Mac Question
Mac Question
#0Mac Question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 5:44pmI am going to try to ask this the best way that I can. You know on PC's where you can run the thing that cleans up your hard drive and makes your computer run faster (I don't know the actual name of it)? Is there a way to do it on Macs, because my computer is running very slowly.
"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2
#1re: Mac Question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 5:46pm
It is called defragging your computer.
I have no idea if you can do it on a MAC - but it is good to do every month or so on your PC.
#2re: Mac Question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 5:49pm
"defragging"
Thank you! It was on the tip of my tongue and I just could not remember what the name of it was.
So, anyone know if Macs are capable of defragging?
"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2
#3re: Mac Question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 5:59pmim a mac expert and i have never heard of macs doing such a thing.. but it does sound helpful..
"Love all; Trust a few; Do wrong to none." --William Shakespeare
#4re: Mac Question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 6:00pmDo you know of anything I can do to speed my computer up, since it is now going snail slow?
"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2
#5re: Mac Question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 6:28pm
Defragging was around on Macs for many years. Norton Utilities was a program that was used to do it.
If the computer has started slowing down, there are few things that you should try.
You should start up your computer with your OS X Install Disc (hold down the C key when starting up with the DVD in the drive) once the install information comes up go up to the menu and choose Disk Utility which will get you out of the installer. Repair your permissions and then verify and repair (if needed) your hard drive. Quit Disk Utility, quit the installer and restart your computer.
Another thing you can do is to Zap the PRAM. That clears out many problems that can occur.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
#6re: Mac Question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 6:28pm
They used to tell you to reset the desktop...but I haven't done it on a newer Mac in ages.....
#7re: Mac Question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 6:29pmIt was actually rebuilding the desktop but that was back in OS 9.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
#8re: Mac Question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 7:33pmThanks pab....I knew as I was typing it that it wasn't correct, but I couldn't think of the right term.....
#9mac question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 7:51pmyou can repair permissions right from the disk utility in your applications/utilities folder first before you move on to re-starting from the system disk and running it that way. i do it once a month and before i install any new software.
r.i.p. marco, my guardian angel.
...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty
pray to st. jude
i'm a sonic reducer
he was the gimmicky sort
fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective
...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty
pray to st. jude
i'm a sonic reducer
he was the gimmicky sort
fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective
#10mac question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 7:59pm
You can indeed repair permissions from the disk utility without starting up from the DVD but chances are that's not what's slowing you down. What you are really doing with this earlier suggestion is repairing the Hard Drive which can only be done from some sort of external media (DVD) which can unmount the Hard Drive. It was just a suggestion to also repair the permissions while you are there.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
Updated On: 8/1/06 at 07:59 PM
matt schneider
Broadway Star Joined: 7/3/06
#11mac question
Posted: 8/1/06 at 8:49pmIf you get a softwere called disc warrior, it is simple. Semi-expensive, but works wonders.
The bushes of Tex were nervous recks because their son was dim, But look what happened to him~Dirrty Rotten Scoundrels~all about Ruprecht
They say the thoughtful musicals dead on broadway~forbiden broadway : SVU~The crime scene
Never say never, there's always one more person you can hit up~avenue Q.~the money song
Life sucks, get a pacifyer~my own saying
amasis
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/7/04
#12mac question
Posted: 8/2/06 at 12:02am
Following are a couple of things I've been advised to do should the computer slows down (which works for me). I'm still on Panther, though (10.3.9), so I don't know if this works just as well if you were using Tiger.
Forcing Periodic Maintenance
May free some of your disk space and make logs easier to read over the time.
Open your Terminal and type :
sudo periodic daily
sudo periodic weekly
sudo periodic monthly
Press return between each line, and wait until the first command has completed to start the second one.
Updating the Prebinding
This means forcing Mac OS X to go through all of the application files and make sure that they are correctly linked together.
To do this, simply open your Terminal and type:
sudo update_prebinding -root / -force
Then, enter return, type your password, and enter return again.
Once the command has exited, immediately reboot your computer.
Note: Do a backup first before you do the prebinding. I've never had issues, but I've heard of others whose computers completely freak after updating the prebinding.
Updated On: 8/2/06 at 12:02 AM
amasis
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/7/04
#14mac question
Posted: 8/2/06 at 12:10am
Hi Emcee 
Look! I'm (kind of) back! :: Looks over shoulder for approaching deadlines::
#15mac question
Posted: 8/2/06 at 12:12am
And giving Mac help, as always!
When you have some time, you've got mail.
*scampers out of thread*
#16mac question
Posted: 8/2/06 at 12:19am
Please note that prebinding is no longer necessary in Tiger (OS 10.4).
Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
Updated On: 8/2/06 at 12:19 AM
cmleidi
Broadway Star Joined: 9/27/03
#17mac question
Posted: 8/16/06 at 7:29pmI just set up my new IMAC desktop and I'm using the mail program that was installed. Is there any way that I can set it up that I can go to the next email without closing out of the window? Every time I delete or want to go the next message, I have to close out of the exising one and select the next one. It's an incredible pain.
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