My Mac mini M2 running macOS Sequoia is constantly freezing

Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.

The report will helps us determine possible software conflicts that may having an impact on the problem.

After uninstalling Sophos and CMM according to the developers' instructions Yyou can check to see if you've removed all of the supporting files by downloading and running the shareware app Find Any File to search for any files with the application's or the developer's name in the file name.  For XXXX software you'd do the following search(es): 

1 - Name contains cleanmymac

2 - Name contains macpaw

3 - Name contains sophos

Any files that are found can be dragged from the search results window to the Desktop or Trash bin in the Dock for deletion.

FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't like invisible folders, system folders and packages.  

If you get warnings that the file can't be deleted because it is in use or used by another app boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and delete from there.

Note:  if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode.  This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will assure a successful boot into Safe Mode.

Delete these files & restart...

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lacie.LaCieDesktopManagerAgent.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.epson.esua.launcher.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.amazon.sendtokindle.launcher.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.lacie.LaCieDesktopManagerDaemon.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.google.keystone.daemon.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.epson.eventmanager.agent.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.sophos.agent.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.google.keystone.agent.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.SafariBookmarksSyncer.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.glouel.AerialUpdaterAgent.plist

~ tilde indicates your home folder

Apple hid the Users' Library folders...

Method 1:

1 From the Finder, select the Go menu at top of the screen, and choose Go to Folder.

2 In the window that opens, enter ~/Library, and click Go.

Or…

Use the Command-Shift-period

M Senft wrote:

Would suggest Only Migrating the User Account and nothing more.

I don't understand this. I'm not migrating anything.

I'd be erasing the disk and then restoring from a backup, no?

TIA

" I'd be erasing the disk and then restoring from a backup, no? "

That is exactly what " Migrating the User Account and nothing more " is doing

It is bring back your User Account ( Home Folder ) back from the TM Backup into the computer

Here too, I totally agree with the suggestion by @ BDAqua and @ Luis S, using Carbon Copy Cloner ( 30 day free trial )

https://support.bombich.com/hc/en-us/articles/20686469175575-How-to-restore-from-your-backup

If you're working with a larger amount of content to restore, CCC can usually do it more efficiently than the Finder:

1. Quit all applications other than CCC
2. Click the Restore button in CCC's toolbar.
3. Click on the Source selector and choose your backup volume as the source.
4. Click on the Destination selector and choose your original source volume as the destination (e.g. "Macintosh HD").
5. If you are not trying to restore the entire backup, click the Task Filter button at the bottom of the window. Click the Include button in the toolbar, then explicitly select items that you would like CCC to restore.
6. Consider the warning below. If you do not want CCC to remove anything from the destination, click on the Destination selector and choose Don't delete anything from the SafetyNet submenu.
7. Click the Start button

Warning: When CCC restores content from the backup, files that aren't on the source may be removed from the destination. That's deliberate, and usually required to produce the outcome you expect. Please note, however, that if you excluded something from your backup, that content will be removed during the restore procedure. If you do not want that result, click on the Destination selector and choose "Don't delete anything" from the SafetyNet submenu.

Note: Some background services may not "notice" the restored data until they are restarted (e.g. because they store state data in memory). Reboot after restoring if you're restoring data to your home folder.

I would really suggest taking the advise from colleague @ Luis S and post the full etrecheck report

Builtin Utilities - Yes

Activity Monitor

Though, still suggest Etrecheck application to get a more holistic view of both hardware and software

Have done a very fast non detailed review

There may be much more but this is what I have found

More than one antivirus app - This computer has multiple antivirus apps installed.

Low disk space - This computer is running low on free hard drive space.

 Size: 994.66 GB

 Free: 53.13 GB

 Available: 60.59 GB

Generally accepted for good computing,  is to keep between 15% to about 20% to the Total Drive Capacity as Empty Space 

Antivirus software: Apple, Sophos, and Malwarebytes

2025-05-30 Sofa (4.2.13) - App Store

 Sophos Av Software

Launchd: /Library/LaunchAgents/com.intego.backupassistant.agent.plist

 The same developers as Intego AntiVirus

/Applications/CleanMyMac_5_MAS.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/CleanMyMac_5_MAS_Menu.app

  2025-05-07 CleanMyMac (5.0.8) - App Store

CleanMyMac , aka “ BrickMyMac “

Any Third Party Applications that will interfere with the normal operation of the OS,  is an invitation for disaster. 

Certain Applications maybe available on the Apple Apps Store - this only means the Developer is prepared to pay Apple a percentage on each sale. 

What the Application may do to the computer is up to the User to check this out before purchase

Any of the below should be removed as per Developers Instructions 

M Senft wrote:

What AV software exactly? Will do!

Antivirus software: Sophos

2025-05-30 Sofa (4.2.13) - App Store

 Sophos Av Software

Once that is done and the new report is posted

We can turn our attention to the " Other Elephant " in the room

That being the Lack Of Empty Space which specifically mentioned much earlier in your question

Thank you very much for obliging us all with a new report 👍

What will follow is just a personal perspective

Others are more than welcome to offer alternative which may or may not resolve these issues .

After you have struggled to get the Sophos AV software removed, the appearance of CleanMyMac aka BrickMyMac in the current report plus the need to make additional Empty Space on the Internal Drive

The quickest and least painful way to put things right again

Start Over from Scratch 

Heavy Handed - Yes ?

You can spend hours or days hunting down all the bits and pieces of these softwares and never really get it all off the computer

For Apple Silicon computer which the M2 Mac Mini is >> Use Disk Utility to erase a Mac with Apple silicon.

Always make a Time Machine Backup  before  proceeding 

Would suggest Only Migrating the User Account and nothing more.

Emphasis on User Account Only

Reinstall all the Needed Applications from the Apple Apps Store and / or directly from the Developers

Leaving Off CleanMyMac,  Sophos Av Software and any other Third Party useless applications of similar type

M Senft wrote:

Would suggest Only Migrating the User Account and nothing more.

I don't understand this. I'm not migrating anything.

I'd be erasing the disk and then restoring from a backup, no?

TIA

Whether you restore from the backup or migrate from another mac or drive, you have several checkboxes to choose what to bring to your mac. It is best then to only check the boxes for the user account(s) you want to bring in, and not other stuff - especially if you were having problems. It stands to reason that if you restore everything then you just get back to where you started.

From within the Etrecheck Application

Copy Report puts the full report on the Clipboard of the computer

Use the Additional text icon

Paste using (cmd ) + v

No problem with you jumping in the help, Owl_53!

I completely concur with your assessment.

Took me awhile to get out of bed & to my computer, as such a reply would be impossle for Mr to do on an iPad.

I’d recommend Carbon Copy Cloner.

I have to say it bluntly: this mac is a whole mess.

I have what should be a high-performing Mac, but it is hampered by a lot stuff holding it down.

See below for a number of problematic things, and at the bottom I will show you the recommended solution.

1)

More than one antivirus app - This computer has multiple antivirus apps installed.

Antivirus software: Apple, Sophos, and Malwarebytes

This is still a problem!

2) Also, you have only 50 GB out of 1 TB free - that is too low.

It is always recommended to leave at least 15-20% free on any drive, especially the system drive.

3) You have a VERY OLD version of VirtualBox, one that does not work at all in your mac.

Uninstall it.

4) You have this INCREDIBLY OLD stuff from 10.5:

[Not Loaded] LaCieScsiType00.kext - com.LaCie.ScsiType00 (1.9.1 - SDK 10.5)

5) There are still remnants from the dreadful cleamymac...

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The first rule of Mac sanity is not to install junk...

At this point it is so bad that the only sensible course of action is:

1) Full backup (preferably two) 2) System Settings->General->Transfer or Reset->Erase All Content and Settings 3) Migrate your user accounts (do NOT migrate everything, otherwise you'd get back to where you started). 4) Reinstall any applications from the App Store or their developers' sites

This takes a lot less time and effort than it used to be, as there is no need to format the drive or reinstall the OS per se.

Then you will be able to enjoy your mac as it is supposed to.

You will be amazed.

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

I have to say it bluntly: this mac is a whole mess.

I have what should be a high-performing Mac, but it is hampered by a lot stuff holding it down.

See below for a number of problematic things, and at the bottom I will show you the recommended solution.

1)

More than one antivirus app - This computer has multiple antivirus apps installed.

Antivirus software: Apple, Sophos, and Malwarebytes

This is still a problem!

2) Also, you have only 50 GB out of 1 TB free - that is too low.

It is always recommended to leave at least 15-20% free on any drive, especially the system drive.

3) You have a VERY OLD version of VirtualBox, one that does not work at all in your mac.

Uninstall it.

4) You have this INCREDIBLY OLD stuff from 10.5:

[Not Loaded] LaCieScsiType00.kext - com.LaCie.ScsiType00 (1.9.1 - SDK 10.5)

5) There are still remnants from the dreadful cleamymac...

-----------------

-----------------

The first rule of Mac sanity is not to install junk...

At this point it is so bad that the only sensible course of action is:

1) Full backup (preferably two)

2) System Settings->General->Transfer or Reset->Erase All Content and Settings

3) Migrate your user accounts (do NOT migrate everything, otherwise you'd get back to where you started).

4) Reinstall any applications from the App Store or their developers' sites

This takes a lot less time and effort than it used to be, as there is no need to format the drive or reinstall the OS per se.

Then you will be able to enjoy your mac as it is supposed to.

You will be amazed.

+++++ 4 to that 👍