Spring Cleaning your Mac

[AlBDamned]

So, after a hectic few months, I've now got some time to do much needed tidying up of my work environment, including the usual paperwork and, more relevant, my Mac.

I think there must be dozens of small files, dupes etc, that I can get rid of here. Anyone got any suggestions for making a Mac hardrive ship-shape and trimming any unneccesary little bits that are bound to have built-up in regular use?

AL

[baummer]

1. Repair permissions.

2. Check hard disk for errors.

3. Delete any files you haven't used in the past 3 months. Or, if you want to keep them, invest in an external drive and store them as a backup off of the main hard disk.

[Jacksteruk309]

I'm a total noob, how would you do 1 & 2 baummer?

[baummer]

Both 1 & 2 can be performed by going into Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility. More here: link (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25751)

[Yaja123]

buy this month macformat!! (im not in anyway connected)

its totally dedicated to spring cleaning ur mac... lots of free progs etc. - i brought it to clean my mac and get into good habits

i just subscribed on the back of reading/using the issue.... im new to mac so figured ill learn alot quick in monthly installements

u wont be dissappointed - has macjanitor on it that performs the maintenance tasks fo you.

[neildmitchell]

backup all files using Retrospect or Apple Backup (.mac feature)
Run something along the lines of Symantec Systemworks
(defrag and scan/repair utility)

[neocell]

I'm a total noob, how would you do 1 & 2 baummer?


Click on "Macintosh HD" then "applications" then "utilities" then "Disk Utility.app". You can then check drives for errors and repair permissions with that application

[munkle]

You could also try OmniDiskSweeper (http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnidisksweeper/) to scan your hard drive, making it easy to locate any unwanted files eating up valuable space.

A proper spring clean would of course be a clean install of Tiger! ;) :p

[Plymouthbreezer]

So true... Things run so much better with a clean install. :cool: