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How to improve Mac Performance


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Your Mac comes with some programs to help you decide what to do.

1. Run Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities). Use it to repair permissions and verify the startup volume. If repairs are needed, follow Disk Utility's instructions.

2. Run Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities). If you're using swap, then your computer needs more RAM. Adding RAM is usually the best thing you can do to boost your computer's speed. Getting a faster graphics card or adding RAM to your graphics card can also significantly improve speed.

3. Running DiskWarrior or Drive Genius to rebuild your startup volume can add a bit of speed.

4. Make sure your hard drive is no more than 75% full.

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I wholeheartedly endordse turning off unnecessary startup items. That can be a real drain on resources, especially on low and mid level computers.

To get there, open System preferences > Users & Groups > [your account] > Login Items. From there, just remove from the list any items you don't need.

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Note if you disable swap without enough memory your machine may freeze or slow to a crawl.  The risk/performance tradeoff is up to you.

 

You can turn off swap if you have enough memory:
sudo launchctl unload -wF /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.dynamic_pager.plist

 

re-enable:
sudo launchctl load -wF /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.dynamic_pager.plist

 

for those who have nvram.plist:

nvram.plist check for swap enabled:

nvram.plist vm_compressor=4

 

nvram.plist check for swap disabled:

nvram.plist vm_compressor=2

 

detete swap:

sudo rm /private/var/vm/swapfile*

 

view swap status:
sysctl -a vm.compressor_mode

 

nvram config for no swap:
sudo nvram boot-args="vm_compressor=2"

 

nvram config for swap:

sudo nvram boot-args="vm_compressor=4"

Edited by HenryV
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  • 4 months later...
On 12/4/2020 at 7:57 PM, WhenMusicAttacks said:

 

This is useful. Thanks. I've noticed my Mini gets really hot until I clean it up and was thinking too many services were causing inefficiencies as this began when I started a new remote job requiring me to add a few more cloud backup services to sync with other teams.

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