Speed up Mac OS X 10.9 | Clean up Mac OS 10.9 drive

Would I have to search for solution for slow Mac OS X 10.9 . How to fix slow Mac running OS X 10.9. As per the resources, the new version of OS X is going to release in few weeks. It is important to note that OS X Mountain Lion came with app-based features from iOS but in OS X 10.9, the additions from iOS will focus more on system fundamentals. 

Usually, we upgrade the OS X without arranging the necessary basic requirements for it. This could slow down your Mac and can ruin your Mac experience. Here we are discussing tips which can help you to fix issue of slow Mac OS X 10.9 in coming future.

Deleting unnecessary files saved on the hard drive not only speeds up the Mac machine, but even frees up the disk space. A hard drive storing less amount of data performs considerably well as compared to the one, which is about to get full. Today, computer’s hard drives offer large data storage capacity (i.e. 500GBs and more) allowing the users to store large amount of data on a single device. However, users are not aware of the gradual decrease in performance of the hard drives due to massive amount of data. Therefore, to improve Mac’s performance, it is recommended not to store the unnecessary files on the hard drive.

Well, the recommendation does not imply to delete Mac files or the data currently not in use, but move them to any external USB hard drive. There are several effective ways to get rid of the unnecessary files saved on the Mac machine. Moreover, a few easy to perform ones are discussed below: 

Clean up Mac volumes

Go through all Mac volumes scanning each file and folder manually to prepare a separate note with the names of the files currently being used, frequently used, rarely used, and finally those which are not used but are stored. Keep only those files that are currently being used and frequently used; thereby moving all rarely-used files to any external data storage device. On the other hand, you can delete the files that are not used.

Delete Auto-downloaded Mail Attachments

You send and receive emails with attachments (such as images) that remain in emails as well as automatically downloaded at youruserfolder/Library/Mail Downloads whenever you open any attachment by double-clicking it. Go to the default download location and delete all such attachments to free up the disk space, and even to speed up the email. 

Delete Temporary Files

Operating system performs different calculations, processing, and displays the result. All such events are stored in binary format in the intermediate files. These temporary files are of no use after completing the process. In addition, browser cookies, junk, corrupt, and system binaries are the files that should be removed from the hard drive periodically. 

Remove Duplicate Files

When you download any attachment from the email or anything from the Internet, it goes to a default download location. Moreover, many a times, you specify desktop as the destination to save the file. All such downloads are duplicated if you copy and paste (instead of moving) them to a location where all other similar files are saved.

You can find all duplicate files on your hard drive in Finder’s result. Moreover, you can download smart finder tools from the Internet for better result.

Best Mac Cleaner to Clean and Speed Up Macbook

How to clean up my Mac drive ? Does it help to improve my Mac speed.

These are some of the questions I am answering in this post. The very first answer to these questions, you will get are – go for hardware upgrades.

Now, How what to upgrade in Mac...

1. Buy a new SSD. SSD are better than HDD for greater speed.
2. Increase RAM. First check if your machine has the adequate amount of RAM, as per the OS requirements and type of applications you run.

But, these are not the only solution to fix slow Macbook. The better and cheaper way to speed up a slow running Mac is to optimize it. Older Macs, especially laptops, came with low capacity hard drives which are not enough to serve big iTunes or iPhoto libraries and thus the machine slows down. Such an issue can be fixed by upgrading hard drive.

I strongly recommend to use the best Mac cleaning software for speeding up Macbook.

The best Mac cleaner I have ever used is from Stellar. The application can be targetted either on complete drive or at a specific volume of Mac drive. It deletes following types of files from your drive:

1. Cache files
2. Log files
3. System Junks
4. Trashes and leftovers
5. Manage extensions
6. Universal binaries
7. Language files
8. Large files
9. Duplicate files

Some other mannual fixes, one can try are:

1. Repairing disk permissions
2. Clear out log in items , unwanted applications, unused system preferences
3. Clear desktop and desktop icons
4. Empty trash
5. Turn off Universal Access
6. Turn off Bluetooth
7. Turn off Speech Recognition
8. Turn of f sharing option on net

Keep visiting for more tips to speed up Macbook......

Mac Defragmentation Tips

What does it mean to defrag your Mac drive?

It doesn't matter on which operating system you are working either Windows, linux or Mac , with the passage of time fragmentation occurs. The reason is when you work with your system, you create and delete thousands of files in it , empty space will be created and files gets scattered over hard drive . This state of Mac drive is called 'Fragmented Mac hard drive' and as a result of this, your Mac OS X will take extra time to open any file and launch applications, because pieces of files are fragmented around your hard drive.

and to overcome this problem you need to defrag your Mac.

What is defragmentation?

It is the process of organizing fragmented data into contiguous memory location to enhance Mac performance. Mac OS X has its own way to handle fragmented data, it has the ability to minimize the chances of fragmentation up to 20 MB file size. Defragmenting Mac will leave the computer's free space in one big chunk. This will allow new files to be saved in contiguous memory location, thereby reducing the need for future defragmentation.

How to defragment hard drive?

In Windows:-

Click on the Start button - > Programs - > Accessories - > System Tools. In System Tools, you'll find Disk Defragmenter. In this program, you can select the hard drive that you want to defrag. If you want to defrag multiple drive then you can select all. Click to analyze button, it will tell you either your drive needs to be defragmented or not. You will see lots of colored bars scattered all over the graph usually means you need to defrag.

In Mac:-

As we know Apple does not provide any inbuilt tool for defragmentation to Mac users. So, if you want to defrag your Mac, you need third party tool like iDefrag, Stellar Drive Defrag.

iDefrag is very famous tool but, you have to pay more bucks to purchase it while Stellar Drive Defrag is new but, you can get it only at $39.

iDefrag- It is the product of coriolis-systems and it helps to defrag your Mac. It can defragment individual files in your Mac volume and it helps to improve your Mac performance. iDefrag monitors your drive temperature, and it will take steps to protect the drive if it starts to overheat.

Full Defrag - It combines the Metadata and Optimize algorithms defragmentation.

Full support of Mac OS X 10.8 - It is compatible with the latest versions of Mac OS X.

Works with Time Machine – It works with Time Machine back-up volumes.

Support for case-sensitive HFS+

Supports the Hot Zone – It is a smart about the files you use the most time. It moves them to an area on the disk called the Hot Zone, for improved access times.

Stellar Drive Defrag- This utility helps you to defrag all fragmented data in your Mac disk. It defrags all heavy fragmented files and optimize free spaces. When you will start scanning your Mac disk by using this tool, it will keep together all fragments of related files that can theoretically result in increased performance. There are many functions inside this tool like full defrag, quick defrag, metadata defrag etc.

If you have too much data in your drive then defrgmentation can take little longer so, it is suggested to defrag drive when you are free. With the help of this defrag tool you can easily see the fragmented file in layout view. Temperature bar is associated with this tool to show the temperature of Mac disk during defragmentation process.

Features:-

1. Defrag Mac drive effectively and safely.

2. This tool has advance algorithm to defrag Mac quickly.

3. Option to defrag a single file and metadata also.

4. After the completion of defragmentation, it sends automatic email notification (if preferred).

5. It has temperature bar to show the temperature of Mac hard drive.

System Requirements:-
Processor: Intel, PowerPC (G3 or later)
Operating System: Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8, OS X 10.7, OS X 10.6, OS X 10.5, OS X 10.4 and OS X 10.3.
Memory: 256 MB RAM
Hard Disk: 25 MB of free space
Defragmentation helps not only to keep scattered data in an organized manner but also boost the system performance.

So, I would like to suggest every Mac users to use Stellar Drive Defrag to keep their Mac healthy.

Mac defragmentation myths:-

Defragmentation can crash my Mac - There are many Mac users who believe that defragmentation can cause their Mac to crash or if they use defrag software for their Mac then it may lead sudden crash on their Mac drive.

Mac defragmentation is not possible – Many people think, Mac does not need any defragmentation activity because its file HFS+ has the ability to minimize the chances of fragmentation.

Defragmentation can slow down your Mac – There are many Mac users, who believes that defrag process can make their Mac slow.

Mac defragmentation facts:-

Mac needs defragmentation- Over a period of time, Mac disk stores fragmented data which causes slow Mac performance. So, Mac OS X needs to defrag Mac to improve Mac performance.

Defragmentation is an easy process- It is a very easy process and Mac users can easily perform it. However, Mac does not have any inbuilt tool for defragmentation but, with the help of third party tool, one can easily perform.

Defragmentation prevents Mac failures- If data remains in fragmented way in Mac hard drive then processor needs to put extra effort to pick them and show. In this process, temperature of Mac hard drive increases and there might be a chances of Mac hard drive failure.

Mac defrag process helps to increase Mac performance- Defragmentation process keeps all chunks of data together in Mac memory drive in sequential order and make it available for faster access by Mac OS. So, through this process Mac's performance improves.

These are the basics myths and facts about defragmentation but, it depends on us that how we take care of our Mac. For this purpose, you need regular maintenance of your Mac.

Clean up Mac’s Drive to Experience Actual Mac Performance

Just like every other computer, Mac machines also come across performance issues after running incessantly for a long time. Even more, if you an Internet addict, several junk files, corrupt files, system binaries, cookies, cache, and other temporary files must be stored in different corners of your Mac machine. These unwanted files eat up essential system resources (i.e. Processor and RAM), thereby minimizing its overall performance. Therefore, you need to walk through entire hard drive in order to clean up Mac machine. Besides some known system areas, you need to visit all portions of your drive for a manual cleanup. There must be several unknown regions of the Mac machine storing huge amount of system waste. How can you clean such unknown areas? Well, you can clean such unvisited areas with advanced cleanup software for Mac. For the time being, let us enlighten those system areas, which a user can clean up manually:

Clean Up Mac Volumes

The performance of every computer (whether Mac or Windows) relies on a slew of factors, including the amount of data stored on different volumes of the hard drive. Make sure at least 10 percent of the size of each partition is available as free. If not, then make a note of the data in use, frequently used, rarely used, and never used. Keep only the data that is in use and frequently used, and move rest of the data to any other data storage media, thereby freeing up the memory. Moreover, install required application only.

Delete Chat Logs

iChat messenger in Mac OS X creates a separate log file for saving every chat by default in a folder named as ‘iChat’ in Documents folder. However, you can manually choose a different location to save these logs. If you have been chatting for a long time and sending/receiving media files (i.e. images, audio and video clips etc.), imagine size of the iChat folder. Remove these logs periodically to save not even the memory, but also system resources.

Remove Cookies and Cache

Cookies and Cache are temporary files carrying the intermediate data of the online transactions downloaded automatically on your Mac machine whenever you surf the Internet. These files self-allocate memory and eat up RAM and Processor because of which you face spinning beach ball every time you start a new process. Sometimes, the situation becomes critical and you have to force shutdown the Mac machine. Remove such files frequently to keep your Mac performance high.

Email Auto-Downloads

Email attachments automatically download on your Mac whenever you double-click any attachment, such as an image for quick view. You must have lots of such downloads eating up large amount of memory. Go to youruserfolder/Library/Mail Downloads folder and clean up everything as a step towards cleaning up the Mac’s hard drive.

Alternatively, you can use a good software to clean up Mac for quick and better cleanup, and hence to experience real Mac performance.

Speed up Mac by Freeing up the Disk Space

Mac machine slowdown is a perennial issue that users complain about over and again regardless of the causes. When you purchase a new Mac machine, you find everything is pleasant; however, the pleasant factor starts losing ground after certain period of rigorous usage. If we peek inside the Mac machine before and after slowdown issue is encountered, slew of differences minimizing system performance are noticed. It is recommended to clean up Mac disk in order to improve your Mac's performance. Moreover, you can also find Mac cleanup software on the Internet to enhance Mac's performance significantly.

Following are the areas of the Mac machine where you need to make some alterations in order to improve Mac's performance:

Hard Drive

Hard drive needs major cleanup because it is where all data and applications are stored. A hard drive is supposed to be 'Ideal' if it carries at least 10% of its total capacity as free space. If not, move the unused files to any external data storage device and free up the hard drive space. The unallocated space available on the hard drive is referred to as Virtual Memory that is utilized during execution of the programs. Therefore, clean up Mac disk as much as you can for faster program execution, or move to SSD.

Login Items

Login items are none other than the applications that run automatically when Mac boots to desktop, thereby consuming RAM and Processor. As a result, Mac machine boots up sluggishly, and you suffer from spinning beach balls. Therefore, it is recommended to disable these startup actions from Apple menu->System Preferences->Accounts->Login Items, to achieve faster startup.

Installed Applications

Mac users install so many applications over time, thinking a Mac machine cannot slowdown; however, the system behaves adversely. Go through all installed applications and remove every single application that is not used for a long time. Removing unused applications results in creating free space on the disk, thereby giving performance gains.

Safari Browser

Apple's very own Safari browser in Mac (just like every other web browsers) stores Internet history, cookies, cache, bookmarks, logs, browser plug-ins, and add-ins that affect Internet browsing speed when present in large number. Clean up these items from Safari menu-> Reset Safari, check these items, and click Reset to boost Internet surfing speed.

Apart from cleaning up several areas of the Mac machine, you should also update all the apps installed on your Mac machine in order to improve your Mac machine's performance:

Updating Applications

Make sure the apps installed on your Mac machine are updated. If not, then click Apple menu-> Software Update, and let the Mac connect to Apple's app store to search and download the updates for installed applications.

Follow each of the tips recommended above, not only to free up the hard drive space, but even to speed up the Mac machine.

Strategies to Improve Mac Performance

Mac is termed as the securest and fastest computer ever, due to its unmatched quality hardware and incomparable processing speed. Therefore, it is obvious for a Mac machine to perform significantly well when it is all new. Also, it has been experienced by the users that the same system slowdown problem subsides in Mac that is a fair occurrence on other platforms, such as Windows and Linux. The performance of the Mac machine primarily relies on its hardware configuration and the way it is used. Though it is not a big deal to increase Mac performance, you need to work on a few things in order to make your Mac machine healthy again. You can make different strategies, which you can track in order to maintain your system’s performance. You can either follow the strategies suggested below.

 

Efficient use of Memory

Computers have two types of memories (i.e. Primary and Secondary memory). Primary memory refers to the RAM that executes the system as well as user programs, whereas Secondary memory is the hard drive that facilitates permanent data storage. The hard drives must have at least 10% of their capacity as free memory to work efficiently. Keep additional 4 GB memory as free if you use the Internet on your Mac. Go to Activity Monitor to get the complete details of the memory.

 

Solid State Drives

Solid State Drives, abbreviated as SSDs, are another type of physical storage devices that facilitate faster and efficient data storage. SSDs have embedded integrated memory chips, CPU, and battery cards that make its structure diverse as compared to that of a typical hard drive. If we see, SSDs provide high virtual memory performance, zero latency, and up to 2.5x faster data transfer speed. Therefore, to increase Mac performance, it is recommended to upgrade to SSD. 

Up-to-date Software

Make sure the applications installed on your Mac system are up-to-date. Latest versions of the software provide better functionality, bugs fixes, and even improved security features. Click Apple icon and choose ‘Software Update’ from the context menu. Also, install system updates, if found. 

Authorized Applications

When you download a Mac application from the Internet, perhaps you Google a relative keyword and search the indexed results. Make sure the application you download is developed by Apple or by other authorized developers. 

Avoid installing too Many Applications

Applications installed on the Mac utilize system resources as well as the physical memory, thereby keeping the resources busy. Therefore, more the number of installed applications, more will be the resource utilization, resulting in poor Mac performance.

Improve Mac Performance Significantly

Moving to Mac may resolve many of the performance issues you have been suffering from time and again being on Windows PC, but one issue will get you panic-stricken everywhere you go, i.e. 'system slowdown'. Several internal activities, such as running applications, corrupt disk permissions, and high system resource utilization contribute to Mac slowdown. An ordinary user does not even know what is taxing the system performance and thinks of upgrading the hardware configuration. 

Upgrading the hardware certainly contributes to speeding up Mac however, the choice is not suitable for every user. Below are some internal activities, which you need to monitor and make some alterations to improve the Mac’s performance. 

System Requirements

The very first way to make a Mac machine run faster is that system hardware configuration should meet the minimum requirements for the Mac OS version. Make sure the Mac you are running has right hardware configuration installed. If not, then upgrade to the required configuration. 

Disk Permissions

Every Mac disk has a set of associated permissions that must be undamaged to make the Mac work properly. Make a habit of manually repairing these permissions after a certain time interval regularly. It is recommended to repair these permissions in recovery mode. Therefore, restart the Mac while pressing and holding Option key. Click Recovery HD, open Disk Utility, and select the boot drive. Click 'Repair Disk Permissions' and let the process complete. 

Activity Monitor

Go to Activity Monitor in the Utilities folder and monitor the running processes. Note the processes with high CPU utilization under CPU tab at the bottom section of the window. Select the processes with high CPU utilization and click Quit Process button in the menu bar. Make sure you know about the process being killed. 

Browser Extensions

Web browsers automatically download extensions, plug-ins, and toolbars that consume system resources. Disable these browser extensions and clear the cache to speed up the browser. Open Safari, click ‘Safari’ main menu, choose ‘Preferences’, and click ‘Extensions’. Click one by one all installed extensions and uninstall them. 

Login Items

Login items in Mac are just like Startup items in Windows that execute every time the system boots up. These items consume large Primary memory (RAM) and processor resulting in poor startup. Remove login items to speed up the boot process. Go to System Preferences-> Users & Groups and select ‘Login items’ tab. Select an item and click minus (-) button given in the bottom section. 

Hardware Upgrade

Upgrading the hardware (i.e. RAM and hard drive) may result in significant improvement in the system performance. Large primary memory makes process execution faster and efficient. Moreover, it is recommended to use SSD instead of HDD for better storage and performance.

Follow the steps discussed above to speed up Mac and say good bye to spinning beach balls and abnormal startup.