[Guide] Clean Mac is a Happy Mac

[OSXMan]

You shouldn't have to repair permissions unless something is broken, and even then it only really fixes your system folder, not applications or third-party software (which is usually what's screwed up.)

Wrong, repairing permissions if you look at the output, repairs the extension folders as well.

 

[cheez]

^ OSXMan, please don't remove your guide. It's perfectly fine. I find it insanely useful, seriously. We apparently have a few thread crappers / trolls that like to entertain but this isn't the right place. This is meant to be a guide, sticky! Great job, OSXMan.

 

[JSt0rm]

I have my 8tb raid on a estata connector. Why is it best to keep files in those folders? Like what's appending at a low level.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

The registry is text, for christs' sake.

Can you edit it in Notepad?

 

[slashbinslashbash]

As for whoever posted about the not having space on the boot drive, chances are you have it on an external source, whether is be an external drive or a server, in such case as an external drive, OS X boots and does not search/index that, hence why it mounts after boot and isn't already mounted when the OS loads. In the case of a server you most likely have to manually connect, so again not indexed.

No, I've got a Mac Pro, with space for 4 internal HDDs; at the moment, 3 of those slots are full. I have a boot drive and then 2x 1.5TB drives in a RAID-1 for storing my photos and MP3s. Those drives are mounted automatically every time I start it up.

If you guys really disagree with the guide/content that much I'll just remove it, plain and simple. I don't see why its that big of a deal to zap the PRAM or store shit properly.

Because it's promoting a waste of time on a regular basis. "Storing shit properly", while probably a good idea for most people, is NOT going to have the effect you describe. You said "These folders are optimized for those types of files" which is not true in the least. They are folders just the same as any other folder in the Mac OS X fileystem.

You're saying that we should believe in your stuff because you say it helps keep your computer running better/faster. Well I say a little prayer to the Mac Gods every time I boot up, and I've never had a problem, so this prayer must be good right, so I should write a Mac God Prayer Guide so that everybody else can say the same prayer everytime they start up their Macs?

Resetting the PRAM (or, before Intel Macs, the NVRAM) is totally unnecessary unless you are having some kind of problem. There is no reason to add that lengthy period of time (it took a good little while, the last time I did it) to every bootup. It just wastes time.

 

[Nothinman]

Large font makes the documentation more professional. It's supposed to be done that way. Whether the information is perfect or less than stellar, it has nothing to do with making large bold fonts. This makes it easier for viewers to read too.

My large font comment was related to your post in the " from xp win 7" thread where you tried to use my primary Linux user status to discredit my comments on other systems. Sorry for conflating the two threads, it's become difficult to remember which idiocy was posted in which.

The OP's use of large fonts for headings is fine, it's the content itself is questionable.

And at the same time we have bunch of people "blame" on malware infection which may have nothing to do with registry problem. You simply say "because of malware" that instantly makes the user ignorant too. It's not that simple as you think when it comes to registry and windows file system.

It actually is pretty simple when you understand how it works.

Problems with system failing due to Windows updates IS registry related. Everything is composed of registry in Windoz D) environment.

Sense, that sentence makes none. Windows updates are simply new versions of system files and possibly updating registry settings, but 99% of the payload is system files. That fact that you can't differentiate the two proves my point.

First, it's not 99% of the time. Problems caused by add-on's on IE is registry related. They are all handled by registry! And of course they often get registry corruptions too. So that 99% (with 1% being hardware problem) problem is with registry.

They are registered with IE in the registry, but the add-ons themselves aren't "handled by the registry". They're loaded by IE and run, that's it.

By your logic then all OS X problems are caused by HFS+ because everything in the system uses it. Correlation does not imply causation.

And that is no problem what-so-ever in Windows 2000/XP/2003. For security concern, it's a clear downgrade for Windows 7, or should I say "clear devastation".

When you change the name of the folder, it will not notify you with any alerts or popup box saying "Man, you are f#@ked if you change this folder name coz if you log back on all data will get wipped and you be f#@ked for good" or something similar in more appropriate way so you know what's coming ahead... :$

I haven't had time to try it in a VM yet, but I'll let you know my results when I can.

It's sometimes difficult to specify what is the culprit in the software because ALL IS MADE UP OF REGISTRY... You can start off with the error messages and error codes and do research. They are all registry problems.

Wow, it's people like you that give IT people a bad name. The registry is a database of settings, nothing more. Windows isn't "made up of the registry" or any other nonsense like that.

Actually, I have a great learning tip for you Nothingman. Think of registry as DNA of a human body. It tells where your nose and mouth should be located and how they function and behave. It's a complete set of instructions and database. Good advice.

There are no words...

You don't get registry clogged with Mac OS X, like Windows does. Single point of failure in the registry in Windows affects the entire OS functions and / or performance. Mac OS X's file and cache system is brilliant. It's superior and the programmers who wrote these OSes are smarter.

Not according to some very smart people that aren't me or you. http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/05/linus-torvalds-calls-apples-file-system-utter-crap/

Your blind allegiance is a little scary.

And please, Nothingman, stop thread crapping. This is OSXMan's quality thread that deserves sticky. Sometimes, thread crapping is worse than trolling. Please stop it.

No, one point of his was worth something and the other two are misinformation at best and intentionally misleading at worst.

 

[nerp]

Can you edit it in Notepad?

That's not the point. The point is that it's akin to the system loading text into memory.

 

[dclive]

The number one overlooked thing when using any computer, not just Macs, is where and how you store files. The way OS X is designed is that the Documents, Music, Video, etc folders are designed is that they are intended to hold just what they are labeled as.
The Tip:
If the folder is for music, only use it for music, if its for movies, only use it for movies. This not only makes searching faster but booting faster as well. Keep this tip in mind when you are sorting those files.

Oh nonsense. They're just normal directories. That's it.

What is a PRAM?
A PRAM is Parameter Random Access Memory, it is settings for your Mac much like that of a CMOS in a PC.
I generally tend to clear my PRAM every month just so that the settings can get refreshed.
In order to do this we do what is called "zapping" the PRAM.

Oh nonsense. You reset PRAM for these conditions, per Apple: http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...apple.com/kb/HT1895+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us (Apple's search function and most of their KB is down right now.)

What is Applejack?
Applejack is actually a great application that I learned about in the summer of '09 when I was working as a Junior technician for my school division, who

This is useful in the event of a rare problem, but not needed for most people.

 

[dclive]

Yes this is true, to an extent, seeing as how OS X is built from a Unix core and not the NT Kernel it is written in a way that it doesn't have a kernel, however it uses what is called a kext cache, which in a way is like the windows registry.

Oh nonsense. As others have written, OS X certainly has a (not micro) kernel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mach_(kernel) (later edit) and the kext cache isn't analogous to the registry in function.

 

[dclive]

Those attacking Windows (without understanding a thing about it) really should read this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Windows®-Inte...=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329101522&sr=1-2

 

[cheez]

Oh nonsense. They're just normal directories. That's it.

That kinda makes sense.

Applejack

This is useful in the event of a rare problem, but not needed for most people.

It solved my problem with my Mac OS X Lion disappearing files in folders on me. There was problems with disk permissions in the scan. I wouldn't call this rare though.

Oh nonsense. As others have written, OS X certainly has a (not micro) kernel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mach_(kernel) (later edit) and the kext cache isn't analogous to the registry in function.

Looks like Nothingman got corrected for good. He said he is the full-time Linux user, so it makes sense that he doesn't know all about Windows and Windows 7 in particular. Not sure why he was defending so much. I wonder if he owns shares in Microsoft?

Anyways, Windows 7 is programming error that wipes out all data under user and make them un-retrievable which is an act of evil rather than security..

I haven't yet run into this evilness from Mac OS X yet... it must be superior. Just different, and more advanced engineering. Oh and more efficient too.

 

[dclive]

It solved my problem with my Mac OS X Lion disappearing files in folders on me. There was problems with disk permissions in the scan. I wouldn't call this rare though.

I would. So would Apple, since they didn't put this in the GUI. And since they do have a GUI app that repairs permissions I have to ask: why use AppleJack for that purpose?

Looks like Nothingman got corrected for good.

You mean about kernel vs microkernel? That's minor.

He's been so much more right than you and the OP I don't even know where to start. OP has no idea of the architecture of OS X, and those agreeing with OP is disheartening. Why do people believe so much with so little evidence?

He said he is the full-time Linux user, so it makes sense that he doesn't know all about Windows and Windows 7 in particular. Not sure why he was defending so much. I wonder if he owns shares in Microsoft?

Why do you write this? He has a very good grasp of Windows, and everything I can find that he's written so far has been correct. The registry hocus pocus nonsense flying around in this thread is crazy.

Anyways, Windows 7 is programming error that wipes out all data under user and make them un-retrievable which is an act of evil rather than security..

I haven't yet run into this evilness from Mac OS X yet... it must be superior. Just different, and more advanced engineering. Oh and more efficient too.

Windows 7 isn't a "programming error" and stating that makes you like like a child. What is "them" that is "un-retrievable"? What are you trying to say here?

 

[cheez]

And since they do have a GUI app that repairs permissions I have to ask: why use AppleJack for that purpose?

I know, but Applejack has more. More than just repairing hard disks and permissions. Please roll back to page 1, first post.

You mean about kernel vs microkernel? That's minor.

But he wasn't correct. Wrong is wrong....D:

OP has no idea of the architecture of OS X, and those agreeing with OP is disheartening. Why do people believe so much with so little evidence?

Well, so does Nothingman.

Why do you write this? He has a very good grasp of Windows, and everything I can find that he's written so far has been correct. The registry hocus pocus nonsense flying around in this thread is crazy.

You might want to read up about registry in Windows. It is available on the web, for free.

Windows 7 isn't a "programming error" and stating that makes you like like a child. What is "them" that is "un-retrievable"? What are you trying to say here?

I said this before already. Scroll up and read it. Also search it in Operating System section of the forum where I complained about Windows 7. It is programming error, unless Microsoft did this deliberately, as an act of e-v-i-l. :wub:

Go get yourself a PC and load up Windows 7. It don't matter whether you join it to the domain or leave it local. Create a new user. Say.. cheez? Go create some files or copy music or whatever. Log out. Log in as an administrator (or any user account with admin access). Go into the users directory and rename the cheez user folder to something else. Log out baby. D: Log back on as cheez. All the files you copied are gone (in desktop, my docs, anywhere within user folder) and all your settings are gone. They are gone f-o-r-e-v-e-r. You will not be able to retrieve them even if you use some of the most expensive data recovery programs in the world. You are screwed man. :wub:


That's what I call Windows 7 F-A-I-L.

 

[manly]

While the OP is arguably uninformed, cheez has severe problems with reading comprehension and fanboyism. cheez has been using a Mac for weeks, not even months and it's the greatest thing since sliced bread?

I'm all for healthy discourse and even a little mudslinging, but being happy with AppleJack hardly makes you a Mac genius™. When other happy Mac users are compelled to ask you to calm down, it's safe to say you're not winning the discussion.

 

[TheStu]

While the OP is arguably uninformed, cheez has severe problems with reading comprehension and fanboyism. cheez has been using a Mac for weeks, not even months and it's the greatest thing since sliced bread?

I'm all for healthy discourse and even a little mudslinging, but being happy with AppleJack hardly makes you a Mac genius™. When other happy Mac users are compelled to ask you to calm down, it's safe to say you're not winning the discussion.

I remember those first few weeks with my Mac... ah, good times.

Cheez needs to dial the rhetoric and zealotry back down to 11 or even lower than that, and go from there.

 

[Nothinman]

I said this before already. Scroll up and read it. Also search it in Operating System section of the forum where I complained about Windows 7. It is programming error, unless Microsoft did this deliberately, as an act of e-v-i-l. :wub:

Go get yourself a PC and load up Windows 7. It don't matter whether you join it to the domain or leave it local. Create a new user. Say.. cheez? Go create some files or copy music or whatever. Log out. Log in as an administrator (or any user account with admin access). Go into the users directory and rename the cheez user folder to something else. Log out baby. D: Log back on as cheez. All the files you copied are gone (in desktop, my docs, anywhere within user folder) and all your settings are gone. They are gone f-o-r-e-v-e-r. You will not be able to retrieve them even if you use some of the most expensive data recovery programs in the world. You are screwed man. :wub:


That's what I call Windows 7 F-A-I-L.

And as suspected, this is misinformation as well. I just tested it on my gf's PC and the data wasn't deleted. I got logged in with a temporary profile in c:\Users\TEMP but the old profile was still there and all I had to do was rename it back and log off and back on for everything to be back in place.

 

[dclive]

I know, but Applejack has more. More than just repairing hard disks and permissions. Please roll back to page 1, first post.

Sigh...you're the same crowd that believes in registry cleaners. Is posting URLs that hard? http://applejack.sourceforge.net/ And of what you posted, the GUI tool already present does exactly what's required....so use it.

But he wasn't correct. Wrong is wrong....D:

As opposed to OP, who thought OS X didn't have a kernel? Please.

Well, so does Nothingman.

No, actually, he's been mostly correct so far. In stark contrast to OP and you.

You might want to read up about registry in Windows. It is available on the web, for free.

What, specifically, would I find? Can you name anything I've written that is wrong?

Secondary exercise: can you name anything NM has written about the registry that is wrong?

Another: Can you even explain how the registry works? What are the component parts at a filesystem level, for example? Google is cheating.

I said this before already. Scroll up and read it. Also search it in Operating System section of the forum where I complained about Windows 7. It is programming error, unless Microsoft did this deliberately, as an act of e-v-i-l. :wub:

Go get yourself a PC and load up Windows 7. It don't matter whether you join it to the domain or leave it local. Create a new user. Say.. cheez? Go create some files or copy music or whatever. Log out. Log in as an administrator (or any user account with admin access). Go into the users directory and rename the cheez user folder to something else. Log out baby. D: Log back on as cheez. All the files you copied are gone (in desktop, my docs, anywhere within user folder) and all your settings are gone. They are gone f-o-r-e-v-e-r. You will not be able to retrieve them even if you use some of the most expensive data recovery programs in the world. You are screwed man. :wub:


That's what I call Windows 7 F-A-I-L.

Already disproven. Next problem with Windows?

 

[OSXMan]

Can I get a mod to lock or delete this entire thread? I removed the apparently so wrong guide, and its just turned into a back and forth bitchfest.

 

[TheStu]

Can I get a mod to lock or delete this entire thread? I removed the apparently so wrong guide, and its just turned into a back and forth bitchfest.

You can request that directly in the moderator discussions subforum, or I can relay your request to Aphex on your behalf.

 

[cheez]

And as suspected, this is misinformation as well. I just tested it on my gf's PC and the data wasn't deleted. I got logged in with a temporary profile in c:\Users\TEMP but the old profile was still there and all I had to do was rename it back and log off and back on for everything to be back in place.

This isn't misinformation. You are making it misinformation when it isn't.

There is something you didn't do as I told you to do, or you are looking at the wrong place. Do exactly what I said above and you will notice the same problem. All that files you created / added and the settings in temporary profile will be gone! You must be new in this. Please try again.

Already disproven. Next problem with Windows?

Disproven what? The problem is there and Nothingman has no clue how to follow instruction. I asked him to try again. You must be new.
I would like you to physically test this yourself too. You will be surprised.


I stand corrected about this issue / "program error", or act of evil by Microsoft. All you have to do is follow the direction.




And like I said, registry corruption and fragmentation is very common on Windows OSes with Windows XP being the worst. Most of the problem related with Windows OSes is registry related and the problem is you don't realize they are registry problems. Shame on you guys.

 

[dclive]

There is something you didn't do as I told you to do, or you are looking at the wrong place. Do exactly what I said above and you will notice the same problem. All that files you created / added and the settings in temporary profile will be gone! You must be new in this. Please try again.

You're clueless. What Nothinman wrote is exactly what happened to me too. Find a W7 PC and try it.
1. Make user newuser
2. Log in, copy files onto desktop (ie c:\users\newuser\desktop\files.rar)
3. Log out as newuser
4. Log in as admin, rename c:\users\newuser to c:\users\old
5. Log out as admin, log in as newuser
6. Profile is created in c:\users\temp, old data remains in c:\users\old\desktop\

Sigh. What's sad is I'll never get the 5 minutes of my life back I spent on this, and what's even sadder is that for a moment I thought you might have a clue of what you were talking about.

And like I said, registry corruption and fragmentation is very common on Windows OSes with Windows XP being the worst. Most of the problem related with Windows OSes is registry related and the problem is you don't realize they are registry problems. Shame on you guys.

If you could give an example that would hold water, maybe people would take you seriously. As it is, you don't have a clue, and it's become more and more clear to everyone just how little you understand computers.

 

[dclive]

Cheez: Still waiting on explanation of the files that make up the registry.

 

[Nothinman]

The amount of self-delusion necessary is beyond my comprehension...