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Mac Pro Running REALLY Slowly?

Apple2

Apple2

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 28, 2010
94
0
Providence, RI
Hey all:

I've got a 2010 MP, 8 core. It's got 6 gigs of RAM. When I bought it, it was probably the fastest machine I've ever owned.

However it is now getting very slow. I installed a new HDD and did a clean install of SL, and it still doesn't help. The computer takes over 5 minutes to start up. Right now it is not in use because my 13" MBA is running about 3x faster than it. Any ideas? I'd hate to think that I wasted 4k on a piece of junk.
 
Please search on google for the speed differences between a regular HDD (in your Mac Pro) and an SSD in your Macbook Air.

Oh and next time mention which applications you run etc. Boot time doesn't provide any useful clue to how fast your system is.
 
If you're computer is still slow after a reinstall, I would look into other factors. Perhaps your RAM is having issues? Consider downloading memtest86 and run that through your memory. Look at your computer; is there dust accumulation affecting your cooling?

One of the things I noticed is that you only only 6GB of RAM. I would consider upgrading that. Perhaps you're doing more on your computer now that you were doing before? I would say 12GB is the minimum for a dual processor setup on the Mac Pro.

GGJstudios said:
Performance Tips For Mac OS X
Click to expand...

I don't understand that point of posting a bunch of links in every single reply you make. If a poster wanted just a link, they would have searched. If you have the link, copy and paste a reply instead of just posting a link. I find it sort of lazy and rude, the way you're doing it.
 
alphaod said:
I don't understand that point of posting a bunch of links in every single reply you make. If a poster wanted just a link, they would have searched. If you have the link, copy and paste a reply instead of just posting a link. I find it sort of lazy and rude, the way you're doing it.
Click to expand...
The link is very appropriate to the OP's issue. I didn't post it for you; I posted it for them. It's neither lazy nor rude to take the time to answer the OP's question, as I have. If my posts cause you distress, you're welcome to add me to your ignore list.
 
Odd, the same thing seems to be happening on my MBA. On the MBA the task "Window Server" is using 65% cpu. Is it safe to kill it?
 
Apple2 said:
Odd, the same thing seems to be happening on my MBA. On the MBA the task "Window Server" is using 65% cpu. Is it safe to kill it?
Click to expand...
The window server is part of Mac OS X. What other processes are running? Post a screen shot from Activity Monitor after doing step #5 in the link I posted.
 
Apple2 said:
Odd, the same thing seems to be happening on my MBA. On the MBA the task "Window Server" is using 65% cpu. Is it safe to kill it?
Click to expand...

WindowServer draws the fancy graphics you can interact with to control the computer.

______________________________________________________
Have a look at Activity Monitor (Applications / Utilities /) and select All Processes and sort by CPU to see what the culprit may be.
Also check the "System Memory" tab to see what your "Page ins:", "Page outs:" and "Swap used:" are.

image below uses sorting by CPU as an example
Acitivty_Monitor.png

Further reading:
______________________________________________________​


----------
alphaod said:
I don't understand that point of posting a bunch of links in every single reply you make. If a poster wanted just a link, they would have searched. If you have the link, copy and paste a reply instead of just posting a link. I find it sort of lazy and rude, the way you're doing it.
Click to expand...

Many posters here ask the same questions over and over and over and over again, thus a nice little collection of basic troubleshooting tips regarding some performance issues is quite handy, thus one can make sure, that the asker is on the same level of solving the problem.
The same goes for all the other repeated questions, like the invisible battery virus I am chasing. FAQs, especially Mister GGJstudios' FAQups, are quite good. And only posters with a high visibility here seem to complain about these, as they of course see them more often, but not as often as one might think.

It is not lazy, to have these guides compiled, I have done several I link to. What is the problem with linking to already proven steps of troubleshooting or problem solving? If these steps don't help, then one can look further.
It is better than to ask the same questions every fracking time and keep guessing until maybe one guesser guesses right.
 
Last edited:
OK, everything in activity monitor is under 5% CPU. Only thing over that is the WindowServer which is at 98% CPU (ouch).

Page in: 761.3 megs
Page out: 120 kb
Swap: 232 kb

Restarting the computer speeds it up for about an hour, but WindowServer then takes over the CPU again.

As for applications, I run mainly Photoshop and FCP. The problems happen even when neither are open.

Boot time seemed relevant because it has gone up by about 3 minutes since the computer was new.
 
Apple2 said:
OK, everything in activity monitor is under 5% CPU. Only thing over that is the WindowServer which is at 98% CPU (ouch).

Page in: 761.3 megs
Page out: 120 kb
Swap: 232 kb

Restarting the computer speeds it up for about an hour, but WindowServer then takes over the CPU again.

As for applications, I run mainly Photoshop and FCP. The problems happen even when neither are open.

Boot time seemed relevant because it has gone up by about 3 minutes since the computer was new.
Click to expand...

What is your total boot time after the Apple logo appears?
 
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