OS X Optimization

[urban1985_]

This has most likely been talked about before. I'm just wondering which program is best for optimizing mac performance, and getting rid of unecessary files. I've heard of Onyx, but I also read about onyx causing problems for poeple. Anyone know of other good programs?

[MisterMe]

This has most likely been talked about before. I'm just wondering which program is best for optimizing mac performance, and getting rid of unecessary files. I've heard of Onyx, but I also read about onyx causing problems for poeple. Anyone know of other good programs?Optimizing within the MacOS X context is to prebind your applications. You should also periodically run the daily, weekly, and monthly clean-up tasks. Onyx, MacJanitor, and other MacOS X utilities will run these for you. You can also use the Terminal to run them from the commandline. You do not need to "optimize" MacOS X in the Windows sense.

[MacsRgr8]

Onyx is preety good, IMHO.
Install it and give it a try. All it really does, is use a convenient GUI for some not-so-convenient CLI scripts. Try out the more obvious easy scripts first like "Maintenance", "Daily scripts".
Run Onyx and check the Console.app to find out what it really does. That way you will find out how to run the scripts manuallyl :)

[Pismo]

Open Terminal and type these in...

sudo periodic daily
sudo periodic weekly
sudo periodic monthly

sudo update_prebinding -root / -force

You should run these at least once a month but you can run these whenever you want.

[Dr. Dastardly]

Open Terminal and type these in...

sudo periodic daily
sudo periodic weekly
sudo periodic monthly

sudo update_prebinding -root / -force

You should run these at least once a month but you can run these whenever you want.
Isn't that just what Mac Janitor does?

[Hoef]

sudo update_prebinding -root / -force

You should run these at least once a month but you can run these whenever you want.

What does "sudo update_prebinding -root / -force" do?

[reh]

Do not bother with Mac Janitor. Do not bother with running the cron scripts from the command line. Just install Anacron (http://www.alastairs-place.net/anacron.html). It will automatically run those scripts, even if you sleep your Mac at night or whatever. No user intervention required.

[mkrishnan]

Isn't that just what Mac Janitor does?

MacJanitor does the first three, but I do not believe it does prebindings.

[grapes911]

Do not bother with Mac Janitor. Do not bother with running the cron scripts from the command line. Just install Anacron (http://www.alastairs-place.net/anacron.html). It will automatically run those scripts, even if you sleep your Mac at night or whatever. No user intervention required.

If you are running 10.3.3 or older, then I agree. 10.3.4 already uses anacron so its useless to install it again.

I say this only becase the 10.3.4 update said this:
"Addresses an issue in which scheduled items, such as automated backups or Software Update checks, may not work if the computer is asleep at the scheduled time. With this update, the schedule will run once the computer wakes from sleep."

I had anacron installed before 10.3.4 so I haven't really tested this, but I read it that you don't need anything else. Anyone else have any info?

[urban1985_]

When I'm shutting down, sometimes a window pops up saying there's disk space on my home folder, and it fixes this. Sorry I don't know exactly what it says, but I can't remember right now. Is that the same thing?

[urban1985_]

Sorry, I forgot to ask:

Does Macjanitor, pretty much do the same things as Onyx? Without the ability to "tweak" finder, etc.?

[wrldwzrd89]

When I'm shutting down, sometimes a window pops up saying there's disk space on my home folder, and it fixes this. Sorry I don't know exactly what it says, but I can't remember right now. Is that the same thing?
You have FileVault turned on - it's telling you that the disk image used to store the FileVault is bigger than it needs to be, so it fixes the image. This message has nothing to do with the CLI scripts or prebinding mentioned earlier.

[urban1985_]

Thanks guys. I've decided on Macjanitor :)

[reh]

Thanks guys. I've decided on Macjanitor :)
Do not bother with Mac Janitor. Do not bother with running the cron scripts from the command line. Just install Anacron. It will automatically run those scripts, even if you sleep your Mac at night or whatever. No user intervention required.

[quackattack]

cocktail is also worth consideration

[MisterMe]

cocktail is also worth considerationCocktail is shareware whereas MacJanitor and Onyx are freeware. Sorry, but for what Cocktail does, it does not make sense to pay for functionality that is available elsewhere for no charge.

[mkrishnan]

Hey!!! To Meh...I like MacJanitor because it's pwetty. And I'm allowed to do things on that basis because this is Mac land! Hello, wasted $60 on a wireless mouse that I don't use just because it matches my iBook!!! :p

But, erm, I am leaning towards using a script that runs the daily/weekly/monthly tasks, repairs disk permissions, updates prebindings, does a couple other me-specific chores, and then shuts the computer down, so that I can run it at night before I sleep once every couple of weeks.

[reh]

Hey!!! To Meh...I like MacJanitor because it's pwetty. And I'm allowed to do things on that basis because this is Mac land! Hello, wasted $60 on a wireless mouse that I don't use just because it matches my iBook!!! :p
Fair enough. But I don't find the need to run these *nix maintenance scripts to be very mac-like in the first place. :shrug:

But, erm, I am leaning towards using a script that runs the daily/weekly/monthly tasks, repairs disk permissions, updates prebindings, does a couple other me-specific chores, and then shuts the computer down, so that I can run it at night before I sleep once every couple of weeks.
For best system health, I'd still use anacron for the daily/weekly/monthly jobs. I know there's a command for repair disk permissons and I'm pretty sure there's one for the prebindings too. I've got a little command-line utility called "sleepnow" that does just what it's name implies, so you could tack that onto the end of the script.

[MisterMe]

Fair enough. But I don't find the need to run these *nix maintenance scripts to be very mac-like in the first place. :shrug:


For best system health, I'd still use anacron for the daily/weekly/monthly jobs. I know there's a command for repair disk permissons and I'm pretty sure there's one for the prebindings too. I've got a little command-line utility called "sleepnow" that does just what it's name implies, so you could tack that onto the end of the script.You are not supposed to run the *nix maintenance scripts because you are not supposed to turn your computer off. If you leave it up, the scripts will be run automatically. Onyx, however, will do everything that you want to do, including running your prebindings. Bear in mind, however, that most installers that alter your bindings will also run prebindings. That is what's happening when you see the installer optimizing your system. IIRC, Disk Utilities runs prebindings.

Word to the wise: For most users, running daily/weekly/monthly jobs is a waste of time. For real problems, you need to start-up in single-user mode. From the command prompt, run fsck -f. When fsck returns the command prompt, type exit to return to the MacOS X gui.

[mkrishnan]

You are not supposed to run the *nix maintenance scripts because you are not supposed to turn your computer off. If you leave it up, the scripts will be run automatically.

Okay, I don't turn my computer off much...but it is, umm, a NOTEBOOK. How many people leave notebooks on 24/7 and not asleep? That's the problem here. Although apparently supposedly the newer versions of Panther correct for this. But no one seems to know exactly how.

Oh, btw, the command lines for repairing permissions and updating prebindings, respectively, are:

diskutil repairpermissions /
update_prebinding -root / -force

[Makosuke]

If you are running 10.3.3 or older, then I agree. 10.3.4 already uses anacron so its useless to install it again.

I say this only becase the 10.3.4 update said this:
"Addresses an issue in which scheduled items, such as automated backups or Software Update checks, may not work if the computer is asleep at the scheduled time. With this update, the schedule will run once the computer wakes from sleep."
Hmm... although Apple's comment certainly implies that the MacOS cron will execute "missed" tasks on wakeup, I don't think this is the case; CarbonCopyCloner's scheduled backup system appears to add a line to /etc/crontab, but mine definitely doesn't execute at the time I've set unless the computer is awake. This is under 10.3.6 and .7.

That anachron looks PERFECT for this sort of thing, though, because I was just wondering how to work around automated backups if the computer has to be on at the time of the backup.

[mmmdreg]

so why must we periodically run the cron jobs? Isn't the idea of their design that they run themselves daily, weekly and monthly? Of course your computer has to be on for them to run but that's not exactly a hard thing to do?

[wrldwzrd89]

so why must we periodically run the cron jobs? Isn't the idea of their design that they run themselves daily, weekly and monthly? Of course your computer has to be on for them to run but that's not exactly a hard thing to do?
PowerBooks and iBooks are usually allowed to sleep instead of running 24/7. Most people don't run their Macs 24/7 anyway (except if they happen to be running Folding@Home or another distributed computing client). That's why.

[urban1985_]

Reh"

Sorry wasn't disregarding your opinion. I just decided on macjanitor because I was already familiar with it. And so far, it's fine. Nice and simple.