My MacBook pro mid 2012 is running slow

Hi - looks like your HDD is going so personally I would replace it with an SSD (in UK I would recommend Crucial (https://uk.crucial.com). There is a connecting ribbon that should be replaced with the new drive as this can cause problems if it gets snagged. The good thing is you can do this your self - just look at one of the many Youtube or ifixit sources. There are quite a lot of old postings on this support site too.

Your report shows no sign of a Time Machine back up so I assume you do have one? Personally I let Time Machine do its thing and then its easier to replace everything you need after installing your OS. (I also keep another back up stored elsewhere for good measure)

There seems to be other stuff on your hard drive that may slow down the operation - I have learned from this forum to let the OS do its thing and not worry about antivirus or other clean up stuff (no issues in 10 years with my own mid 2012 and with Catalina 10.5.7 it's still going strong).

You will notice a real improvement in performance by replacing your HDD with the SSD - you already have plenty of RAM - perhaps when you open up you could just check its seated OK - and check for dust build up?)

Good luck

Wow. 😱

Your major issue is a hard drive that is just barely working:

Performance:

System Load: 1.51 (1 min ago) 1.54 (5 min ago) 1.47 (15 min ago)

Nominal I/O usage: 0.36 MB/s

File system: 139.13 seconds (timed out)

Write speed: 1 MB/s

Read speed: 1 MB/s

You've set a new record! That is the worst I've ever seen in reviewing thousands of EtreCheck reports from barely working Macs. Your write /read speeds should be in the 70-80MB/sec range even for the slow factory HD you have. I have the very same model but upgraded to an inexpensive solid-state drive (SSD) and it now does ~500MB/sec and "feels" very fast.

Normally that awful level of performance would call for a new drive, an easy at-home project in that model. However, that model has a little "quirk" that can trick people into changing a drive that is not broken—the hard drive cable.

The cable in that model is super-thin and its insulation thinner. After 3-5 years of vibration from normal use and transport, the cable can chafe against sharp metal edges on the computer chassis and lose some insulation. There is an entire litany of oddball symptoms that a worn cable can cause, include extreme write/read slowness.

Were the computer working better, I'd have you clean out the useless software you've installed first. but that does not sound feasible in your case. Install a new cable first. They are available, cheap, and an easy 20-30 minute at-home install. I get mine here:

Apple Hard Drive / SSD Cable For 13-inch MacBook Pro (Mid 2012) main drive bay

If that fails to make a difference, and assuming you want to keep the computer, then we replace the drive using the new cable.

It is your call if you want to replace and or upgrade the drive. A new drive "kit" with a 500GB SSD, tools, and a nearly must-have date transfer case costs around US$100. The computer is still not on Apple "vintage" list and was the last Macbook Pro with an optical drive. However, it maxes out tje OS at 10.15 If you hope to get additional and more enjoyable service from this computer, the SSD option will do it. If not. it's time to replace.

Regardless you need do do some take-no-prisoners housekeeping if and when the speed issue improves. I would not start with housekeeping with the world's slowest hard drive at 1MB/sec.

1) Use MalwareBytes (get only from the developer's site: https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac ) to get rid of your adware infection.

2) Using the developers' instructions, remove the VPN—client-side VPNs are basically useless— and Total AV. You have a Mac—treat it like one!

If you are interested in the SSD option, post back for links to parts and video instructions. Most of us recommend only the Crucial MX series or the OWC Electra 6G for this conversion in Macs. Post back, but do the cable swap FIRST.

Comment: I am currently tied up in recovery from total knee replacement surgery and have limited access to my computer desk and my 2017 iMac 5K i7. My 2012 MBP13 is giving most excellent service as I have to work from some very odd position required for healing.

hot2chef,

Excellent post! I find that, with odd positioning to accommodate the new knee, my typing has degrading both in quantity and quality!. I was not trying to parrot what you said with my response, which took me about 20 minutes to create and edit!

Please keep contributing, and welcome!

Allan

No apologies necessary - you provided lots of excellent detail and I have learned a lot from this community over the years.

Co-incidentally I am recovering from total hip replacement and my old MBP has been my main go to over last fortnight. So get well soon and I hope Maverand is able to get up and running soon

Regards