Learning has never been so easy!
It's a common complaint that in recent versions of Mac OS 10.x, browsing Windows-hosted SMB shares is incredibly slow. Not every solution works, but here are 3 simple fixes that completely solved the issue for me (Using Windows Server 2012 & 2012R2 with Mac OS X 10.9 & 10.10).
3 Steps total
Though you can install Mavericks (OS X 10.9) directly from your Mac's hard drive, a bootable installer drive can be more convenient for installing the OS onto multiple Macs. And if your Mac is. Sep 14, 2015 Bootable optical media (CD or DVD) on Macs equipped with Apple’s Super Drive or a USB thumb drive formatted with a GUID partition type and containing an OS X installer or a usable operating system. Apple advises against booting from external storage containing a version of Mac OS X earlier than the one your Mac shipped with.
Step 1: Disable writing .DS_Store files to network shares
On the Mac, open up Terminal and enter the following command:
Jun 08, 2016 Your USB drive isn't slow because you have too much stuff on it. It's slow because it uses a slow storage format like FAT32 or exFAT. You can re-format it to NTFS to get faster write times, but.
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores true
Step 2: Make sure NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on the file server's network adapter
Adapter Properties -> IPv4 properties -> Advanced -> WINS tab -> Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP
Nov 21, 2019 Reply to Ungodly slow USB Stick Speeds I have a MacBook Pro (early 2011) running High Sierra version 10.13.4 I rewcently bought a Lexar-Micron JumpDrive TwistTurn 32 GB USB 12.0 flash drive (half-price at Office Depot). It took over an hour to copy about 2,500 files (1.5 GB total) from my MacBook Pro (High Sierra OSX) to the flash drive. This thread here outlines a graphical way of turning a USB drive into a boot disk. The user jbdjunk mentions the proceduce below, copy-pasted from the earlier site. Open Disk Utility; Plug in USB; Format USB to Mac Extended (Journaled) Create Partition on USB.
Make sure this setting is enabled.
Step 3: Use Powershell to edit the server's SMB configuration.
On the Windows server, open Powershell as an administrator and run:
get-smbserverconfiguration
Look for the values for smb2creditsmin and smb2creditsmax. On my server, the defaults were 128 and 2048 respectively. To change these settings, run
set-smbserverconfiguration -smb2creditsmin 512 -smb2creditsmax 8192
and respond Y to the confirmation prompt.
Following these three steps instantly fixed the issue for me and others, and my Macs are now browsing the file shares just as fast as their Windows counterparts.
Published: Feb 10, 2015 · Last Updated: Feb 11, 2015
References
- Relevant Spiceworks community discussion
15 Comments
- PimientoOSXuser Feb 18, 2015 at 09:35amHey Chris, could you confirm that read and write speeds over SMB 3 on OSX 10.10 are the same as read and write speeds over SMB 3 on windows 8.1? Are you using 10gbe or 1gbe?We are using 10gbe and are seeing great read speeds (850MB/s) but not so great write speeds (400MB/s) even though our RAID can easily go up to 3,500MB/s.Thanks,Philipp
- PoblanoChris1474 Feb 19, 2015 at 06:22pmHi OSXUser, most (all?) RAID setups have inherently better read speeds compared to write speeds, and this has to do with the mechanics of RAID itself (see: http://www.raid-calculator.com/raid-types-reference.aspx). I suspect that if you benchmarked your Windows machines, you'd see a similar result to your Macs.
- PimientoOSXuser Feb 23, 2015 at 05:40pmHi Chris,No the RAID actually gets 3,000 MB/s write. I can also hit it with multiple Macs each at 400MB/s write. The Windows server also has a PCI SSD with 2000MB/s read and write. The throttle seems to be on the LAN side.When connection one Mac Pro to another Mac Pro we get 800 MB/s read and write. But when connecting from Mac Pro to Windows Server the write is much slower than tge read.Any ideas?
- JalapenoOscar3097 Mar 1, 2015 at 10:14pmThis solved the issue for me too. However, if use Hamachi to access the file shares from another country, I have to wait 2 or 3 minutes for the folders to show up. Then when the folders do show up and I open another folder, I have to wait again for those folders to show up.
However, using Hamachi from a windows computer, there is no wait time for folders to show up.
Any resolution for this? - PoblanoChris1474 Mar 2, 2015 at 06:36amOSXUser, that's strange- but you're right, sounds like it's LAN stuff. And it sounds like you're not the only guy noticing this. I googled and found this- might have some ideas: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/windowsserver/en-US/46898c7f-92e0-4c99-98d2-18a7458a7d2d/slow-network-write-speeds-via-smb-cifsOscar3097, have you poked around to see if other Hamachi users have experienced the same issues? Sounds like a Hamachi issue to me.
- JalapenoOscar3097 Mar 2, 2015 at 01:07pmChris, I thought this was a Hamachi issue but I discarded that idea because I can browse without a problem from windows computers. I have this problem when browsing from macs in Argentina, Puerto Rico, Panama, Brazil Mexico but not if they use windows. I had the same problem in the local lan, but using your fix we can now browse fast from all macs in the office.
- Pimientokimcassidy Oct 16, 2015 at 07:41pmHi Chris,I know this is an older thread but it is something I need to fix for two clients. I followed your excellent instructions and was successful for my Windows 2012 client, but when I run the set-smb.. on a Windows 2008 R2 it says it isn't a recognized cmdlet. Any help that you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
- PoblanoChris1474 Dec 2, 2015 at 08:32pmHi kimcassidy, just saw this now- sorry for the late reply. I know that the ability to manipulate SMB through PowerShell was added with Server 2012; I'm not sure if you can upgrade your version of PowerShell or import the SMB module into 2008. Others might have more experience with this..
- TabascoAskJaiCom Apr 18, 2016 at 09:34amI don't think this this is possible on Server 2008 R2. is it??
- Pimientomarkelliott5 Sep 25, 2016 at 04:29amI just made an account to praise you for writing this little article. It made my home theater set up go from struggling w/ 720p to streaming remux 1080p bluray with only occasional hiccups.It's still slower than I would think it would be given the pipes it's coming through, but at least it can handle the 2.77MB/s required to stream this big video.
- SonoraRichard Poole Oct 18, 2016 at 12:34pmThis seemed to do the trick here too.
OSX users instantly noticing improved browse and file transfer speeds after applying the 3 steps above. - Anaheimblacklab3l Jan 11, 2017 at 03:09pmThis worked for me..Took my searches from 3-5 minutes down to about 16 seconds. I'll take it!
- Pimientodylanevans May 22, 2017 at 08:59amThis worked for me, but then it didnt :/I was trying out a direct connection between my MBP and consumer Win10 machine connected direct via thunderbolt.They connected up nice and easily, and when running a test of disk speed from the MBP (with Blackmagic disk speed test) the internal drives on the Win machine tested at their full speed for around 500MB/s.However, external drives did not work - I was getting write speeds of around 5MB/sI ran across this page and when I enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP this seemed to fix the issue - external drives mounted on the Win side would test at their capacity of 320MB/s when testing from the MBP.However, I have connected again a couple of weeks later and the network speeds have dropped back down to 5-6MB/s.I cannot for the life of me fathom what has changed, everything is still enabled on the windows side, and crucially this is only for externally mounted drives. The internal drives on the Windows machine still test at their full speed.Do you have any ideas?
- PoblanoSam Thackeray Dec 6, 2017 at 11:44amHi,
Any chance someone could provide some details on what each of these commands do.We are an office of some 100 users and i am hesitant to make changes to fix the issues for our 1 mac user if there is any negative effect for the 99 windows users.Thanks, - SonoraOnWireIT Jan 22, 2018 at 06:40pmCould someone confirm that this is still an issue with the newest Mac OSx?
So, you’ve decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may have noticed your Mac’s performance went down right after the last update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, you too will need a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further down we’ll explain where to get one and what problems you may face down the road.
A list of all Mac OS X versions
We’ll be repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, so it’s good to know the basic macOS timeline.
Cheetah 10.0 | Puma 10.1 | Jaguar 10.2 |
Panther 10.3 | Tiger 10.4 | Leopard 10.5 |
Snow Leopard 10.6 | Lion 10.7 | Mountain Lion 10.8 |
Mavericks 10.9 | Yosemite 10.10 | El Capitan 10.11 |
Sierra 10.12 | High Sierra 10.13 | Mojave 10.14 |
Catalina 10.15 |
STEP 1. Prepare your Mac for installation
Given your Mac isn’t new and is filled with data, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not just space for the OS itself but also space for other applications and your user data. One more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have “fuel” to operate on. The chart below tells you how much free space is needed.
Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. Next, you will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up space on your drive:
- Uninstall large unused apps
- Empty Trash Bin and Downloads
- Locate the biggest files on your computer:
Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size
Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.
If you aren’t comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic “room cleaners”. Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it’s most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.
Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.
If you aren’t comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic “room cleaners”. Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it’s most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.4 - 10.8 (free version)
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.9 (free version)
Mac os catalina change drive permissions. Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.10 - 10.14 (free version)
STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac OS X download
Normally, it is assumed that updating OS is a one-way road. That’s why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.
How to download older Mac OS X versions via the App Store
If you once had purchased an old version of Mac OS X from the App Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. There you’ll find all the installers you can download. However, it doesn’t always work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to check it:
- Click the App Store icon.
- Click Purchases in the top menu.
- Scroll down to find the preferred OS X version.
- Click Download.
This method allows you to download Mavericks and Yosemite by logging with your Apple ID — only if you previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.
Without App Store: Download Mac OS version as Apple Developer
If you are signed with an Apple Developer account, you can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you desperately need a lower OS X version build, consider creating a new Developer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.
Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you can only find 10.3-10.6 OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple OS versions.
Purchase an older version of Mac operating system
You can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac OS X directly from Apple. Both will cost you around $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.
Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8
The email edition comes with a special download code you can use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer OS on top of it.
How to get macOS El Capitan download
If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it’s possible too. But before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS X 10.6.8. So, here are main steps you should take:
1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.
“I can’t download an old version of Mac OS X”
If you have a newer Mac, there is no physical option to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don’t expect it to run any OS released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.
![Mac Os X Slow Copy To Usb Drive Mac Os X Slow Copy To Usb Drive](https://www.easeus.com/images/en/screenshot/cleangenius-for-mac/duplicate-file-finder-1.png)
But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a chance to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once again, set up a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.
After you’ve completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but you can click Cancel and copy the file you need. Below is the detailed instruction how to do it.
STEP 3. Install older OS X onto an external drive
The following method allows you to download Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.
- Start your Mac holding down Command + R.
- Prepare a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
- Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS X.
- Select external drive as a source.
- Enter your Apple ID.
Now the OS should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, but at this point, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is “captured” onto your external drive, you can reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.
Mac Os X Usb Download
- Boot your Mac from your standard drive.
- Connect the external drive.
- Go to external drive > OS X Install Data.
Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you need to reinstall Lion OS X. The same steps are valid for Mountain Lion and Mavericks.
How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions
If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Sierra
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Sierra
Instruction to downgrade from macOS High Sierra
Mac Os X Slow Copy To Usb Drivers
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Mojave
Copy Mac Os To Usb
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina
Before you do it, the best advice is to back your Mac up so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean up your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for free here).
Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS X version
If none of the options to get older OS X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have image installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here you are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more links you may find interesting.