Over time , most computers accumulate clutter , admit outdated software package , leave downloads , and files you no longer need . Not only can this clutter slow down your Mac and make it intemperate to happen thing , it can cause problem when you perform a major upgrade — incompatibilities may show up , or you may track down out of disk space , for example .
In this selection , I suggest that you instal some software update and delete files you do n’t need anymore . Because you ’ll be create so many change , you should n’t perform these steps until after you ’ve made a complete backup . After you ’ve cleaned up your Mac , restarted , and verified that everything is work right , you should revise your backup so that it ’ll be near to the state of your disk when you upgrade to Leopard .
( The proposition in this plane section largely come from my bookTake Control of uphold Your Mac , which Macworld excerpted last year . The full account book , however , contains many more helpful hints , including a complete regime of unsubdivided maintenance job you may do daily , weekly , monthly , and annually to keep your computer run smoothly . )
Update third-party software
Every major upgrade to Mac OS X results in software package compatibility trouble , where some applications work poorly or do n’t launch at all . Even in the good cases , most of us will have to update a few programs to get them to work correctly under Leopard . If history is any meter reading , some unfitting programs wo n’t be updated right aside , and a few might never be . But many developers puzzle out hard to ensure that their package is quick for a raw version of Mac OS X , and “ Panthera pardus - compatible ” software updates have already begun appear .
Given the option , you ’re normally better off elevate third - party softwarebeforeyou set up a new version of Mac OS X. In cases where lowly - layer inconsistency exist , especially with thing like drivers , orientation panes , kernel extensions , and startup point , you’re able to save yourself grief by preventing , rather than fixing , the problem . This is especially important for proprietor of Intel - based Macs , who support to gain both bug pickle and operation improvements by raise to Universal Binary variation of their applications .
Happily , almost every major app ( and a good share of minor ones ) has a software update feature film . Unhappily , they do n’t all work the same way . Some check for updates on a schedule , while others don’t — and of those that do , not all have this feature film turned on ab initio . Some programs can downloadandinstall raw translation of themselves mechanically , while others simply download a disk image and have a bun in the oven you to spread it and start the installer yourself ; still others do nothing but open a Web page with links to update you could download .
In each of the program program you use oftentimes , look for a Check for Updates command ( the wording may depart ) . Such dictation usually seem in the software menu ( the one behave the software ’s name ) , the Help carte , or the Preferences dialog . If you ca n’t obtain such a command , await for update data on the developer ’s WWW internet site .
In some applications programme , such as Transmit ( left ) , the tab for Updates statement appears in the software computer menu — the one with the same name as the software . In others , such as Adobe Reader ( properly ) , it appears in the Help carte du jour . phraseology may also differ between apps .
While you ’re at it , check each software ’s Preferences dialog for a checkbox that enable scheduled update , and if you’re able to choose how often to check , choose the most frequent option . That way , even if an update is n’t available right now , you ’ll be informed as soon as the next update becomes available and you launch the lotion .
TipDon’t draw a blank to check for updates of orientation panes , menu extras , plug - ins , Dashboard thingumabob , and other system enhancement . These types of software oft lack an automatic update feature .
As soon as you install Leopard , and in all likelihood for several weeks thereafter , you ’ll curb for extra updates . But the more you do now , the easier things will be then .
De-Clutter your hard disk
Over time , your disk accumulates obsolete , extraneous , or otherwise useless files , sometimes refer to as “ cruft”—hacker slang for digital detritus . These Indian file do nothing but take up space , and clearing them out every so often is a good idea . By murder cruft , you’re able to increase the amount of disk blank space available for Leopard and reduce the hazard of computer software conflicts .
This step may not lend oneself to you if you have a brand - new Mac , but even a few months of use can sire a surprising amount of cruft .
Determining which file you need and which can go may be a nontrivial undertaking . Some filing cabinet ( “ The Great American Novel.doc ” or “ Take Control of Upgrading to Leopard.pdf ” ) are evidently authoritative , and some ( caches , older downloads , and so on ) are obviously disposable . In between you may find thousands of files that you ca n’t identify and that may or may not have some time value .
My advice is to take your clock time , skipping over any files that you ’re not absolutely sure are trashable . Because you ’re doing this for your own contraption , you should n’t be too pitiless . In particular — with a few exceptions I ’ll cite shortly — you should be circumspect about deleting things in / Library , and almost never delete anything in / System .
Here are my suggestions for file you might believe deleting :
baksheesh : legion programs make automatic computer backup of their file . This is a good thing , but over time you might accumulate loads or hundreds of old , large backup filing cabinet that do you no commodity . BBEdit and MYOB AccountEdge are among the known culprits . In summation , if you save iChat copy ( in~/Documents / iChats ) , you might also wish to delete old 1 . And Eudora user may want to look through~/Documents / Eudora Folder / Attachments Folderfor unnecessary fastening .
When you finish cancel files , be sure to empty the Trash ( Finder - > Empty Trash ) to regain the space the files antecedently occupied .
If you ’ve deleted everything you could live without and still need to free up a second more elbow room , try these options :
Tip: Uninstaller utilities
If you prefer not to muck around in your Library folder looking for single files to delete , regard pluck up a public utility company that can do all the intemperate oeuvre for you . Uninstallers can automatically delete single file link with picky applications ( such as program Support file , inauguration items , caches , and preference files ) without requiring you to find them all manually . Here are some example :
I should also mention two utilities that do n’t make any endeavour to uninstall software but simply help you identify and erase large files on your driving force that you may not postulate :
And finally , I know of one program that perform a specialised decluttering task : searching for duplicate files and folders on your disk so that you’re able to delete them easy . It ’s calledTidy Up!($30 ) .
Run Apple Hardware Test
When you buy your Mac , the corner should have include a standard candle or videodisk with an software called Apple Hardware Test . Depending on when you bought your computer , this could be an main saucer , or it may be included on the Mac OS X Install Disc . ( expect for tiny inscription on the disc that allege “ To apply Apple Hardware Test , hold down the Option headstone as the information processing system starts up , ” or words to that effect — your disc may determine a different key , for example . ) Find this saucer now . ( I ’ll await while you root through your noodle or basement to ascertain it veil in the bottom of a box somewhere . )
Back already ? Super . You have in your hands a limited syllabus . Apple Hardware Test can run only when you come out up from the CD or DVD it do on ; do n’t put out trying to replicate it to your unvoiced disk . This program do a series of symptomatic tests on your Mac ’s ironware , including the AirPort card , logic board , hard drive , RAM , modem , and TV RAM . It does n’t repair anything , and it does n’t look for problem such as directory errors that are the province of Disk Utility ( see Run Disk Utility , below ) . But it can identify subtle ironware mar that could afterward conduct to serious problems . Whether your Mac is novel out of the box or long time previous , you owe it to yourself to check that its major component are in good health before raise to Leopard , and this is the easiest ( and cheapest ) way to do so .
Note : Apple Hardware Test is n’t the only tool that can curb your RAM . Among the other utilities that can do this areTechTool Pro($98),Memtest OSX($1.39 ) , andRember(free ) . I ’ve personally had forged tup that Apple Hardware Test could describe while these others could not , whereas otherTake Controlauthors have had the paired experience . Your mileage may vary !
To run Apple Hardware Test , perform these actions :
I recommend running the exam again after instal RAM or any other new computer hardware inside your computer , or if you begin to have inexplicable problems that average disc utilities do not puzzle out .
Run Disk Utility
You recognize the expression : “ If it ai n’t broke , do n’t fix it ! ” With computers , though , thing can be let on without attest obvious symptom . you’re able to nip many such problems in the bud with a simple procedure that looks for , and fixes , common disk erroneousness that can crop up over prison term without your knowledge .
To resort your disc , come after these steps :
Select a intensity ( other than the inauguration bulk ) on the left , and then snap Repair Disk .
Disk Utility bet for vernacular errors and animate them if possible . Ordinarily , it displays a message saying that repairs were dispatch or that no repairs were necessary .
In the ( rarified ) event that Disk Utility encounters a serious problem it can not work out , you may need to use a commercial repair pecker such asDiskWarrior($80 ) .
