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How to keep my mac running nice and smooth?
- Thread starter ceezy
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You don't need tune-up software on Macs; they take care of themselves.
Some of the tune-up software available can create unbootable systems that require you to re-install.
Some of the tune-up software available can create unbootable systems that require you to re-install.
Use Safari's (or your main browser) 'Reset Safari' and delete your 'Web Data' and history every once in while. Internet Cache can grow huge if left unchecked.
I'm concerned about what programs runs in the background. I try to avoid apps that has some of its parts getting automatically executed and running in the background during a system start.The kind of programs that I prefer is the ones that starts when I start them and goes completely off of the memory when I quit them. I monitor LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons folders with folder action scripts. Please correct me if I'm doing anything pointless or harmful for the computer.
I have had my iMac for 18 months now, loaded heaps of software and deleted heaps of software too.. and this thing has not missed a beat, it still runs exactly the same as the day I got it!
I do absolutely nothing to it (except BACK UP LOL !!!).
I reboot it only once a week or so and let it sleep the rest of the time and just a touch of the trackpad and she is awake and ready to go... LOVE IT
I had to re-install my Windows PC every 12 months or so but the Mac just keep going and going....
My opinion, and mine only.
Use the free OnyX utility to periodically do such things as
- verify SMART status
- check ingrity of drive
- repair permissions
- run "cron jobs" (daily, weekly, monthly maintenance)
- clean caches
- delete logs
Also, scrounge up a defragging/optimization utility and once-in-a-while defrag the startup volume.
Others will say you don't need to do this, but it has kept all my Macs running smoothly and quickly for years now.
Use the free OnyX utility to periodically do such things as
- verify SMART status
- check ingrity of drive
- repair permissions
- run "cron jobs" (daily, weekly, monthly maintenance)
- clean caches
- delete logs
Also, scrounge up a defragging/optimization utility and once-in-a-while defrag the startup volume.
Others will say you don't need to do this, but it has kept all my Macs running smoothly and quickly for years now.
Your Macs have run smoothly regardless of your doing all that. Probably because of other good practice that you observe.
Cleaning caches actually slows your Mac down until OS X re-populates them.
Repairing Permission is VASTLY over-rated for doing anything. It affects some Apple System components, no third-party software and nothing in your user account. It always reports "error" messages that aren't errors. Permissions don't rust over time, in any case.
Log messages should get sorted by the periodical tasks (no longer cron) anyway.
If you have an SSD (which is possible on a 2010 MBP), then defragging is pointless, and its benefits on an HDD are uncertain.
Don't jump onto early versions of the latest and greatest OS.
Let the "early adopters" enjoy ironing out issues for you.
Let the "early adopters" enjoy ironing out issues for you.
My 2 cents?
In my long experience as an employee of an AASP with customers coming in with 'slow' machines. . . . .
In general, slow performance as it is noticed and complained about by users is caused by (in order of frequency in which I encounter it)
1. Corrupted filesystem.
2. Dying hard drives on older machines.
3. Virus protection software.
4. Exotics like a rogue background process, weird, out of date or corrupted driver/app thing.
5. A hundred other edge cases you encounter 1 or two times a year. Edge cases includes bad sata cables, bad seating of the data cable, strange component failure on a motherboard, aftermarket hard drive weird incompatibilities, minor permission problems and malware (which we don't see much) The autostart worm was more of an issue in the pre-macosx days than anything we have seen in the last decade.
If you have to ask this question, the answer is simple. Keep your data backed up. Don't mess with maintenance unless something breaks.
I clean out my safari cache about once a year. It is only something I do if I notice a performance issue.
Don't worry about your mac unless something isn't working right.
In my long experience as an employee of an AASP with customers coming in with 'slow' machines. . . . .
In general, slow performance as it is noticed and complained about by users is caused by (in order of frequency in which I encounter it)
1. Corrupted filesystem.
2. Dying hard drives on older machines.
3. Virus protection software.
4. Exotics like a rogue background process, weird, out of date or corrupted driver/app thing.
5. A hundred other edge cases you encounter 1 or two times a year. Edge cases includes bad sata cables, bad seating of the data cable, strange component failure on a motherboard, aftermarket hard drive weird incompatibilities, minor permission problems and malware (which we don't see much) The autostart worm was more of an issue in the pre-macosx days than anything we have seen in the last decade.
If you have to ask this question, the answer is simple. Keep your data backed up. Don't mess with maintenance unless something breaks.
I clean out my safari cache about once a year. It is only something I do if I notice a performance issue.
Don't worry about your mac unless something isn't working right.
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Don't install too much software,
Keep the hard disk plenty empty (keep at least 30-50 GB free),
Don't install the newest iTunes
Don't install the latest Mac OS X update until it's verified that it's stable.
Archive files from the desktop once in awhile to keep things easy to find.
Keep the hard disk plenty empty (keep at least 30-50 GB free),
Don't install the newest iTunes
Don't install the latest Mac OS X update until it's verified that it's stable.
Archive files from the desktop once in awhile to keep things easy to find.