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how to clear my MAC cache

Do MACs get bogged down like PCs and need to have a cache or anything cleared? Any help you could give me would be appreciated.

iMac

Posted on Jul 20, 2013 5:13 AM

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21 replies

Jul 20, 2013 6:57 AM in response to William5551

Usually it is not necessary to clear cache on a Mac.


It is possible for it to become corrupt and need to be cleared so that cache will reload once again and clear the corruption. This happens far less often then cache is cleared. So many people seem to think that clearing cache is a panacea for Mac problems when in fact all it does is slow down the Mac until cache is reload once more.


I would most certainly recommend against any applications to clear cache. They are not needed.


Allan

Jul 20, 2013 6:01 PM in response to William5551

How to maintain a Mac


1. Make redundant backups, keeping at least one off site at all times. One backup is not enough. Don’t back up your backups; make them independent of each other. Don’t rely completely on any single backup method, such as Time Machine. If you get an indication that a backup has failed, don't ignore it.


2. Keep your software up to date. In the Software Update preference pane, you can configure automatic notifications of updates to OS X and other Mac App Store products. Some third-party applications from other sources have a similar feature, if you don’t mind letting them phone home. Otherwise you have to check yourself on a regular basis. This is especially important for complex software that modifies the operating system, such as device drivers. Before installing any Apple update, you must check that all such modifications that you use are compatible.


3. Don't install crapware, such as “themes,” "haxies," “add-ons,” “toolbars,” “enhancers," “optimizers,” “accelerators,” "boosters," “extenders,” “cleaners,” "doctors," "tune-ups," “defragmenters,” “firewalls,” "barriers," “guardians,” “defenders,” “protectors,” most “plugins,” commercial "virus scanners,” "disk tools," or "utilities." With very few exceptions, this stuff is useless, or worse than useless.


The more actively promoted the product, the more likely it is to be garbage. The most extreme example is the “MacKeeper” scam.


As a rule, the only software you should install is that which directly enables you to do the things you use a computer for — such as creating, communicating, and playing — and does not modify the way other software works. Use your computer; don't fuss with it.


Never install any third-party software unless you know how to uninstall it. Otherwise you may create problems that are very hard to solve.


The free anti-malware application ClamXav is not crap, and although it’s not routinely needed, it may be useful in some environments, such as a mixed Mac-Windows enterprise network.


4. Beware of trojans. A trojan is malicious software (“malware”) that the user is duped into installing voluntarily. Such attacks were rare on the Mac platform until sometime in 2011, but are now increasingly common, and increasingly dangerous.


There is some built-in protection against downloading malware, but you can’t rely on it — the attackers are always at least one day ahead of the defense. You can’t rely on third-party protection either. What you can rely on is common-sense awareness — not paranoia, which only makes you more vulnerable.


Never install software from an untrustworthy or unknown source. If in doubt, do some research. Any website that prompts you to install a “codec” or “plugin” that comes from the same site, or an unknown site, is untrustworthy. Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be acquired directly from the developer. No intermediary is acceptable, and don’t trust links unless you know how to parse them. Any file that is automatically downloaded from a web page without your having requested it should go straight into the Trash. A website that claims you have a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with your computer, is rogue.


In OS X 10.7.5 or later, downloaded applications and Installer packages that have not been digitally signed by a developer registered with Apple are blocked from loading by default. The block can be overridden, but think carefully before you do so.


Because of recurring security issues in Java, it’s best to disable it in your web browsers, if it’s installed. Few websites have Java content nowadays, so you won’t be missing much. This action is mandatory if you’re running any version of OS X older than 10.6.8 with the latest Java update. Note: Java has nothing to do with JavaScript, despite the similar names. Don't install Java unless you're sure you need it. Most people don't.


5. Don't fill up your boot volume. A common mistake is adding more and more large files to your home folder until you start to get warnings that you're out of space, which may be followed in short order by a boot failure. This is more prone to happen on the newer Macs that come with an internal SSD instead of the traditional hard drive. The drive can be very nearly full before you become aware of the problem. While it's not true that you should or must keep any particular percentage of space free, you should monitor your storage consumption and make sure you're not in immediate danger of using it up. According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of free space on the startup volume for normal operation.


If storage space is running low, use a tool such as the free application OmniDiskSweeperto explore your volume and find out what's taking up the most space. Move rarely-used large files to secondary storage.


6. Relax, don’t do it. Besides the above, no routine maintenance is necessary or beneficial for the vast majority of users; specifically not “cleaning caches,” “zapping the PRAM,” "resetting the SMC," “rebuilding the directory,” "defragmenting the drive," “running periodic scripts,” “dumping logs,” "deleting temp files," “scanning for viruses,” "purging memory," "checking for bad blocks," "testing the hardware," or “repairing permissions.” Such measures are either completely pointless or are useful only for solving problems, not for prevention.


The very height of futility is running an expensive third-party application called “Disk Warrior” when nothing is wrong, or even when something is wrong and you have backups, which you must have. Disk Warrior is a data-salvage tool, not a maintenance tool, and you will never need it if your backups are adequate. Don’t waste money on it or anything like it.

Jul 20, 2013 6:48 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc, this is a nice post. I'm sure it was a big help to William, the OP. I have made note of it in my documents folder. The only thing I would disagree on is the general condemnation of add-ons. I would really miss some of mine such as Adblock Plus, Download Helper, Firefox PDF Plugin, InFormEnter, Web of Trust and Zoom Toolbar. I use these frequently, if not daily or several times a day. I have found them to be safe and reliable.

Jul 20, 2013 9:50 PM in response to nathanspap

nathanspap wrote:


The only thing I would disagree on is the general condemnation of add-ons.

Linc's recommendations are, in general, designed to make the users computing experience fast, efficient and trouble free. The items he recommends against don't normally contribute to those parameters in that they almost always slow things down to a varying extent and sometimes interrupt things completely due to conflicting processes. This is especially important in the case of new or converted users who have their hands full just understanding how to accomplish basic things.


The items you mentioned may appeal to a seasoned user like yourself, but there is a trade-off. If it's more important to you not to see ads than any negatives contributed by using Adblock Plus, then you should use it. It boils down to what you want the user experience to be and everybody is somewhat different.

Jul 21, 2013 4:12 AM in response to MadMacs0

Agree with nathanspap. Linc Davis has a strong and often troublesome tendency to go completely overboard in many of his recommendations (typically given to issuing ex cathedra edicts.) With regard to Add-ons, I have rarely, if ever, found a Firefox Add-on to be inherently problematic or slow anything down. But then Linc Davis probably doesn't know what he's talking about here, since I believe he uses only Safari, or at least the majority of his experience is with Safari.


This is not to say that a Firefox Add-on like NoScript, for example, doesn't require a learning curve and some work to make it function to ones taste.

Jul 21, 2013 1:15 PM in response to carltonfrombedford

I have used Mac OS X Cocktail for many years and it has been useful, and has never caused any problems.


However, I do not recommend running Cocktail or any other "cleaning" app on any "regular" basis just for the purposes of "cleaning up" your system or in an attempt to "solve problems." There is no need to do this. OS X does a very nice job of taking care of itself - let it do its own work.


I do use Cocktail once or twice a year (depends) as the last step in preparing for a major upgrade or installing major software. (Back up data, remove unneeded apps & files, run Cocktail.) So, what's a major upgrade or major software? Upgrading to a new release of OS X (say, from Snow Leopard to Lion). Installing pro apps (Aperture, Final Cut, Logic Pro, Lightroom), MS Office (initial installation, not minor upgrades), Adobe CS apps (Photoshop, InDesign, Ilustrator, etc). These apps can be finicky and I have found it best to install them on a somewhat refreshed base system. Cocktail perfoms this nicely.

Jul 21, 2013 9:34 PM in response to MartinR

MartinR wrote:


Run Cocktail

I think much of what carltonfrombedford was asking includes which of the hundred or so options that Cocktail has do you feel need to be accomplished prior to an upgrade?


I'd go one step further and ask which of these are unique capabilities of Cocktail have over say OnyX that makes it worth 19 $US (currently on sale for $14). The only thing I'm aware of are the Network configuration options. Not trying to be critical, just looking for information from somebody experienced in it's use.

Dec 4, 2013 2:55 PM in response to William5551

My laptop with a vertually free HD was slow and unresponsive. Word took forever to open, forget about photoshop! So I erased the HD and started again. Installed OS 10.9 and renistalled Microsoft Office 2011 and Adobe CS 6 and everything is running considerably faster ... can someone tell me why? I cant be all those little 'crapware' apps as mentioned in Linc's post?


My iMac 2010 desktop is having the same problems, I'm thinking of doing the same ... starting fresh. Does having 3 external HD connected simmultaneously cause considerable speed issues? ... or having a HD at 95% capacity?

how to clear my MAC cache

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