How do I find "Disc Utility"?

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Level 1

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How do I find "Disc Utility"?

Watching a how-to-speed-up-video video on-line and instructions start with opening Disc Utility; only info I've found is that I have to use my start-up disc(s) and "click on Disc Utility" and go from there; when I open my start-up disc, there is no listing of "Disc Utility" -- just an "unpack" icon, a read-me and one or two other things; clicking on the unpack just brings me to the "do you want to install this software...etc., etc." but still doesn't show anything about a Disc Utility; probably a very simple answer to my question, but, clearly, I'm simpler still... so any help is appreciated. Thanks.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Nov 22, 2010 9:50 AM

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Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

726,755 points

Nov 22, 2010 9:53 AM in response to TheHikermann

Depending on what you want to do, double-click it in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder on the hard drive or restart with the C key held down and choose it from the Utilities menu.

(55001)

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

238,997 points

Nov 22, 2010 9:56 AM in response to TheHikermann

1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Select your Mac OS X volume.
5. Click Repair Disk, (not Repair Permissions). Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

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Answer 3

Limnos

Level 10

411,121 points

Nov 22, 2010 10:02 AM in response to TheHikermann

It is good to know how Disk Utility (spelled "disk" by the way, not "disc") works, but it might also be good to know what you're trying to do. While Disk Utility is extremely unlikely to do any harm, if you are trying to speed up video you may also find it doesn't achieve much (unless your computer is really in a bad way). Is this what you are trying to do, and what makes you think it needs it?

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Answer 4

TheHikermann Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 22, 2010 10:37 AM in response to Limnos

"Disc" or "disk" are interchangeable spellings -- at least for most of the world.

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Answer 5

Nov 22, 2010 10:41 AM in response to TheHikermann

Not to a computer when it is a proper name.

Again, as the others asked, what do you need to do? Makes a difference in whether you want to run from the hard drive or install disk.

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Answer 6

Limnos

Level 10

411,121 points

Nov 22, 2010 10:52 AM in response to TheHikermann

On these forums (and presumably elsewhere) "disk" usually refers to a hard drive, "disc" refers to an optical medium. Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc] suggests common usage adheres to this pattern.

"Disk Utility" is proper noun (as observed by another poster) so if you're searching for it you have to look for it however Apple decides to spell it.

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