Mac OS X Cleaning app

saurya_s · 03-15-2005, 07:14 PM

Hi all
I have been playing quite a lot with OS X by installing different apps and removing them Is there an easy program which could just cleanup and optmise my system without putting any risk of damaging any installation etc?
Thanks
S

Raven · 03-16-2005, 09:47 AM

Doing a reinstall does just install a new system without removing your apps or personnal files... Or with an Archive and install, you would simply have to copy back your apps and documents out of the archive to the new system installation...
Those would be the best ways to clean it up and is rather fast.

zaj · 03-16-2005, 12:11 PM

You might want to look at onyx which can be found at www.macupdate.com

IHMO very good program to clean and maintain my powerbook

Norm Nager · 03-16-2005, 01:04 PM

1. Unless you keep your computer awake 24/7 so Apple's daily, weekly, and monthly cron maintenance is done (OS X does it automatically, but only in the wee hours of the morning), look into shareware such as Macaroni, which automates these tasks. Macaroni also can be programmed to regularly Repair Permissions and remove those foreign languages you don't use.

2. If your volumes are Journalized (check in Disk Utility), OS X is preventing the need for the kind of optimization we used to do. You only need to optimize if the hard drive free space for any volume gets down to less than 15% free, contiguous space.

3. If you need to optimize/defrag, the gold standard for safety is to first back up to CDs, DVDs or other media and or clone/duplicate to another hard drive. I like duplicating to another drive because it gives me an instantly bootable boot volume.

4. I worked out 9 steps for safe, effective optimizaiton and/or defragmentation while donating my time to beta test TechTool Pro 4.0.0-4.0.3 versions, including TTP's optimize sub-program. If you can't find those steps elsewhere, reply to this note and I'll be glad to post them here.

5. There are a number of programs for cache removal and maintenance, Panther Cache Cleaner, Cocktail, Onyx. There are some procedures in even excellent software programs that can create problems from minor to serious, so it's a good idea to read carefully the documentation and to do searches in the forums on the experiences of others.

Respectfully, Norm

Digital_Guy · 03-19-2005, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norm Nager


	1. Unless you keep your computer awake 24/7 so Apple's daily, weekly, and monthly cron maintenance is done (OS X does it automatically, but only in the wee hours of the morning), look into shareware such as Macaroni, which automates these tasks.

Hmmm, interesting. I haven't heard of this before. Is there a way to manually perform this maintenance, or change when it is performed? Is there an application that handles the maintenance (if so, where is it (and is it visible or invisible))? Just curious ... thanks.

-D.G.

DeltaMac · 03-19-2005, 09:05 AM

Yes, read the rest of Norm Nager post prior to yours.
OnyX, Macaroni, Maintain1, YASU, Panther Cacher Cleaner, Xupport, Cocktail, etc. These are just some of the common ones found at any Mac download site, like versiontracker.com. Some have more (or fewer) features. I like YASU, as it just does a cleanup job, and without any great technical knowhow.

nkuvu · 03-19-2005, 09:17 AM

Most of these are just a GUI front end to run the periodic cleanup tasks. These tasks are, by default, scheduled to run in the wee hours of the morning. There's a daily task, weekly task, and monthly task.

If you want to do these tasks yourself (and your computer isn't on all night) you can enter the following commands in the Terminal:
sudo sh /etc/daily
sudo sh /etc/weekly
sudo sh /etc/monthly

yellow · 03-19-2005, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nkuvu


	If you want to do these tasks yourself (and your computer isn't on all night) you can enter the following commands in the Terminal: sudo sh /etc/daily sudo sh /etc/weekly sudo sh /etc/monthly

Or, all at once, or any combonation of 'daily', 'weekly', and/or 'monthly':

Code:

sudo periodic daily weekly monthy

olealf · 03-19-2005, 09:31 AM

Quote:


	Hmmm, interesting. I haven't heard of this before. Is there a way to manually perform this maintenance, or change when it is performed? Is there an application that handles the maintenance (if so, where is it (and is it visible or invisible))? Just curious ... thanks.

You got several options here.

1. Run the periodic scripts by hand in the Terminal (sudo periodic daily/weekly/monthly).
2. Change the time cron calls these scripts to a time your computer is likely to be turned on. You have to edit /etc/crontab for that or use a program that modifies the system crontab like CronniX.
3. You could install anacron to let it take over cron's part of calling the maintenance scripts. Anacron does not use a fixed time like cron does.
4. As already suggested, you could use a program like MacJanitor or Marconi to run the scripts.

You'll find a lot of info on all here in the forums and the main site.

Quote:


	4. I worked out 9 steps for safe, effective optimizaiton and/or defragmentation while donating my time to beta test TechTool Pro 4.0.0-4.0.3 versions, including TTP's optimize sub-program. If you can't find those steps elsewhere, reply to this note and I'll be glad to post them here.

I'd be interested to see them here!

styrafome · 03-19-2005, 02:19 PM

I would recommend only one utility for regular maintenance: Macaroni. Sure, there are free ways to run the scripts, but you have to remember. With Macaroni you do not ever have to remember. If the maintenance scripts didn't run because your Mac was asleep or shut down, Macaroni will detect it and run only the ones needed. They are never run too often or too infrequently. Also Macaroni will repair permissions on your schedule.

This will probably get replies like "Aw, but it's not free!" But I have to say that never, ever having to think about running the maintenance is worth the $9. Heck, I even honestly paid for two licenses for my two Macs.

All those other utilities? Useful, but not essential. Don't let ubergeeks trick you into running long lists of manual maintenance tasks. 90% of Mac users don't even know about them, and they're fine. OS X has been continually tweaked to be more maintenance-free than ever.

Well, I guess you could defrag if you manage files over 20MB on a regular basis, like audio or video. Otherwise don't bother.

The only other utility that might be good to have around are DiskWarrior for disk emergencies.

I'm not saying the features in TechTool, TinkerTool, Cocktail etc. are useless, in fact they are useful. But not essential for maintenance. You have better things to do.

trevor · 03-19-2005, 03:05 PM

TinkerTool is NOT for maintenance.

If you turn off your computer at night, and you have trouble remembering to use the cron commands, then a free alternative far superior to the GUI choices is anacron.

Trevor

03-15-2005, 07:14 PM	#1
saurya_s Major Leaguer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Oxford Posts: 371	Mac OS X Cleaning app Hi all I have been playing quite a lot with OS X by installing different apps and removing them Is there an easy program which could just cleanup and optmise my system without putting any risk of damaging any installation etc? Thanks S __________________ New OS X User ,1.25 GHz G4 Powerbook with Superdrive Mac OS X Panther

03-16-2005, 09:47 AM	#2
Raven Hall of Famer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Montreal Posts: 4,782	Doing a reinstall does just install a new system without removing your apps or personnal files... Or with an Archive and install, you would simply have to copy back your apps and documents out of the archive to the new system installation... Those would be the best ways to clean it up and is rather fast. __________________ Waffled foreheads are a symptom of broken keyboards and inexperienced users

03-16-2005, 01:04 PM	#4
Norm Nager All Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 962	1. Unless you keep your computer awake 24/7 so Apple's daily, weekly, and monthly cron maintenance is done (OS X does it automatically, but only in the wee hours of the morning), look into shareware such as Macaroni, which automates these tasks. Macaroni also can be programmed to regularly Repair Permissions and remove those foreign languages you don't use. 2. If your volumes are Journalized (check in Disk Utility), OS X is preventing the need for the kind of optimization we used to do. You only need to optimize if the hard drive free space for any volume gets down to less than 15% free, contiguous space. 3. If you need to optimize/defrag, the gold standard for safety is to first back up to CDs, DVDs or other media and or clone/duplicate to another hard drive. I like duplicating to another drive because it gives me an instantly bootable boot volume. 4. I worked out 9 steps for safe, effective optimizaiton and/or defragmentation while donating my time to beta test TechTool Pro 4.0.0-4.0.3 versions, including TTP's optimize sub-program. If you can't find those steps elsewhere, reply to this note and I'll be glad to post them here. 5. There are a number of programs for cache removal and maintenance, Panther Cache Cleaner, Cocktail, Onyx. There are some procedures in even excellent software programs that can create problems from minor to serious, so it's a good idea to read carefully the documentation and to do searches in the forums on the experiences of others. Respectfully, Norm Last edited by Norm Nager; 03-16-2005 at 01:06 PM.

03-19-2005, 03:05 PM	#11
trevor Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boulder, CO USA Posts: 19,854	TinkerTool is NOT for maintenance. If you turn off your computer at night, and you have trouble remembering to use the cron commands, then a free alternative far superior to the GUI choices is anacron. Trevor __________________ How to ask questions the smart way \| Pssst. Wanna play some FuMafia?

03-16-2005, 12:11 PM	#3
zaj Prospect Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 11	You might want to look at onyx which can be found at www.macupdate.com IHMO very good program to clean and maintain my powerbook

03-19-2005, 09:05 AM	#6
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 8,531	Yes, read the rest of Norm Nager post prior to yours. OnyX, Macaroni, Maintain1, YASU, Panther Cacher Cleaner, Xupport, Cocktail, etc. These are just some of the common ones found at any Mac download site, like versiontracker.com. Some have more (or fewer) features. I like YASU, as it just does a cleanup job, and without any great technical knowhow.

03-19-2005, 09:17 AM	#7
nkuvu MVP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 1,236	Most of these are just a GUI front end to run the periodic cleanup tasks. These tasks are, by default, scheduled to run in the wee hours of the morning. There's a daily task, weekly task, and monthly task. If you want to do these tasks yourself (and your computer isn't on all night) you can enter the following commands in the Terminal: sudo sh /etc/daily sudo sh /etc/weekly sudo sh /etc/monthly

03-19-2005, 02:19 PM	#10
styrafome Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,818	I would recommend only one utility for regular maintenance: Macaroni. Sure, there are free ways to run the scripts, but you have to remember. With Macaroni you do not ever have to remember. If the maintenance scripts didn't run because your Mac was asleep or shut down, Macaroni will detect it and run only the ones needed. They are never run too often or too infrequently. Also Macaroni will repair permissions on your schedule. This will probably get replies like "Aw, but it's not free!" But I have to say that never, ever having to think about running the maintenance is worth the $9. Heck, I even honestly paid for two licenses for my two Macs. All those other utilities? Useful, but not essential. Don't let ubergeeks trick you into running long lists of manual maintenance tasks. 90% of Mac users don't even know about them, and they're fine. OS X has been continually tweaked to be more maintenance-free than ever. Well, I guess you could defrag if you manage files over 20MB on a regular basis, like audio or video. Otherwise don't bother. The only other utility that might be good to have around are DiskWarrior for disk emergencies. I'm not saying the features in TechTool, TinkerTool, Cocktail etc. are useless, in fact they are useful. But not essential for maintenance. You have better things to do.