- Tip #1: Search and Repair: Disk Utility
- Tip #2: Run the Maintenance Apps
- Tip #3: Get Some Disk Tools
- Tip #4: Defragment the Hard Drive. . .Or Not?
- Tip #5: Use Software Update
- Tip #6: If it Doesn't Work, Don't Use it!
- Tip #7: Get Some Backup Software (and Use It)
- Tip #8: An Excuse for a New iPod (As if You Needed One)
- Tip #9: Everything Else...
- A Happy Ending
Tip #2: Run the Maintenance Apps
OS X comes with three little command line applications that run maintenance routines essential to the well-being of your Mac. In theory, these will run by themselves at specific intervals in the middle of the night. But if you happen to switch your Mac off at night, then these routines will never get a chance to run. So once in a while, run them manually.
The three routines are run from Terminal using the commands below. Type in one command at a time, press Return, and when Terminal asks for your administrator password, enter it. As should be obvious, the first routine is meant to run every day, the second weekly, and the third monthly. In practice, no harm seems to be done running all three at the same time, once a month or so. This trio cleans up various logs and databases, helping OS X keep things better organized.
sudo sh /etc/daily sudo sh /etc/weekly sudo sh /etc/monthly
Figure 2 Run the maintenance routines from the Terminal if you don't leave your Mac running 24/7.