Please help!!!

[tduran]

OK, I started a new job and got them to buy an old mac for me to do graphics. I have Mac 2GHz Intel Core Duo 2 1 GB 667 Mhz DDR SD ram running OS X 10.7.5 (Lion)

I use Firefox and QuarkXpress 9, check email, make pdfs...that's it No other software (just what's standard: iphoto, photo booth, preview, I only uploaded Quark and PDF Reader)

All good until about 2 weeks ago. Things were slow. I had some large graphic files, I backed up to CDs. Things still slow. I decided to try to clean cache. I deleted some files I thought were unecessary (languages, programs I don't use etc.)

I also deleted Quark 7, forgetting that the upgrade to 9 was a download, I had installed 7 from disc first.

Guess I deleted too much. Left it deleting overnight as it said over 9000 files to delete.

Worked slower for a day or 2, (quark takes FOREVER to launch, firefox too, mail is slow) Now I can't get it to open at all, grey screen. Did clean boot yesterday, but really couldn't do any work on it.

I figured I would reinstall OS. this machine came loaded, but I have Snow Leopard 10.6.3 from home computer. Put disc in, machine launched but couldn't find disc to load OS on...

Can anyone give me guidance?

 

[tduran]

OK, I was able to get it to start by holding D key during start up. Step 3 on discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3353 (Step by Step to fix your mac)

I force quit all apps and now I have the desktop and I'm trying to back up files to a thumb drive. Took 10 minutes to open window for the drive...

 

[Kaveman]

Sounds like either the HD is really full or there is a process stealing CPU cycles. Check with Activity Monitor.

 

[tduran]

I had to replace hard drive...thanks