Mac monthly maintenance?

[-aggie-]

Thanks for the reply, and yes, the maintenance on a PC is a pain!!

You don't need to do this monthly maintenance on a PC either.

 

[Dan73]

You don't need to do this monthly maintenance on a PC either.

This is what I was thinking, my desktop the only thing I do is Defrag every few months (Although by default Defrag is turned on to do it automatically) and I don't remember the last time I shut it off, I just put it to sleep.

 

[Patrick J]

Os X doesn't defrag big files (like digital video files), as I recently found out when I was trying to create a bootcamp partition (Mac needs a clean swoop for the new partiton). I had to buy iDefrag and boot off the DVD to defrag it.

 

[BlueRevolution]

Os X doesn't defrag big files (like digital video files), as I recently found out when I was trying to create a bootcamp partition (Mac needs a clean swoop for the new partiton). I had to buy iDefrag and boot off the DVD to defrag it.

Yeah, that's the one reason to defrag a Mac: live partitioning. Disk Utility should be able to automatically defrag when you partition rather than dying with meaningless errors. Not very Apple-like.

 

[polotska]

No ongoing preventative maintenance should be necessary.

 

[AV8TOR]

Checking and repairing permissions (a 5-10 minute process) is recommended after certain types of software installs and any system updates -- that's about all the regular maintenance your Mac needs.

Would you please explain this more, like what certain types of software installs?
As for the checking and repairing just click the verify and if something pops up then do the repair otherwise leave it alone.

 

[splitpea]

Would you please explain this more, like what certain types of software installs?

You don't have to do anything for drag-and-drop installs, but anything that uses an installer or comes through Apple's Software Update has the potential to make changes that will require a permissions repair.

 

[GGJstudios]

Would you please explain this more, like what certain types of software installs?
As for the checking and repairing just click the verify and if something pops up then do the repair otherwise leave it alone.

I've never had to repair permissions, even when using installer packages or Apple Software Update. You really don't have to worry about it, unless you start experiencing problems. There's no need to repair something that isn't damaged.

 

[JRoDDz]

You will also find that you don't need to turn it off that often (unless you want to). I remeber thinking this was very strange when I first got my mac.

I never turn off my iMac. I just put it to sleep.

 

[ayeying]

What defrag program do you recommend? thanks.

iDefrag, Online mode when I don't have that much defrag to do. If the drive's heavily fragged, I just clone then reclone back.

 

[Patrick J]

What defrag program do you recommend? thanks.

iDefrag, with a Compact option for heavy defrag, or Live for quick jobs