OS Maverick - since updates slow and lumpy

[speckytecky]

Since our Macs have updated to OS Maverick they have been 'horrid' slow and grouchy. Opening Safari is ok but then clicking on any embedded URL's brings up that horris spinning thing and you have to go into Finder and kill it because it's unresponsive.

 

The keychain thing is just totally annoying and won't go away - what on earth is that all about? My Art teacher is beginning to prefer using Windows!!

 

Seriously, we run through a Mini Mac Server that's currently running the older OS - is there anything we can configure on the mini mac to try and sort these issues out?

[LRSFC_DanJ]

My experience with Mavericks is it works a lot better from a clean install rather than trying to install over an existing Mountain Lion installation. I'm led to believe the keychain thing is fixed in 10.9.3 which is out now so if you don't already have that you could try grabbing the combo update.

[Michael]

I agree - in some instances restoring the OS from scratch is best. The good thing is Mavericks installs a tattoo, so it's easy to restore as new without the need for discs or a flash drive. Just hold the Option key at startup and select it from here.

[Arthur]

The good thing is Mavericks installs a tattoo

That's a strange name to call the recovery partition. I've never heard anyone call it a tattoo before.

[Michael]

That's a strange name to call the recovery partition. I've never heard anyone call it a tattoo before.

 

I've always known it as a tattoo, but also as a recovery partition you're right

[abillybob]

I always update our Mac Suite and Teachers Macs every time an update becomes available. We are currently running OSX 10.9.3 with all the latest updates for the apps. Every time I do so I create a fresh image on one iMac to how I want it to be and delete all the old workstations from Workgroup Manager on the server. I then use deploy studio to deploy the new packages, apps and OS.

Keychains can be a nightmare but can easily be fixed by going to the library folder and deleting the Keychain folder, Mavericks will be forced to create a new one though we have never had an issue due to the fresh install of every OS!

 

I would consider doing it that way as our Macs work perfectly well here at super speeds Plus I've upgraded them all with an SSD and 8GB Ram!

[Zoom7000]

I've always installed every new iteration of OS X as a fresh install. Nice that it gets rid of any troublesome settings files and it's so much easier now especially seeing as you can download most of the needed apps from the AppStore. I just copy my personal docs on to a USB Flash Drive and reformat. And nowadays I hardly have to do that either seeing as I backup most things to Dropbox and Google Drive.

 

I know people have their fears about the cloud, but I'm a big advocate especially as it takes away the need for having loads of backups of the backups! The most personal document I have of myself on the cloud is my CV! And that's probably plastered all over most of the Internets job sites anyway!

[Zoom7000]

I would consider doing it that way as our Macs work perfectly well here at super speeds Plus I've upgraded them all with an SSD and 8GB Ram!

 

Wasn't it a right nightmare opening up all those iMacs and replacing the RAM and HDD? Didn't you have to mess around with heat guns and suction cup openers?

[abillybob]

Wasn't it a right nightmare opening up all those iMacs and replacing the RAM and HDD? Didn't you have to mess around with heat guns and suction cup openers?

I should have mentioned this was just for the MacBook Pro's not the iMacs sorry! I wouldn't open an iMac to fiddly!

[Zoom7000]

I should have mentioned this was just for the MacBook Pro's not the iMacs sorry! I wouldn't open an iMac to fiddly!

 

I take it you haven't got the Retina Display MBPs, where you can't replace ANYTHING! (Well, technically, you can replace one or two bits and bobs on the 15" model, but with great difficulty! Nothing it seems on the 13" model!)

Edited June 2, 2014 by Zoom7000

[abillybob]

I take it you haven't got the Retina Display MBPs, where you can't replace ANYTHING! (Well, technically, you can replace one or two bits and bobs, but with great difficulty!)

Nope got the 2011 models here and two 2012 models neither have retina! Very easy to open few screws at the back and you're in. Is it really that difficult? I have replaced batteries inside iPhones and iPods before for family and they weren't to bad you just had to prise open the seal (this was easy enough with an old credit card)

[Zoom7000]

Nope got the 2011 models here and two 2012 models neither have retina! Very easy to open few screws at the back and you're in. Is it really that difficult? I have replaced batteries inside iPhones and iPods before for family and they weren't to bad you just had to prise open the seal (this was easy enough with an old credit card)

 

Here is iFixit's Teardowns:

 

13 inch: MacBook Pro 13" Retina Display Late 2013 Teardown - iFixit

15 inch: MacBook Pro 15" Retina Display Late 2013 Teardown - iFixit

 

Both received a repairability score: 1 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair).

[seawolf]

Here is iFixit's Teardowns:

 

13 inch: MacBook Pro 13" Retina Display Late 2013 Teardown - iFixit

15 inch: MacBook Pro 15" Retina Display Late 2013 Teardown - iFixit

 

Both received a repairability score: 1 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair).

 

True, but a great many of the PC Ultrabooks are that way as well. The MS Surface 2 received a 1 out of 10 for repairability from iFixit, and the Lenovo X1 Carbon has the RAM soldered to the logic board and an SSD that is as difficult to replace as a MBPr.

 

It appears this is the trade off we are going to have for lightweight, thin, powerful laptops with great battery life. Fortunately, both that MBPr and most Ultrabooks come with SSDs and lots of RAM (8-16GB minimum).

[seawolf]

Since our Macs have updated to OS Maverick they have been 'horrid' slow and grouchy. Opening Safari is ok but then clicking on any embedded URL's brings up that horris spinning thing and you have to go into Finder and kill it because it's unresponsive.

 

The keychain thing is just totally annoying and won't go away - what on earth is that all about? My Art teacher is beginning to prefer using Windows!!

 

Seriously, we run through a Mini Mac Server that's currently running the older OS - is there anything we can configure on the mini mac to try and sort these issues out?

 

90% of the issues I've had with Mavericks were resolved with a clean install. The other 10% have slowly been improving with each patch release. I'd suggest a clean install and possibly deleting the keychain for users experiencing that problem.