Mac Maintenance

[celaurie]

Okay, here I am in my eleventh year of using Macs and I still need reassurance as to things I should be doing to keep my Mac healthy.

Personally, I use Disk Warrior to defrag/optimise my hard disk Performance at least once a month.

I also repair the disk permissions on an infrequent basis, as advised by an Apple tech, "this should be done after installing core software or new iApps" - but why? I do it, I'm really not sure what it does...

Oh, and what do I do with V-RAM. Do I need to reset that on my iBook? I remember from my desktop days on 9 that whole start-up key combo and then there was the one for rebuilding the desktop... @.@

What does the community do to keep things ticking over nicely? What apps are best to use? Is there anything I should be doing that I'm not?

Chris

 

[macphoria]

I personally use Micromat's Tech Tool Pro 3.7 every once in a while to keep my Mac healthy. But I've heard DiskWarrior is as good as any disk utility, if not better.

I've checked on Alsoft website but they don't seem to have Mac OS X native version of DiskWarrior yet. So I'm looking forward to Tech Tool Pro 4 which is OS X native AND also has special boot key which allows you to perform various disk utility tasks without inserting a boot disc.

 

[MacBandit]

Re: Mac Maintenance

Originally posted by celaurie
Okay, here I am in my eleventh year of using Macs and I still need reassurance as to things I should be doing to keep my Mac healthy.

Personally, I use Disk Warrior to defrag/optimise my hard disk Performance at least once a month.

I also repair the disk permissions on an infrequent basis, as advised by an Apple tech, "this should be done after installing core software or new iApps" - but why? I do it, I'm really not sure what it does...

Oh, and what do I do with V-RAM. Do I need to reset that on my iBook? I remember from my desktop days on 9 that whole start-up key combo and then there was the one for rebuilding the desktop... @.@

What does the community do to keep things ticking over nicely? What apps are best to use? Is there anything I should be doing that I'm not?

Chris

Firstly disk permissions are what allows different parts of the system to have permission to use files on other parts of the system. Without them the system would be insecure such as OS9 is and anyone or thing can use anything and everything is in chaos. For some reason the permissions get corrupted on occasion. If you are noticing any weird behaviors from OSX repair the disk permissions. Simple as that.

After you do that on startup hold down the apple and S keys to go into single user mode. This looks like some DOS dungeon of horrors to a Mac user. Don't be afraid it's just the UNIX BSD underpinnings coming out to give you MORE POWER. Once in there perform the command, "FSCK -Y" exactly as typed with the space. If it comes up with an error rerun it until it doesn't come up with an error. Once you have completed that you can type, "REBOOT," to escape the dungeon.


Okay about the VRAM it's not the VRAM that you are thinking of it's the PRAM. AKA Perimeter RAM. It's the ram that keeps remembers certain system preferences. I don't know if it's necessary to flash this with OSX though it's still possible to do. If you perform a format or reinstall the system it couldn't hurt to do it. Also if you system will not start or some other sort demonic possession has taken over go ahead and do it. Hold the Apple-Option-P-R keys until you have heard the startup chime at least 3 times then release and let the system startup normally.


Other than that DiskWarrior, Permissions Repair, and FSCK should take care of nearly anything though I have noticed a slow down with each progressive system update that only seems repairable with a complete system reinstall.

Last but not least never ever use Norton Utilities programs or at least until they update them for OSX from the ground up. The current hack and patch that they call OSX compatible does way more harm then good.

 

[benixau]

Re: Re: Mac Maintenance

Originally posted by MacBandit
Last but not least never ever use Norton Utilities programs or at least until they update them for OSX from the ground up. The current hack and patch that they call OSX compatible does way more harm then good.

I think apple should post this on their hoome page in 512 point letters (sans-serif of course). how true, how true .....

 

[irmongoose]

What exactly does rebuilding the desktop do? I never got around to learning anything about that...



irmongoose

 

[bousozoku]

Originally posted by irmongoose
What exactly does rebuilding the desktop do? I never got around to learning anything about that...

irmongoose

Since the beginning, Apple has maintained a database of creator and document codes. For example, APPL is an application and TEXT is a Simple Text/Teach Text write-able document--TTRO is the read-only version.

This database is a part of every Mac OS prior to X. It defines what application will open a certain document. It also keeps track of the icons that correspond to each application and document type.

When you re-build the desktop, it reads all of the creator and document codes, cross-references those with applications on the machine and updates the desktop database with any changes.

 

[howard]

Re: Re: Mac Maintenance

Originally posted by MacBandit


Last but not least never ever use Norton Utilities programs or at least until they update them for OSX from the ground up. The current hack and patch that they call OSX compatible does way more harm then good.

i've been using norton antivirus and there hasn't seen to be any problems with it. what should i be looking out for?

 

[MacBandit]

Re: Re: Re: Mac Maintenance

Originally posted by howard
i've been using norton antivirus and there hasn't seen to be any problems with it. what should i be looking out for?

I doubt antivirus will cause any problems. I'm specifically referring to Norton Utility programs such as System Works, etc..

 

[celaurie]

Re: Re: Mac Maintenance

Originally posted by MacBandit
Firstly disk permissions are what allows different parts of the system to have permission to use files on other parts of the system. Without them the system would be insecure such as OS9 is and anyone or thing can use anything and everything is in chaos. For some reason the permissions get corrupted on occasion. If you are noticing any weird behaviors from OSX repair the disk permissions. Simple as that.

Well, that clears that up. I had an inclining. But now I know for sure.

After you do that on startup hold down the apple and S keys to go into single user mode. This looks like some DOS dungeon of horrors to a Mac user. Don't be afraid it's just the UNIX BSD underpinnings coming out to give you MORE POWER. Once in there perform the command, "FSCK -Y" exactly as typed with the space. If it comes up with an error rerun it until it doesn't come up with an error. Once you have completed that you can type, "REBOOT," to escape the dungeon.

So, what does going into the 'dungeon' do? I mean, does this do the same thing for the Unix set-up as the file permission thing does for OS X? Or something completely different?

In case you hadn't noticed I'm not too technically minded, but like an inqusitive child, I do have to know why all the time!

Okay, about the VRAM it's not the VRAM that you are thinking of it's the PRAM. AKA Perimeter RAM. It's the ram that keeps remembers certain system preferences. I don't know if it's necessary to flash this with OSX though it's still possible to do. If you perform a format or reinstall the system it couldn't hurt to do it. Also if you system will not start or some other sort demonic possession has taken over go ahead and do it. Hold the Apple-Option-P-R keys until you have heard the startup chime at least 3 times then release and let the system startup normally.

I did mean P-RAM. It was late and I was babbling. Sorry for my mistook.

Last but not least never ever use Norton Utilities programs or at least until they update them for OSX from the ground up. The current hack and patch that they call OSX compatible does way more harm then good.

Interesting. I was always brought up to believe Norton was the 'bees-knees' as far as fixers go. But I take the comments about it not being properly OS X'd. Fortunatley, I haven't invested in a copy of it for many-a-year.

Thanks for your help!

Chris, the enlightened one.

 

[MacBandit]

Re: Re: Re: Mac Maintenance

Originally posted by celaurie
So, what does going into the 'dungeon' do? I mean, does this do the same thing for the Unix set-up as the file permission thing does for OS X? Or something completely different?

Thanks for your help!

Chris, the enlightened one.

I just called it the 'dungeon' because it's so DOS like. Really what you are doing is accessing the Single User mode in the BSD system. It's basically a unix terminal. Okay the FSCK command stands for File System Check. It's very similar to opening Disk Utility and running a repair. The difference is you are doing it at the bottom of the system rather then the top which allows it to do a more thorough check and repair. The -Y command tells it to answer yes to all questions it may pop up with. Basically your telling it yes I want to fix this or that.

Hope that answers your question.

 

[celaurie]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Mac Maintenance

Originally posted by MacBandit


Hope that answers your question.

It does indeed!

*totters off to do said deed*

Thanks again!

Chris, the chuffed.

 

[MacBandit]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mac Maintenance

Originally posted by celaurie
It does indeed!

*totters off to do said deed*

Thanks again!

Chris, the chuffed.

You're very welcome. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. I will do my best to answer or point you in the direction of an answer. This is the main reason I visit these boards.

 

[iFred]

I found this useful...

http://www.macattorney.com/tutorial.html