The trials of using Xcode on an old Mac

So, today, I hit further delays.

I’ve had a reasonably successful few weeks learning CodeWithChris, running Xcode on my old Late-2014 Mac mini. I don’t know if something has changed recently, but I’m now running into issues.

I’ve only been able to code for one day out of the last four. For three of those days, my Mac mini became so slow and unresponsive that it was impossible to do light tasks – never mind expect it to run Xcode. It got to a point that Xcode wouldn’t even launch, never mind run. The icon in the docker would just bob about for a while, then stop.

Yesterday, however, things went back to normal. No idea if the Mac was updating anything (no indication if it was or wasn’t).

This morning, I start the next lesson and, in the middle of typing, Xcode crashes out.

I restart it, and it pops up with a window saying it needs to install additional components. No idea what they are but, hey, I’m sure Apple knows best, so I let it install them.

When done, I get back to coding. Xcode opens fine.

However, when I get to the point in the lesson to try the code out (just after doing the enum bit), Xcode reports that it can’t because there’s no simulator loaded. I look at the drop-down list and, sure enough, all the simulators have disappeared. No idea what that’s all about.

So, more through hope than expectation that it’ll solve anything, I go for a reboot (code for “oh, it must be time to go off and make a slow coffee again”), and launch Xcode again (code for “no, I can’t get a second cup of coffee so soon”).

Now I have Xcode loaded, all the simulators are present, and I’m ready to go again.

Mac specifications:

  • Mac mini (Late 2014)
  • macOS Monterey 12.2.1
  • Processor: 2.8GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5
  • Memory: 16GB 1600 MHz DDR3
  • Graphics: Intel Iris 1536 MB
  • Storage: 1.12 TB Fusion Drive (over 130 GB free space)
  • Display: 27-inch LG monitor (1920×1080)

Think I’ll go for a run first (I’ll probably be back before that simulator finally loads and runs the app!), and get my head clear from all this sitting around and waiting…