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Disapointing performance on mac mini

  • 09-09-2011 1:23pm
    #1
    yutta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭


    Greetings,

    Recently purchased a mac mini. It's so sloooow! I keep getting beachballs when switching from one application to another.

    I use tools like Eclipse, Gimp, etc. I've ordered 8GB of RAM and an SSD which will hopefully speed things up?


Comments

  • #2
    Sean Quagmire
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,347 ✭✭✭Sean Quagmire


    Is it new, whats the spec?


  • #3
    yutta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭yutta


    Sean Quagmire wrote: »
    Is it new, whats the spec?

    i5, 2GB, 5400rpm disk-drive


  • #4
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Is Spotlight indexing? Check the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner.

    Is the hard drive okay? Verify the disk in Disk Utility.

    Are there any rogue background processes? Open Activity Monitor and click on the CPU column to see what apps are using the most CPU.

    If you are on Lion it's possible you just don't have enough RAM. Is it like this right after starting up?


  • #5
    Stainless_Steel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭Stainless_Steel


    Don't think the SSD will be easy to install depending on your competence.


  • #6
    yutta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭yutta


    Stainless_Steel wrote: »
    Don't think the SSD will be easy to install depending on your competence.

    Well I have the cable and I'm not too worried about the physical installation. It's the cloning of the hard disks that I'm worried about... I have yet to look at the online how-tos in great detail.


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  • #7
    yutta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭yutta


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    Is Spotlight indexing? Check the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner.

    Is the hard drive okay? Verify the disk in Disk Utility.

    Are there any rogue background processes? Open Activity Monitor and click on the CPU column to see what apps are using the most CPU.

    If you are on Lion it's possible you just don't have enough RAM. Is it like this right after starting up?

    Thanks for the tips. I'm running Lion alright. I think there just isn't enough RAM with 2GB. It's really annoying. I was running Windows 7 in VirtualBox there at lunchtime and the whole system has ground to a snail's pace...


  • #8
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Lol, yeah, 2GB definitely isn't enough to be running Windows in a virtual machine. 4GB is barely enough for that. When the system runs out of RAM it has to use virtual memory. Check your page outs in Activity Monitor. I'd say they are through the roof. 2GB on Lion is only enough for a web browser, Mail, iTunes and a few other small apps.


  • #9
    Stainless_Steel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭Stainless_Steel


    yutta wrote: »
    Well I have the cable and I'm not too worried about the physical installation. It's the cloning of the hard disks that I'm worried about... I have yet to look at the online how-tos in great detail.

    Google carbon copy cloner. I used it when changing HDs in my mac. I cloned to a USB HD, installed new drive, the cloned from USB HD to new drive.


  • #10
    Stainless_Steel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭Stainless_Steel


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    Lol, yeah, 2GB definitely isn't enough to be running Windows in a virtual machine. 4GB is barely enough for that. When the system runs out of RAM it has to use virtual memory. Check your page outs in Activity Monitor. I'd say they are through the roof. 2GB on Lion is only enough for a web browser, Mail, iTunes and a few other small apps.

    Yeah apple are a bit stingy giving 2GB RAM. 4 should be minimum these days...even on a base spec machine.


  • #11
    yutta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭yutta


    8GB of RAM arrived today. Got it on dabs.ie for €24 per 4GB stick.

    Wow, what a performance increase. Virtualbox runs wonderfully on the i5.

    Will be installing the SSD tonight. Will post how I got on (I hope!)


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  • #12
    Trevor451
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,463 ✭✭✭Trevor451


    Mind asking how much you paid for the mac mini?


  • #13
    yutta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭yutta


    €599 in Harvey Norman's, but I saw them advertised in currys or somewhere for €549.


  • #14
    yutta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭yutta


    Got the ssd in. SSD in bay 2, 500GB in bay 1. I used CCC to clone ssd.

    On reboot, hold down option key, select SSD as boot device. Then you can format 500GB disk and OSX reboots to SSD as normal every time.

    Thanks for the heads up on CCC guys.


  • #15
    Stainless_Steel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭Stainless_Steel


    yutta wrote: »
    Got the ssd in. SSD in bay 2, 500GB in bay 1. I used CCC to clone ssd.

    On reboot, hold down option key, select SSD as boot device. Then you can format 500GB disk and OSX reboots to SSD as normal every time.

    Thanks for the heads up on CCC guys.

    Was it tough to install the second drive? Did you follow any particular guide online? What about the cable to connect?


  • #16
    yutta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭yutta


    Stainless_Steel wrote: »
    Was it tough to install the second drive? Did you follow any particular guide online? What about the cable to connect?

    There's a guide on ifixit.com. It's tricky enough, but not too tricky. The hardest part was cloning the disk and getting the computer to boot properly IMO.

    She's flying now.


  • #17
    hick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 788 ✭✭✭hick


    sorry for dragging up an old thread but do you mind me asking did you get a 2.3Ghz or 2.5Ghz i5 mac mini

    Going to buy, not bothered with the i7 and I think I'd be happy enough with the 2.3Ghz once it has the extra ram in it, prob go up to 8 too. Primarily going to be a media box, music and movies for under the telly, bit of surfin etc.


  • #18
    taylorconor95
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 331 ✭✭taylorconor95


    yutta wrote: »
    Got the ssd in. SSD in bay 2, 500GB in bay 1. I used CCC to clone ssd.

    What specs are the SSD, how much did it cost you and where?


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