Performance issues with 5K iMac

[AndrewSalfinger]

Hello, I have a iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) lately I've been having some performance issues with apps like After Effect CC and Unity 5.

The apps have been freezing on me a lot now (used to not) and was wondering if there was away to find out how reason why and how to fix it?

I did tho find a app on my mac called "macbooster mini" tho I don't remember ever installing it but some people say they got it from VLC. I was wondering if something like this could be the reason to why something like this would happen.

If it is / if not is there away to find out whats wrong and how to fix it or would maybe a full clean re-install of the OS fix the issue to?

Thank you for your time and I hope you have a great day.

 

[Fried Chicken]

Try getting rid of macbooster mini crap:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6769059?tstart=0

 

[AndrewSalfinger]

Try getting rid of macbooster mini crap:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6769059?tstart=0

I've all ready removed the files at :

"/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.iobit.AMCDaemon.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.iobit.MacBoosterMini.plist"

I don't think macbooster mini is on my computer anymore.

 

[Fried Chicken]

Possible HDD failure?

 

[AndrewSalfinger]

Possible HDD failure?

Is there away to test if that is the reason?

 

[loekf]

Is there away to test if that is the reason?

• Mac self-test (Press and hold the D key before the startup screen with Apple logo appears)
• HDD speed test (Blackmagic, free in Appstore). However, not sure if proofs anything, because most likely you have a Fusion drive so there's a SDD cache. Likely the speed test only accesses the SDD cache.
• Check S.M.A.R.T. data (http://apple.stackexchange.com/ques...t-disk-information-on-os-x-mavericks-or-later)

 

[AndrewSalfinger]

• Mac self-test (Press and hold the D key before the startup screen with Apple logo appears)
• HDD speed test (Blackmagic, free in Appstore). However, not sure if proofs anything, because most likely you have a Fusion drive so there's a SDD cache. Likely the speed test only accesses the SDD cache.
• Check S.M.A.R.T. data (http://apple.stackexchange.com/ques...t-disk-information-on-os-x-mavericks-or-later)

• I did the "Mac self-test" and it said there were no issues found.
• Yes I have a "Fusion drive" but I still did the Blackmagic test
• 
  
• I have not yet done the " S.M.A.R.T. data" test yet due to it says to "brew install smartmontools"is smartmontools safe to install ?

 

[varian55zx]

This generation of 5K iMac was apparently notorious for overheating problems, I'd recommend to look into if that can be involved.

 

[AndrewSalfinger]

This generation of 5K iMac was apparently notorious for overheating problems, I'd recommend to look into if that can be involved.

Is there anyway to check this? Also due to what you said being "notorious" for these am I able to replace it with the newer model since it's still under warranty?

 

[maflynn]

Is there anyway to check this? Also due to what you said being "notorious" for these am I able to replace it with the newer model since it's still under warranty?

Get iStat Menus, as that will report the CPU temperatures.

The older iMac model would throttle itself after it would get too hot.

As for getting a newer model - no, that's not in the cards as the chips are doing exactly what they were designed to do. Slow down in the even of high temps.

 

[AndrewSalfinger]

Get iStat Menus, as that will report the CPU temperatures.

The older iMac model would throttle itself after it would get too hot.

As for getting a newer model - no, that's not in the cards as the chips are doing exactly what they were designed to do. Slow down in the even of high temps.

Okay thanks, I will get iStat Menus, there is a free and paid for version, is there a difference or will the free version still give me the info I need?

 

[maflynn]

I think the free may only be a timed demo, and then you will be prompted to pay for it. FWIW, I bought it as the cost is rather low and I find the info it provides is really useful - just my .02.

 

[AndrewSalfinger]

I think the free may only be a timed demo, and then you will be prompted to pay for it. FWIW, I bought it as the cost is rather low and I find the info it provides is really useful - just my .02.

Just got the paid version.

 

[AndrewSalfinger]

What should I be looking at, you said about the CPU temp what there are a couple of different CPU temp options here.

 

[maflynn]

I use the basic CPU which is being display at 65c. Is that temp at idle or were you using some intensive apps when you snapped that picture. Those temps are higher then I see. My idle temps are in the low 30s.

 

[Strider64]

If 65c is your idling temperature then you might have a problem, for that is right on the border for being safe. When I used to build my own computers I look at 150F(66c) as being the border limit for a computer under load. I learn one fix that you might want to check is dust, get a can of air and try to blow the dust away. Tip, make sure your computer is unplugged and when you start using the air press it away from the computer and don't get too close to it. Though with the iMac being enclosed it's probably unlikely this is the culprit, but it might be worth a shot.

P.S. One would think you would be hearing the cpu fan if it is at 65c?

Looking at your stats over again 71c for you GPU is high, it's probably a bigger problem than dust if that is the idle temperature.

 

[AndrewSalfinger]

I don't remember what I was doing at that time, I think I may have been working with AE at the time. Here is a screen at ideal.

 

[wepiii]

Still high
[doublepost=1455915437][/doublepost]Try turning active set on high temporarily and see if your temps come down

 

[Zarniwoop]

Do you have MS Office 2016? Using Outlook? It has caused a lot of stuttering since 15.18 update. And when it's messing up it freezes the whole computer until you reboot it. I've seen it happening with Macbook Airs and Macbook Pro 15".

 

[campyguy]

Have you cleared your disk cache in AE lately? My cache runs between 20-40GB and I need to remember to clear it from time to time. And, if you haven't cleared the caches in previous versions, you've got some deleting to do... I can almost hear my rMBP breathe a sigh when I dump my AE cache...

 

[MacVidCards]

You didn't say which GPU you have but this thread has numbers that make yours look like a night in Alaska.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...lock-throttling-heat-and-performance.1815601/

 

[maflynn]

I don't remember what I was doing at that time, I think I may have been working with AE at the time. Here is a screen at ideal.

That's still very high

Do you have MS Office 2016? Using Outlook? It has caused a lot of stuttering since 15.18 update. And when it's messing up it freezes the whole computer until you reboot it. I've seen it happening with Macbook Airs and Macbook Pro 15".

I don't think it's MS office, first off, the issue he reported is not new and secondly the CPU temps on his iMac are very high. I wouldn't be surprised to see his iMac throttle under a constant load

 

[G.McGilli]

Why not go to settings/Users & Groups, and have a look in your account to see exactly what 'login items' programs/processes are set to start up and run in the background while you are logged in? Hopefully something there stands out.

Also - you have been showing the TEMP of the CPU - but what about in activity monitor? What % of the CPU is being used when idle? As an example - my system is running at ~99.50% idle while just reading this site and typing this out with 5 other programs active in the background. (Mail/Safari/Terminal etc)

Why not close everything except activity monitor - and one by one open your programs and watch the temp and cpu usage to see of any one program makes them spike....

I'm thinking there is a reason for the high temps that just needs to be found. Good luck.

 

[AndrewSalfinger]

Why not go to settings/Users & Groups, and have a look in your account to see exactly what 'login items' programs/processes are set to start up and run in the background while you are logged in? Hopefully something there stands out.

Also - you have been showing the TEMP of the CPU - but what about in activity monitor? What % of the CPU is being used when idle? As an example - my system is running at ~99.50% idle while just reading this site and typing this out with 5 other programs active in the background. (Mail/Safari/Terminal etc)

Why not close everything except activity monitor - and one by one open your programs and watch the temp and cpu usage to see of any one program makes them spike....

I'm thinking there is a reason for the high temps that just needs to be found. Good luck.

For 'login items' all I have there is DropBox:

As for activity monitor this is what it's showing while my computer is in idle:

To try this "close everything" test I will need to shut down istat dose anyone know how to completely close the app?

UPDATE: Here are some more screens from iStat (of the SEN and CUP (don't know if there any help))

 

[maflynn]

You're computer is not showing a lot of activity. You can call apple and see what they have to say but I think its mostly that the model you have runs hot and will throttle once it gets too warm.

For giggles report back what the temps are when running the apps that start seeing the performance degradation, though I suspect you'll be see temps in the 90s.