Ive got a late 2012 21.5" mac - 8GB ram / 1TB hdd / 2.7GHz - running latest version Mojave ... performance is not great - open reaper up and its really slow - memory usage into late 80's ...
so looking for advice re best performance apps - to actively monitor and release memory as an example
otherwise I suspect its the HDD - not particularly full - any utilities / housekeeping to maximize read / write performance
utlimately I may go down the SSD / Mem upgrade route but as this is sealed unit - is this a user doable job and if not is there a recommended 3rd pty service or indeed a forum member who does this as a paid service ?
any advice really appreciated
Comments
Changing the drive would be a good idea, the original drive is 7 years old now and might be close to failure as well as slow.
Unfortunately these models are a lot harder to upgrade internal drive wise because the LCD needs to come up with heat and a lot of care .... similar to a modern iPad. If you do this job yourself be very careful of the SMPS just behind the screen at the bottom ... even when upplugged from the mains the caps will have hundreds of volts across them for some time and it's very easy to touch and get a belt
As @Danny1969 says, a clean install is always a good idea to ensure fewer unknowns.
Also try downloading & running 'Etrecheck' to check for any hidden issues (free to use, trustworthy).
Physically upgrading these iMacs is possible, but not easy & can be a fraught exercise with no guarantee of not ruining the computer So, a last resort if you don't want to sell it & upgrade. Guides are here :
https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Mac/iMac-Intel-21-5-Inch-Late-2012-Mid-2017-SSD-Upgrade-Bundle/IF173-042?o=1
I really detest Apple & others for this shocking built in waste & obsolesence, but it is what it is.
Let us know how you get on
If you want another perspective, there are other good free utilities like onyX https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html
I can say that both of these utilities are safe to use, other 'freeware' maybe not so much.
I would not be using Dr. Cleaner, read this article http://https//www.macworld.co.uk/feature/mac-software/best-mac-cleaner-3682820/
Similarly, the infamous 'MacKeeper"....avoid
Apple's own built-in Disk Utility is not bad at all in fixing OS issues, safe & non destructive.
Boot into recovery mode; Restart & immediately press and hold the Command (⌘) and 'R' keys at the same time, hold until startup/installation screen appears.
Select Disk Utility & run.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314
From Recovery mode you can also reinstall the OS, but I strongly recommend just doing one thing at a time.
Tedious, but at least you know what you last did in case something went wrong.
There are other things you can do, such as resetting the system power management (SMC) https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314 or reset the parameter RAM (PRAM) https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063 but these actions are unlikely to fix your issues, just being thorough
Sorry there isn't a simple, quick single solution, I really wish there was
: edited to fix broken link.
An IMac is a slightly different proposition, but I have also opened a few of them for various reasons, and you can usually find clear instructions somewhere on the inter web.
Just for the record, I have a 2011 IMac with an SSD, which is my main music computer running Logic, and it is fine.
Good luck!
My mid 2012 i7 MBP now has an SSD boot disk & a large hybrid HD, latest OS & is fast & stable.
A doddle to do, but an iMac is a different beast.
Also your 2011 iMac screen was not glued in (so far as I recall) so is much more accessible.
As I said earlier in this discussion "Physically upgrading these iMacs is possible, but not easy & can be a fraught exercise with no guarantee of not ruining the computer So, a last resort if you don't want to sell it & upgrade. Guides are here :
https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Mac/iMac-Intel-21-5-Inch-Late-2012-Mid-2017-SSD-Upgrade-Bundle/IF173-042?o=1"
As with all such matters, it's usually down to confidence, experience, skill & your attitude to risk
Cheers.
Having done loads of iMacs, I would agree with @Kittyfrisk .... the bonded models are not easy to do ... you need to know how much heat is enough but not too much as excessive force will ruin the LCD and so will too much heat. You also need large and small area heat guns to do it well. As well meaning as Ifixit is etc they are in the business of selling repair kits and some of their guides are not the best way of going about it.