last update: 3/26/04

I. Hard Disk prevention/trouble-shooting:

A. What if your hard disk was stolen one night...

1. Could you recover the information?

• easily? (how long would it take?)
  
• Murphy's law?
  

2. Back it up!

• whenever you have done more than you want too do over.
  
  • Also retains overall "structure"
    
  • even if you restore files from application disks - takes a lot of time
    
  • System folder is complex
    
• Entire disk
  
  • Need a large destination disk
    
    • external drive, Zip (100 mb) or Jazz (1 Gb)
      
    • tape (DAT or other format; 6+ GB)
      
    • or floppies...?!
      
  • Make complete backup
    
    • then can do incremental backups
      
    • every week, few days, night?
      
  • Have two sets of complete disks
    
    • then you will always have two copies - even during the backup process
      
  • Program suggestions
    
    • Retrospect Express (often free with Zip drive)
      
    • Retrospect 4.1 (often comes with tape drive)
      
• Files
  
  • Make copies as you work
    
  • to two different locations
    
  • do incremental back- up changed files
    

B. Prevention

1. Software package to scan for disk errors

• Directory, "B-Tree", "bad tracks"
  
• Apple Disk First Aid
  
• Norton Utilities
  
  • has extension that runs periodically in background to scan for errors
    
• Can fix many errors, before they cause major problems.
  

2. Software to keep "image" of directory

• has control panel that will save image of structure.
  
  • if major problem, can restore structure back to the last time "image" was written
    
  • weekly, daily, hourly...?
    

C. Hard-disk trouble shooting

1. Software problem?

• Disk icon mounts? or Can recognize disk with SCSI utility (SCSI manager or other)? or Mounts after start-up with system floppy or CD?
  
  • Back-up important data files FIRST
    
    • to OTHER drive
      
    • Use Norton Unerase
      
  • then run Norton Disk Doctor tests
    
    • Run to see if errors can be fixed.
      
    • use disk image to restore
      
• If boot disk won't boot?
  
  • Disk icon with flashing question mark?
    
  • Keep start-up CD (or floppy) handy
    
    • Can use System Tools disk
      
    • System may need reinstallation
      
      • from original system disks
        
      • do "Clean" install (renames old System folder ans then makes a brand new one).
        

2. Hardware problem?

• SCSI errors from SCSI utility?
  
• won't find disk?
  
• everything was "on" when you started up the Mac?
  
• is disk light on? read/write indication?
  
  • can try zapping PRAM
    
    • hold down apple-option-p-r during a restart of the computer
      
• can you hear the
  
  • cooling fan (if external)?
    
    • no? power supply
      
  • disk spinning
    
    • no - may be "stuck"
      
    • "tap" it...
      
    • commercial disk recovery services?
      

D. Disk optimization

1. rebuild Desktop file

• hold down option-apple as soon as desktop appears after restart.
  
• best every few weeks if making lots of file changes
  

2. defragmentation

• Norton Speeddisk
  
• make a back-up first!
  

3. leave 20% free space

• view directory - small icons
  
• or can turn on show disk header
  
• in control panels/views
  

4. partition large drive

• keep applications one
  
• data files on another
  
• won't have to back-up application drive as often.
  

5. USB vs SCSI vs Firewire bus on new "blue" G3's

II. Crash recovery?

A. control-option-apple-esc an application

B. Restart versus reset

• if "locked" (can't restart from menu)
  • control-apple power key
  • reset buttons
  • power off/on
    

C. Crash on start-up?

1. disable extensions and restart

• hold down shift key on start up
  
  • until "Welcome to Mac" window
    
• Still crashes?
  
  • rebuild system from original disks
    
  • boot off CD-ROM - insert and hold down "c" on start-up
    
  • can do a "Clean Install" into a new system folder
    
• Boots ok?
  
  • Extension conflict
    
  • Need to isolate problem
    
    • See what your extensions do
    • recent changes/additions?
    • Try Conflict Catcher
      
    • Extension manager (see below)
      • Try choosing Mac OS "base" or "all" setings to remove all non-standard extensions and control panels
        
  • Finder's preferences file
    
    • system/preferences
      
    • put in trash
      • Both Finder Preferences and Find (File) Preferences
    • then, don't empty trash, just restart
      

D. Crash of individual application?

1. make memory partition bigger

• Get Info - "suggested size"
  
• add? 1,000-10,000 kb
  

2. restart and relaunch - still crashes? Try:

• rebuild desktop (hold down command key during start-up before desktop appears), then re-start after rebuild is finished
• move application's preferences files to a new folder
  
  • from system/preference folder
    
  • re-launch application to make new preferences
    
• re-install application from original disk
  
  • move/delete old preferences before launching new copy of application
    

3. MS Excel/Word updates and extensions

• both at Microsoft web site
  

4. Netscape

• upgrade to Netscape ver. 4.0 or higher for stability

5. Latest version of your application that goes with your System?

• See the Version Tracker site
  

E. Extensions

1. control panels/extensions manager

• select what loads on start-up
  
• save specific sets you might need
  

2. changing load order

• alphabetical in System/Extensions folder
  • can change name with ~ or space at start of name
    

III. Optimizing your Mac

A. RAM

1. Video RAM

• more colors, bigger monitor
  

2. "About this Macintosh"

• what kind of RAM can yours hold? - See Apple support and/or download the Apple Memory Guide
  

3. 32 mb min. w/ sys. 8.1

• 32 mb chip = < $100
  

4. Virtual memory

• Control panels/memory
  
  • turn on with Power Macs.
    
  • turn on Modern memory manager
    
  • larger cache - 512 k?
    
• Ram Doubler - Connectix
  

5. increase application memory partition

6. RAM fragmentation

• don't quit an application after you launch it
  

B. Acceleration

1. Level 2 cache

2. Accelerator boards even for "old" 604e's

C. Power Mac RISC chips - Apple

1. 601, 603e, 604, 604e, G3, Blue G3 - see speedratings

2. 60 mhz to 550 mhz +

3. Blue G3's 2x to 3x faster than 450 mhz Pentiums
(see figure of relative speeds. 1 = PowerMac 6100)

D. Other optimization

1. turn off file sharing

• control panels/Sharing setup
  

2. Connectix Speed doubler for non-native

• File copying, network access, non-native programs
  

3. Lowest color res. you can tolerate

• control panels/monitors
  

4. Programmable track ball

• Kensington - 4 buttons
  

5. System 7.0, 7.1, 7.5, 7.5.1, 7.5.2, 7.5.3, 7.5.5, 7.6, 7.6.1,

8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 8.5.1, 8.6 (soon)

• recommended in bold
  
• free system upgrades
  
  • from 7.5, 7.5.1, 7.5.2 to 7.5.3 update 2
    
  • from 7.5.3 to 7.5.5
    
  • from 7.6 to 7.6.1
  • from 8.0 to 8.1
  • from 8.5 to 8.5.1
    

6. Sys X. - "the next generation", Rhapsody (Next/Unix like)

IV. Selected short-cuts

A. Keyboard commands

1. Force trash empty

option-empty trash

2. Interrupt action

apple-.

3. hide application after click

option-click on new application

4. eject disk and get icon off desktop

select disk, apple-Y

5. put file/folder back from desktop

select file/folder, apple-Y

6. force floppy disk eject at start-up

hold mouse button down at start-up

7. window pull down menu

option click on middle of title bar

8. Finder short-cuts

help menu in finder

9. Contexual menu (sys. 8 )

control - click on file/folder

10. Delete selected file or folder (sys. 8 )

command-delete key

11. Pop-up menus (sys. 8 )

V. Where to get help

A. listserv - LabMgr and lots of others
B. Mac-in-Touch at MacWeek
C. Apple Tech info database
D. MacFixIt

VI. Defending your Mac

... Educator pricing and discussion groups

... Even faster and still easier
The folks at UCLA and Dartmouth must know "something"...

Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University

last modified: 3/26/04