Fflobalob
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Mac OS X, background maintenance tasks

Hello,

 

I read here  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2319  that in v10.6 and later, background maintenance tasks that do not run when the computer is asleep are run after it wakes from sleep mode.

 

I follow this procedure from time to time, leaving my iMac in sleep mode overnight. Is there supposed to be any indication to show that the task has actually been done after waking it in the morning?

 

Before upgrading to v10.6 I used Macjanitor to prompt the process and it would helpfully confirm when it had been completed.

 

Thanks,

 

Chris

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 10, 2014 1:31 AM

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Fflobalob

Q: Mac OS X, background maintenance tasks

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  • by tyron1980,

    tyron1980 tyron1980 Mar 10, 2014 2:08 AM in response to Fflobalob
    Level 1 (46 points)
    Mar 10, 2014 2:08 AM in response to Fflobalob

    Take a look and read this article https://discussions.apple.com/message/1668851#1668851

    hope it help.

  • by seventy one,Helpful

    seventy one seventy one Mar 10, 2014 2:24 AM in response to Fflobalob
    Level 6 (15,185 points)
    Peripherals
    Mar 10, 2014 2:24 AM in response to Fflobalob

    I see you are using Macjanitor.   I hope you did not buy it from Softonic.   If you did, get rid of it soon as you can.   From what I see in these columns, it is unwise to purchase from Softonic who have a doubtful reputation round here.   Try feeding Macjanitor into Google and read the comments.

     

    As a rule of thumb, you should always feed something you plan to download into Google and check the reports before buying or downloading.

     

    As far as the routine manitenance is concerned, I think it safe to assume it is done as the document says.   However, I am not sure what happens in the case of OSs  that are unsupported like 10.4 and 10.5.   You need to keep in mind the possibility that 10.6 may soon become officially unsupported.   As of now we only have third party reports.

  • by Fflobalob,

    Fflobalob Fflobalob Mar 10, 2014 3:41 AM in response to seventy one
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 10, 2014 3:41 AM in response to seventy one

    Thanks.

    I don't use Macjanitor any more - lost it when I upgraded to v10.6 a few months ago. I can't recall where I downloaded it from, but it came recommended at the time and I didn't know any better! Thanks for the warning though.

    Upgrading from 10.6 is inevitable I know; if there an official notification when 10.6 support is withdrawn where would one find it?

  • by seventy one,

    seventy one seventy one Mar 10, 2014 4:01 AM in response to Fflobalob
    Level 6 (15,185 points)
    Peripherals
    Mar 10, 2014 4:01 AM in response to Fflobalob

    Hello Fflobalob,

     

    Probably in these columns.   I've read here Apple is rather reticent to make formal statements until well after the event ... but as I say the current 'warning' is via the trade media.

     

    I would think very carefully about upgrading, all the same.   Snow Leopard is an excellent and well regarded OS.   It is also the last one to be able to use PPC apps.   So it would be necessary to check your most needed third party apps to see what may have to be bought again.   One app worth downloading if you have time is the free app store app, EasyFind.

     

    Thank you for the star.

     

    Incidentally, your user name is my favourite 'Cover' for a swear word.   Well, almost.   I say Flubadubadub when I get frustrated. 

  • by baltwo,Helpful

    baltwo baltwo Mar 10, 2014 1:14 PM in response to Fflobalob
    Level 9 (62,256 points)
    Mar 10, 2014 1:14 PM in response to Fflobalob

    Is there supposed to be any indication to show that the task has actually been done after waking it in the morning?

    No. If you want to check if they ran, open the Console app and check the daily.out, weekly.out, and monthly.out files inside /var/log/

  • by Fflobalob,

    Fflobalob Fflobalob Mar 11, 2014 1:41 PM in response to seventy one
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 11, 2014 1:41 PM in response to seventy one

    Thanks, I have to show my ignorance further now - what does PPC mean in this context?

     

    I usually despair of having to think up new passwords and user names etc whenever I want to do just about anything on the internet. I've probably forgotten more than I can remember!

  • by Fflobalob,

    Fflobalob Fflobalob Mar 11, 2014 1:56 PM in response to baltwo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 11, 2014 1:56 PM in response to baltwo

    Thank you Level 9. Such is my knowledge on the internal workings of these things, I never knew of Console's existence before, let alone what to make of its contents!

    However, having followed your advice I found this in private/var/log/daily.out from this morning when I woke it up, which I guess is what you are alluding to:

     

    Tue Mar 11 07:33:58 GMT 2014

     

    Removing old log files:

     

    Removing old temporary files:

     

    Cleaning out old system announcements:

     

    Removing stale files from /var/rwho:

     

    Removing scratch fax files

     

    Presumably this means it has done the job.

  • by seventy one,

    seventy one seventy one Mar 11, 2014 2:41 PM in response to Fflobalob
    Level 6 (15,185 points)
    Peripherals
    Mar 11, 2014 2:41 PM in response to Fflobalob

    PPC apps are better known as Power PC apps which invariably require a Rosetta platform.   They cannot be run on Mac OSs higher than 10.6.8.

  • by Fflobalob,

    Fflobalob Fflobalob Mar 11, 2014 3:36 PM in response to tyron1980
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 11, 2014 3:36 PM in response to tyron1980

    Thank you for the link. Interesting background to the issue.

  • by MlchaelLAX,

    MlchaelLAX MlchaelLAX Mar 12, 2014 2:39 PM in response to seventy one
    Level 4 (2,256 points)
    Mar 12, 2014 2:39 PM in response to seventy one

    seventy one wrote:

     

    PPC apps are better known as Power PC apps which invariably require a Rosetta platform.   They cannot be run on Mac OSs higher than 10.6.8...

    ... unless you run Snow Leopard in virtualization on a Mac running an OS higher than 10.6.8.

  • by seventy one,

    seventy one seventy one Mar 12, 2014 2:50 PM in response to MlchaelLAX
    Level 6 (15,185 points)
    Peripherals
    Mar 12, 2014 2:50 PM in response to MlchaelLAX

    The OP's Mac is 10.6.8.   I advised that it may be better to retain it like that in view of Rosetta limitations.   Having already upgraded it to get as far as Snow Leopard, I suspect they started with a fairly old machine, one unlikely to live happily with an upgrade to Mavericks (if that is possible) plus virtualisation.

  • by MlchaelLAX,

    MlchaelLAX MlchaelLAX Mar 12, 2014 3:16 PM in response to seventy one
    Level 4 (2,256 points)
    Mar 12, 2014 3:16 PM in response to seventy one

    I was correcting your mistatement that "They (PowerPC apps) cannot be run on Mac OSs higher than 10.6.8..." whether read by the OP or anyone else.

  • by seventy one,

    seventy one seventy one Mar 12, 2014 3:45 PM in response to MlchaelLAX
    Level 6 (15,185 points)
    Peripherals
    Mar 12, 2014 3:45 PM in response to MlchaelLAX

    Oh come on MichaelLAX, this could lead to a very pedantic argument.   I don't feel like it.   Have a nice evening.

  • by MlchaelLAX,

    MlchaelLAX MlchaelLAX Mar 12, 2014 3:58 PM in response to seventy one
    Level 4 (2,256 points)
    Mar 12, 2014 3:58 PM in response to seventy one

    As between leaving false or misleading statements unresponded to or helping current and future readers not fall into the hole left by such statements, I personally prefer the latter...

     

    YMMV!

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