Identifying and Resolving Sudden Slowdown or Crawl Issues on a 2017 MacBook Pro
A 2017 MacBook Pro with a 2.9 GHz quad-core i7 processor and running macOS can suddenly slow down or crawl, even with less than 10% CPU usage and no apps running. This article will discuss the possible causes and solutions for this issue.
Check for Software Updates
The first step in resolving a sudden slowdown or crawl issue on a MacBook Pro is to check for software updates. Ensure that the macOS is up-to-date and that all installed applications are also updated to their latest versions.
sudo softwareupdate -i -a
Identify Resource-Intensive Processes
Even if the top command shows less than 10% CPU usage, there might be processes that are consuming a significant amount of system resources. Use the Activity Monitor to identify resource-intensive processes and force quit them if necessary.
Check Disk Permissions and Repair Disk
Incorrect disk permissions can cause performance issues on a MacBook Pro. Use the Disk Utility to check disk permissions and repair the disk if necessary.
sudo diskutil repairPermissions /
Check for Malware
Although it's rare, a MacBook Pro can become infected with malware, which can cause performance issues. Use a reputable malware scanner to check for and remove any malware from the system.
Reset SMC and PRAM
The System Management Controller (SMC) and Parameter Random Access Memory (PRAM) can become corrupted, causing performance issues. Resetting the SMC and PRAM can resolve these issues.
Reinstall macOS
If none of the above solutions resolve the sudden slowdown or crawl issue, consider reinstalling macOS. This will ensure that the operating system is installed correctly and that no corrupted files are causing performance issues.
- Check for software updates
- Identify resource-intensive processes using Activity Monitor
- Check disk permissions and repair disk using Disk Utility
- Check for malware using a reputable malware scanner
- Reset SMC and PRAM
- Reinstall macOS
References
- Apple Inc. (2021). How to update macOS.
- Apple Inc. (2021). Use Activity Monitor.
- Apple Inc. (2021). How to repair disk permissions.
- Apple Inc. (2021). How to reset the SMC of your Mac.
- Apple Inc. (2021). How to reset NVRAM or PRAM on your Mac.
- Apple Inc. (2021). How to reinstall macOS.