Fast User Switching Advise

imacfpimacfp
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Fast User Switching is neat, but when I switch to a different account I find that my computer bogs down and I can't do anything under the new user name. Has anybody else had this problem with a 1st gen FP iMac with 512 MB RAM or equal system? Thanks.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    curiousuburbcuriousuburb Posts: 3,325member
    active processes from the first user continue in the background when you switch to user 2



    so if the first user is rendering monster Photoshop files or otherwise pushing the system hard,

    switching to another user will appear slower because some system resources are still in use

    (effectively limiting the 'available' RAM and CPU cycles for the 2nd user)



    alternative explanations might depend on whether you did a clean install, or other config issues
  • Reply 2 of 11
    jwilljwill Posts: 209member
    I think Fast User Switching works best for Quartz Extreme computers. Otherwise, you're probably better off logging in and out. It took a full minute for me to do a "fast" user switch (not Quartz Extreme enabled).
  • Reply 3 of 11
    imacfpimacfp Posts: 750member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by jwill

    I think Fast User Switching works best for Quartz Extreme computers. Otherwise, you're probably better off logging in and out. It took a full minute for me to do a "fast" user switch (not Quartz Extreme enabled).



    Maybe. I'm not sure. I have no problem logging out or seeing the graphics as it switches I just get a spinning beach ball under the other users name. I was just at the Apple support boards and a number of people were seeing the samething with different hardware. I think I have a Quartz Extreme computer so it might low RAM I guess but I have 512 MB, which is more than Apple ships with.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    jwilljwill Posts: 209member
    If you have a Quartz Extreme enabled computer you'll see the spinning cube, and your cursor will have a shadow. If neither of these two happen, then you don't have it on.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    imacfpimacfp Posts: 750member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by jwill

    If you have a Quartz Extreme enabled computer you'll see the spinning cube, and your cursor will have a shadow. If neither of these two happen, then you don't have it on.



    I see that. I just bog down once I'm in the account. I see the spinning beach ball, etc.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    imacfpimacfp Posts: 750member
    I found the problem. I got rid of Norton firewall and Fast User Switching now works fine.
  • Reply 7 of 11
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    Get rid of Norton everything.
  • Reply 8 of 11
    connyconny Posts: 18member
    I have problems with safarif taking up a lot of processing power in the background account when I switch users. If I close all the safari windows before switching the problem goes away.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    dmband0026dmband0026 Posts: 2,345member
    I haven't had any noticeable problems with fast user switching. Speed remains very good. The one thing is...iTunes. Cant use iTunes on two separate accounts at the same time...grrrrr....
  • Reply 10 of 11
    carson o'geniccarson o'genic Posts: 1,279member
    Not just iTunes, but also system 9. A second user can't use os9 unless you quit OS9 before the switch. this offcourse requires using the force quit method, as I know of no other method for doing this. Not a big deal, but annoying and inelegant.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    pensievepensieve Posts: 661member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Carson O'Genic

    Not just iTunes, but also system 9. A second user can't use os9 unless you quit OS9 before the switch. this offcourse requires using the force quit method, as I know of no other method for doing this. Not a big deal, but annoying and inelegant.



    You can stop classic either by stopping it in the Classic preference pane or by the menu bar item.
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