Help me get a hair more horsepower!

[MysticCow]

Is there anything I can delete to get my mini running a hair faster? I have a program that when I try to screen record it will come to a standstill and I kind of need to record it for demonstration purposes!

If it helps, the program in question requires the newest Java (8 update 40). Previous iterations required the Java version supplied by Apple and ran just fine. They are trying to get ahead of the curve since 10.11 might be the one where those users of the Apple Java are going to be told to go to iHell.

Report attached. Any help is appreciated.

EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)
Report generated March 22, 2015 at 1:04:52 PM EDT
Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.
Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️
Mac mini (Mid 2011) (Technical Specifications)
Mac mini - model: Macmini5,2
1 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core
8 GB RAM Upgradeable
BANK 0/DIMM0
4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM0
4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Video Information: ℹ️
AMD Radeon HD 6630M - VRAM: 256 MB
DELL 1707FP 1280 x 1024 @ 60 Hz

System Software: ℹ️
OS X 10.10.2 (14C1514) - Time since boot: 0:16:13

Disk Information: ℹ️
TOSHIBA MK5065GSXF disk0 : (500.11 GB)
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
Untitled (disk0s2) / : 499.25 GB (111.15 GB free)
Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

USB Information: ℹ️
SIGMACHIP USB Keyboard
Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️
Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Configuration files: ℹ️
/etc/sysctl.conf - Exists

Gatekeeper: ℹ️
Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️
/System/Library/Extensions
[loaded] com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower (1.6.2 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.mice.driver.Wireless360Controller (1.0.0d12 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.mice.driver.WirelessGamingReceiver (1.0.0d12 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.mice.driver.Xbox360Controller (1.0.0d12 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.orderedbytes.driver.ControllerMateFamily (4.6.0 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions/ControllerMate.kext/Contents/PlugIns
[loaded] com.orderedbytes.driver.CMUSBDevices (4.6.0 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.orderedbytes.driver.CMUSBKeyboard (4.6.0 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.orderedbytes.driver.CMUSBPointer (4.6.0 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

Startup Items: ℹ️
TuxeraNTFSUnmountHelper: Path: /Library/StartupItems/TuxeraNTFSUnmountHelper
Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite

Launch Agents: ℹ️
[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.orderedbytes.ControllerMateHelper.plist [Click for support]
[not loaded] org.freedesktop.dbus-session.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] org.glimmerblocker.updater.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.startx.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.mice.360Daemon.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist [Click for support]
[not loaded] org.freedesktop.dbus-system.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.privileged_startx.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️
Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)
CrossOver CD Helper Application (/Applications/CrossOver.app/Contents/Resources/CrossOver CD Helper.app)
Plex Media Server Application (/Applications/Plex Media Server.app)
ShadowKiller Application (/Applications/ShadowKiller.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
MeetingJoinPlugin: Version: Unknown - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10
Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]
OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.3.5 [Click for support]
Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20125.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.134 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.134 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.8 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
npDDRia: Version: 0.0.14.1 - SDK 10.9 [Click for support]
Scorch: Version: 6.2.0 [Click for support]
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 40 Check version

User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
BlueStacks Install Detector: Version: 0.3.6 - SDK 10.7 [Click for support]
CitrixOnlineWebDeploymentPlugin: Version: 1.0.105 [Click for support]
Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Click for support]
iGetterScriptablePlugin: Version: 2.9.2 [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: ℹ️
Ghostery
iGetter Extension
ClickToFlash
ClickToPlugin
DuckDuckGo
Social Fixer
AdBlock

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️
Flash Player [Click for support]
Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]
FUSE for OS X (OSXFUSE) [Click for support]
Java [Click for support]
Perian [Click for support]
Tuxera NTFS [Click for support]
XBox 360 Controllers [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️
Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
22% mds
4% WindowServer
0% Plex Plug-in [com.plexapp.system]
0% Plex Media Server
0% AppleSpell

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
223 MB mds_stores
112 MB CrossOver CD Helper
94 MB Plex Plug-in [com.plexapp.system]
86 MB Finder
77 MB Dropbox

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
5.01 GB Free RAM
1.94 GB Active RAM
616 MB Inactive RAM
1.02 GB Wired RAM
1.49 GB Page-ins
0 B Page-outs

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️
Mar 22, 2015, 12:46:18 PM Self test - passed
Mar 22, 2015, 10:21:48 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/cfbackd_2015-03-22-102148_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]
Mar 21, 2015, 03:05:41 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/bird_2015-03-21-150541_[redacted].crash
Mar 21, 2015, 11:53:00 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/cider_2015-03-21-115300_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]
Mar 20, 2015, 05:26:02 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/TurboTax 2014_2015-03-20-172602_[redacted].hang
Mar 19, 2015, 08:29:46 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/TuneUp_2015-03-19-202946_[redacted].hang

 

[Gav2k]

The bottleneck for you is your hdd especially given the task you want to achieve. An ssd will help this issue.

 

[cyclingplatypus]

The bottleneck for you is your hdd especially given the task you want to achieve. An ssd will help this issue.

I would suggest this as well - I was amazed at how much an SSD improved the performance of an older mini as well as a 13" MBP.

 

[MysticCow]

I'll look into it.

I've added hard drives before, but how unusually challenging/weird is it to do that on the mini? Or would it be easier to let an AppleCare person do it and let it be THEIR fault?

 

[NT1440]

I'll look into it.

I've added hard drives before, but how unusually challenging/weird is it to do that on the mini? Or would it be easier to let an AppleCare person do it and let it be THEIR fault?

It's not that difficult. Here's a step by step:

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+Mini+Mid+2011+Hard+Drive+Replacement/6422

It'll make a world of difference for you.

 

[MysticCow]

I saw a video on OWC and they sell the upgrade kit with a hard drive. It's not as terrible as the infamous white iBook G3, but it does look like there is a screw up point with the IR stuff that I don't use.