The Hammer
macrumors 6502
Do you have Windows on your machine?
Does anyone use extra antivirus software?
- Thread starter iRach
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No.
forcefieldkid
macrumors 6502
Do you ever repair permissions in Disc Utility?
Yes, I re-booted, ran disk utility and repaired the broken permissions.
I then ran ClamX
pilot1226
macrumors 6502a
I also second ClamXav, it's a great program I've used for a long time.
Vortexboy, you can consider googling a program called Onyx, which will let you get into the meat and potatoes of the computer processes. I recently had an issue with my iBook G4 (Mid `05) getting slow and bogged down, and it turned out because of all the P2P backups I've done over the last few years I was slowly running out of disk space, and OSX seems like it's a virtual memory hog. When your computer uses all of the available physical memory, it'll make a swapfile (virtual memory) on your hard drive. If you don't have a lot of space remaining on your hard drive, this can result in performance issues.
So, I completely reformat (after backing up to a DVD, of course) and zeroed the disk out, starting fresh. I now have around 45 GB free of the original 60 and performance is better than I can remember from recent years.
If you download Onyx, you have the option to get rid of unwanted languages to free up disk space, as well. For example, I deleted everything but English (US) on my Mac. You can also run an optimizer script (some installers will run this after their app installs) in one of the tabs.
Next, keep in mind that while Macs generally don't have to be restarted nearly as often as my experience with Windows PC's, it's still a good idea to let it reboot every couple days.
And lastly, as was pointed out above, run your Repair Disk Permissions about once a week.
Vortexboy, you can consider googling a program called Onyx, which will let you get into the meat and potatoes of the computer processes. I recently had an issue with my iBook G4 (Mid `05) getting slow and bogged down, and it turned out because of all the P2P backups I've done over the last few years I was slowly running out of disk space, and OSX seems like it's a virtual memory hog. When your computer uses all of the available physical memory, it'll make a swapfile (virtual memory) on your hard drive. If you don't have a lot of space remaining on your hard drive, this can result in performance issues.
So, I completely reformat (after backing up to a DVD, of course) and zeroed the disk out, starting fresh. I now have around 45 GB free of the original 60 and performance is better than I can remember from recent years.
If you download Onyx, you have the option to get rid of unwanted languages to free up disk space, as well. For example, I deleted everything but English (US) on my Mac. You can also run an optimizer script (some installers will run this after their app installs) in one of the tabs.
Next, keep in mind that while Macs generally don't have to be restarted nearly as often as my experience with Windows PC's, it's still a good idea to let it reboot every couple days.
And lastly, as was pointed out above, run your Repair Disk Permissions about once a week.
Thanks.
Theres' plenty of disk space on both computers (many gigs) and we don't do any P2P malarkey.
I'm going to take these Macs to an Apple store and see if they find anything.
forcefieldkid
macrumors 6502
No offense but I think you're looking at this the wrong way. It sounds like a performance issue after 6 years, if you havent been doing routine housekeeping.
If you havent repaired permissions ever, or for a long time, do it a few times.. I went for more than 10 on an old Power Mac that hadnt had it done in ages, and I immediately noticed a speed up when I restarted. Also Onyx isnt just for freeing up disc space, its a general housekeeping tool that will clear caches and other files that build up which will clog up your system over time and cause the symptoms and slowdown that you're experiencing.
I would try all of these things, give it a truly thorough clean out, then see if it still persists before assuming you have some virus or corrupted disc and taking it to Apple, since they may well tell you the same things as here.
If you havent repaired permissions ever, or for a long time, do it a few times.. I went for more than 10 on an old Power Mac that hadnt had it done in ages, and I immediately noticed a speed up when I restarted. Also Onyx isnt just for freeing up disc space, its a general housekeeping tool that will clear caches and other files that build up which will clog up your system over time and cause the symptoms and slowdown that you're experiencing.
I would try all of these things, give it a truly thorough clean out, then see if it still persists before assuming you have some virus or corrupted disc and taking it to Apple, since they may well tell you the same things as here.
pilot1226
macrumors 6502a
Well, don't take P2P as me downloading music and video files, because that's not what we're doing.
Instead of using a standalone external HDD, we have a backup script that I made that essentially backs up our desktop and other laptop (Windows Machines) My Documents Folder and my iBook's Documents folder onto each other's computers. This way, we have all our data on 3 hard disks should one of them fail.
I also have them burned to a DVD as well, but as some people point out, even IF you verify the data, it's very possible that as time progresses (read: years) the disk will become corrupted.
The best solution is of course 2 redundant external HDDs as some people have posted on the forum where you keep one at work (offsite) and one home where you are constantly keeping the one at home up to date, then every month you switch off, so worst case scenario you're a month back from where you were today if you suffered a catastrophic (fire, flood, etc.) loss. If you're paranoid like me, swap them every week.
But, the reason I do the P2P backup is because I don't feel like dropping 200-300 on external HDD's yet.
Here's an image of what I'm doing:
I'm sharing the same information with other PEERS on my network, rather than having them on a centralized location, like an external hard drive. This results in me using MORE space on my network, but having more redundancy. This is fine as long as you have the space to keep it all. My Mac stuff is saved in a folder on the Win Laptop and the Win Desktop (taking double the space), and the same rule applies to the Laptop and Desktop, respectively.
This is an image of a typical "client-server" backup, where all the data is consolidated in one location. This is fine as long as you have a backup of a backup in case the backup itself fails.
Instead of using a standalone external HDD, we have a backup script that I made that essentially backs up our desktop and other laptop (Windows Machines) My Documents Folder and my iBook's Documents folder onto each other's computers. This way, we have all our data on 3 hard disks should one of them fail.
I also have them burned to a DVD as well, but as some people point out, even IF you verify the data, it's very possible that as time progresses (read: years) the disk will become corrupted.
The best solution is of course 2 redundant external HDDs as some people have posted on the forum where you keep one at work (offsite) and one home where you are constantly keeping the one at home up to date, then every month you switch off, so worst case scenario you're a month back from where you were today if you suffered a catastrophic (fire, flood, etc.) loss. If you're paranoid like me, swap them every week.
But, the reason I do the P2P backup is because I don't feel like dropping 200-300 on external HDD's yet.
Here's an image of what I'm doing:
I'm sharing the same information with other PEERS on my network, rather than having them on a centralized location, like an external hard drive. This results in me using MORE space on my network, but having more redundancy. This is fine as long as you have the space to keep it all. My Mac stuff is saved in a folder on the Win Laptop and the Win Desktop (taking double the space), and the same rule applies to the Laptop and Desktop, respectively.
This is an image of a typical "client-server" backup, where all the data is consolidated in one location. This is fine as long as you have a backup of a backup in case the backup itself fails.
I don't understand what you mean.
I replied to the poster about onyx based on what they said it helped them do.
I don't know that product and so I have no way of knowing what else it does.
I don't know what you mean about "looking at this the wrong way"?
How do you know what way I am looking at it or what maintenance I do with the Macs I have?
Well, don't take P2P as me downloading music and video files, because that's not what we're doing.
Instead of using a standalone external HDD, we have a backup script that I made that essentially backs up our desktop and other laptop (Windows Machines) My Documents Folder and my iBook's Documents folder onto each other's computers. This way, we have all our data on 3 hard disks should one of them fail.
I also have them burned to a DVD as well, but as some people point out, even IF you verify the data, it's very possible that as time progresses (read: years) the disk will become corrupted.
The best solution is of course 2 redundant external HDDs as some people have posted on the forum where you keep one at work (offsite) and one home where you are constantly keeping the one at home up to date, then every month you switch off, so worst case scenario you're a month back from where you were today if you suffered a catastrophic (fire, flood, etc.) loss. If you're paranoid like me, swap them every week.
But, the reason I do the P2P backup is because I don't feel like dropping 200-300 on external HDD's yet.
Here's an image of what I'm doing:
I'm sharing the same information with other PEERS on my network, rather than having them on a centralized location, like an external hard drive. This results in me using MORE space on my network, but having more redundancy. This is fine as long as you have the space to keep it all. My Mac stuff is saved in a folder on the Win Laptop and the Win Desktop (taking double the space), and the same rule applies to the Laptop and Desktop, respectively.
This is an image of a typical "client-server" backup, where all the data is consolidated in one location. This is fine as long as you have a backup of a backup in case the backup itself fails.
I was only going by what you said.
I have now idea if or how P2P affects a computer/storage etc.
I'm not uber techie
forcefieldkid
macrumors 6502
Well I don't, thats the point. I can only make an assumption based on the symptoms you've described and the fact you posted in a thread about anti-virus software. To me, it looked like a housekeeping issue in terms of performance, for which Ive suggested running Disc Permission Repair several times, cleaning and sorting your system and having a look at Onyx, in which all I was saying is that it does more and can do more for you performance wise than the previous poster was saying.
As I said, no offense was intended
Well I don't, thats the point. I can only make an assumption based on the symptoms you've described and the fact you posted in a thread about anti-virus software. To me, it looked like a housekeeping issue in terms of performance, for which Ive suggested running Disc Permission Repair several times, cleaning and sorting your system and having a look at Onyx, in which all I was saying is that it does more and can do more for you performance wise than the previous poster was saying.
As I said, no offense was intended
I wasn't offended, just puzzled at how you made the deducements that you did.
FYI - I do and have run disk utility regularly, and only a few times in 6 years has anything needed fixing and not much each time too.
I did say I had run it this time round too before your post.
pilot1226
macrumors 6502a
Just to reiterate what Forcefieldkid said.... Download Onyx and run a lot of the maintenance and other good housekeeping items on there. It's fairly straightforward to use and hopefully clearing out all your caches and junk will help the speed.
Alternatively, you can do an archive and install, but I'm not a big fan of those... It seems that A&I's are the go-to fix-it for the Apple techs.
Alternatively, you can do an archive and install, but I'm not a big fan of those... It seems that A&I's are the go-to fix-it for the Apple techs.
forcefieldkid
macrumors 6502
Ah, thanks maaaan!
forcefieldkid
macrumors 6502
No worries, good luck with it. Let us know if it helps,
OK. Have run the various elements in this program.
So far, I have not noticed much difference with my computing experience.
I am wondering if I should also clean out the base unit from any dust, as the fan seems a bit noisier than I remember it and it is working all the time - is this normal?
So far, I have not noticed much difference with my computing experience.
I am wondering if I should also clean out the base unit from any dust, as the fan seems a bit noisier than I remember it and it is working all the time - is this normal?
ClamX Newbie
I was worried an ex-boyfriend loaded some spy software onto my Macbook Pro. So an apple tech recommended I download ClamX to protect myself. Well, I did and scanned my whole computer. Now I have pages of Scan Logs, Console Messages, and a List of Infections. Unfortunately I could not find ANY basic information from Clamx on what to do next. Besides... we will not reccommend what to do with what you find, LOL! Since a few of you here in this thread seem to know what you are doing, can you give me a quick list on what to do next?? Or direct me to directions on what to do with what I have found. I would SO appreciate it. I know nothing about this, and although I consider myself an intelligent person, I cannot make heads or tails of what to do. Thank you very much for any info you can give me!
I was worried an ex-boyfriend loaded some spy software onto my Macbook Pro. So an apple tech recommended I download ClamX to protect myself. Well, I did and scanned my whole computer. Now I have pages of Scan Logs, Console Messages, and a List of Infections. Unfortunately I could not find ANY basic information from Clamx on what to do next. Besides... we will not reccommend what to do with what you find, LOL! Since a few of you here in this thread seem to know what you are doing, can you give me a quick list on what to do next?? Or direct me to directions on what to do with what I have found. I would SO appreciate it. I know nothing about this, and although I consider myself an intelligent person, I cannot make heads or tails of what to do. Thank you very much for any info you can give me!
GGJstudios
macrumors Westmere
ClamXav should automatically quarantine any malware. Chances are very high that any infections it found are Windows-based and can not affect your Mac in any way. The only exception would be something like a key logger that your ex manually installed, but those should be recognizable by name. If you can, post the list of infections here and we can tell you if any of them are cause for concern.I was worried an ex-boyfriend loaded some spy software onto my Macbook Pro. So an apple tech recommended I download ClamX to protect myself. Well, I did and scanned my whole computer. Now I have pages of Scan Logs, Console Messages, and a List of Infections. Unfortunately I could not find ANY basic information from Clamx on what to do next. Besides... we will not reccommend what to do with what you find, LOL! Since a few of you here in this thread seem to know what you are doing, can you give me a quick list on what to do next?? Or direct me to directions on what to do with what I have found. I would SO appreciate it. I know nothing about this, and although I consider myself an intelligent person, I cannot make heads or tails of what to do. Thank you very much for any info you can give me!
Mac Virus/Malware Info
List of Infections
Thanks GGJ for responding,
Here are the Infections... that came up. I do not think they went into the quarantine file, I need to set it up that way I think. But I did move them into the trash? Do you think that was okay?
Should I keep the program running, open all the time so that it catches stuff? Thanks for your time and help.
Trojan.VB-105
Trojan.VB-105
Trojan.Generic.Bredolab-2
Suspect.Trojan.Generic.FD-1
HTML.Phishing.Bank-627
Trojan.inject-3544
Html.phishing.B
Suspect.Trojan.G
Heutistics.Phishin
Rojan.Pakes-2443
Suspect.DoubleE
Suspect.Bredozip
Email.Torjan.GZC
Trojan.Agent-26
Thanks GGJ for responding,
Here are the Infections... that came up. I do not think they went into the quarantine file, I need to set it up that way I think. But I did move them into the trash? Do you think that was okay?
Should I keep the program running, open all the time so that it catches stuff? Thanks for your time and help.
Trojan.VB-105
Trojan.VB-105
Trojan.Generic.Bredolab-2
Suspect.Trojan.Generic.FD-1
HTML.Phishing.Bank-627
Trojan.inject-3544
Html.phishing.B
Suspect.Trojan.G
Heutistics.Phishin
Rojan.Pakes-2443
Suspect.DoubleE
Suspect.Bredozip
Email.Torjan.GZC
Trojan.Agent-26
GGJstudios
macrumors Westmere
None of those will have any adverse affect on your Mac. They're all Windows-related. Yes, you can trash them. No, you don't need to run antivirus software on your Mac. Read the link I posted for more information.