The drive I will be creating will be using Mountain Lion. (If you only have Lion, the instructions are still the same). I purchased it just after it was released and upgraded my MacBook Air. The installer deletes itself after it has done it’s job, so we need to download it again. With the Mac App Store we can just download it again (for free). Hi, I'm currently trying to run an apple hardware test on a mid 2010 21.5' iMac running osX Mavericks as the iMac is running very slowly so I suspect a HDD failure is imminent. Upon pressing (option + D) on start-up i'm greated by the image of a globe with it trying to connect and download.
“No matter what I do, my Mac is still slow”, an average tech-consultant hears this phrase multiple times a day. Give a person even the most powerful computer, and pretty soon it will be cluttered with apps, extensions, and things that are too much for it to handle. To reverse it, one has to go back and сlean up the mess, removing memory agents one by one. Prepare for a fight — every byte of memory is at stake. So let’s put your Mac on a diet and get it more free RAM to breathe freely.
First, remove desktop clutter. Get a combination of Setapp apps that clear away unneeded desktop files.
Download Declutter Free- With your MacBook plugged in and all external peripherals removed, restart it and hold down the D key to start either diagnostic program. Up close and personal with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro See.
- Let's get your QuickBooks back up and running. Yes, it's safe to download the QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool to your Windows Server. Sometimes, temporarily disabling your anti-virus helps. Here's the link to download: QuickBooks Install DiagnosticTool. You can also check out these articles for more information.
- Apple Event to Include 13-Inch MacBook Pro, 16-Inch MacBook Pro, and 13-Inch MacBook Air With Apple Silicon Chips Updated Monday November 2, 2020 12:38 pm PST by Juli Clover.
- After deleting all the junks and clutters from your Mac, check to see if the device is still running slow. Maybe all you need is a cleanup! We have finally learned how to run diagnostics on Mac. We hope that next time you are suspecting possible hardware issues on your device; you are now well-aware of the Apple diagnostics.
“Your system has run out of application memory”
How do you know your Mac is low on memory? Floating “rainbow wheels” aside, you may notice your Mac now takes ages to load. You’ll also see many browser applications crashing. You’ll be also thrown warning messages as “Your system has run out of application memory”. To help it, you should first visit the Activity monitor to see memory usage on Mac.
How to check RAM usage on Mac
Go to Applications and type in Activity Monitor in the search bar. This invokes a good old Activity Monitor that should tell how much free memory you’ve got left.
A shortcut to open Activity Monitor:
Press F4 and start typing Activity Monitor in the search bar.
I’ve attached a screenshot from my Mac and as you can see my memory usage almost reached full capacity. Here’s what it all means:
App memory: taken by apps and processes
Wired memory: reserved by apps, can’t be freed up
Compressed: inactive, can be used by other apps
Swap used: memory used by macOS
Cached files: memory you can really use
Notice the colored graph under Memory Pressure. If your graph is all but red and yellow, your Mac is really gasping for fresh memory. It seems counter-intuitive, but “available memory” your Activity Monitor is not that important after all. In fact, it’s a system intended behavior to use all memory resources when available. On the contrary, the Memory Pressure graph is much more telling, so grow a habit to check this graph in the Activity Monitor every now and then.
How to check CPU usage on Mac
Open the CPU tab in Activity Monitor to keep in check CPU-heavy processes. Normally an app would be using 0-4% of CPU. If it takes abnormally more than that, go inside that particular item in the list and press the Quit button.
How to free up memory on Mac
Tip # 1. Remove Login Items to lower Mac memory usage
Login items are programs that load automatically upon Mac startup. Some of them covertly add themselves to the list and this is no good. If you’re looking to free up RAM, they are the first candidates for deletion. Don’t worry, you’re not deleting the app itself, you just stop it from auto-launching every time.
So, to remove Login Items and at the same time reduce your memory usage of your Mac, you need to:
- Open System Preferences and select Users & Groups.
- Click your nickname on the left.
- Select the Login Items tab.
- Check programs you don’t want to load as your Mac starts.
- Press the “–” sign below.
Now, you won’t see these apps pop up the moment you turn on your Mac. Although this method doesn’t require some superpowers of yours, some special Mac optimization and memory cleaner tools may do the job faster and ensure the smooth performance of your Mac. CleanMyMac X is an excellent example of such software. Here’s how to disable Login Items with CleanMyMac X:
- Download it for free and go to the Optimization tab.
- Check Login Items to see the list of apps that get opened when you start your Mac.
- Click Remove.
As you’ve already come to the Optimization module of CleanMyMac, you can also fix hung apps and heavy memory consumers there. In this way, you’ll free up the solid amount of RAM on Mac — 100% free of charge.
Tip # 2. Free up disk space if Mac is low on memory
The available space on your Mac’s drive translates into virtual memory. This comes to save you when you’ve run out of physical RAM. So now your computer relies on your hard drive space to keep your apps going.
The classic geek rule of thumb holds it that you should keep at least 20% of disk space on your startup drive. Not only this potentially reduces your future spending on iCloud storage but it also keeps your Mac speedier.
What to delete to free up space:
- Large unused files, like movies
- Old downloads
- Rarely used applications
- System junk
But here’s a simpler solution to save your time — clean up your drive with CleanMyMac X— the app I’ve mentioned above. Many users recommend it as an excellent way to free up more space because it searches for large & old files, useless system files, Photo junk, mail attachments and shows everything you can safely delete. Interestingly, it finds about 74 GB of junk on an average computer.
Extra trick: How to free up RAM on Mac with CleanMyMac X
If you have downloaded CleanMyMac, you may also take advantage of its amazing feature — the ability to free up RAM in a few seconds. Try this next time you see “Your system has run out of application memory” message.
- Go to the Maintenance tab on the left.
- Click Free Up RAM.
- Click Run.
As simple as that!
And you can do it even if you download a free version of the app.
Tip # 3. Clean up your Desktop
This tip always comes at the bottom of instructions and unfairly so as it is quite effective. Without even looking at your Desktop I would assume it’s cluttered with mountains of icons. Thing is, your macOS was designed in a way that it treats every Desktop icon as a little active window. The more icons, the heavier memory usage on Mac. So in order to release available memory resources, it’s recommended to keep your Desktop clean.
You don’t have to do it all by yourself. With apps like Declutter and Spotless, every desktop cleaning session will be scheduled in advance and executed automatically. Your only job is to define the rules on how your files should be organized.
Tip #4. Clear cache files
Another way to free up RAM on Mac is to clear it of cache files. Of course, it won’t save you gigabytes of space, but deleting cache regularly, you can help your Mac run faster and avoid system issues.
So, to remove cache files on your Mac, you need to:
- Open Finder.
- From the Go menu, select Go to Folder.
- Type ~/Library/Caches in the field and press Go.
- In the window that appears, you will see all your cache files.
- Press Command+A to select all files or delete files one by one.
- Enter your user name and password to confirm.
If you find some files still in the folder after you emptied it, maybe you have some windows open on your Mac. Just like that, you can save up some space on your Mac. Don’t forget to empty the bin afterward.
Tip # 5. Tune up Chrome’s Task Manager
Although Google Chrome is not the one to blame for massive memory usage, it can indeed affect your Mac's performance. If you use Chrome as your primary browser, you probably have many windows opened there. Chrome runs a lot of processes to ensure a fast browsing experience for you. So, it uses your RAM for storing your tabs, plugins, and extensions. Look at how many entries Google Chrome has in Activity Monitor:
The question then arises, 'Why does Chrome use so much RAM?' The thing is that each process is responsible for a separate plugin or extension of your browser. For example, when a tab unexpectedly falls, you need to refresh it to continue your work there. If one process were responsible for all tabs and extensions, you would need to restart the whole browser instead. Can you imagine how many times would you do that? That’s the proper answer to why Chrome uses so much RAM.
I’ve been using Chrome for some years only to discover (recently) that Chrome had a task manager of its own. You can use it to force quit memory-heavy processes in the browser. It’s a handy tool because it lets you see how a page weighs on CPU usage on a Mac.
- Go to Chrome settings (dotted icon in the top right corner)
- Click More tools -> Task Manager
To free up even more RAM, close the GPU process. The GPU Process, though helpful in theory to accelerate pages, eats up a considerable amount of memory. Click to end it to free up RAM on your Mac.
Tip # 6. Manage RAM usage with CleanMyMac X menu
CleanMyMac X has another useful and convenient feature for managing your Mac’s performance and memory usage. As you install CleanMyMac X and start it for the first time, it’s icon will appear in your menu bar. Click the icon to open the CleanMyMac X menu. Here you can find updates on the current condition of your Mac and perform quick tweaks to increase your Mac's speed. Whenever you feel like your Mac underperforms, open the CleanMyMac X menu to check how much RAM is available and free it up as well.
Tip # 7. Close Finder windows
Okay, suppose you’re still asking yourself, how do I clear RAM on my MacBook Pro/MacBook Air. The next trick is as magical (you’ll see for yourself) as it is time-saving. It’s no secret that each window in the Finder eats up RAM. But how many open windows are there? Some of them are collapsed or stacked in some blind spot on your screen. This Finder command merges all your windows into one. See how to do it:
Click on Finder > Window > Merge All Windows
Now you can manage Finder windows more effectively and free up memory on MacBook.
What else you can do to minimize memory usage on Mac
I’ve saved the easiest tips for the end, as long as these ones are self-explanatory.
- Replace AdBlock (very memory-demanding) with a lighter extension
- Keep fewer opened tabs in the browser
- Restart your Mac more often to free up RAM
- Close all hung-up print queues
That was my take on how to make your Mac a bit speedier to use. If you’re looking for more guidance, check simple ways to speed up your Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to check application memory on Mac?
To check RAM usage on your Mac, go to Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities). In the Memory tab, you will see all the active processes that are using your Mac’s RAM. At the end of the window, there is a Memory Used graph, which indicates how much application memory is used.
How to find out whether your Mac needs more RAM?
Your Mac may be using almost all its RAM, but you don’t need more if it’s using it efficiently. Open Activity Monitor and go to the Memory tab. The Memory Pressure graph shows the current condition of your RAM: green color means your Mac’s using RAM effectively, while yellow is a sign that some application or process is using too much of application memory. The red memory pressure signals that your Mac needs more RAM.
How to quickly free up RAM on your MacBook?
To free up RAM on your Mac, firstly, you should find out what app uses so much of your memory. The memory-heavy programs are listed in Activity Monitor, Memory tab. If there is an app you aren’t using at the moment, click it and press the “X” sign to quit it. This will, in turn, free some of the application memory
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A majority of Mac owners are likely to have a good experience using Mac for months and even years. Nonetheless, every so often, a problem in the hardware might amplify that would substantially affect the performance of your Mac. Then you might end up with having a Mac repair that might cost you a lot. Actually you don't need to do that. Finding out the fix of the issue – no matter in software or hardware – is the key step towards repairing them. In this article you will find out how to run diagnostics on Mac. Keep on reading!
What Is Apple Diagnostics or Apple Hardware Test on Mac?
Apple has developed their MacBook and other Mac devices to be exceptionally reliable. There is a possibility that you might never experience an issue related to the Mac hardware with your device, however, even the best designs sometimes have the probability to break down. Thankfully, the machine has MacBook Diagnostics built into it to help overcome hardware issues like these.
Which account of Mac hardware test you should run varies from the Macs released in different years. For instance, Macs launched prior to June 2013 will run Apple Hardware Test. On the other hand, systems that were released after June 2013 will run the Apple Diagnostics Test.
As to what these actually are, let me tell you that the Apple Hardware Test should interest the owners of older Macs more, in order to determine the problems occurring in their machines. As it was the basis of Apple Diagnostics, these are pretty much identical when being operated.
What Are the Common Hardware Problems on Your Mac?
Apple Diagnostics is intended to get your hardware through a range of assessments developed to sense battery, power supply, logic board, graphics, USB and a multitude of other possible shortcomings. Whilst this assessment does not cater to each and every occurrences, it is right to find out the most usual hardware issues that you can experience whilst you use a Mac.
Following is the list of most common hardware issues and their Apple diagnostics codes in Mac, then you can figure out what are the problems with your Mac and fix it accordingly.
- CNW001-CNW006: Wi-Fi hardware glitches (or CNW007-CNW008), which shows now Wi-Fi hardware has been spotted, which might also be an issue if your suppose you have a similar hardware).
- NDD001: USB hardware issues (NDL001 indicates Bluetooth hardware problems).
- PFR001: Mac firmware problem.
- PPF001-PPF004: Fan problem.
- PPR001: Processor problem.
- VFD001-VFD005: This is the one that I have seen most often, it means “Display issues” have been identified.
- VFD006: Graphics processor problem.
- VFD007: Display issues.
- VDH005: Cannot launch OS X Recovery.
How to Run Apple Diagnostics on Mac
When running MacBook diagnostics, you are suggested to switch off all peripherals except for your monitor, mouse, keyboard and Ethernet (if connected). You are also suggested to ensure that you have the label and code of your Wi-Fi connected in case this is the option you choose to access the Internet. Below is the full guide on how to run diagnostics on Mac:
- Select Apple Menu on your Mac, then restart it, click and hold the D button while your Mac restarts.
- Keep holding the key until a list with a different code displays on the screen.
- Choose a language and that will automatically launch the Apple diagnostic tool.
- When the test completed, it displays a list of the hardware issues that have been identified.
- Follow the on-screen instructions being given on the screen.
- In order to put your Mac from the built-in recovery disk, turn on the webpage namely, Contact Apply Support in a browser and hit “Get Started”.
- In case Mac hardware diagnostics identifies that your Wi-Fi card is not operating aptly, reach out to Apple Support or bring your machine to an Apple Store of any other Authorized Service Provider for Apple.
- To change the language again, click on Command-L.
How to Run Apple Hardware Test on Mac
Available for Macs were Released Before June 2013
Users of older Macs will run the Apple hardware test to find out the problems with their Mac’s hardware, as it was the basis for Apple Diagnostics. Follow is the given instructions to run it on your device:
Noted: Make sure that your Mac is on a stable, hard and flat surface that supports ventilation.
- Detach all the external devices connected with your Mac except for your display, mouse, keyboard and Ethernet link. In case you are not able to disconnect all the devices, an error message may pop up when you run the Apple hardware test.
- Now turn off your Mac and then restart it, click and hold the D button till an Apple Hardware Test icon displays on the screen.
- Choose your language and hit the right arrow of click on Return.
- Click the Test button or press T to begin the test.
- Check the test results in the lower-right section of the screen.
- Click Restart or Shut Down to end the test.
Once you successfully run these two tools, you would be able to see the results generated by your diagnostics by verifying the codes generated with the detected problem statement. The fortunate thing is that problems of hardware do not occur much and a majority of such problems can be fixed. Nonetheless, most of these issues require expert repair by any Apple Professional or Service provider. Do not forget to keep a backup of your Mac data before you go forward to fix the hardware issues with an expert.
How to Get A Younger, Faster and Healthier Mac in The Future
These hardware issues have the potential to make your Mac very slow and often leads to more severe, big issues. Thus, time is of essence for detecting any hardware issues. Actually, you can prevent such problems from happening in future, just by running a regular maintenance on your Mac and optimizing it. Cleaning your device takes another whole process that requires much time and efforts. Hence, if you would not mind an application that clean up your Mac and optimizes it for future, the Umate Mac Cleaner is the right option for you!
Macbook Diagnostic Software
How to Get a Younger Mac with Umate Mac Cleaner
This application can be used to slim down your hard drive and make it lighter and even healthier. It comes with a long list of useful features that can clean up your device. Some main features offered in the Umate Mac Cleaner are:
- Clean up all junk folders and files that may exist on your hard drive.
- Delete large and duplicate files on your Mac.
- Erase your personal information on Mac to protect your privacy.
- Uninstall unwanted applications and eliminate extensions.
How to Get A Fast Mac with Umate Mac Cleaner
Umate Mac Cleaner has another amazing feature called “Speed Up Your Mac”, which gives you 4 options to boost the performance of your Mac devices: disable the startup items, deacivate the heavy consumers, remove the launch agents and free up RAM. After performing these features of Umate Mac Cleaner, your Mac will run much faster and get greater performance than before.
All the features of Umate Mac Cleaner can be performed with simple clicks. And it really works! You can get many benifits by using this app.
- It is supported to clean up 40+ junk files. (More cleanable junk files compared to other competitors)
- It can free up lots of storage space for your Mac. (4X free space than before)
- It can make your Mac run faster and improve its performance. (2X greater performance than before)
Then, here is the question: how to use Umate Mac Cleaner? The app is super easy to use with intuitive user interface. Just follow the below steps to clean up and optimize your device.
- Install and launch Umate Mac Cleaner on your Mac. (It is compatible with For macOS 10.15 Catalina - 10.9 Mavericks).
Select a feature that you need and scan for your Mac system. (Clean Up Junk/Delete Large Files/Delete Duplicate Files/Erase Private Data/Speed Up Mac/Manage Apps & Extensions)
Clean Up and optimize your Mac by following the on-screen instructions.
Closing Words
Run Diagnostics On Mac
We wish that you never require to run diagnostics on Mac and use these hardware repairing tools, but there is no loss in knowing the right tools and applications to make your system healthier and better performing. And we recommend Umate Mac Cleaner. It can be a great cleaning tool for your Mac and make it much healthier.