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CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
#51818 06/10/19 11:39 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
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May Mabook Air is dying of slowness. According to Etrecheck is becuase of something I haver not clue about so poting here:

LAUCH AGENTS: TONS OF THEM.. Someone here had me delete a find or something prefence on that I think but has not helped one iota.

One is even an app I deleted from the computer to get rid of Office 2011, still says issue.

The computer is becoming unusable so if someone can help would be great. I'm on Mac, 20, years, I have not a clue what this is about. Here is a master screenshot of it all. Thanks
screenshot
https://imgur.com/ELJnsOu

Everything on laptop is on desktop and desktop has no issues, both just upgraded to Mojave

Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #51822 06/11/19 02:29 PM
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The trick is determining whether or not the Launch Agent is doing anything useful or not. If you are using Etrecheck Pro (the paid version) and you scroll down the sidebar to Software you will find a list of the Launch Agents and with each there are three options:
  1. Show in Finder — and you can delete it from there
  2. Show Executable — which shows the actual executable activated by the Launch Agent
  3. Lookup — that will perform a search of the internet for infrmation on the specific Launch Agent
That list also indicates the status of a Launch Agent — is it..
  • Not loaded
  • Loaded
  • Running
The only ones that actually impact performance are those that are Running.

You should also consider Launch Daemons which are like Launch Agents but at the System rather than User level, and I would also take a look at Login Items.

I don't know if there is a similar GUI function in the free version of Etrecheck but you should be able to pull all of that data out of the Etrecheck Report in either version, but with a lot more work.

As a starting point, and assuming your desktop and laptop have the same software installed, you could run Etrecheck on both and the compare the two reports. Since your desktop is performing normally any Launch Agent, Launch Daemon, or Startup Item that appears on the laptop and not on the desktop would appear to be a candidate for deletion. To delete Launch Agents and Launch Daemons I would...
  1. Boot the computer into Safe mode
    1. Shut down completely
    2. Wait 10 seconds then press the power button
    3. Immediately after your Mac starts, press and hold the Shift key
    4. Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple logo
  2. Navigate to ~/Library
  3. Create a new folder Launch Agents (Inactive)
  4. Drag any undesired Launch Agent from ~/Library/Launch Agents to ~/Library/Launch Agents (Inactive)
  5. Repeat these steps with /Library/Launch Agents and /Library/Launch Daemons
  6. Reboot you laptop normally and test to see if everything is working and performance has improved.
    • If anything does not work, you can always move the Launch Agent or Launch Daemon back to the original location.
    • If after a few weeks you are satisfied with the results delete the (Inactive) folders and their content.
  7. Take a hard look at System Preferences > Users & Groups > Your Account > Login Items and see if everything there is actually necessary and if not remove it.




If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #51829 06/11/19 06:19 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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THANKS JOE:

update:
Later that night (as well as today); Etre check shows laptop as excellent.

But that night ( and other nights -- usually night) it will say poor.

Now before I do all that work (thanks BTW helping)

Someone else suggested that the launch stuff I'm thinking (because it's in red), is really innocuous, and real issue is the activity monitor which says, Kernal at 180% and 300 %.

They may be correct. But why doesn't the monitor say what is causing Kernal to be at that?

On launch services, I did a terminal thing and ONYX rebuild launch services, did not help-- everything same, red marks..

(btw you have Etra Pro? I guess unlike free, it actually is better and fixing what it identifies with free version?)

Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #51830 06/11/19 07:48 PM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
Later that night (as well as today); Etre check shows laptop as excellent.

But that night ( and other nights -- usually night) it will say poor.

What does Etrecheck say is Poor or Excellent? Am I correct in assuming that is in specific reference to System Performance?

Originally Posted By: kevs
Someone else suggested that the launch stuff I'm thinking (because it's in red), is really innocuous,…
If Etrecheck flags something in Red there is a reason usually based on a lot of experience by a lot of people. It is definitely worth working on that issue. (With the advent of Etrecheck to prod me, I periodically go through and prune the Launch Agents, Launch Daemons, and Startup Items. It is surprising how prolific those things can be.) However that may, or may not, be related to your performance problem.

Originally Posted By: keys
...and real issue is the activity monitor which says, Kernal at 180% and 300 %.

They may be correct. But why doesn't the monitor say what is causing Kernal to be at that?
It is normal for the kernel task to be among the top processes using the CPU. Some really heavy duty processing task such as one of the Adobe apps or Final Cut, Logic Pro, Compressor, etc. can easily top it however. But it does seem unusual for kernel to get as high as you are seeing. Activity Monitor can only "see" usage at the task level, and kernel is a monolithic task. For kernel to eat that much CPU time it has to be performing some system chore such as combining Time Machine backups, rebuilding the Spotlight indexes, File vaulting a drive, etc.. A look at Disk I/O might yield some clues.

Originally Posted By: kevs
On launch services, I did a terminal thing and ONYX rebuild launch services, did not help-- everything same, red marks..
Launch Services is a database that keeps track of what apps belong to which file extension, file type and even in some cases individual files. It is a one time task and the only impact it is likely to have on performance is failure to recognize the appropriate app to use to open a file. Rebuilding the Launch Service database won't hurt anything but it wouldn't solve your problem.

Originally Posted By: kevs
(btw you have Etra Pro? I guess unlike free, it actually is better and fixing what it identifies with free version?)
Etrecheck Pro has, IMHO, better more understandable reports, and makes a reasonable attempt at providing some troubleshooting help beyond, "post this report on Apple's forum and see what advice you get". I believe in the biblical adage the worker is worthy of his hire and if I find an app that is useful enough to use regularly, I have no problem paying for it — and otherwise I delete it rather than having it take up storage space on my drive. It is an added benefit and incentive when, like Etrecheck, the "Pro" version offers additional features. I also use the paid version of Malwarebytes and like Etrecheck Pro it too offers useful functionality not available in the free version.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #51831 06/12/19 12:38 AM
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thanks Joe. what do I look back at disk I/O, what does that mean?

This laptop has no time machine. It's very light, email, internet, and not too much else..(occasional photo stuff, uploading images, some light photoshop/ Bridge), and it is on the icloud sharing some files with the desktop).. in short though --I'm baffled what can get a kernal to 400%!

But you recommend fixing all that launch stuff and to do that I need the paid Etracheck Pro? (really, I don't know where to find that stuff on free version the red launch servies etc..or can I? PS are sure pro is paid?, this is on their FAQ it's kind of confusing.

"EtreCheck is available in two different flavours - EtreCheck, available from Apple’s Mac App Store and EtreCheckPro, available from Etresoft directly. These two products are very similar. Both are free."



Malware Bytes, I hardly use it I have it, but what do you gain from paid version? Thanks.


Last edited by kevs; 06/12/19 12:41 AM.
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #51832 06/12/19 02:04 PM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
thanks Joe. what do I look back at disk I/O, what does that mean?
There are several things to look at in Activity Monitor:
  • CPU which indicates the percentage of CPU cycle used by each task
  • Memory which indicates how much memory is being used by each task (are there any memory hogs) and Memory Pressure which indicates how often data is being compressed in memory and/or rolled out to swap files on the hard drive (Do you need more RAM). If Memory Pressure is Green you are in good shape RAM wise.
  • Disk which tells you which tasks are reaading or writing to the drive the most.
There is nothing that is going to jump right out and say "this is where the problem is" but if a task is at or near the top of the list in two or more of these categories it provides information that may make possible to infer what is going on.

Originally Posted By: keys
--I'm baffled what can get a kernal to 400%!
I am baffled too. The 400% figure means that a task or tasks are maxing out all four cores of what has to be a quad core processor. In other words your laptop is running at maximum effort. That is not easy to do. I would think that when your laptop is maxed out is the fan running at full speed — ie. is it loud enough to hear if you listen for it?

Originally Posted By: keys
But you recommend fixing all that launch stuff and to do that I need the paid Etracheck Pro? (really, I don't know where to find that stuff on free version the red launch servies etc..or can I? PS are sure pro is paid?, this is on their FAQ it's kind of confusing.

"EtreCheck is available in two different flavours - EtreCheck, available from Apple’s Mac App Store and EtreCheckPro, available from Etresoft directly. These two products are very similar. Both are free."
The terminology has changed slightly since I paid for Etrecheck Pro. Both the App Store and Etrecheck.com downloads are FREE and fully functional. I started out with the App Store version but switched to the Etrecheck.com version when I encountered some limitations in the App Store version that are necessary for sandboxing the app. In the Etrecheck.com version there is an in app upgrade to add the Power User Package that provides additional reporting and other troubleshooting features. That is what I paid for. I don't know if that is available in the App Store version or not, but I would think that too would be limited by the App Store's sandboxing requirements.

Originally Posted By: keys
Malware Bytes, I hardly use it I have it, but what do you gain from paid version? Thanks.
Primarily the ability to automatically run on a user defined schedule and quarantine any infected files found, including checking for upgrades and silently updating before every run rather than having to be executed manually . I have mine set to run every three hours.

Last edited by joemikeb; 06/12/19 03:35 PM. Reason: clarification

If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #51833 06/12/19 05:44 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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Thanks Joe.
Too confused on the Pro Etre Check situation (their fault), so I'll stay free for time being.

Launch services stuff come up red on laptop, but I think it's not an issue on Kernal at 200-400%-- that's the killer right.. but mystery why.

But the Pro version, makes it easier to find that stuff and delete them..? ( not sure at all even if I had Pro, really what to do)

The laptop is AOK now. Why is goes bananas every couple of weeks and hits the 300 400% kernal, I have no idea.

I do notice the fan is loud when watching video. That is a big part of the laptop, later in the day for an hour I use it as the main TV (catching up on news pre- recordered stuff from the kitchen) That does seem to be when this happens.

Malware Byte, I've never seen it catch anything. What is it catching on your end where a periodic manual check would not have been enough?



Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #51834 06/12/19 10:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
Launch services stuff come up red on laptop, but I think it's not an issue on Kernal at 200-400%-- that's the killer right.. but mystery why.

But the Pro version, makes it easier to find that stuff and delete them..? ( not sure at all even if I had Pro, really what to do).
Troubleshooting is not unlike detective work. You look at the clues, develop a theory. and test the theory. Etrecheck provides clues. Another place to look is the system logs but those are for developers and can be daunting even for power users. EtrecheckPro under the System tab does show Diagnostic Reports generated by the system in the previous week. These are the crash reports the system forwards to Apple. If there are a cluster of them around a single app then that is a big clue.

The next time one of these episodes occurs...
  • Open Console (in the /Applications/Utilities folder
  • On the Console sidebar select "System Log"
  • Scroll the log to the approximate time of the incident and look for a cluster of log entries where the Process is labeled "kernel"
  • Copy the next 50 to 100 log entries and pate them in a reply to this thread
  • Hopefully someone here can analyze the log and suggest an approach from there


Originally Posted By: keys
The laptop is AOK now. Why is goes bananas every couple of weeks and hits the 300 400% kernal, I have no idea.
Likely it is some recurring job or process that is triggered every couple of weeks. It could even be a task launched by one of those too numerous Launch Agents or Launch Daemons.

Originally Posted By: keys
I do notice the fan is loud when watching video. That is a big part of the laptop, later in the day for an hour I use it as the main TV (catching up on news pre- recordered stuff from the kitchen) That does seem to be when this happens.
That is normal when watching a video. You are using a LOT of CPU cycles, RAM memory, Video RAM, video processor cycles, and watts of power. That means there is a lot of waste heat being generated and the fan is valiantly trying to keep things cool or cool enough.

Originally Posted By: keys
Malware Byte, I've never seen it catch anything. What is it catching on your end where a periodic manual check would not have been enough?
Nope it has never caught anything, but that is good. My first line of defense is rigorously keeping macOS and iOS up to date and due diligence and caution on where I go on the internet, what mail and attachments I open, and what I click on in Mail and Safari. My second line of defense is a Plume Router that dutifully blocks access to suspect URLs and domains. Hopefully should should those fail and I encounter malware, MalwareBytes will detect and quarantine it before it can infect my system or spread to the other systems on my local area network. As far as I am concerned the sooner malware is caught the better. I don't want to find out that some malware has inculcated itself into all my apps and my clones and other backup data sets, not to mention the H$!! I would catch from my wife if her system got infected. (The results of that happening are too brutal to contemplate. confused )


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #51835 06/12/19 11:43 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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thanks Joe, good info, as usual!

Ok, I'll think about going pro Malware bytes.

Still too confused on Pro Etrecheck, but that's their fault right?

When was Etra Check invented? I remember tech tools and ONyx etc, Etra Check is a kind of new Beast right? Something unique about it? What is it doing that those others don't do?

I will save this thread and do the Console rigamoral when I spot this and report back.

"Plume Router" I don't even want ask what that is! I get a free Modem / Router from ATT... I'm doubt they have even heard of it!

Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #51836 06/13/19 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
Still too confused on Pro Etrecheck, but that's their fault right?
What isn't mentioned on their web page is the "in app" purchase of additional capabilities.

Originally Posted By: keys
When was Etra Check invented? I remember tech tools and ONyx etc, Etra Check is a kind of new Beast right? Something unique about it? What is it doing that those others don't do?
Etrecheck is recent, like the past couple of years and it does not do anything that OnyX, TechTool Pro, Drive Genius, Cocktail, etc. do, and they don't do anything that Etrecheck does. OnyX and Cocktail trigger functions built into macOS that would otherwise have to be activated using the command line. TechTool, Drive Genius etc. "repair/rebuild" data structures on the hard drive. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that gathers, analyzes, and reports data about the system.

Originally Posted By: keys
"Plume Router" I don't even want ask what that is! I get a free Modem / Router from ATT... I'm doubt they have even heard of it!
Plume is a brand of mesh networking routers.

THIS JUST IN
I went to the App Store and if you scroll down the description you will find the following:
Originally Posted By: App Store
In-app purchase:
Etrecheck also provides a Power User in-app purchase that goes beyond the text-based report. It displays a rich, interactive interface that provides additional information, charts and graphs, and information to help you learn more about the details of your computer.

If you don't want to post your EtreCheck report publicly, the Power User package can also generate solutions to your computer problems using our AI-drive diagnostic engine. A solution will include solutions for each major and minor issue, and, in most cases, one or more step-by-step instructions to help you fix your computer problem yourself.

EtlreCheck is designed to put you back in control
So yes the App Store version can be upgraded to Pro — but it the upgrade isn't free.

Last edited by joemikeb; 06/13/19 12:04 PM. Reason: This Just In

If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #51852 06/14/19 04:21 PM
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thanks Joe, final question, "does not do anything that OnyX, TechTool Pro, Drive Genius, Cocktail"...

Being I know you have most of those.. if Etra does not do anything others don't do.. why do you have it?... Something about it you prefer..?

Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #51854 06/14/19 08:38 PM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
thanks Joe, final question, "does not do anything that OnyX, TechTool Pro, Drive Genius, Cocktail"...

Being I know you have most of those.. if Etra does not do anything others don't do.. why do you have it?... Something about it you prefer..?

You misconstrued my comment (clearly it could have been worded more clearly 😊) so let me try again:
  • OnyX, Cocktail, TechTool Pro, Drive Genius, et. al. do NOT duplicate any function or feature found in Etrecheck
    • OnyX, Cocktail, Tinkertool, and Tinkertool System provide a GUI (Graphical User Interface) to execute command line utilities that perform specific system functions, and offer access to system and user preference settings that are not available in the Apple GUI.
    • TechTool Pro, Drive Genius, and Diskwarrior make repairs to the volume structure of the disk drive (similar to Apple's Disk Utility First Aid although arguably more capable), optimize storage on Hard Drives, and perform tests on the system hardware.
  • Etrecheck does NOT duplicate any function or feature found in OnyX, Cocktail, TechTool Pro, Drive Genius, et. al.
    • Etrecheck collects and reports a wide variety of system data, and provides limited analysis of that data.
    • The in-app purchased "Power User" features provide additional data analysis and tools as well as tools to aid in correcting any problems identified.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #51855 06/14/19 10:59 PM
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OK, Joe thanks. So, Etre Check, not revolutionary, then, but I assume that even a veteran like you must have been surprised when it came along just a couple of years ago, providing a whole new (original or innovative?) OS system analysis?

I'm surprised it's get quoted (or recommended) as much as it does now, on par with.. maybe how Cocktail and Onyx used to be quoted and those others..

Of course, not to wear you out, it begs the question, you wonder why then those other softwares did not come up with an Etracheck like sub- software a long time ago

Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #51856 06/15/19 12:33 AM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
OK, Joe thanks. So, Etre Check, not revolutionary, then, but I assume that even a veteran like you must have been surprised when it came along just a couple of years ago, providing a whole new (original or innovative?) OS system analysis?

I'm surprised it's get quoted (or recommended) as much as it does now, on par with.. maybe how Cocktail and Onyx used to be quoted and those others..

Of course, not to wear you out, it begs the question, you wonder why then those other softwares did not come up with an Etracheck like sub- software a long time ago


They were created tor different purposes, to meet the primary market needs at widely points in time, with dramatically different resources available, for different target markets. The original markets are still there, but new markets with new needs are emerging.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #52131 07/24/19 11:40 PM
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I don't know how long this has been available in Etrecheck Pro, but just found these in Etrecheck Pro Version 6.0.2 (6A004) analytics and thought they could be VERY useful in analyzing system performance problems Analytics and Storage. there is even more detail below these if you are really digging into a performance issue. Etrecheck is not creating this data rather it is digging it out, analyzing it, and displaying it in a useful format if not for technophobes at least for low-power users 😜.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #52132 07/25/19 12:25 AM
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I think the info provided by MenuMeters (It's "Confirmed to run OK on El Capitan 10.11, Sierra 10.12, High Sierra 10.13 and Mojave 10.14.") in real time, although not quite as extensive, may be more helpful than the historical info provided by your "Analytics" EtreCheck pane, and that that provided by your "Storage" pane can be had in considerably greater detail from (your) DaisyDisk and (my) GrandPerspective.

It seems to me that, like TechTool Pro, Disk Warrior, and others of their ilk, EtreCheck is fighting to maintain an appearance of relevance in the face of disappearing need.

All of which is NOT to say that other of EC's output isn't unique and useful.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #52136 07/25/19 04:21 PM
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Thanks Joe!

What like about this additional info? Bit over my head...

I just used Etra yesterday for fist time in a while. My laptop in the kitchen, use for TV gets very slow at night..

Gets a poor score at night, 7.. 8pm.. yet morning an excellent score. Kernal at 225%, then good score.. then no kernal.. I'm thinking maybe something about the internet stresses out the laptop while the desktop has no problem.

Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #52141 07/25/19 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
Gets a poor score at night, 7.. 8pm.. yet morning an excellent score. Kernal at 225%, then good score.. then no kernal.. I'm thinking maybe something about the internet stresses out the laptop while the desktop has no problem.
So I can tell you where to look and what to look for I first need to know are you using Etrecheck (the free or App Store version) or Etrecheck Pro (the paid version)?

However even without that information lets continue with trouble shooting your network connections.
  • How is your laptop connected to the internet via wiFi or ethernet?
  • How is your desktop connected to the internet: via WiFi or via ehternet?
  • When you are streaming movies is that through your laptop?
  • The next time you encounter the slowdown on your laptop, click on the WiFi icon on the menu bar and see how many WiFi networks you see.
  • Even better use a WiFi analysis tool such as WIFI EXPLORER LITE, WiFi Explorer, or WiFi Scanner and see
    1. what channel your laptop is on
    2. what the relative signal strength is
    3. are there other WiFi networks in the same or adjoining channels?
    4. what your bandwidth is
  • Perform the same test morning and evening and compare the results
  • Perform the same tests on your Desktop if it is connected via WiFi and compare the results with those from the laptop.
NOTE: All of the data points are important so please don't abbreviate and answer each item fully.

As To the Etrecheck Reports:

The Microsoft Office file entry is telling you that com.microsoft.launchAgent.SyncSevicesAgent,plist is referencing a non-existent executable which caused the LaunchAgent to fail. If you no longer have Microsoft Office 11 on your computer you can safely delete that launch agent. If you still have Office 11 I would suggest reinstalling it as the quickest and easiest way to fix the problem.

It is not unusual for the kernel task using the most CPU cycles. I wouldn't worry about that item.

The unknown files are a mixed bag. The only thing I can suggest is starting down the list and verifying if the associated application is still installed on your system. That is a LOT of LaunchAgents, LaunchDaemons, etc. There is another section of the Etrecheck Report that lists the Loaded and Running Launch Agents, Launch Daemons, and User Launch Agents. I would start by comparing those to the list of unknown files and seeing if there are duplicates. If they were not Launched or Running and on the Unknown list I would perform a Safe Boot (Boot while holding the space bar) and delete the unknown files.



If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #52146 07/26/19 01:14 AM
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thanks Joe.

Laptop connected not with cable, but through technology ATT put in which beams the signal through the air and walls, not sure what to call it.

desktop is corded ethernet.

Yes, TV is with laptop and display in kitchen.

There is no wifi icon on menu bar as its not wifi.

I don't think launch agents matter, as then it reverts to excellent rating that is still there. When bad it says ambiguous processes, usually kernals are too big.



Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #52151 07/26/19 02:53 PM
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Originally Posted By: kevs
Laptop connected not with cable, but through technology ATT put in which beams the signal through the air and walls, not sure what to call it.

For all practical. purposes that is WiFi although it may be using proprietary technology and channels

Originally Posted By: keys
desktop is corded ethernet.

Therein lies the difference in performance and you are unlikely to ever be able to change it with the AT&T equipment. The corded ethernet will always be
  • faster
  • more reliable
  • have more bandwidth
The AT&T beamed signal will always
  • have less bandwidth (think of bandwidth as the lanes on a multilane highway and the more lanes (bandwidth) you have the more data that can be carried at the same time.)
  • be slower (the data simply cannot move as fast)
  • be more subject to interference from neighbors AT&T devices


Originally Posted By: keys
Yes, TV is with laptop and display in kitchen.

There is no wifi icon on menu bar as its not wifi.

I assume there is an AT&T network connector device plugged into your laptop which would mean you are getting the WiFi signal through a USB device and not from the WiFi receiver built into your laptop. If you go to System Preferences > Network on your laptop it will indicate where your internet connection is coming from. That would be interesting to know.
Originally Posted By: keys
I don't think launch agents matter, as then it reverts to excellent rating that is still there. When bad it says ambiguous processes, usually kernals are too big.

I agree, but you still might want to get rid of some of the detritus. If nothing else your system will boot faster. 😳

If I am correct in my assessment you have three choices:
  1. Live with it
  2. Call AT&T and insist that a technician come to your house to fix the problem. At that point, I have no idea how much leeway the technician has to make changes and improve the performance at night. (The more documentation you can provide about the problem the more likely you are to get a satisfactory solution.
  3. Invest your own money (a few hundred dollars) to install a better WiFi or ethernet network in your home. I won't go into details about what that would look like at this time, but I am confident it can be done. I have helped others who have inadequate service from the AT&T network in their homes.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #52152 07/26/19 04:30 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
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thanks Joe! ok, a tech came 3 years and did a long cord to kitchen, but then there were issues so he put this thing in which worked pretty good on the whole.

https://www.amazon.com/Brite-View-BVP-5100D-Powerline-Adapter-Power/dp/B00OAO6LEQ

He claimed the super long cord to the kitchen was too long.

But these new ATT techs I had over a couple of months ago, for othere issue are even better and said super long cords are no issue at all. So now I'll call... They now say you have to pay for your own cord unlike before.. but I'll call

Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
kevs #52153 07/26/19 05:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
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That "thing" uses your home wiring to carry an ethernet signal, and the claimed data rate (500Mbps) is probably better than AT&T can provide, but most reports I have seen for similar devices often complain they are slow. This is easily tested: With your laptop connected to the Powerline® adaptor, log on to Speedtest.net (it is free and accurate) and will tell you what your actual download and upload speeds are. Try that at different times of the day and from you desktop as well as your laptop.

Like WiFi there are a LOT of factors that will effect the speed through your Powerline® adaptor. Mostly line noise created by electric motors (think air conditioners, fans, refrigerators, etc. and florescent lights. (If you are in an apartment or condo that interference may be coming from anywhere in the building, but generally it would be limited to a device(s) connected to your electric meter. While I have not experienced this personally I have read comments indicating these devices tend to slow down with age as well.

NOTE: the maximum segment length for Category 5 ethernet cable is 100 Meters for 100 Mbps data rate. 1,000 Mbps would be significantly less but unless you are living some place like Buckingham Palace cable length is unlikely to be an issue regardless of that the technician says unless the technician is using substandard ethernet cable.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: CRAZY launch agents killing my laptop
joemikeb #52154 07/26/19 05:16 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
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Joined: Dec 2009
Joe, thanks, how does something that is wireless use my home wiring? That went over my head!

But, really, I'm just going to demand ATT come and do long wires again, right? That always the best.

Now:.... I was holding off because etra check often says the leptop is performing poor -- usually at 5pm to 8pm when using the laptop as a TV, so I was putting the blame on the laptop.. Cache, lauch agents, other red flags. but I think now it's not the laptop...

And etra check will say it's excellent next morning.


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