Hidden Utilities

[Dolphins1972]

I recently read an article online about 2019 MP PCIe configurations because I'm thinking about adding SSD storage in RAID 0 with a Sonnet 4 x 4 M.2 PCIe card. I'm not willing to spend $3000.00 on an Apple 8TB SSD module.

Anyway, in the article it mentions the Expansion Slot Utility app. Huh? where's that on my machine, I asked myself? It's not in the easily accessible Applications folder, it's not in the Utilities folder. That's because it's hidden along with 11 other utilities, see screenshots.

What the hell, Apple? Why you hiding stuff from me?

 

[MacPeasant123]

Hi there, thanks for sharing this. I didn't know about this before.

Based on your screenshot, the path to that folder on my Mac is:

Macintosh HD > System > Library > CoreServices > Applications

 

[Dolphins1972]

Hi there, thanks for sharing this. I didn't know about this before.

Based on your screenshot, the path to that folder on my Mac is:

Macintosh HD > System > Library > CoreServices > Applications

I can confirm it is also on my 5,1 with Monterey.

 

[mattspace]

What the hell, Apple? Why you hiding stuff from me?

These are effectively applications launched by other applications, eg System Settings, etc.

 

[Dolphins1972]

These are effectively applications launched by other applications, eg System Settings, etc.

Since posting this, I have found a way to access the Expansion Slot Utility app which is a bit different from the instructions here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/101640?cid=macOS_UI_PCIe_article_HT210104

IMO, utilities should be in the Utilities folder, not hidden.

For instance, to access the Keychain app you need to search for it in Spotlight. I don't how else to open it?

View the information stored in a keychain on Mac

In Keychain Access on your Mac, you can view keys, certificates, or other information stored in a keychain.

support.apple.com

 

[Adora]

Those are also still in 15.4 Beta:

 

[Dolphins1972]

Those are also still in 15.4 Beta:

After a little research, there are 3 Application folders in MacOS.

/Applications (Main Applications Folder)

~/Applications (User-Specific Applications Folder)

/System/Applications (System Applications Folder)

The Keychain App used to be the Utilities folder (I think as recent as Mojave) but was moved to System Application Folder.

I'm sure this is common knowledge to some but it wasn't for me until recently.

 

[Morod]

In Sequoia 15.6.1, the Keychain Access app that was in Utilities is no longer there. I found it using Spotlight but that was the only way I found it. I recently moved to Sequoia and this kinda sucks!

 

[haddy]

I can confirm it is also on my 5,1 with Monterey.

Well it doesn't on my Studio Ultra with Monterey. Maybe because my startup disk is an external SSD [990 Pro 4TB]
Haven't tried it with the internal Macintosh HD.

 

[SDAVE]

In Sequoia 15.6.1, the Keychain Access app that was in Utilities is no longer there. I found it using Spotlight but that was the only way I found it. I recently moved to Sequoia and this kinda sucks!

It's still there, although Apple introduced a new app called 'passwords' to supplement it.

 

[Flint Ironstag]

This is the kind of trivia you learn when you get Apple certified.