Best Software for System Maintenance

Question

Level 1

4 points

Best Software for System Maintenance

Can someone recommend the best software for maintaining my G5? (10.4.11)

I'm familiar with Micromat TechTools - in fact that's the only one I've ever used. Are there any others that are on par or better than TechTools?

Thanks.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Aug 11, 2008 1:32 PM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Aug 11, 2008 2:56 PM in response to GGPP

DiskWarrior from Alsoft is generally considered the Gold Standard of Mac Disk Repair tools...

http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/

I consider Tri-Backup the best backup/cloning app, but many like the cheaper SuperDuper, or free Carbon Copy Cloner...
http://www.tri-edre.com/english/index.html

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Answer 2

Aug 11, 2008 5:57 PM in response to GGPP

Look at these links.

The X Lab (Troubleshooting & Maintenance of OS X)

OS X Routine Maintenance & Generic Troubleshooting

Prevent Mac Disasters

The Top 7 Free Utilities To Maintain A Mac.
http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/thetop_7_free_utilities_to_maintain_amac/

Mac OS X: System maintenance
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=607640

 Cheers, Tom 😉

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Answer 3

GGPP Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 14, 2008 1:15 PM in response to Texas Mac Man

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I forgot about DiskWarrior.

Texas Mac Man ... thanks for all the links, I'll check them out. Can you recommend one over the other out of that link to the freebies?

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Answer 4

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Aug 14, 2008 1:19 PM in response to GGPP

The best software for maintaining any Mac, is any of a number of backup software titles*:

http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html

Utilities which repair your Mac are great like Disk Warrior, however, if you aren't backed up, they can be as dangerous to your data integrity as accidently deleting a file, if not more so. The reason is that hard drives can fail at ANY time. That's right, ANY time. And practically no warning will come when that happens. So backup your data first, then worry about maintaining your Mac as optimized as it can be.

- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

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Answer 5

GGPP Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 14, 2008 4:31 PM in response to a brody

I use Backup regularly and faithfully to back up my important data & libraries, as well as burn CDs on a regular basis.

So my data is backed up, but I haven't run any maintenance beyond Disk Utility and feel the need to do so, as my system seems a little sluggish, even after some extreme housecleaning.

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Answer 6

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Aug 14, 2008 4:55 PM in response to GGPP

How full is the hard disk? How big is the hard disk? See my FAQ* if the speed issues is due to lack of space:

http://www.macmaps.com/diskfull.html

If not, have permissions been repaired with Disk Utility?

If it has, then maybe you need to reindex Spotlight? Do you know how to do this?

- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

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Answer 7

GGPP Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 14, 2008 5:11 PM in response to a brody

Thanks a brody ... I have plenty of room on my HD - 158 GB with more to come after I remove some old client files.

Permissions repaired on a regular basis ... have never reindexed Spotlight and don't know how, but I'll look into doing that if you think that might help.

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Answer 8

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Aug 14, 2008 6:10 PM in response to GGPP

Yep it could!

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Answer 9

TildeBee

Level 7

31,923 points

Aug 14, 2008 6:11 PM in response to GGPP

mtngigi --

It seems to me that you are an extremely careful, cautious, and responsible Mac owner.
I do not think you need anything further, IMHO.
I doubt that you download apps that you haven't carefully researched first.
I doubt that you pull the plug out when you want to shut down.

Actually, I think a responsible user is the best system maintenance option known.
All the best!

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Answer 10

GGPP Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 15, 2008 2:50 PM in response to TildeBee

I do take care of my system, thank you Bee. I'm a bear about not downloading unnessary stuff or things I'm not completely sure of. I'm anal about deleting files and routine "housecleaning" of my HD.

At work I always ran maintenance programs like TechTools regularly. Lately I've been feeling like I should do the same to my G5 at home, because I never have. And there are a lot of things I wasn't aware of doing, like the Spotlight thing, which I did- can't really tell yet if it helped, but it probably didn't hurt.

I don't know if the new OS Intel systems have to be "defragged" like I always had to do with the old Mac OS. I don't really know if Disk Utility takes care of the same sort of stuff that DiskWarrior or TechTools does. Maybe someone can enlighten me and offer up more suggestions like that Spotlight tip, which is a good one.

Thanks everyone.

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Answer 11

TildeBee

Level 7

31,923 points

Aug 15, 2008 3:05 PM in response to GGPP

mtn --

You're my kinda Mac user, LOL.
I don't believe you need to worry about defragging . . .
Unless you have HUGE video or music files.
Using Disk Utility to repair the Disk is a powerful tool.
Should it report a failure to repair the disk, then DiskWarrior is excellent.
I have not used TechTools myself, but I have heard good things about that, as well.

Unless something specific is really wrong,
I personally don't think "regular maintenance" is usually necessary.
Especially for someone who is as careful as you are.

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