| Although Macs are often deemed the most | | | | automatically, be advised that using such utilities in the |
| user-friendly computers, many Mac users do not know | | | | event of a hardware failure can cause extensive |
| much about computer maintenance. This is because | | | | damage to the drive. |
| Mac OS cleverly hides all the cumbersome applications | | | | Clean up files |
| it runs to keep the system secure and healthy. | | | | This is pretty self-explanatory and is applicable to all |
| Unfortunately, while this maintains Apple's signature | | | | computer users - take some time to organize your |
| look and feel, it also takes away the user's ability to | | | | files on a regular basis. Clean up any downloads or |
| easily monitor and maintain the health of their | | | | files from your desktop and place the files into |
| computer. | | | | appropriate folders. This will not only save time, but will |
| Below, I recommend several procedures that can be | | | | also protect you from losing files due to bad sectors. |
| performed by most Mac users without much difficulty, | | | | UNIX Maintenance Scripts |
| which will help safeguard your computer from data | | | | Mac OS uses automatic maintenance routines called |
| loss. | | | | maintenance scripts to clean up system log files and |
| Be SMART, Monitor your hard drives | | | | other temporary files. The three scripts are designed |
| SMART stands for Self-Monitoring Analysis and | | | | to run daily, weekly and monthly. The problem is that |
| Reporting Technology and allows you to run | | | | these scripts are set by default to run late at night |
| diagnostics on your hard drive to determine if a failure | | | | when most Macs are either off or sleeping. If the |
| is imminent. In order to run the tool, launch Disk Utility | | | | computer is off or in sleep mode during this time, the |
| (Applications: Utilities) and click on the top level indicator | | | | scripts will not run and the log files will grow in size, |
| for your drive in the left-hand column. In the bottom of | | | | clogging up the startup disk and slowing down |
| the window, you should see something like "SMART | | | | performance. The good news is there are a number |
| Status: Verified". If you do not see "SMART status" at | | | | of 3rd party programs that exist that allow the user to |
| all, your Mac does not support the technology. If you | | | | set different times at which to run the scripts, including |
| see "SMART status" but do not see "Verified", your | | | | MacJanitor (v.1.3 or later for Tiger) and Anacron |
| drive may be at risk of imminent failure. In this case, | | | | among others. |
| your best bet is to backup your data and replace the | | | | I will be reviewing these titles and many others in the |
| drive. This simple, but often overlooked procedure may | | | | weeks to come so stay tuned. In the meantime, visit |
| save you from losing your data. One other thing worth | | | | our website to learn more about Mac maintenance, |
| noting is that although there is a myriad of 3rd party | | | | data recovery tips, and other useful stuff. |
| applications that can run these diagnostics | | | | |