Been using my new macbook for 4 days now...

[candychunk]

and I'm loving it! but I do have some questions...

I've been a PC user for half of my life.... and I know that PCs are virus magnet... but macs do get virus too right? rarely, but they do... so what kind of anti-virus, clean up software, or whatever you have in your mac? do we also need to defragment? i also used to have this software called "window washer", it cleans unecessary files, washes traces of activities and such...

here's the description (from their website):

Windows Vista Compatible
Expanded application cleaning for over 470 3rd party programs
Updated interface makes it faster and easier to keep your privacy
Erases tracks of sites you've visited
Removes thousands of unnecessary files
Increases computer performance
Securely removes files using government standards
Highly rated by independent reviews
Can be set to clean your computer on a regular schedule

in short, I just want something to keep my macbook clean inside and out...

(i also access my bank accounts so im kinda worried about someone getting my infos... i do know there's private browsing, but is that enough?)

 

[~J~]

Regardless of what we would all like to think... OSX is NOT impervious to hackers & viruses. Norton is updating their protection suite for Leopard, as soon as they do, I will be getting that. I know there are other options, but Norton is the only one Ive used for PC or Mac.

As for defrag... since OSX is linux-based... by definition, it doesnt really need it. The way it handles files and the tree structure is such that a defrag provides no real benefit.

To keep your data clean, when you un-install a program, do a search for anything associated with that program in finder, and drag everything to the trash... yes, its that easy.

For the outside... I use iKlear... its a spray/rag combo that keeps my aluminum MBP & the screen looking like brand new. Ive had my MBP for over a year now, and people ask me if its the new model all the time.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

and I'm loving it! but I do have some questions...

I've been a PC user for half of my life.... and I know that PCs are virus magnet... but macs do get virus too right? rarely, but they do... so what kind of anti-virus, clean up software, or whatever you have in your mac? do we also need to defragment? i also used to have this software called "window washer", it cleans unecessary files, washes traces of activities and such...

here's the description (from their website):



in short, I just want something to keep my macbook clean inside and out...

Fortunately, you don't have to defragment. The Mac OS handles this task for you. Don't worry about viruses and other malware, either - there are only a few that target Mac OS X, and none of these can replicate, like the Windows worms of recent history can.

The primary maintenance tasks are either handled automatically by the Mac OS, or are very easy to run manually, such as repairing permissions (this can be done from Disk Utility - just select the disk to fix and click Repair Permissions).

 

[Makosuke]

Currently there are no viruses for OSX. At all. There are a few trojans, and Word documents can at the very least pass around macro viruses (though they generally do no damage on the Mac version of Word), and there will definitely be an OSX virus some day, but right now it's not much of an issue. Actually, if you don't download questionable things and are reasonably careful with your computing, it's not an issue at all.

However, if you want to run some antivirus software, ClamAV is free and works pretty well--at the very least it's unobtrusive and has caught the handful of Word macro viruses I've seen pass by me. The "big name" antivirus apps (Virex et al) seem to cause more problems than they solve (causing crashes or corrupting files), so are probably not worth it at this point.

As for the more "general" maintenance, most of it is automatic. The MacOS does basic defragmentation automatically, so that's not necessary unless you work with a lot of huge files (say, a lot of video capture), and your drive is usually almost full. I haven't defragged anything in years and I haven't seen any issues on the Macs I manage.

Deleting the "junk" files is mainly log files and temp files, both of which the MacOS does automatically. You can find something that runs the daily/weekly/monthly tasks manually, but it's really not necessary since they happen automatically anyway. The only other potential "unnecessary" files are the mess of obscure printer drivers and language translations that are installed by default, but that's probably not worth it. If you do want to get rid of them, just do an archive and (re-)install of the OS and deselect everything you don't want in the installer--that's the safest way.

If you want to clean out browser history/caches, Safari, Firefox, and Camino all have menu options to do either or both, so that's easy enough.

The only other maintenance is that you should repair permissions using Disk Utility (in the Utilities folder) once in a rare while--after you install any major software or OS updates. You can boot from the DVD that came with the computer to check the directory structure with Disk Utility as well, or if you prefer you can pay for DiskWarrior, TechToolPro (or TechTool Deluxe that comes with Applecare), or another(?) drive maintenance app if you really want.

There's basically a lot less to worry about, though.

 

[candychunk]

thanks everyone... i knew i wouldnt need those, i was just making sure because it seemed too easy compare to PCs... LOL

also, how long have you guys had your macs? have you ever had a sudden problem with yours? like it just totally died or something? i didnt purchase an apple care... i dont travel (maybe just once a year), and im extremely careful with my toys... what do you think? should i still buy one? i just dont wanna waste my $200 something... im getting poor... lol

 

[admiraldennis]

thanks everyone... i knew i wouldnt need those, i was just making sure because it seemed too easy compare to PCs... LOL

also, how long have you guys had your macs? have you ever had a sudden problem with yours? like it just totally died or something? i didnt purchase an apple care... i dont travel (maybe just once a year), and im extremely careful with my toys... what do you think? should i still buy one? i just dont wanna waste my $200 something... im getting poor... lol

How long? Well my newest (rev 1.5 MBP) is a year and a half old, but my oldest is over 14 years old and still works

I consider AppleCare essential for laptops.

Even if you are careful, anecdotal evidence shows that the compact and portable nature of laptops makes them more susceptible to problems. I've owned a decent number of Apple laptops and desktops over the years. I've sent in every single Mac laptop i've owned for repairs at one point or another, while I can only recall one instance of a desktop needing repair.

 

[iHerzeleid]

As for defrag... since OSX is linux-based... by definition, it doesnt really need it. The way it handles files and the tree structure is such that a defrag provides no real benefit.

OS X isn't based on Linux at all. Mac OS X is based on the Mach kernel and is derived from the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) implementation of Unix in Nextstep.

 

[skwij]

Try eBay for Applecare. That's where I got mine for, and it was under $100. Registered just fine, too.

Even if I never have to use it, the peace of mind is great.

 

[LouisBlack]

OSX is NOT impervious to hackers & viruses. Norton is updating their protection suite for Leopard, as soon as they do, I will be getting that. I know there are other options, but Norton is the only one Ive used for PC or Mac.

Do NOT buy Norton for Mac. It's awful.

As people have mentioned, there are no real viruses in the wild. The only threat at the moment is a trojan that masquerades as a video codec.

I have had my Powerbook for 6 years with no need to run antivirus software. Just make sure you know what you're clicking on...

Have fun with your mac!

 

[compuwar]

OS X isn't based on Linux at all. Mac OS X is based on the Mach kernel and is derived from the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) implementation of Unix in Nextstep.

More importantly, OSX has (by default) an HFS+ filesystem, which isn't in any other *nix distribution natively. It's the filesystem and associated tools that determine if you need to defrag, not the system's lineage.

 

[compuwar]

I've been a PC user for half of my life.... and I know that PCs are virus magnet... but macs do get virus too right? rarely, but they do... so what kind of anti-virus, clean up software, or whatever you have in your mac?

While there are no "wild" viruses for OSX-based Macs, contrary to popular opinion, worms, Trojans and Spyware exist and function. There's just so little of it that if you're not doing P2P file sharing, don't install software from untrusted sources and don't have someone targeting you, your chances of getting bitten are extremely low. I recommend backing your complete system up to a large external hard drive that's not connected except when backing up. I prefer Super Duper! for backups, as it does more of the right thing than anything else in terms of cloning a drive for external booting should something go wrong.

I'd definitely recommend AppleCare, it's worth the money and just put the money you would have put into AV and anti-Spyware into it.

 

[byakuya]

thanks everyone... i knew i wouldnt need those, i was just making sure because it seemed too easy compare to PCs... LOL

also, how long have you guys had your macs? have you ever had a sudden problem with yours? like it just totally died or something? i didnt purchase an apple care... i dont travel (maybe just once a year), and im extremely careful with my toys... what do you think? should i still buy one? i just dont wanna waste my $200 something... im getting poor... lol

the only problem I really had (besides a hardware defect) was the constant kernel panics caused by logitech drivers (if you are a logitech mouse owner don't install the mac drivers!!!)
this happened to me when I was still fresh in the mac world and I really didn't know what to do so I clean installed tiger twice back then LOL...
fortunately, there was a thread here about the drivers...otherwise I probably would have clean installed another two times for sure

as for applecare...I definitely recommend purchasing one...they aren't that expensive if you buy them online...I bought mine for the macbook for 145$ on ebay.

 

[Makosuke]

I wouldn't agree that AppleCare for laptops is essential, but as said, I totally agree that it's a very good idea--given the "tight" nature of laptops making them somewhat more prone to hardware problems and the fact that just about ANY repair to a laptop costs a fortune (bad video chip? New logic board, $500+. Bad processor? New logic board, $500+. Anything with the screen? $500+. Bad keyboard? New upper case, $200.), the relatively low price of AppleCare is probably worth it.

Plus, you do get a copy of TechTool Deluxe with it, which is handy for basic hardware checks if you're having problems or paranoid (RAM test, processor diagnostics, etc), and can do somewhat more effective drive/directory repair than Disk Utility. So, it's not a total waste even if you don't end up needing anything fixed.

By way of anecdotal evidence, I have a heavily-used (but not so heavily traveled) MBP for a year and a half, which has had no hardware problems but did need the power brick and battery replaced. I manage an office with about a dozen desktop Macs and a couple of laptops, which in the past 8 years have had a couple of failed hard drives (after a LONG time), but no other hardware failures at all, including systems in heavy use for nearly 7 years now. Certainly reliable in my experience.