I have an older (2009) desk top that I only use for a couple of forums and email. Lately, I have to restart it every time I want to use it. When I try to use it, it is horrible slow to load any website.

Any suggestions? Thanks

It's a 15 year old desktop. That's a pretty good run and stopped receiving updates a long time ago.

Outside of maxing out RAM and swapping to a SSD I think it probably is what it is and it might be time to get a new one.

I recently started up my parents' similar vintage iMac to get some photos off for them. It was quite slow.

quote:

Originally posted by maxwayne:

I have an older (2009) desk top that I only use for a couple of forums and email. Lately, I have to restart it every time I want to use it. When I try to use it, it is horrible slow to load any website.

Any suggestions?

Check the Activity Monitor, to see if there's a resource hog.

quote:

Originally posted by maxwayne:
<snip>?
Lately, I have to restart it every time I want to use it. When I try to use it, it is horrible slow to load any website.

Any suggestions? Thanks

In the Apple menu (top left of screen) there’s a “Shut Down…” option. The Apple Store guys told me that it’s more efficient at cleaning out garbage than holding down the power button.

Download MX Linux operating system on to an 8gb usb and load it on your desktop. It is free and a lot less of a resource hog than Microsoft . I have it on a couple of mini laptops from 2009 that run very well .I also enjoy all the FREE applications that you can get .
Regards ,
Geoff Ellis.

^^^^^^^
I doubt that the OP wants to learn a new operating system.

How much RAM does your system have? Can you bump it up? I have a relatively new M2 Mac mini that has 32GB hard-wired into the SoC, it is not enough for my purposes (too many open browser windows, 70 or so in three browsers, up to 200 when I am actively researching something, and maybe 30-40 downloads or other background tasks), and it often stalls on a window/application load. Yes my disks are SSDs, but I am still experiencing slower-than-desired performance. I would never consider installing a MS operating system, but I am seriously considering switching to BSD or Linux for my main desktop, both run quite graciously on the Mac, and utilize available resources far more efficiently than macOS. I don't think I would experience any loss of functionality (I ran a BSD desktop for about 20 years), I have BSD or Linux on four or five other systems and am very comfortable with both, but I am also solidly embedded in the Appleverse with iPhone, iPad, etc.

My other "easy" option is to spend five figures for a Mac Pro system that supports a decent amount of RAM. This is very unlikely. I consider a "decent amount" to be 128GB at this stage of the desktop PC evolution, but I stopped paying this much for systems back in the 80's. When you get to this level of CPU directly-addressable memory with, perhaps 8x4TB NVMe SSD mass storage we are talking pretty serious coinage even before adding the AI and graphics components (those $40K GPU cards start to add up when you are running 4 displays).

I do keep going back and forth between "VM's on a plus-size server" system vs. a "bunch of low $ SBC's" for utility systems, and have ended up with the worst of both. Gotta say, paying attention is the most costly of all IT expenditures!

Is it an iMac or a Mac Mini or…

2009 is pretty old. A viable replacement mini, 2014 with 16 GB ram would be able to handle that workload and is available for around $200.

2017 iMac 5k 27” with 16 GB or 32 GB ram are around $500.

Each could easily serve for another 5+ yrs. Might be worth considering and stay inside the Apple ecosystem.

There are 2 options. Restart and Shut Down. I use Restart, no holding the button down.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:

quote:

Originally posted by maxwayne:
<snip>?
Lately, I have to restart it every time I want to use it. When I try to use it, it is horrible slow to load any website.

Any suggestions? Thanks

In the Apple menu (top left of screen) there’s a “Shut Down…” option. The Apple Store guys told me that it’s more efficient at cleaning out garbage than holding down the power button.

The first thing I would do is download CCleaner for MAC it has a free edition.

Run it and reboot. It can make a huge difference.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:
(too many open browser windows, 70 or so in three browsers, up to 200 when I am actively researching something, and maybe 30-40 downloads or other background tasks), and it often stalls

That would stall a John Deere tractor!

Mr. Wayne,

We have often related ways to help Apple products remain viable. The hardware is usually quite durable. The operating system and the hardware memory will limit the performance.

In 2009, the OS was Snow Leopard. 14 years later, the OS has changed so very much. There is very little one can do with the older products to bring them to current OS performance. Apple does stop supporting them, as you might expect.

If you have items on the computer now, it would be good to create a last and most current backup of those files. However, this is not easy, and takes a fair amount of understanding. A music library, a photos library, and other software specific libraries must be carefully copied to the backup media. Exporting the library may be required, rather than copying. And, sadly, those libraries must be updated / converted to be used by the modern Apple software replacements. It is not trivial, but can be done.

If you only use it, as posted, for internet browsing, a replacement can be had for a few hundred dollars. The maximum age of a Mac product I would buy is late 2020, the original "M1" chip. See this press release: https://www.apple.com/newsroom.../apple-unleashes-m1/

These can be purchased used, and with the M1 chip you will have a good run of hardware and software support.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
Mr. Wayne,

We have often related ways to help Apple products remain viable. The hardware is usually quite durable. The operating system and the hardware memory will limit the performance.

In 2009, the OS was Snow Leopard. 14 years later, the OS has changed so very much. There is very little one can do with the older products to bring them to current OS performance. Apple does stop supporting them, as you might expect.

If you have items on the computer now, it would be good to create a last and most current backup of those files. However, this is not easy, and takes a fair amount of understanding. A music library, a photos library, and other software specific libraries must be carefully copied to the backup media. Exporting the library may be required, rather than copying. And, sadly, those libraries must be updated / converted to be used by the modern Apple software replacements. It is not trivial, but can be done.

If you only use it, as posted, for internet browsing, a replacement can be had for a few hundred dollars. The maximum age of a Mac product I would buy is late 2020, the original "M1" chip. See this press release: https://www.apple.com/newsroom.../apple-unleashes-m1/

These can be purchased used, and with the M1 chip you will have a good run of hardware and software support.

I just did this for my parents not too long ago. Use an external SSD (not HDD or you'll be there all day). It actually only took me an hour or so on theirs.

I agree, pickup a newer computer, even if it is used. I kept my mid-2012 MacBook Pro alive as my primary computer all the way until July 2022. When I finally upgraded to a new MacBook Pro I wished I wouldn't have waited so long.