[ladysmanfelpz]

I have a macbook pro with mac os x 10.5.8 with a 2.26 GHz intel core 2 duo and 2 GB of memory. I got it for school 4 years back and still runs like a champ, but would like to keep it this way. Definitely had too many pop ups and bad downloads where I know stuff is hiding in my system. I'm not that techy of a guy, but I would defrag and debot my pc, but am clueless on what to use for a mac. Also what is a good downloading program to use for downloading music? I have never used torrents only frostwire and limewire, but they are pooping out on me and im looking for something safer with more hits. I am also on a school network that is monitored and I need to limit my file DL rate and keep it under 1 gig of files a day. Thanks for helping out a noob.

[Promagistrate]

As far as music goes, you can't ask that here.

[ladysmanfelpz]

well thats not my main question, I was jw. But if you could help me out with some mac clean up programs or other things I should do that would be great.

[Promagistrate]

I know, just letting you know.

and I guess you could use cleangenius or idefrag. I'm not a mac buff.

[ProtoBaller1991]

I use drive genius to defrag/repair my HD. It works great for me and it's what apple uses.

[GlittermekaiN]

CCleaner is available for OSX. I've always trusted them.

[outkast kid]

I have mackeeper for general maintenance/anti-virus/security.

[rogerskevin67]

I clean up the Mac by Ease US CleanGenius. It offers a free and easy way to clean the caches, logs, system junk files for a better performance.

[ladysmanfelpz]

Anything free that works well?

[toolbandfan]

?

Did you read the thread all the way?

[pnkelephant]

Things you can do to make sure that your Mac runs smoothly and problem free:

1. Keep things tidy.
Don't leave stuff strewn over the Desktop. Don't leave files outside your user account. Let iTunes manage your music; let iPhoto manage your photos, and don't try to impose your will over something that the computer wants to do.

2. Installers
Keep track of stuff you install on your Mac. The easiest way is to designate a folder for Installers, and put any .dmg or .pkg files in there. That way, if you have installed something that might be causing trouble, you have a list of things you've installed and the installer may include an uninstaller.


3. Reboot
Rebooting does indeed muck out some of the stables, and the system gets loaded "fresh" from the disk back to the memory. Personally, I turn off my computer overnight, every night.

4. Keep up-to-date
Make sure you've installed all the Apple updates, and that you have the latest version of other software.

5. Utilities
There are utilities like Onyx, Cocktail, TinkerTool, etc, which will run various "maintenance" routines. Some people will say that they regularly "repair permissions" (using Apple's Disk Utility or one of the programs listed) and empty caches.


Emptying caches is useful as a troubleshooting step, but is not required regularly. Caches are a good thing, which speed up the computer. Emptying them will slow the machine down while it refills the caches.

Finally, wait till you have a problem. Then set about running routines to fix it.
http://kingscollegetour.weblogplaza....-keep-in-mind/

[LadyEmily]

If you wish to format disk here is the procedure:

Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility> Select necessary drive> go to Erase tab> For Format include Mac OSX Extended (Journaled)> For Name input a term having less than 9 characters> Erase

[Promagistrate]

Originally Posted by LadyEmily

If you wish to format disk here is the procedure:

Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility> Select necessary drive> go to Erase tab> For Format include Mac OSX Extended (Journaled)> For Name input a term having less than 9 characters> Erase

portable loo

[Ford]

scanning this thread all suggestions are pretty bad. So i figured I'd add my suggestions here. They require 0 add ons to your Mac. I used to work as a senior apple adviser. They paid me to patiently walk people who do not know what they're doing step by step. I'm happy to clarify anything I write below, but my tone...for my own sanity may come off kind of gruff.

1. -CHECK FOR LOGIN ITEMS....dummy
-you're running 10.8... but your RAM just meets min sys. requirements so you want to make sure your startup items are running as lean as possible. Make sure there aren't any login items F-ing with your boot.

How i can haz? click apple logo in the top left, go to sys. preferences, click on users/groups, then look for the 'login items' button, NOT LOGIN OPTIONS. You'll see a grid appear that may or may not have stuff in it...delete EVERYTHING from this list, by default, nothing is in there. And my delete i mean select the items and hit the minus sign below the grid. DO NOT just un check the box next to each item.

2. GET RID OF YOUR BULL**** PLUGINS
-Another awesome consumer of your system resources. jump into finder. On the top menu bar row where you see 'file' 'edit' view...those kinds of things, click on 'go' under go we want to click on computer, then macHD. open that up and go into your library folder. In here you'll see a folder named 'internet plugins' -open that ***** up.

Inside of here you'll see a multitude of plugins BE CAREFUL HERE dont delete the wrong things. be sure to keep the following plugins: quicktime plugin, quartz composer, nsiqtscriptableplugin, javaappletplugin.plugin. You'll likely have a couple flash items, you'll want to keep those. everything else like divx, npp_ppg_dir_shockwave, sharepoint, coupon printer, google_earther... that **** can go. If you use netflix, keep silverlight.

Once you've trashed the system plugins, you need to move to your local library. in finder, click on go again at the top, while looking at all the different menu items listed under 'go' hold down option. another menu item will appear called 'library' click on that...then let go of option. another internet plugins folder is in here...trash everything with extreme prejudice.

3. PURGE YOUR POORLY CODED STARTUP ITEMS
-you're going to follow the same path into your library in your macHD I mentioned before. macHD>Library.

There are 3 folders we're looking for here: launchdaemons, launchagents, and startupitems. by default, for 10.8 these folders are empty. in 10.7 you'll see a folder called com.apple.remotepairtool -LEAVE THIS FILE ALONE if you value air drop.

After trashing everything in here, click go your user library (go, *hold option* click library) another launch agents folder. trash anything that does not start with com.apple... these items are related to icloud.

4. OMG MAH ****Z THE SLOW STILL!
-You could still have random Bullcrap effecting your system. For this, you want to repair disk permissions on your drive (DO NOT TRY TO REPAIR YOUR DISK) next, shutdown the computer turn it on, and before you start to hear the chime noise of the computer turning on, hold down the left shift key. This is a 'safe boot' it will take longer for your computer to boot...let it run. log into your regular account, and restart. restart and reboot will take longer, but likely your issues will be fixed or faster.

5 GET RID OF YOUR BOGUS APPS
-MacDefender, MacCleaner...any app claiming to magically fix your computer likely is doing more harm than good. CCleaner is an exception to that rule, but if you're maintaining your computer, you should not need it.

6 GET RID OF YOUR 100,000 PRON COOKIES
open safari, click safari on the top left, reset safari, check whatever boxes you want, but be sure website data is checked, hit reset.

[toolbandfan]

I think the last three who posted were spammers, so that didn't help much.

[Promagistrate]

Originally Posted by toolbandfan

I think the last three who posted were spammers, so that didn't help much.

[toolbandfan]

Was not directed at promag, you portable loo.

[Promagistrate]

I get around.

[parkrats]

Originally Posted by GlittermekaiN

CCleaner is available for OSX. I've always trusted them.

.

Program via app store 'Disk Doctor' will get at some stuff that CCleaner misses too. I think it's $.99 but it's got great reviews and always clears tons of space and doesn't delete the **** I want to keep. I have and regularly use both on my Macbook Air.