Slow Functioning and Possible Crash

[flaminghedgehog]

I have had my Mac OS X for about four years, and today it started slowing down immensely. I was doing my usual multitasking (between Photoshop, Safari, Word, and iTunes) when what I call the "rainbow pinwheel of death" started appearing with every click I made.

I attempted to reboot my computer, and it took 20 minutes for it to start up. While turning on, a black and white pixelated screen appeared for a minute and then vanished. The computer has since fully turned on, but accessing applications takes 100 times longer than it did this morning.

Has my computer crashed? It seems to be hanging on by a thread. If so, what should I do?

I have an external hard drive that supposedly holds all of my folders. When I enter the Time Machine on my first computer, I can see all of my files from weeks ago. However, when I tried to transfer it to another Mac, it said there was nothing on it. Did I backup my computer incorrectly?

Please help! Thank you!

 

[oldscribe]

How much free hard disk space have you left on this Mac.

 

[flaminghedgehog]

I have 210.6 GB of free hard disk space.

However, I only have 1 GB of system memory.

 

[Kaveman]

You can't Access a TimeMachine backup from a different computer!
You Migrate the backup onto the new computer.

Your HardDrive MAY be failing. Very important make a current Backup NOW!

Also
1. Yes more RAM will help
2. Always Quit MicroSoft and Adobe Apps!!! Log out and back in every now and again, when using them, too. They will grind your Mac down.

 

[oldscribe]

Your HardDrive MAY be failing. Very important make a current Backup NOW!

I totally agree with Kaveman, so I would book appointment at GB if you have a local Apple store near you.

I attempted to reboot my computer, and it took 20 minutes for it to start up. While turning on, a black and white pixelated screen appeared for a minute and then vanished. The computer has since fully turned on, but accessing applications takes 100 times longer than it did this morning.

Ram may help (re spinning disk) but do not think it is your main issue.

 

[flaminghedgehog]

Thank you both for your help!

I am taking the computer into a nearby Mac store soon.

I have been able to access my documents from the external hard drive. The only thing I am having trouble with is my photos.

How do I access the iPhoto library from the external hard drive? Every time I click on it, the message says, "The iPhoto library is a Time Machine backup and cannot be accessed from the main library."

 

[oldscribe]

You need to have iPhoto open to do this, launch iPhoto and open main iPhoto library. Then pull down the Time Machine menu bar item and select "Enter Time Machine". This should allow you to restore your photos.