I get asked all the time what I think of Macs, in particular what I think of my Mac. That’s a post I should write (along with why they’re not for everyone), but let me say that the sheer lack of ever having to hit “end now” is worth every bit of my money. I’d purchase yearly if needed simply to maintain my sanity.
But that doesn’t mean Macs are perfect. They are a machine, built by man, and like anything else some maintenance is beneficial.
Before I continue, I have to be honest. I don’t perform a maintenance routine on my Mac the way I do with PC’s. I keep my browser cache cleared, power cycle regularly, and perform backups but that’s about it. I find Macs just don’t require the same attention; thus a maintenance “task list” like I suggest for PC’s is more difficult. I’ve owned my current machine for 3 years. Outside of a screen issue replaced under Apple Care, I’ve not had a single problem. It runs like it did the day I bought it.
However … there wouldn’t be mac repair shops or forums and articles addressing fixes if the need didn’t exist. A friend of mine owns a quite active Mac shop. They are machines after all. Yet there are a few things you can do to help stave off a visit to my friend. I bullet the following headers from a MacWorld article called Essential Mac Maintenance. The headers are a good summary and reiterate items I’ve said on other posts; the article goes into much more detail. (If you’re about to purchase or just purchased a new Mac, this article may be helpful.)
- Backup your data – I’m writing a series on this if you need more info. Just click “backups” under “Tags.”
- Keep software up-to-date – set your preferences to do this automatically (should be the default) to make life easier.
- Monitor hard drive health – Personally, I do not recommend using SMART as he suggests unless you’re having problems, but periodically using the disk utility is not a bad idea.
- Periodically re-start your Mac – let me say that from an energy standpoint, there’s really no need to run your machine when you are gone for long periods of time or maybe even overnight. It doesn’t hurt it to re-start. I shut down my machine every night though you’ll find knowledgeable people on both sides of that issue; it’s a personal preference. This is not an energy-conservation post, but considering both as you assess needs is good stewardshp I think.
- Occasionally relaunch Web browsers – this will be more of an issue if you power-cycle infrequently.
- Check hard-drive space – if your space gets too low, performance will suffer. He recommends no less than 10% of your total drive. I’d start looking for more at 20%, particularly if you do graphics or work with other large programs/files. Keep an eye on your Trash and any files you don’t need; this could be a quick fix to gaining more space.
- Run only the programs you need – this is normal advice but balance it. Part of the reason I use a Mac is because of the volume of programs it can run concurrently without issue. And yes, I’m using every one of those 13 programs and bazillion windows that are open. I manipulate a lot of data between programs. So balance your needs with maintenance and, at some point, you may need an upgrade. In the meantime, if you’re having problems, closing a few programs can help.
- Keep a clean machine – physically, he means. Watch for dust and other elements that can get on (and in) your machine. We know not to spill drinks but dust can be a killer too. Ocassionally check your work area for items that will interfere with fans, obstruct vents or simply make the machines dirty.
Much of this is information is useful for any computer, not just Macs, but it’s a good place to start. I’m big about good information and computing practices; knowing and practicing certain principles will save you much technology frustration over time.
[BTW – the paper version of this article ran in the July 2008 issue of MacWorld (apparently a good issue for posts) if you’re interested. It also includes the “set-up” article linked above.]
Filed under: Maintaining Your Computer
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