Disk cleanup and defrag. Is it required or not?

[MacGurl111]

There is so many mixed information all over the internet. I am a little annoyed. So it's either do you need it or not? I am new to Mac. I need to make sure my computer is taken well care of. I don't want it to have files and things all over the place in the next 6 months and something happens. I don't download anything. it's all basic use. Internet, iWorks and iTunes. That's it.

Windows you need it for sure. Used windows for over who knows how many years. BUT with a MAC no one can give a definite answer? Why is that? I getting confused and getting annoyed. First someone said that you don't need it as the computer does it for you 'overnight'. Then, there is some who says to do it every 2 weeks?

 

[alexh123drum]

I'm no expert but as far as I know you do not need to defrag on a mac. I believe this is because OSX doesn't fragment in the first place.

As far as cleaning goes, Im sure cleaning out temporary files and some caches and stuff could be done if you wanted.

 

[BlueRevolution]

No you do not.

This thread is repeated once a month or so. I'm sure you'll come up with many more informative responses if you do a search.

 

[Gregg2]

I need to make sure my computer is taken well care of.

If it'll make you feel better, then do it. That's why I do it. I use TechTool Pro.

 

[Fishrrman]

Others will say you do not need to defrag. I've done it as matter of course, up from OS 9 into OS X. Works for me.

The best tool for this is "iDefrag".
For most defrag jobs, you have to boot from another volume as you can't defrag the startup drive.

For general "disk cleanup" tasks, try (for quick 'n' dirty execution of "cron" tasks) "MacJanitor".

For a more thorough cleaning, "CacheOut X" (sp?) is the tool to use.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

There is so many mixed information all over the internet. I am a little annoyed. So it's either do you need it or not? I am new to Mac. I need to make sure my computer is taken well care of. I don't want it to have files and things all over the place in the next 6 months and something happens. I don't download anything. it's all basic use. Internet, iWorks and iTunes. That's it.

Windows you need it for sure. Used windows for over who knows how many years. BUT with a MAC no one can give a definite answer? Why is that? I getting confused and getting annoyed. First someone said that you don't need it as the computer does it for you 'overnight'. Then, there is some who says to do it every 2 weeks?

Seriously don't worry about it. It's more of a personal preference. I have never defragged a Mac and never had any problems. As for 'cleaning' thats not really needed either. Basically if you install an app, the app is installed in your app folder, a preference file is created in Preferences folder and there may be a few support files in the application support folder. Nothing major to worry about.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Truth be told, the Mac file system (HFS Plus) auto-defragments any file smaller than 10MB. The technique used is a hot file area on the disk, used for files that have been recently accessed. Any file in this area is automatically defragmented as it is copied in. Files larger than the 10MB limit CAN become fragmented - for fixing these iDefrag works, as do several other methods.

 

[akm3]

Well everyone says it's not necessary.

My Macbook Pro has become somewhat sluggish. Example, clicking on a song in iTunes to start it playing used to happen near immediately now it takes 2-3 seconds before it starts playing while I get a becahball.

If it ISN'T fragmentation, is it just that my iTunes is larger? Same for iPhoto, and many tasks that used to happen near immediately are now 2-3 second delays. I have upgraded to Snow Leopard.

If it isn't fragmentation, what can / should I do to speed up my machine back to closer how it was out of the box? If it is just 'iPhoto is bigger thus slower, iTunes is bigger thus slower' then OK, but if it isn't, other then format reinstall (one of the main reasons I left Windows) that what?

 

[Patrick J]

Movie files, big photos and other big files can become fragmented. iDefrag is the best tool for defragging.

For cleaning up your mac, I recommend Clean My Mac (here, or here): Apart from cleaning temporary caches and log files, it slims Universal Binaries and trashes application's unneeded languages (which you choose). My 5 month old Snow Leopard install slimmed over 5GB.
Now I am aware that you can achieve the same effect with free apps (Monolingual, etc), but Clean my Mac makes it much more easy and automatic. And a nice touch: it tweets to your twitter account that your mac is now clean and you saved "x" GB of disk space.

 

[BlueRevolution]

And a nice touch: it tweets to your twitter account that your mac is now clean and you saved "x" GB of disk space.

In other words, it tweets that you purchased and successfully used product X. Great. I'm delighted that my software will make use of my social networking to promote itself for free.