ashambeck

Q: Curious as how to clean out my iMac

Hi, just curious as what I can do to keep my iMac running as efficient as possible.  I upgraded the 4gb RAM to 16gb.  That's helping, but i'm wondering if there are hidden things bogging down my computer. On my pc we would always clean out the caches and other things to keep it up.  I see programs like Tune Up My Mac & MacKeeper, but i'm assuming stay away from those.  Any helpful info is appreciated! Thanks Below is my EtreCheck:

 

EtreCheck version: 1.9.12 (48)

Report generated July 24, 2014 at 10:10:44 PM EDT

 

Hardware Information:

  iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2010) (Verified)

  iMac - model: iMac11,2

  1 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 CPU: 2 cores

  16 GB RAM

 

Video Information:

  ATI Radeon HD 5670 - VRAM: 512 MB

  iMac 1920 x 1080

 

System Software:

  OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 0 days 5:41:5

 

Disk Information:

  WDC WD1001FALS-40Y6A0 disk0 : (1 TB)

  EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB

  Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 999.35 GB (415.49 GB free)

  Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB

 

  OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5680H 

 

USB Information:

  Iomega External HD 1 TB

  Iomega HDD (disk2s1) /Volumes/Iomega HDD: 1 TB (446.67 GB free)

  Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

  Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

  Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

  Seagate Backup+  Desk 3 TB

  Seagate Backup Plus Drive (disk1s1) /Volumes/Seagate Backup Plus Drive: 3 TB (1.82 TB free)

  Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

  Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

 

Gatekeeper:

  Mac App Store and identified developers

 

Kernel Extensions:

  [loaded] com.seagate.driver.PowSecDriverCore (5.2.6 - SDK 10.4) Support

  [not loaded] com.seagate.driver.PowSecLeafDriver_10_4 (5.2.6 - SDK 10.4) Support

  [loaded] com.seagate.driver.PowSecLeafDriver_10_5 (5.2.6 - SDK 10.5) Support

  [not loaded] com.seagate.driver.SeagateDriveIcons (5.2.6 - SDK 10.4) Support

 

Problem System Launch Daemons:

  [running] com.seagate.TBDecorator.plist Support

 

Launch Daemons:

  [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support

 

User Login Items:

  iTunesHelper

  TuneupMyMac

 

Internet Plug-ins:

  Silverlight: Version: 4.0.51204.0 Support

  FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support

  Flash Player: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support

  iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.7

  QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

  Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9

 

Audio Plug-ins:

  BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9

  AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9

  AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9

  iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9

 

iTunes Plug-ins:

  Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9

 

3rd Party Preference Panes:

  Flash Player  Support

  Paragon NTFS for Mac ® OS X  Support

  Seagate Dashboard for Mac OSX  Support

 

Time Machine:

  Time Machine not configured!

 

Top Processes by CPU:

      1% WindowServer

      1% fontd

      0% sysmond

      0% com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

      0% Activity Monitor

 

Top Processes by Memory:

  246 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

  115 MB Safari

  98 MB Finder

  82 MB mds_stores

  49 MB WindowServer

 

Virtual Memory Information:

  13.10 GB Free RAM

  1.45 GB Active RAM

  371 MB Inactive RAM

  1.09 GB Wired RAM

  344 MB Page-ins

  0 B Page-outs

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Jul 24, 2014 7:12 PM

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Q: Curious as how to clean out my iMac

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Jul 24, 2014 7:34 PM in response to ashambeck
    Level 10 (208,000 points)
    Applications
    Jul 24, 2014 7:34 PM in response to ashambeck

    How to maintain a Mac

    1. Make two or more backups of all your files, keeping at least one off site at all times in case of disaster. One backup is not enough to be safe. Don’t back up your backups; all should be made directly from the original data. 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 App Store or Software Update preference pane (depending on the OS version), 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.

    Keeping up to date 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. Incompatibility with third-party software is by far the most common cause of trouble with system updates.

    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, such stuff is useless or worse than useless. Above all, avoid any software that purports to change the look and feel of the user interface.

    It's not much of an exaggeration to say that the whole "utility" software industry for the Mac is a fraud on consumers. The most extreme examples are the "CleanMyMac," "TuneUpMyMac," and “MacKeeper” scams, but there are many others.

    As a rule, you should avoid software that changes the way other software works. Plugins for Photoshop and similar programs are an obvious exception to this rule. Safari extensions, and perhaps the equivalent for other web browsers, are a partial exception. Most are safe, and they're easy to get rid of if they don't work. Some may cause the browser to crash or otherwise malfunction. Some are malicious. Use with caution, and install only well-known extensions from relatively trustworthy sources, such as the Safari Extensions Gallery.

    The only software you should install is that which directly enables you to do whatever you bought the computer to do. For example, a word processor is useful for writing. A video editor is useful for making movies. A game is useful for having fun. But a "cache cleaner" isn't useful for anything. You didn't buy the computer to clean caches.

    Never install any third-party software unless you know how to uninstall it. Otherwise you may create problems that are very hard to solve. Do not rely on "utilities" such as "AppCleaner" and the like that purport to remove software.

    4. Don't install bad, conflicting, or unnecessary fonts. Whenever you install new fonts, use the validation feature of the built-in Font Book application to make sure the fonts aren't defective and don't conflict with each other or with others that you already have. See the built-in help and this support article for instructions. Deactivate or remove fonts that you don't really need to speed up application launching.

    5. Avoid malware. Malware is malicious software that circulates on the Internet. This kind of attack on OS X was once so rare that it was hardly a concern, but malware is now increasingly common, and increasingly dangerous.

    There is some built-in protection against 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 come directly from the developer's website. No intermediary is acceptable, and don’t trust links unless you know how to parse them. Any file that is automatically downloaded from the web, without your having requested it, should go straight into the Trash. A web page that tells you that your computer has a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with it, is a scam.

    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.

    6. Don't fill up your disk/SSD. 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 startup 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 use 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 OmniDiskSweeper to explore the volume and find out what's taking up the most space. Move seldom-used large files to secondary storage.

    7. 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.

    To use a Mac effectively, you have to free yourself from the Windows mindset that every computer needs regular downtime maintenance such as "defragging" and "registry cleaning." Those concepts do not apply to the Mac platform.

    A well-designed computing device is not something you should have to think about much. It should be an almost transparent medium through which you communicate, work, and play. If you want a machine that needs a lot of attention, use a PC.

    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.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Jul 24, 2014 8:33 PM in response to ashambeck
    Level 8 (49,534 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 24, 2014 8:33 PM in response to ashambeck

    I see programs like Tune Up My Mac & MacKeeper, but i'm assuming stay away from those.

     

    You are using "TuneupMyMac". I suggest you do not use it or any number of similarly ill-conceived "cleaning" utilities. They are all scams with one sole purpose: to take your money. They are very successful at that.

     

    Uninstall the Seagate drivers. They are not required for use with an external hard disk drive and are a potential source of trouble, if not now, perhaps upon a future OS X update. Use Time Machine, or "clone" software, or both. Third party drivers are not required.

     

    Other than that, if you suspect or are experiencing trouble with your Mac, describe what it is.

  • by ashambeck,

    ashambeck ashambeck Jul 24, 2014 8:38 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 24, 2014 8:38 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Thank You Linc,

     

    Very helpful info

  • by ashambeck,

    ashambeck ashambeck Jul 24, 2014 8:40 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 24, 2014 8:40 PM in response to John Galt

    i'm not using TuneupMyMac, I meant to click on the download link for EtreCheck, and tuneupmymac came up...I got confused, then moved it to my trash and then had the thought of....do I need to clean out my  Mac...hence this thread!!

     

    If I uninstall the Seagate drivers (which is the name of my external hard drive) Will this affect its use??

     

    That should be it, thanks!!

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Jul 24, 2014 8:49 PM in response to ashambeck
    Level 8 (49,534 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 24, 2014 8:49 PM in response to ashambeck

    Remove TuneupMyMac from your Login Items by selecting the item, then clicking the "–" (minus) button.

     

    If I uninstall the Seagate drivers (which is the name of my external hard drive) Will this affect its use??

     

    If it is a generic external USB hard disk drive, no drivers are required. I am aware of no specific problems with the Seagate utilities you are using, but that could change the moment you update OS X. That's the reason I recommend you don't use them.


    Generally speaking the very first thing you should do with a new or replacement hard disk is to erase it with Disk Utility, thereby erasing any of the garbage apps that typically ship with them.

     

    Back up your system prior to making any changes.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Jul 24, 2014 9:00 PM in response to ashambeck
    Level 8 (49,534 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 24, 2014 9:00 PM in response to ashambeck

    ... I meant to click on the download link for EtreCheck, and tuneupmymac came up...

     

    By the way, that probably occurred as a result of searching for EtreCheck by using Google. That's a very bad idea, and one I surmise results in gullible users downloading and installing a plethora of garbage resulting in the many complaints of misery reported on this site.

     

    Certain users of this site who ought to know better routinely post links to those very sources of malware. Don't blindly trust links to download something, even from users of this support site, regardless of their apparent "status level" or experience, without due diligence.

     

    • Never install pirated or "cracked" software, software obtained from dubious websites, or other questionable sources.
      • Illegally obtained software is almost certain to contain malware.
      • "Questionable sources" include but are not limited to software aggregator hosting sites such as C net dot com, Softonic dot com, Soft pedia dot com, Download dot com, Mac Update dot com, and others whose revenue is primarily derived from junk product advertisements.
  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Jul 25, 2014 3:38 AM in response to ashambeck
    Level 7 (30,924 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 25, 2014 3:38 AM in response to ashambeck

    As the others have already said, your Mac really doesn't need "cleaning" like a PC does. All the utilities that offer this as a feature are essentially preying on the ignorance of users, and profiting by tricking them into believing they need something they don't.

     

    As for your system, it's pretty clean already, with the exception of the Seagate drivers and TuneUpMyMac. You never need to install the drivers that come with external hard drives - just use Disk Utility to reformat them to a Mac-friendly format, if necessary, and start using them. Those drivers really don't offer anything you need, and can cause problems.

     

    If removing those things doesn't help (or even if it does), you need to make sure you have a good set of backups. I would recommend a minimum of two separate backups, preferably made with two different backup programs. One single backup really isn't safe enough.

     

    The biggest reason for the backups is that one possible cause for performance problems is a dying hard drive, and your machine is four years old. If it still has the original hard drive, this is a reasonable time to expect it to die. You need to be prepared for that to happen at any time, and have good backups ready so you don't lose any data.

  • by ashambeck,

    ashambeck ashambeck Jul 25, 2014 9:59 AM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 25, 2014 9:59 AM in response to thomas_r.

    Thanks, this has been extremely helpful