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Cleaning up files- computer slow!

C

cain12

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Hi, I am new here and this may seem elementary to you all but looking to find out how to "clean up" some of the files on my IMAC G5.

I am comfortable doing these routine things on my PC, like cleaning up cookies and temporary files, but how do I clean up my IMAC?

ANY help is greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance!

cain
 
Unless your hard drive is almost out of free space, I doubt that "removing files" is going to make it faster.

How much free space do you have on your drive (double click on your hard drive on your desktop and look at the bottom of the window that displays - it will tell you how much space is available).

Where do you feel your computer is slow?

Get us some more info and maybe we can help.

It would help to know what version of OS X you have, and how much memory you have also (Click on "About this Mac" under the Apple menu).
 
Easiest way is to Reset Safari, and check all the option boxes. If you've been surfing the net for months or years and have never done this, you'll notice in immediate increase in Safari's "Snappiness" factor.

Next step, download the excellent -- and FREE -- version of OnyX for whatever flavour of OS X you're using. Running its standard "Automation" routine will do pretty much all a casual user needs to do. There are other, deeper cleaning options offered by OnyX but the most important things are covered nicely in the Automation menu.

And finally, depending on what version of OS X / OnyX you're using, you may want to Reset Mail's Envelope Index which may dramatically speed-up Apple's Mail.app.

Then as a very last thing to do, run Disk Utility and Repair Permissions.

I do all of this monthly on all three of my Mac's. :apple:
 
thanks for the replies!

first off, I just tried to download my "Software Update" which has Java for Mac OS, GarageBand Update, ILife support, Itunes, etc. with no luck. It says "None of the checked updates could be installed. Software Update can't find the update server. A network error has occured, timed out (-1001).
You are not connected to the internet"


-which kinda answers my first question, which is the fact that the internet is slow, but not slow on my PC (off the same router).
-i show to have 37.72 GB available, is that alot? 🙂
-it's version 10.4.10
- 2 GHz PowerPC G5

does that help at all? I hope so. Now I will try the other recommendations. Thanks you all, big time help already with those quick answers, thanks...
 
hmmm... trying to reset Safari, and it just says "Are you sure you want to reset Safari?" and doesnt give me options to check off, it just trys to load up my default homepage (msn.com) and that never goes anywhere...
 
You definitely have plenty of disk space. You also have alot of software updates to load. 10.4.11 should be out there also.

I would try to get your network issues resolved, so you can get the updates loaded, and then see where you are at.

Can you access the internet with Safari? It seems odd that you are getting those issues with software update. Might be worth trying a restart, and then update again.
 
You could certainly use more RAM, but that isn't what is causing your network issues. Is your network connection wired or wireless?
 
Eidorian said:
Get more RAM, now. Why did you think it was the hard drive?
Click to expand...

I didnt, I guess. Just an amateur's thought.

The real trouble here is my internet is so slow, not like on this PC I am typing away at right now.

And like I stated earlier, I can't even get the Safari to reset.
 
At the top of your screen on the right hand side, you should see an icon that looks like a stack of curved lines. Click on it, and you should see a drop down menu with the name of your wireless network. You should see a check mark next to the network name.

The stack of curved lines should also be black, and not grey...
 
aross99 said:
At the top of your screen on the right hand side, you should see an icon that looks like a stack of curved lines. Click on it, and you should see a drop down menu with the name of your wireless network. You should see a check mark next to the network name.

The stack of curved lines should also be black, and not grey...
Click to expand...

I know I seem blind here, but all I see on the top right is the volume, the date & time, the bluetooth symbol, then that blue symbol which appears to be a "spotlight"
 
OK, now click on it and see if you are connected to your linksys.

It sounds like you are, if it is half black...
 
aahhh...I figured out my problem. I had switched my router to a new name, thus a new identity (for protection purposes). I never swapped the IMAC over to this one. I think we were getting a weak signal from another router in the neighborhood!

Aross99, thank you so much. What a help. I appreciate it!!!

cain
 
I do have a question though....(again) when I reset my Safari, it just goes straight to the homepage, is it not suppose to delete files or ask me questions? I have never reset it so I would have assummed after 1 1/2 years that it would take some time?
 
cain12 said:
I do have a question though....(again) when I reset my Safari, it just goes straight to the homepage, is it not suppose to delete files or ask me questions? I have never reset it so I would have assummed after 1 1/2 years that it would take some time?
Click to expand...

A window should appear that gives you the following options

clear history
empty the cache
etc
etc

Once you click on reset it blinks then returns to the homepage,just try typing
a sites address you have gone to prior to the reset.if the reset worked it wont remember it
 
cain12 said:
aahhh...I figured out my problem. I had switched my router to a new name, thus a new identity (for protection purposes). I never swapped the IMAC over to this one. I think we were getting a weak signal from another router in the neighborhood!

Aross99, thank you so much. What a help. I appreciate it!!!

cain
Click to expand...

Great! Just glad I could help... 🙂
 
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