The mixed - up menus . The sudden crashes . The ever - spin beach ball . They ’re all signs that your Mac is maneuver for trouble — maybe bighearted problem — if you do n’t do something before long .

OS X be given to be more stable than some other operating systems I could name , but it ’s not durable . Properly hold your Mac can ward off catastrophe that could result your comfortable digital surround in ruins . And Mac maintenance is easy — there ’s even software that does most of the work for you . A slight movement is all it takes to keep your technical house in monastic order .

Verify Preferences

Why : Most OS X applications entrepot penchant data in XML files . Sometimes these files become demoralize , which can moderate to undesirable results such as collapse and odd - look menus . assert your preference files is a good means to eliminate unexplained crashes .

When : in the main after you notice unexpected behavior , such as clangor , menu corruption , or other oddities .

Who : Everyone .

If your einsteinium - chain mail programme quits while loading , if your Web web internet browser forget your preferences , or if Address Book loses its categories , the software program ’s preferences filemaybe corrupted . You could simply delete the corrupt file outright , but then you ’ll fall behind custom preferences , which you must doctor by hand or from a backup . Save yourself difficulty by first verifying the corruption .

OS X uses.plistfiles to hive away app- and arrangement - related penchant entropy . These data file are school text file saved in the XML formatting , which follow a set layout . So it ’s easy to determine whether a Indian file is corrupted : if it does n’t adhere to the set XML layout , it ’s demoralize .

There are two way to check XML orientation filing cabinet . In bone X 10.2 and later , you could use the Unix service program plutil . Just open Terminal and type the chase :

In the preceding computer code ,

you’re able to check the top - tier system predilection by replicate this command with

If you ’re not warm of Terminal , try Jonathan Nathan ’s free Preferential Treatment diligence ( ) . It permit you check exploiter - layer and system - level predilection by clicking on a brace of button . It ’s a spot slower than Terminal , but it ’s much easier to use , and its results are well-heeled to translate . It allow you opt to open , move , or trash any buy files it finds .

An diligence may create a filing cabinet that fail Apple ’s psychometric test but is not corrupt . If you see a data file or two lean for app that seem to work just delicately , you may safely ignore the warnings . If you encounter a truly corrupted preference Indian file ( and do n’t have a putrescence - gratis backup ) , quit the app , trash the file , and start over with the app preferences .

Repair Permissions

Why : OS X uses a permission system to determine which programs and brochure a substance abuser can access . Sometimes these permission are mistakenly modified , and you ca n’t access folders or programs . Repairing disk permission restitute the right permissions , allowing access to brochure and applications .

When : depend on your download habits , as often as once a workweek or even every twenty-four hour period .

Who : Anyone who regularly downloads and installs trialware and shareware .

Say your word central processor tells you that it ca n’t keep start the single file you ’ve been work on for an hour , that your tocopherol - mail service program wo n’t let you switch its preference , or that you ca n’t even launch an program . These are all symptoms of license blend in bad .

Different files and folders at different locations on your hard drive have different permissions . Although OS X ’s permission organization works well most of the time , default permit can become crooked . This happens most often after you set up software that includes scheme - level components , or when you update the OS .

To repair broken permission , establish Disk Utility ( Applications : public utility company ) , select your startup disk , and then select Repair Disk Permissions . ( Do n’t disoblige running Verify Disk license — it select just as long as Repair Disk Permissions , and if it tells you that it found permissions fault , you ’ll then want to run Repair Disk Permissions anyway . )

This process can take as long as 15 minutes ; while Repair Disk Permissions is working , you ’ll see messages about items it has correct . When it ’s done , any license issues that affect system - level file cabinet and booklet on your machine will have been purpose . ( For an evident exception , see “ Even Perfect Disks Have Imperfect Permissions . ” )

Repair Disk Permissions apply internal data point , as well as data in the top - spirit level Library : reception folder , which go on cartroad of software program you ’ve instal . Never delete anything from this folder .

Your permissions - repair docket should depend on how often you melt down installers . The more often you run installers , the more often you should break away Repair Disk Permissions . I urge that you repair permissions weekly if you download and install a few programme a week .

Delete Cache Files

Why : Cache file are irregular receptacle for information that help OS X and its applications form faster . They can become corrupt or just too big to function well . If you ’re experiencing odd issues with an lotion — such as preference that wo n’t laden or menus that moderate foreign characters — or if an software or the system seems sluggish , it may be a cache - related issue .

When : Removing cache files once or double a calendar month works well for most people , but if your Mac is always on and working , you may require to remove cache files once a week to prevent corruption .

A cache is a place to salt away something temporarily so the O or a program can retrieve and use it in a hurry . G4 and G5 processors have caches that help them handle instructions more quickly . OS X habituate magnetic disc - based caches that bear copies of graphics , ofttimes performed deliberation , and the cognitive content of active carte du jour . Caches help foreshorten applications programme launch times , speed up the showing of screen data , and make entanglement land site load quicker .

You ’ll find OS X ’s cache files in the organisation : Library : Caches brochure , in your user booklet ’s Library folder , and in folders within individual applica - tion folder . The easiest way to remove most of them is to utilise one of the tools listed in the “ Managing Mac Maintenance ” chart . ( Except for Safari ’s cache , these tool loosely do n’t affect program - specific caches ; you ’ll have to wrangle these data file yourself . )

Managing Mac Maintenance

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Regularly deleting your cache single file is a good idea . And if you ’re seeing slowdowns or other unexplained conduct , there ’s no hurt in trying to rout the bad behaviour by delete the hoard file .

Delete Log Files

Why : lumber files record system- and program - colligate activity . They grow over time , using phonograph recording space to store data you ’ll never want .

When : Log files do n’t normally grow too bombastic , so you may delete them only when you want to reclaim drive space .

Who : exploiter concerned with free every bit of available drive outer space , and users who make panoptic use of FTP , Web , and other bundled Unix applications .

As you work , your group O and applications automatically produce log files that record everything from the mundane to the important . bombastic logarithm files do n’t cause system instability , but when diminishing saucer infinite becomes a concern , there are a couple of ways to clean house up .

Like cache files , log files are hive away in several places , from the organisation level ( in the /var / log and /Library / Logs folders ) to your user folder ( ~/Library / Logs ) . you’re able to run OS X ’s build - in everyday , weekly , and monthly maintenance script to take care of the system of rules - story log files . To root out log files at the drug user level , you want either the Console diligence ( in Applications : usefulness ) or an covering such as NoName Scriptware ’s CacheOutX.

In Console , delete any logarithm listed in your user brochure ’s Library : Logs folder by highlight it from the left - hired man Logs column and pressing Command - delete . After you corroborate your activity , that lumber file vanishes . Your Mac mechanically re - create it the next time the system or the program needs to write something to the log .

Prebind

Why : Prebinding allows applications to launch more quickly . When prebinding information becomes superannuated , launch times increment .

When : Users of OS X 10.2 and earlier should prebind at least monthly — user who set up and remove a lot of coating should prebind more often .

Who : Anyone running OS ecstasy 10.2 or in the first place .

Prebinding is a process through which OS tenner work out out what code is used by an diligence before it lead , greatly reducing the practical app ’s launch metre . In early releases of OS X , prebinding entropy could become out - of - appointment , leading to slow - launch applications . If you ’re run a pre-10.3 version of OS X , use one of the tools mentioned in “ Construct a Maintenance Toolbox ” to upgrade your prebinding entropy . Or do it yourself in Terminal : Open a newfangled window , character

In OS X 10.3 and later , the system automatically update prebinding entropy whenever you use Apple ’s installer program to put in a program on the kicking bulk ( the “ optimise ” step you see during the install process ) . For broadcast that are either puff - installed or installed on other loudness , the organization automatically run a tool calledfix_prebindingwhen it detects an program with outdated prebinding information . The precede statement act on 10.3 systems , but it should n’t be necessary .

For another path to speed up program launch time , see “ To Defrag or Not to Defrag ? ”

Automate Your Maintenance

Why : OS X come with a set of Unix playscript that track down automatically . They delete and archive unnecessary data created through normal use of your machine .

When : You do n’t have to raise a digit — the scripts run daily , weekly , and monthly , as long as your machine is awake at their scheduled run times .

Who : laborious users of the command line .

OS X is design to make basic maintenance job invisible to you . The operate scheme regularly make clean up the footling files that can clog your machine — from system logs to FTP log to firewall logs . But there ’s a gimmick . OS X ’s cleanup scripts are set to run at specific times . The day-after-day script runs at 3:15 a.m. , the hebdomadal book runs at 4:30 a.m. on Saturdays , and the monthly script runs at 5:30 a.m. on the first day of the calendar month . Apple probably choose these metre because you ’re not probable to be using your machine during the wee minute , so you probably wo n’t be bothered by the C.P.U. draw or the drive noise . regrettably , those times are also when most of our machine are power off or sleep , so the scripts ca n’t execute .

Most people wo n’t see problems if these scripts do n’t run regularly , but a few will . To see out if you ’re vulnerable , take a stuffy look at each script .

The casual hand clean up the tmp directory , where many program and installers store file that are n’t for good required . iChat , for case , keep copies of images you ’ve sent in the tmp folder . ( Your machine empties this folder when you resume . )

However , the daily script also backs up your NetInfo database , an essential single file with information on your users , services , and gadget . If you do n’t regularly back up this file in some other means , I suggest running the daily hand . ( Note that recovering this file from a backup is very complicated . Go tothis articlefor a how - to that ’s not for the faint of fondness . )

The casual book also make a web - user interface position report and a free - disk - outer space theme , and rotates the system.log files by creating multiple tight backup copies .

The weekly book updates thelocateandwhatisdatabases ( two data file that are very utilitarian when you expend a lot of time in Terminal ) ; archives older secondary system logs , such as FTP ; and archive internet - server logs . It also restart the World Wide Web host .

The monthly script runs a user time - accounting script ( not much to it when you ’re the only user on your motorcar ) and rotates installer logarithm file .

you could look for reported errors in the output of these scripts by open up the Console course of study ( Applications : public-service corporation ) , clicking on the /var / log melody in the Logs column ( dawn on the Logs push button in the toolbar if you ca n’t see this chromatography column ) , and then selecting daily.out , weekly.out , or monthly.out . The content of the Indian file showing to the right .

If you ’ve decided that pass the scripts is significant , but you do n’t want to keep your Mac on and awake at the times they run , see “ Run , Scripts , Run ! ” for tip on commute the reflex run time .

Keep Hard Drives Healthy

Why : An unhealthy hard thrust is a nightmare . SMART ( Self - Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology ) let you do a routine checkup that identify possible drive failures before they happen , so you have time to update backups and wait for permutation drive .

When : You ( or an automated program ) should tick off SMART indicant daily .

The hard drive or push back inside your Mac are critically important — if the hard campaign fails , the Mac wo n’t bring up , and you could lose all your files . While there ’s nothing you may do to physically keep your drives , there are some tool that sniff out disk weakness , and there are a couple of ways to recover data when you do have trouble .

SMART Status IndicatorsThe SMART grueling drives in New Macs name their own wellness , and they take note any problems they witness with inner drive on an IDE / ATA or SATAbus .

There are two ways to check the status of your Mac ’s SMART indicators . If you ’re using the machine topically , launch Disk Utility ( Applications : utility program ) and chatter on the top - level index number for your drive in the left - hand pillar . In the bottom of the windowpane , you ’ll see the wordsSMART status , and next to that , you ’ll see the wordverified . If you do n’t seeSMART condition , your Mac does n’t have the engineering . If you see the musical phrase but it ’s not accompanied byverified , you should back up your punishing drive and then replace it — it will in all likelihood experience a failure shortly .

If you prefer to use Terminal , or if you connect remotely to Macs — for instance , if you have a Mac in your home that you ’re using as a waiter — you’re able to also check the condition of the drives from Terminal . In Terminal , type

Manually checking SMART indicators get old fast . If you ’re well-heeled in the bidding line , you may add up a new cron task that execute this command on a even groundwork and write the output to a text file ; you may also produce an AppleScript that displays a dialogue box and then set the AppleScript to run at login each day . Or you could let a third - party software , such asAlsoft’s$80 DiskWarrior ( see Best Current cost ) , Micromat’s$98 TechTool Pro 4 , orJulian Mayer’sfree SMARTReporter , audit the drives and alarm you if there ’s an error .

Advanced Maintenance and RepairSMART indicator do n’t catch everything . Despite your best efforts , you might power up your political machine one day and see the fear blink enquiry mark .

Your first step should be to boot from the OS decade Install CDs . Next , select Open Disk Utility from the Installer menu ( next to the Apple menu ) . If your kicking drive shows up in the left - side driving force list , select it , and press Repair Disk — then sit down back and cross your fingerbreadth . Disk Utility may be capable to repair the disk ; if it does , restart and desire the drive works as common . Then back up important file and count investing in a new crusade .

If Disk Utility ca n’t repair the drive , it ’s time for DiskWarrior or TechTool Pro 4 . DiskWarrior is primarily a directory - repair pecker . Its directory - rebuilding feature has returned ostensibly dead drives to the body politic of the keep . TechTool Pro also recovers data from deadened drives , through a different mechanics . In addition , it can monitor and test a turn of other aspect of your system , such as CPU , memory , and power provision . Both are equal to tools ; which to use is really a topic of per - sonal penchant .

If you ca n’t make the drive work with either of these programs , it has probably suffer a physical failure of some sort . If you ’re unforced to dole out serious dough , company likeDriveSavers Data Recoverycan often regain datum from even badly damage drives .

Construct a Maintenance Toolbox

Why : Maintaining your Mac does n’t have to be a burden . There ’s software package that can handle it with ease , and some programs even thrust in extra organization - tweak features .

When : There ’s no good sense in hold back to download helper lotion .

Who : See the “ Managing Mac Maintenance ” chart for an easy - to - scan list of the applications and their abilities . Out of that lean , every Mac user should have at least three : OnyX , SMARTReporter , and DiskWarrior .

OnyXFor general system maintenance , Titanium Software ’s OnyX is tough to baffle . It ’s innocent , it has a clean interface , and its help system of rules is gentle to understand . OnyX ’s features go well beyond basic maintenance : the program lets you erase caches , log , browser app cookies , and even Safari ’s cache bookmark icons with a few computer mouse clicks . befuddle in the power to run a Terminal dictation , browse log files , and see Unix manual ( valet ) pages , and you ’ve got a maintenance succeeder .

SMARTReporterJulian Mayer ’s SMARTReporter match SMART position indicators . While many programs can do this ( including Apple ’s Disk Utility ) , I favor SMARTReporter ’s reporting capabilities . With its intuitive interface , you ’ll have your drives go under up for regular monitoring in no time . You specify the testing interval and the action to take if a test fails . you’re able to even control SMARTReporter ’s coming into court in your menu bar — a solid green or red disk icon , or just a small green or red point that indicates the status of the most recent test .

DiskWarriorWhen your heavy parkway appear to be dead , you need a cause - fixture utility . And DiskWarrior ’s power to resuscitate drives is peerless . Using a proprietary and patented proficiency , DiskWarrior builds a Modern directory for your driveway . Once this Modern directory is build , DiskWarrior lets you mount it as a new heavy drive , so you’re able to check it for error and even replicate files off of it . If everything expect effective , DiskWarrior then write its new directory onto your parkway . DiskWarrior ca n’t save you from ironware failures that yield the private road unserviceable , but for nearly everything else , it ’s an priceless data - saving cock .

The Last Word

You ’ve always bed that Macs are superior , and this favorable position extends to ease of criminal maintenance . With dewy-eyed housework — regularly checking a few thing like permissions , stash and lumber single file , and your drive ’s SMART status — you could foreclose your Mac from falling into disrepair .

Even Perfect Disks Have Imperfect Permissions

The Repair Disk Permissions single-valued function works by comparing each pamphlet ’s factual permissions with a overlord list of the expected permission for that folder . If there ’s a conflict between the genuine and the expect , Repair Disk Permissions modifies the folder to match the master inclination .

But there ’s a bug in the process — if you run Repair Disk Permissions and then instantly run it again , you should get a clean beak of health , since everything was just repaired . But you wo n’t . Instead , you ’ll probably see this in the outturn plane section : “ We are using special permission for the single file or directory ./System / Library/ Filesystems / cd9660.fs / cd9660.util . New permissions are 33261 . ”

you could safely dismiss this message .

To Defrag or Not to Defrag

Although some maintenance operation are no - brainers , others are disputable . Take defragmenting your hard drive . macintosh OS saves files in small piece across your hard drive , rather than in immediate chunks of devoid place . The fuller your toilsome drive is , and the more you ’ve saved and delete files over sentence , the worse file fragmentation can be . It can slacken down punishing - drive entree metre , since your hard effort has to work harder to encounter all the objet d’art of each file . And the disk directory for a split loudness is much more complex than one for a relatively fragment - free drive , which can increase the chance of directory problems .

Defragmenting joins disunited files and go them to immediate pulley of free blank space on a drive . Although it sounds like a dear idea , there ’s disagreement about whether it ’s necessary in OS X. With OS X 10.3 and later , if you have disk journaling enabled ( it ’s enabled by default ) , OS X perform a limited degree of defragmentation of small files during the normal course of instruction of surgical procedure . Many users should n’t give atomisation a second thought process .

But if you work out with extremely prominent files — for illustration , vast Photoshop images or digital telecasting files — you may receive that a defragmented drive perform considerably . Although there are a few utilities for defragmenting volumes in OS X , my favourite is TechTool Pro 4 . ( Warning : Before defragmenting any book , control the wholeness of the private road and back up any important files . The process involve copying and deleting most of the file on the driving , so any problems can result in datum loss.)—DAN FRAKES

Run, Scripts, Run!

OS X use Unix maintenance scripts to keep your intemperate private road tidy . These are play by the Unix programming utility cron , but only if your Mac is awake in the weensy hours of the morning . If it is n’t , you ’ll involve another way to execute these actions .

If you ’re someone who retrieve to rotate your mattress regularly , you ’ll do fine with the free MacJanitor , from Brian Hill , which lets you manually run each script — or all three — at the click of a clit whenever you wish . If you ’d rather not have to remember such mundane tasks , Macaroni , from Atomic Bird , will check , each time you start or inflame up your Mac , to see whether the script were run on schedule ; it will mechanically extend any tardy script for you .

But if you ’re a geeky user who want to decide exactly when these scripts run and to understand on the button what ’s going on behind the picture , check out “ Easy Mac Maintenance ” . This whole tone - by - footprint clause shows you how to apply the free utilityCronniXto edit your Mac’ssystem crontaband reschedule the sustentation scripts.—DAN FRAKES

Tip: Find Corrupt Preference Files Fast

To simplify using the plutil utility in Terminal , prize file cabinet : Save As , give the file a name ( such as Check My Permissions ) , and cull a location . In the When open This File discussion section , select Execute Command In A Shell , tap the Execute This Command ( Specify Complete Path ) button , and enter either of the command in this surgical incision . select Save , and you ’ve got a clickable data file . In the future , only double - click , infix your countersign when move , and press return .

Tip: Detect Available Hard-Drive Space

Although software warn you of impending hardware failures , it wo n’t help you with the master grounds of poor hard - driving performance : full disks . Keep at least 10 percent of your boot ram complimentary . To see how much space you have uncommitted , highlight the charge drive in the Finder and printing press Command - I ( Get Info ) .

Tip: Routine Maintenance Reminder

Set up a repeating event in iCal or Outlook and call it Mac Maintenance . When the admonisher pops up , take a routine - criminal maintenance break .