Hello, my computer has been slow to start for some time. I'm noticing now because I've been trying to turn it off more (energy prices $$). Also wondering if it's best to have it in sleep mode and advice online seems conflicting (I use it 1-2 hours/day except more on weekends). Not sure if I need to upgrade anything. Specs below. Thanks for any help. I'm not that computer savvy.
Fusion Disk
iMac 27″, macOS 14.7
I see that you have a 2019 iMac with a 1 TB Fusion Drive. That's likely to be part of the problem.
The original Fusion Drives included 128 GB of SSD space. Starting in Late 2015, Apple got really stingy and began including only 24 – 32 GB of SSD space as part of 1 TB Fusion Drives. Your 1 TB Fusion Drive is a software pairing of a 7200 rpm desktop hard drive and 32 GB of SSD space. The SSD space is prime real estate – but there just is not enough of it.
You could get an external SSD and make it your startup disk. Your Mac has both USB-C (USB, Thunderbolt) ports and USB-A (USB 3.0) ports, so you have a wide choice in SSDs.
I see that you have a 2019 iMac with a 1 TB Fusion Drive. That's likely to be part of the problem.
The original Fusion Drives included 128 GB of SSD space. Starting in Late 2015, Apple got really stingy and began including only 24 – 32 GB of SSD space as part of 1 TB Fusion Drives. Your 1 TB Fusion Drive is a software pairing of a 7200 rpm desktop hard drive and 32 GB of SSD space. The SSD space is prime real estate – but there just is not enough of it.
You could get an external SSD and make it your startup disk. Your Mac has both USB-C (USB, Thunderbolt) ports and USB-A (USB 3.0) ports, so you have a wide choice in SSDs.
First stop using sleep mode. It only causes other issues. Just have the display turn off after a set time. Also, I have a 2019 27" iMac and it runs better off the external thunderbolt drive. You can also run the free app Etrecheck and post here for review. It may reveal some issues impacting your speed.
To add to Servant of Cats comments. You can use an app like Carbon Copy Cloner to make a bootable external drive that works great on Intel Macs. That is what I have used for a long time without any issues.
mimi69 wrote:
I found this link on how to change to the external SSD Use an external SSD as your startup disk … - Apple Community I'm not that computer savvy, but it looks like I would be moving ALL documents to the external SSD? And that will essentially function as my computer brain? What will the memory on the Mac be used for then? I already have an external HD for Time Machine backups. Thanks.
The SSD would not function as the "brain" (processor) or as the memory (RAM) of the computer. It would hold macOS, your applications, and your user account (including your main Documents, Pictures, etc. folders).
That is, it would "replace" the Fusion Drive. Nothing more, nothing less.
I think that's with the macOS Sonoma its self because I also experience the same thing but for logging into an user. If it's when logging in maybe look at the startup apps (screenshot above) but if it is the startup its self then something is wrong (I think).
I found this link on how to change to the external SSD Use an external SSD as your startup disk … - Apple Community I'm not that computer savvy, but it looks like I would be moving ALL documents to the external SSD? And that will essentially function as my computer brain? What will the memory on the Mac be used for then? I already have an external HD for Time Machine backups. Thanks.
Interesting. I am the only user here, but I just logged out and back in, and it was pretty quick. I don't have any startup apps going. Thanks for the response.
Thank you.
iMac 27 inch 2019 retina 5K slow to start up in Sonoma
