everything looks normal RAM wise. It must be something else, possibly related to cpu or something with your hard drive. How much free space for you have on your hard drive? How old is the machine?

 

[andalusia]

I heard about programs that will delete all these extra attached files that you don't need like various languages and stuff.

Monolingual does that. Check it out.

 

[macgeek18]

Like that?

I'll also have some lag loading apps though, but thats while im on the internet. So idk if that factors in.

your rams not your problem,look how much you have free compared to me.

(I have 2GB as well,it just says 1.75GB because my graphics takes away 256MB from my main ram.)

 

[3v0]

Wirelessly posted (nokia e63: Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.2; U; Series60/3.1 NokiaE63-1/100.21.110; Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413)



ok,wont everything looks normal RAM wise. It must be something else, possibly related to cpu or something with your hard drive. How much free space for you have on your hard drive? How old is the machine?

The macbook I bought new from the apple store in september of 2009.
As for space, I found this under hard drive:
148.7GB Capacity
66.2GB Availbable
82.5GB Used

 

[speedwaygirl]

I had a similar problem with my Aluminum MacBook after installing the new Snow Leopard update.

 

[3v0]

I had a similar problem with my Aluminum MacBook after installing the new Snow Leopard update.

I don't have snow leopard. I'm not rly planning on getting it either.

 

[DoFoT9]

The macbook I bought new from the apple store in september of 2009.
As for space, I found this under hard drive:
148.7GB Capacity
66.2GB Availbable
82.5GB Used

ok so its not that then.

go to speedtest.net and run a test on your net speed. post the link in here for us to have a look

 

[3v0]

this was the result.

 

[ARF900]

this was the result.

Thats not terrible, For sure delete norton, its been known to cause problems. There are ZERO viruses for the mac. The only thing norton will do is kill windows viruses that are on your mac to prevent you from spreading them to windows PCs. The only malware that can hurt your mac is a trojan, which is rare for mac and Norton wont protect you against a trojan anyway.

 

[3v0]

Thats not terrible, For sure delete norton, its been known to cause problems. There are ZERO viruses for the mac. The only thing norton will do is kill windows viruses that are on your mac to prevent you from spreading them to windows PCs. The only malware that can hurt your mac is a trojan, which is rare for mac and Norton wont protect you against a trojan anyway.

I did not know that. Is there anything I should get to stop trojans?
I'll delete it now. It was free from my school so I downloaded it, I'll just uninstall it.

 

[DoFoT9]

I did not know that. Is there anything I should get to stop trojans?
I'll delete it now. It was free from my school so I downloaded it, I'll just uninstall it.

you should get yours whits. whats all you need. they come from watching porn, going to phishing sites, submitting your password to emails etc. these are preventative measures only you can take.

your internet speed is pretty decent, its a wierd one.

 

[3v0]

you should get yours whits. whats all you need. they come from watching porn, going to phishing sites, submitting your password to emails etc. these are preventative measures only you can take.

your internet speed is pretty decent, its a wierd one.

yeah, the internet works great when it working normally but it gets these random hiccups where it will run super sluggish or take forever to load anything, or even refuse to load some times. Those last anywhere from like 2-10 minutes.

 

[DoFoT9]

yeah, the internet works great when it working normally but it gets these random hiccups where it will run super sluggish or take forever to load anything, or even refuse to load some times. Those last anywhere from like 2-10 minutes.

so it is programs as well as your internet? can you please make a backup of your hard drive and your data? there is a chance it could be your hard drive. always best to take a backup!

i would consider taking it back to the Apple Store for them to look at it - or reinstall your OSX operating system.

 

[3v0]

so it is programs as well as your internet? can you please make a backup of your hard drive and your data? there is a chance it could be your hard drive. always best to take a backup!

i would consider taking it back to the Apple Store for them to look at it - or reinstall your OSX operating system.

depends, some programs will load slow etc.

What are the best way to back up? I haven NO idea how to do that.
Does it require an external hard drive?

 

[DoFoT9]

depends, some programs will load slow etc.

What are the best way to back up? I haven NO idea how to do that.
Does it require an external hard drive?

the easiest way to backup is with Time Capsule - it is a program built into Leopard and Snow Leopard (you can find it through the System Preferences).

it will require an external hard drive.

 

[3v0]

the easiest way to backup is with Time Capsule - it is a program built into Leopard and Snow Leopard (you can find it through the System Preferences).

it will require an external hard drive.

thanks! I'll youtube that feature and see how it works as well as look into an external HD and get back here if I have questions.
Thanks for all ur help!!!

 

[DoFoT9]

thanks! I'll youtube that feature and see how it works as well as look into an external HD and get back here if I have questions.
Thanks for all ur help!!!

you know, your the FIRST person that has ever said "ok ill youtube it"!!!!! thanks so much for not asking how to do it! *bows*

also, you can reinstall OSX and it leaves all your files/desktop/etc intact, maybe that is worth a try.

 

[andalusia]

Can I just mention that it's called Time Machine - Time Capsule is an external Hard Drive sold by Apple which I find a little expensive just for backing up (unless you have money to burn), whereas Time Machine is the software included with all Apple Computers since Leopard that backs up your machine.