Which version would be best?

[hotkey]

I have a mid 2010 mac mini - 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo 4 GB Ram. Using it for home media server and misc apps. It was running Mt Lion or Mavericks (I can't recall) and I updated to El Capitan. It got ugly. Seems like I have to reboot nearly daily to keep it running "smooth" and even then its laggy.

I'll be happy to do a fresh install of a prior OSX but not sure what the experts recommend?

Also,

Can I just do a USB clean install from Mavericks or Yosemite download from the App Store or do I need to have proof of prior version? (I think I have a Snow Leopard disc).

 

[CoastalOR]

Can I just do a USB clean install from Mavericks or Yosemite download from the App Store or do I need to have proof of prior version? (I think I have a Snow Leopard disc).

Unfortunately, you can not download Mavericks or Yosemite from the App Store unless you have previously downloaded it. Apple started removing the older OS from the App Store when the new OS is released starting with Mavericks. That means there is a jump from 10.7 or 10.8 (a purchase from Apple with a redemption code) to 10.11.

 

[JohnDS]

There is probably a reason why your computer is acting the way it is. We may be able to help you fix it. Could you download EtreCheck from here: https://etrecheck.com/#download then run the EtreCheck application, save the report and post it here. (Etrecheck does a diagnostic of your system and provides a report which we may be able to use to isolate your problem.)

 

[simon lefisch]

OP, for what it's worth (and I know it's a PITA), I always do a clean install of a major OS version. I updated from Yosemite to El Cap and had all kinds of probs. After I did a clean install, smooth on my 2011 MBP.

 

[hotkey]

There is probably a reason why your computer is acting the way it is. We may be able to help you fix it. Could you download EtreCheck from here: https://etrecheck.com/#download then run the EtreCheck application, save the report and post it here. (Etrecheck does a diagnostic of your system and provides a report which we may be able to use to isolate your problem.)

I'll try this over the weekend and report back.
[doublepost=1465612418][/doublepost]

OP, for what it's worth (and I know it's a PITA), I always do a clean install of a major OS version. I updated from Yosemite to El Cap and had all kinds of probs. After I did a clean install, smooth on my 2011 MBP.

LOL in my Windows world I always do. I'm not a Mac whiz so I was trying to make it EZ on myself! But may have to do exactly that. Thx.

 

[hotkey]

There is probably a reason why your computer is acting the way it is. We may be able to help you fix it. Could you download EtreCheck from here: https://etrecheck.com/#download then run the EtreCheck application, save the report and post it here. (Etrecheck does a diagnostic of your system and provides a report which we may be able to use to isolate your problem.)

Here is the report for your review:

EtreCheck version: 2.9.12 (265)

Report generated 2016-06-11 12:09:54

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime 3:15

Performance: Good



Click the [Support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.

Click the [Remove] links to remove adware.



Problem: No problem - just checking



Hardware Information: ⓘ

Mac mini (Mid 2010)

[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]

Mac mini - model: Macmini4,1

1 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2-core

4 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n


Video Information: ⓘ

NVIDIA GeForce 320M - VRAM: 256 MB

VSX-1120 1920 x 1080


System Software: ⓘ

OS X El Capitan 10.11.4 (15E65) - Time since boot: about 2 days


Disk Information: ⓘ

Hitachi HTS545050B9SA02 disk0 : (500.11 GB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 499.25 GB (389.32 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB


HL-DT-STDVDRW GA32N ()


USB Information: ⓘ

BUFFALO HD-LCU3 4 TB

EFI (disk3s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

disk3s2 (disk3s2) <not mounted> : 4.00 TB

BUFFALO HD-LCU3 4 TB

Untitled (disk4s1) /Volumes/Untitled : 4.00 TB (779.35 GB free)

Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver


Firewire Information: ⓘ

OWC Mercury Elite unknown_device 800mbit - 800mbit max

EFI (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

OWC Mercury Elite AL Pro (disk2s2) /Volumes/OWC Mercury Elite AL Pro : 2.00 TB (1.12 TB free)


Gatekeeper: ⓘ

Mac App Store and identified developers


Adware: ⓘ

~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Extens...safariextension

~/Library/Safari/Extensions/Amazon Shopping Assistant-2.safariextz

2 adware files found. [Remove]


Kernel Extensions: ⓘ

/Library/Extensions

[loaded] com.iospirit.driver.rbiokithelper (1.28 - SDK 10.9 - 2016-06-03) [Support]



/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower (1.5.1 - 2016-06-03) [Support]



Startup Items: ⓘ

TuxeraNTFSUnmountHelper: Path: /Library/StartupItems/TuxeraNTFSUnmountHelper

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite


System Launch Agents: ⓘ

[not loaded] 7 Apple tasks

[loaded] 161 Apple tasks

[running] 70 Apple tasks


System Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[failed] com.apple.csrutil.report.plist

[not loaded] 44 Apple tasks

[loaded] 154 Apple tasks

[running] 89 Apple tasks


Launch Agents: ⓘ

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2016-03-01) [Support]

[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.startx.plist (2013-11-10) [Support]


Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[failed] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2016-04-15) [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist (2016-03-01) [Support]

[loaded] com.iospirit.candelair.daemon.plist (2016-02-29) [Support]

[loaded] com.iospirit.candelair.loadiremulation.plist (2016-02-29) [Support]

[loaded] com.iospirit.candelair.sync.plist (2016-02-29) [Support]

[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.privileged_startx.plist (2013-11-10) [Support]


User Launch Agents: ⓘ

[failed] com.google.GoogleContactSyncAgent.plist (2014-01-23) [Support]

[not loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2011-04-11) [Support]


User Login Items: ⓘ

Plex Application (/Applications/Plex.app)

Air Video Server HD Application (/Applications/Air Video Server HD.app)

Plex Media Server Application (/Applications/Plex Media Server.app)

EvernoteHelper Application (/Applications/Evernote.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/EvernoteHelper.app)

iTunes Application (/Applications/iTunes.app)

QuicKeys Application (/Applications/QuicKeys.app)


Other Apps: ⓘ

[running] com.evernote.EvernoteHelper.4512

[running] com.google.Chrome.48352

[running] com.inmethod.AirVideoServerHD.45792

[running] com.plexapp.plex.55392

[running] com.plexapp.plexmediaserver.55072

[running] com.quickeys.quickeys.56672

[running] com.quickeys.quickeysbackgroundengine.69472

[running] com.quickeys.usereventhelper.71392

[running] org.TrueCryptFoundation.TrueCrypt.57632

[loaded] 399 Apple tasks

[running] 181 Apple tasks


Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

Silverlight: 4.0.60129.0 (2011-04-15) [Support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: 21.0.0.226 - SDK 10.6 (2016-04-21) [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2016-03-12)

Flash Player: 21.0.0.226 - SDK 10.6 (2016-04-21) Outdated! Update

iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 - SDK 10.8 (2013-04-29)

Default Browser: 601 - SDK 10.11 (2016-03-12)



Safari Extensions: ⓘ

Amazon Shopping Assistant - Spigot, Inc. - http://www.spigot.com/ (2014-05-14) Adware! [Remove]


3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ

AirServer (2012-07-26) [Support]

Candelair (2016-02-29) [Support]

RCDefaultApp (2009-09-19)

Flash Player (2016-04-15) [Support]

Perian (2011-07-23) [Support]

Tuxera NTFS (2016-05-22) [Support]


Time Machine: ⓘ

Time Machine not configured!



Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

28% mdworker(8)

10% kernel_task

7% Plex

7% WindowServer

1% coreaudiod


Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

791 MB Google Chrome Helper(7)

449 MB kernel_task

197 MB Google Chrome

164 MB mdworker(8)

119 MB iTunes


Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

45 MB Free RAM

4.21 GB Used RAM (1.09 GB Cached)

2 MB Swap Used


Diagnostics Information: ⓘ

Jun 9, 2016, 02:37:42 PM Self test - passed

Jun 9, 2016, 02:35:20 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/QuickTime Player_2016-06-09-143520_[redacted].hang

/Applications/QuickTime Player.app/Contents/MacOS/QuickTime Player

Jun 9, 2016, 02:32:20 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Google Chrome_2016-06-09-143220_[redacted].hang

/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome

Jun 9, 2016, 02:31:54 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/VLC_2016-06-09-143154_[redacted].hang

/Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/VLC

Jun 9, 2016, 02:14:23 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/uTorrent_2016-06-09-141423_[redacted].hang

/Applications/uTorrent.app/Contents/MacOS/uTorrent
[doublepost=1465666522][/doublepost]

Unfortunately, you can not download Mavericks or Yosemite from the App Store unless you have previously downloaded it. Apple started removing the older OS from the App Store when the new OS is released starting with Mavericks. That means there is a jump from 10.7 or 10.8 (a purchase from Apple with a redemption code) to 10.11.

What if a do a clean install with original Snow Leopard disk and then update?

 

[CoastalOR]

Unfortunately, you can not download Mavericks or Yosemite from the App Store unless you have previously downloaded it. Apple started removing the older OS from the App Store when the new OS is released starting with Mavericks. That means there is a jump from 10.7 or 10.8 (a purchase from Apple with a redemption code) to 10.11.

What if a do a clean install with original Snow Leopard disk and then update?

Mavericks & Yosemite are still not available for download from the App Store unless you have previously downloaded it from the App Store.

 

[hotkey]

Mavericks & Yosemite are still not available for download from the App Store unless you have previously downloaded it from the App Store.

OK. Perhaps El C would run better over a clean install. I don't know. I'm kinda at a loss. In my mind its wrong of Apple to pull those updates out of play.

 

[JohnDS]

The EtreCheck reports says that you have some malware on the computer. Try downloading and running MalWareBytes:

https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/mac/

It also says you have an out of date version of Flash Player which should be updated.

You have a lot of third party software which may or may not be compatible with El Capitan and you might check for updates, for instance, Remote Buddy and Perian.