iMac Optimization

Do nothing.

I'm serious. I've had more trouble cause by "optimization" software then anything else. I wouldn't worry about anything unless something goes "wrong".

mrbenjazzle said:

Hi Guys,

Got a maxxed out 24" iMac on the way (3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB Memory, 1TB Hard Drive) which will be arriving in 2 weeks.

Just wondering if there is anything I can do to optimize performance and pro-long life on my iMac ready for hardcore music recording and editing, HD Video Editing, Photoshop, Web Design and Flash?

Would it be wise to run every single process included in the Onyx application as soon as set up is complete or should I wait till Applications and Music have been installed? Anything else to do to maximise performance and life of the iMac?

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You want to run Onyx on a brand new Mac?!? It's a maintenance program for use when your computer has seen significant use or abuse. Nothing really to be gained by running it on a new Mac.

Nothing will prolong the life of a computer better then a UPS with voltage regulation. Make sure everything you plug into your mac is also plugged into the UPS to prevent bad things from getting in to the mac through a peripheral or network cable.

Get yourself at a 1TB external FW800 or USB2 HDD for Timemachine.

Get yourself another external HDD for a scratch disk for your applications particularly video.

Eidorian said:

Do nothing.

Click to expand...

Pretty good advice. except that you will need to figure out how you are going to backup that 1TB internal disk. I'd recommend using Time Machine in addition to periodic conventional backups.

The external TM drive needs to be about 1.5 times the size of the data you want to back up

Also if you are editing HD video be sure and read the part in the Final Cut user manual about how to choose a video scratch disk. You will likely want a fast external drive just for this with a FW800 interface. You do NOT need to back up this drive

In addition to the TM drive you will want a couple hard drives for backups that you can rotate to some off-site location

mrbenjazzle said:

hardcore music recording and editing, HD Video Editing...

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Define 'hardcore' in the sense you are referring to?

If you mean consumer level, you should be fine.

If this is something approaching professional level, a Mac Pro would have been more appropriate with its 4+ HDD capacity (all at SATA speed), especially when it comes to HD editing above 720p. You'll get away with an iMac to a certain degree, but it will become frustrating if you attempt to deal with uncompressed data - the iMacs' single internal hard disk will be hammered and you'll only be left with a bottleneck of firewire with an external drive to deal with at vastly reduced transfer rates.

In terms of music, again you have the single sound card internally. There is also the option of an M-Audio Firewire Audiophile external sound unit or similar. Personally I'd define hardcore as someone who uses ProTools and needs PCI slots - again, Mac Pro only territory!

If cost was the deciding factor, you'll just have to work with what you can afford

mrbenjazzle said:

Hi Guys,

Got a maxxed out 24" iMac on the way (3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB Memory, 1TB Hard Drive) which will be arriving in 2 weeks.

Just wondering if there is anything I can do to optimize performance and pro-long life on my iMac ready for hardcore music recording and editing, HD Video Editing, Photoshop, Web Design and Flash?

Would it be wise to run every single process included in the Onyx application as soon as set up is complete or should I wait till Applications and Music have been installed? Anything else to do to maximise performance and life of the iMac?

Thankyou for any help!
Ben

Click to expand...

I would probably just chill - it's maxxed out hardware wise and you should be fine. I installed onyx on mine when I got it but only to customise certain features.

Good advice all around although he could use Xslimmer for some native apps that run unnecessary languages that he'll never use. My iMac is less than a year old but when I discovered xslimmer, my apps became very quick and responsive. Plus, he'll trim of a couple gigs in the process. Just a thought.

before using a program like onyx, u should make sure you know what it does and why u are using it.

Re backing up your TBs

I concur with using the MacPro but if you can't afford one - I highly recommend the Drobo to back up all your data. I bought one in Sep 08 with 1TB sata drive (I didn't realize you are supposed to have 2 drives because the drobo backs up your data 2x in case one drive fails which has happened to me before with a Lacie external less than 7 days after the 1 year warranty ran out and when I called Lacie - they asked "where's your backup drive" and I said "this is my bloody backup"). Anyway, I now have 3 TB drives on my Drobo that does automatic backups with Time Machine software and it is sweet. I also back up my laptop on it (just plug in the firewire - it knows where to store). I have recovered data perfectly. Drobo is expandable to 16 TB whenever we get there and its just plug in the drive and forget it, plus it makes no noise, cool to the touch - you don't even know it's there. (the Drobo wireless gizmo (purchased separately) at this time does not work with Time Machine so don't waste your money).

EVERYTHING electronic you own - use a UPS battery back-up. I live in a place with voltage spikes and also use a line conditioner. I recently had a DVR harddrive blow in a security camera system and the company replaced it because I could prove it was a defective drive and not due to electricity.