Optimizing Apple Mac OS X - Guides & Tutorials 09/04/10 00:07

TechArena Community > ARENA Become a Member!

> Guides & Tutorials User Name User Name Remember Me?
Optimizing Apple Mac Forgot your username/password?
Password Log in
OS X
Register Tags Active Topics RSS Search SiteMap

Tags: apple, leopard, mac os, optimizing

Defrag Your PC Instantly Vehicle routing software

Optimize the Speed of your PC in under 2 Vehicle routing & scheduling: Cut cost, save time,
minutes. Try Now. improve efficiency
www.SpeedyPC.com www.optrak.co.uk

Optimizing Apple Mac OS X

Guides & Tutorials

Thread Tools Search this Thread

16-03-2009 #1

Join Date: Sep 2005

kattman Posts: 1,061
Member

Optimizing Apple Mac OS X

In theory, any operating system installed on

a partition formatted HFS + (which is the
case of Mac OS X) tends to fragment. This
is an inescapable rule! Mac OS X thus not
immune to this rule. Therefore, as you use
OS X for its daily work, the system and the
files it contains is fragmented and, gradually
OS X becomes more heavy.

Well, that's the theory! But just think that

Apple precise HERE few interesting
elements:

Nowadays hard disks are much larger than

in the past. Thus the HFS + avoids
whenever possible the reuse of space
previously used by deleted files.
MAC OS X 10.2 and later include an
allocation system to bring together in one
place the disc a number of small allocations.
When you install Mac OS X, many files are placed in a special area ( "hot band") can be read
quickly and defragmentation could move those files, which could slow down the boot.
PANTHER, TIGER and LEOPARD can automatically defrag some files (the files small and
medium size) in a process called "Hot-File-Adaptive-Clustering."

Also according to Apple, there would therefore be of little interest to defragment your hard drive!
However, if you feel the need to defragment, APPLE suggests at first simply restarting your Mac!

http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1141280.htm Page 1 of 8
Optimizing Apple Mac OS X - Guides & Tutorials 09/04/10 00:07

As against, if your hard drive is copiously filled and / or if you regularly create or edit large files
(video etc ... - which is increasingly common nowadays -) in this case APPLE states still it may be
necessary to defragment your hard drive with appropriate software.

16-03-2009 #2

Join Date: Sep 2005

kattman Posts: 1,061
Member

Re: Optimizing Mac OS X LEOPARD

Many people (who believe sometimes hold infuse science) who feel that due to the UNIX Mac OS
X, this defrag has become totally useless. Others argue however that even if OS X has a UNIX
kernel, the system is actually installed on an HFS + partition, which it inevitably leads to
fragmentation

Companies publishing software as TechTool Pro, Drive Genius "or" iDefrag "they believe there is
indeed fragmentation:

MICROMAT:
"TechTool Pro" offers a new optimization feature for your disk drive. The Mac OS X system
contains thousands of files that fragment quickly. TechTool Pro allows you to defragment files that
your system operates at its maximum potential."
"Micromat strongly recommends leaving at least 15% free space on your volume OS X. If 85% of
an HFS + volume is filled and highly fragmented, any new data added to the volume can damage
the disk directory"
"The file swapfile must be written to a disk location that must be both free and contiguous."

"To use a hard drive at maximum performance, it must be defragmented regularly. It is very
important, especially if you do video editing or manipulation of audio files. When a file Media is
fragmented, it is possible that the disc can not read or write the file fast enough. This will penalize
the operating software. Optimization changes the way the data are positioned, and improve disk
performance. After optimization, the files are stored in contiguous, starting from the "beginning" of
the disc which is the fastest. "

PROSOFT:
"Create and delete files on your hard drive contribute to fragmentation. When the system writes
files on the disc, looking for empty slots. If a site is too small to accommodate the file, then it
writes a part of the file here and another elsewhere. This fragmentation leads to a gradual
slowdown of the disc, because it must constantly scan the content to pick up the pieces of files.
Use "Drive Genius" to defragment the hard drive is an excellent way to increase performance of
the computer. "Drive Genius" puts all the pieces in a block adjacent to the remaining free space. "

CORIOLIS:
"Every user has noticed, little by little the system becomes more broken. This is especially true
with frequent updates. This contributes to fragmentation. Moreover, the operating system itself
ends up disperse throughout the disc, so that your computer takes longer to boot, applications,
more time to get started and you need more time to your work. "
"Some people say that HFS + avoids fragmentation, this is true, but only for files of small and
medium sizes, not for large files, or the free space on the disc. This poses a real problem on Mac,
because the swapfile is no longer necessarily contiguous on the disc if the free space is
fragmented. "

16-03-2009 #3

http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1141280.htm Page 2 of 8
Optimizing Apple Mac OS X - Guides & Tutorials 09/04/10 00:07

Join Date: Sep 2005

kattman Posts: 1,061
Member

Re: Optimizing Mac OS X LEOPARD

To defragment your OS X system on a periodic basis (the notion of periodicity of course varies
according to each type of configuration, use more or less intensive applications, installations and
uninstalls frequent ... etc) you will find on this page 4 solutions for defrag, defragmentation
applications to be used either from the bootable OS X CD that came with those applications, or
(even better if possible) from a second partition OS X (clone for example) - see "Installation" .
The final solution is simply ... cloning.

1 - TechTool Pro: a tool that has proved its worth

Download latest version of TechTool from here.

This is an excellent tool and is undoubtedly the current reference in the field of software essential
for your Mac. "TechTool Pro offers many features for maintenance, repair and optimization. As we
are discussing here the issue of fragmentation, we will develop this function proposed by TechTool
Pro

Remember to defragment your OS X partition, you must either boot from the CD that came with
"TechTool Pro, or start a second OS X partition (your clone for example) or even (and this is is an
advantage of TechTool Pro) start on the eDrive.

A "eDrive" is a boot partition containing emergency "TechTool Pro. To create this "eDrive" run
"TechTool Pro and go to the" Tools. "Once this partition" eDrive "created, you'll even forget,
because it is invisible! You can however at any time select "TechTool Pro" to start your Mac on it
and proceed to repair and optimize your OS X partition
Quote:
Note: If you have a bootable clone on a partition on your external hard drive, do not you
create a "eDrive. Just start on your clone to verify / repair your main OS X volume.

To proceed with the defragmentation of a partition or a hard disk with "TechTool Pro, run the
software and go to" Tools. "Two operations optimization are proposed:

Optimizing Files:
This test allows the defragmentation of files. Mac OS X when writing data to disk, it may have to
split a file into several pieces. We then say that it is fragmented. This feature allows you to
combine data from a file on successive blocks of the hard drive.

Optimization Volume:
This feature allows defragmenting the disk. After making the optimization file, the files are
continuous, but may not be placed one after the other, creating "holes" empty. To improve disk
access, it is better to stick the files to each other at the beginning of the hard disk.

It is therefore preferable to start as a first step "Optimizing Files" and then in a second time
"Optimizing volume". See it a little more detail:

a) Select the "Optimize Files" in the lower left to the "Selection Tool" and select a volume on the
right. Two buttons are available:
Quote:
- "Previous Optimization" which displays an overview of the status of files, without starting
the defragmentation
- "Start Optimization Files" lets you actually defragment the files.

http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1141280.htm Page 3 of 8
Optimizing Apple Mac OS X - Guides & Tutorials 09/04/10 00:07

Click the "Start Optimization Files" to start defragmenting files.

b) Now select the "Volume Optimization" at the bottom left to the "Selection Tool" and select the
volume that you optimize the files. Two buttons are available again:

- "Previous Optimization" will display a graph representing the state of your disk / partition:

On the left of the graph, you will find a summary of the data from your disk / partition:

Used: Size of data that are stored on disk.

Free space: empty space on the disk.
Largest free space: The size of the largest contiguous free blocks on disk. If the system or
the user wants to write a larger file (here a file larger than 780 MB, then it is fragmented).
free contiguous blocks Number of blocks occupied and non-contiguous.
Fragmentation space: Less contiguous free space is fragmented, the less the need to
fragment the new files on the disk will be important.

The graph on the right shows the condition of your disk / partition. At left, the beginning of the
disc at the right end of the disk. The green represents the free space, the red space. The size of
the bar graph shows the amount of data to a location. In the picture above, one can see a very
fragmented disk with little free space.

Click the "Start Optimization Volume" to start defragmenting volume.

Once "Optimization Volume" is complete, you get a graph like this:

16-03-2009 #4

Join Date: Sep 2005

kattman Posts: 1,061
Member

Re: Optimizing Mac OS X LEOPARD

2 - DRIVE GENIUS: A GOOD ALTERNATIVE

Here is also a very comprehensive software for testing, repair, and of course defragment your

http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1141280.htm Page 4 of 8
Optimizing Apple Mac OS X - Guides & Tutorials 09/04/10 00:07

volumes. "Drive Genius" is also regarded as the major competitor of TechTool Pro. The functions
offered by these two programs are very similar.

As "TechTool Pro, you will need to install" Drive Genius "on another partition (and boot from this
denière) or boot from the CD" Drive Genius "defragment your partition for OS X.

You can get "Drive Genius" form HERE

To start a defragmentation in "Drive Genius", select "Defragmenter" in the main window, "Drive
Genius", then choose to defragment the volume in the left column.

Quote:
Which appears in yellow is already defragmented
which appears purple in color requires defragmentation
which is black is the free space.

Click the "Start" button.

"Drive Genius" when the program launches defrag your volume. When finished, it tells you that the
defragmentation operation is successful.

"Drive Genius" also offers a very interesting (but I do recommend that users) to resize your
partitions on the fly.
You just need to select "Partition" in the main window of "Drive Genius".
You can then add / remove, make the invisible visible and resize your partitions to suit your
mood and your available disk space. You can also change the location of the partitions on your
hard drive.

Quote:
Note: It is necessary to boot from another volume or CD, because you can not resize /
modify the partition on which you booted.

16-03-2009 #5

Join Date: Sep 2005

kattman Posts: 1,061
Member

Re: Optimizing Mac OS X LEOPARD

3: iDEFRAG, an interesting tool

"iDefrag is a small program that does one thing defragment. Its price is more modest .

This software has my preference, because as stated Coriolis "iDefrag" has the advantage of being
fully compatible with the "Hot Band" specific to Mac OS X, which seems to be likely to meet the
concerns of some users . iDefrag "is the only software to take into account this specificity.

The demo version only allows you to defragment the partitions less than 100 MB You can download
the demo version (or buy the software) from HERE.

The originality of "iDefrag" lies in the fact that the software offers 5 different defragmentation
algorithms:

Compact: All files are moved to the "beginning" of the volume.

Metadata: This algorithm is based primarily on the metadata files. Metadata is better

http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1141280.htm Page 5 of 8
Optimizing Apple Mac OS X - Guides & Tutorials 09/04/10 00:07

protected and optimized.

Quick-on-line: To defragment a volume without the "dismount." That is possible only for
certain files only.
Optimize: Allows you to rearrange the files on the volume.
Full Defrag: Lance algorithms the "Metadata" and "Optimize".

I advise you to use the algorithms "Compact" or "Full Defrag" for a defragmentation optimized.

To use "iDefrag", select the volume to be processed and click "Go",thing is easier.

16-03-2009 #6

Join Date: Sep 2005

kattman Posts: 1,061
Member

Re: Optimizing Mac OS X LEOPARD

4: SIMPLY THE CLONING

Yes, if you do not have defrag software, but if you have rather a cloning software (my preference
is for "Super Duper" ), you indeed quite possible to defragment your hard drive using the
technique of cloning.

How?

1. Clone your main OS X partition on another partition (preferably on an external hard

http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1141280.htm Page 6 of 8
Optimizing Apple Mac OS X - Guides & Tutorials 09/04/10 00:07

drive)
2. Start on this clone and clone the clone, this time to your main OS X partition, taking
care to clear before the latter ( "Super Duper!" Allows this).
3. Restart your main OS X partition

Then you will enjoy a substantial gain of responsiveness!

Quote:

NOTE: It is important to take into account this cloning back is a problem Indeed, some
software needs to be enabled to work remotely. It is sometimes necessary to disable the
registration of the software before the operation in return for cloning and then reactivate at
a later date.

I recommend you also use the excellent utility maintenance "Leopard Cache Cleaner." This allows
the "Optimize" under "System", optimize / defragment files (case " Optimize Files ") using
precisely the internal OS X defrag described above

Quote:
NOTE: To enable this feature requires the "Logging" is enabled.

Should we launch this operation often defragmentation?

It depends of course on the configuration of each (size of the hard disk, file number, intensity of
use etc ...).
For my part, I run this very useful about 3 to 4 times a year. This enough, we are no longer under
OS 9.
So if you have a good time to less or more run a good defrag!

16-03-2009 #7

Join Date: Sep 2005

kattman Posts: 1,061
Member

Re: Optimizing Mac OS X LEOPARD

LEOPARD AND FUNCTIONS "UPDATE_PREBINDING" / "dyld"

In Mac OS X PUMA (10.1), it was necessary to optimize the system regularly by launching the
"update_prebinding." This could be initiated manually from the "Terminal", or through
applications such as small "Xoptimize" or "SpeedMeUp Pro" that did for you.

With Mac OS X Jaguar (10.2), things became different and much simpler yet! Because, according
to the explanations provided by the publisher of "Xoptimize", available here, and this function
"update_prebinding" became fully automated in OS X and the system itself which launched this
operation when this is necessary.

And yes, as explained in the editor "Xoptimize" it was no longer necessary to manually run this
function "update_prebinding" under OS X, as the system takes care of everything! This is under
Jaguar 10.2, Panther 10.3 and Tiger 10.4.

10.5 under Leopard, things have changed since this command update_prebinding "has become
obsolete and was replaced by an operation of updating caches shared" dyld ".
"dyld" a pitcher is responsible for loading dynamic frameworks, and bundles dylib required by a
process. This option allows you to update the caches used by dyld and sometimes fixes problems.
You can run this update caches shared "dyld" with "Onyx"

http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1141280.htm Page 7 of 8
Optimizing Apple Mac OS X - Guides & Tutorials 09/04/10 00:07

TechArena Community > ARENA > Guides & Tutorials

« Install PHP5 On Fedora 10 and Apache2 with mod_fcgid How To Clean Install Windows Vista From Upgrade DVD »

Similar Threads for: "Optimizing Apple Mac OS X"

Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
2 Weeks Ago
Optimizing images for Kindle archer Technology & Internet 4
08:13 PM
4 Weeks Ago
Optimizing queries in MySQL Caden Fernandes Software Development 4
06:14 PM
06-08-2009
Optimizing BIOS settings zakir Operating Systems 3
01:36 PM
10-03-2009
Optimizing cooling HD 4850 NIcaBoy Overclocking & Computer Modification 7
09:31 AM
configuring and optimizing 17-02-2009
raj_cool Windows Software 4
Windows 01:04 PM

All times are GMT +5.5. The time now is 03:36 AM.

Contact Us - TechArena - Privacy Statement -

http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1141280.htm Page 8 of 8