lazy computer

ptrashptrash
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Very strange: I select an icon in the finder and it takes a few seconds for the highlight to appear. I need to do more than one doubleclick to open an item and words that I type don't appear on the screen immediately-there's a lag of 2-3 seconds. This condition is not constant, and it clears up instantaneoulsy-in fact, it just did so. Any ideas on what the cause may be. I'm using a 350mhz sawtooth G4 and OS 9.1.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    pastapasta Posts: 112member
    [quote]Originally posted by Ptrash:

    <strong>Very strange: I select an icon in the finder and it takes a few seconds for the highlight to appear. I need to do more than one doubleclick to open an item and words that I type don't appear on the screen immediately-there's a lag of 2-3 seconds. This condition is not constant, and it clears up instantaneoulsy-in fact, it just did so. Any ideas on what the cause may be. I'm using a 350mhz sawtooth G4 and OS 9.1.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    How much RAM do you have, what's your virtual memory set at, is there a CD in CD-ROM drive, do you have virus software running in the background, how many applications do you have open, etc. Whatever it is, you're experiencing a lag because something is tying up your processor cycles. It could be a runaway app, it could be a control panel or extension, it may be a virus (yes, Mac viruses actually do exist). Try and isolate when it occurs. Is it only when you have your mail open, or only when you have a web browser open, etc. If you can't trace it to a specific app or combination of apps, then it's probably something in the background such as an extension or control panel, or possibly a virus. Hope this helps.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    thuh freakthuh freak Posts: 2,664member
    [never mind, i didn notice u were running os9]



    [ 07-26-2002: Message edited by: thuh Freak ]</p>
  • Reply 3 of 4
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    pasta nailed it. something's sucking up CPU cycles.



    just to take his suggestions a bit further. did you notice when this first started? did it occur after you installed new hardware or software? have you tried booting with extensions off. if so, did the problem still occur?



    let us know what you find out.
  • Reply 4 of 4
    blueflameblueflame Posts: 89member
    I used to have a similar problem in OS 9 that was caused by my internal Zip drive extension. Unless a zip disk was in the drive, after about 30 mins of use my computer would show similar symptoms. If you have an internal zip and don't use it much, just get rid of the extension. If you use it often enough, leave a blank zip disk in the drive, and that should clear up the problem. Also, you might want to try getting the latest drivers for the zip drive.



    On the other hand, if you don't have an internal Zip drive...I have no idea what's eating up your processor cycles!



    Blueflame
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