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Empty Cache

knew2mack

knew2mack

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 20, 2009
188
1
The Beach
UH OH...I need some help!!!
I took the advice of someone at a Mac store a week ago and emptied my cache...now many sites are not only taking a long time to load, but not loading/opening at all!!! What did I do??? I have never enptied my cache, cleared (or whatever the word is.....see my novice state??) my cookies EVER!!!! So I keep asking and not really getting a definitive answer....what do I need to do on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, maintenance wise, to keep my machine working at tip top shape???
Regarding the cache issue, is there anything I can do to fix this?? Is there another action required when emptying your cache??
Also, please hold my hand & guide me or send me in the direction where I can figure out regular maintenance actions??
HELP!!!!

thanks:confused:
 
GGJstudios

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
knew2mack said:
I took the advice of someone at a Mac store a week ago and emptied my cache...now many sites are not only taking a long time to load, but not loading/opening at all!!! What did I do??? I have never enptied my cache, cleared (or whatever the word is.....see my novice state??) my cookies EVER!!!!
Click to expand...

Clearing your browser cookies and cache is optional. Sometimes it's recommended to resolve certain issues when websites are not loading properly. It doesn't hurt your computer if you do or if you don't.
knew2mack said:
Regarding the cache issue, is there anything I can do to fix this?? Is there another action required when emptying your cache??
Click to expand...
As strange as it may seem, I'd recommend you clear it again. This is over simplistic, but will give you a general idea: When you visit a website, it downloads all the items that make up the page, including images, to your computer and stores it in your cache. When you go back and visit that page, it may pull information that's in your cache, rather than downloading it again. If the website has changed since your last visit, you may not be seeing the changes. Clearing your cache forces your browser to download the most recent version of the page. So clear it again and see if the websites load properly. They may take a few more seconds to reload all the information, but it shouldn't be much more than that, unless you have a painfully slow internet connection.
knew2mack said:
what do I need to do on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, maintenance wise, to keep my machine working at tip top shape???
Click to expand...
There's no maintenance you need to do on a regular basis, to keep your Mac running efficiently. Just run Software Update and install updates as they become available.
 
Last edited:
knew2mack

knew2mack

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 20, 2009
188
1
The Beach
Thank you so much for your advice. You really helped to to understand this issue. I want to clear my cache again, as you suggest, but now I'm a little confused (Imagine that....:confused: ) regarding whether or not I need to do so from my browser? I originally cleared it, while I was in Safari. Afterward, as I said, pages took longer to load, did not load at all or loaded half of a page....well, now I can't even open Safari. I try to and it will close unexpectedly, along with an option to 'report' 'relaunch' or 'ignore'.....
WHAT TO DO?????

Next, you say that it's optional and doesn't matter either way if I do or do not, clear my cache or (is it...) empty cookies?? Based on your experience, if you didn't know much, used the internet A LOT, without doing anything with the cookies in 3 years, what would you do? regarding cookies?

thank you once again....strange, i feel like I almost know you.....you have answered just about every question, if not all of them, and taught me a lot...for that - I thank you!!
peace
 
knew2mack

knew2mack

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 20, 2009
188
1
The Beach
TO - GGJ,

I was looking thru some of my other threads and saw where you had written to me, again, regarding the cache/cookie questions... in the old post you said that they don't take up space on the computer....I did not know this!!!!

Is there a way for me to find out what items I may have on the computer that I don't need, as it is taking up space?? Something that can just be removed??

again
thanks so much
DG ;)
 
GGJstudios

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
knew2mack said:
TO - GGJ,

I was looking thru some of my other threads and saw where you had written to me, again, regarding the cache/cookie questions... in the old post you said that they don't take up space on the computer....I did not know this!!!!

Is there a way for me to find out what items I may have on the computer that I don't need, as it is taking up space?? Something that can just be removed??

again
thanks so much
DG ;)
Click to expand...
OK, first, the cache items DO take up space on your hard drive. How much is determined by what sites you've visited, the types of items (images take up more space than text, for example). Cookies DO take up space, but very little, as cookies are basically small text files. I most likely said they don't take up MUCH space.

Yes, you can clear cookies and cache from Safari, and I recommend you do so, especially if you haven't in a very long time. Yes, after you clear the cache and cookies, websites might take a bit longer to load because it takes time to re-cache the site, but after that, things should speed up. If Safari isn't launching at all, try a reboot.

If you want to see what files are taking up space on your hard drive, use Disk Inventory X or Grand Perspective.
 
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