Re: [CGUYS] Tom, Reformat Annually?
What about defragmenting? Some say it isn't needed on Macs, but when I went to install Boot Camp on a relatively new MacBook, it refused to segment the drive. I tried all the built in Mac tools and it still refused. It only worked after I used a drfrag program. So now I'm wondering if I should defrag my desktop too (even though it isn't in line for a for Boot Camp install). OS X manages disk space to avoid the problem in the first place. If detected, OS X stitches files back together as part of its normal operation. However, it doesn't do this for very large files beause this would make the Mac operate very slowly. People using very large files, like digital video, do need to defrag. People doing serious DV typically avoid defrags by putting DV files on a dedicated drive(s) and periodically reformatting the drive(s). You might have had a problem caused by a large cache file or something similar. Defrag programs also do some basic disk repair because defragging a damaged disk could cause serious problems. So perhaps it was the disk repair, not the defragging that solved your problem. Windows XP users still need to defrag. Vista runs a defrag utility on a weekly basis. Very primitive. * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived
Re: [CGUYS] Tom, Reformat Annually?
It had always been my understanding that registry cleaners were basically placebos. What do you use? On 6/13/07, Tom Piwowar [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: It seems to me that many, many years ago you recommended that a computer's hard drive should be reformatted annually. Then reinstall the OS, applications, and data. Not at all necessary for Macs. Some people follow this regimen with PCs. I have so much software installed on my PC that this would be impractical. So I rely on scandisk and registry cleaning. So far so good for three years. * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived
Re: [CGUYS] Tom, Reformat Annually?
Not being argumentative, just wanting some info...what is the real difference between os x 'stitching files back together' and vista defrag? Is os x basically doing a defrag on the fly when it feels it can but only to smaller files as you said? Mike On 6/14/07, Tom Piwowar [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: OS X manages disk space to avoid the problem in the first place. If detected, OS X stitches files back together as part of its normal operation. However, it doesn't do this for very large files beause this would make the Mac operate very slowly. People using very large files, like digital video, do need to defrag. People doing serious DV typically avoid defrags by putting DV files on a dedicated drive(s) and periodically reformatting the drive(s). You might have had a problem caused by a large cache file or something similar. Defrag programs also do some basic disk repair because defragging a damaged disk could cause serious problems. So perhaps it was the disk repair, not the defragging that solved your problem. Windows XP users still need to defrag. Vista runs a defrag utility on a weekly basis. Very primitive. * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived
Re: [CGUYS] Tom, Reformat Annually?
Not being argumentative, just wanting some info...what is the real difference between os x 'stitching files back together' and vista defrag? Is os x basically doing a defrag on the fly when it feels it can but only to smaller files as you said? The big difference is that OS X tries to avoid fragments in the first place. So when a file is written it tries to keep it in one piece. Despite this, a file can fragment when it is appended to. OS X detectes when this happens and fixes it on the fly. Vista doesn't do anything like that. It schedules running an old-fashioned defrag utility on a weekly basis. * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived
Re: [CGUYS] Tom, Reformat Annually?
It had always been my understanding that registry cleaners were basically placebos. Hardly. I have had them correct strange bugs and they can turn a sluggish PC back into its old self. Strangest bug I had was stuff jumping out of the recycle bin as soon as the mouse was released. Could not throw anything away until the registery cleaner fixed it. What do you use? The one I use doesn't get the best ratings so I won't mention it. It does the job so I see no need to buy one that is better rated. A few months ago someone posted a link to an extensive review article. Anyone have it handy? Some of the reviews I've seen are written by people who don't understand the PC enough to know what they are reviewing. Hence some very poor reviews. Reg cleaners need to be run multiple times until no problems are found. Some reviewers did not understand this. * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived
Re: [CGUYS] Tom, Reformat Annually?
It seems to me that many, many years ago you recommended that a computer's hard drive should be reformatted annually. Then reinstall the OS, applications, and data. Not at all necessary for Macs. Some people follow this regimen with PCs. I have so much software installed on my PC that this would be impractical. So I rely on scandisk and registry cleaning. So far so good for three years. * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived
Re: [CGUYS] Tom, Reformat Annually?
I wouldn't reformat every year, but I would plan on reformatting for 10.5 You will have your choice of two filesystems with 10.5 - HFS+ and ZFS. There are some compelling reasons to use ZFS. Go Google ZFS and Leopard. Mason Alvin Auerbach wrote: Tom, I'm thinking ahead about Mac OS 10.5. It seems to me that many, many years ago you recommended that a computer's hard drive should be reformatted annually. Then reinstall the OS, applications, and data. Do you still recommend this? I was thinking that if I'm going to do this, then the installation of OS 10.5 might be a good time to do it. At that time my iMac G5 2GHz 2GB RAM, 400GB disk, will be 2-1/3 years old. Alvin * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived
Re: [CGUYS] Tom, Reformat Annually?
I wouldn't reformat every year, but I would plan on reformatting for 10.5 You will have your choice of two filesystems with 10.5 - HFS+ and ZFS. There are some compelling reasons to use ZFS. Go Google ZFS and Leopard. ZFS will not be a standard part of X.5. Probably will be considered beta until X.6. * == QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in == * == the body of an email send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] == * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header X-No-Archive: yes will not be archived
