Help Desk Practical Mac Page Three

Help: Practical Mac: 3 of 8

5. Turn Off Unnecessary System Resources: Because the MacOS is designed to handle the needs of every Macintosh user, it often installs system extensions and control panels (we call both types of files "resources") your computer doesn't need. That wastes memory and increases the chance of conflicts which will make your system unstable. Fortunately, you can disable (turn off) unnecessary resources using the Extensions Manager Control Panel. (WARNING: Don't disable anything unless you know exactly what it does for your system.) Some common examples of resources you might disable include:

Macs that don't have a CD-ROM drive can't use the Apple CD-ROM Extension, its various translator extensions (High Sierra, ISO 9660, UDF Volume, etc.), or the Apple CD Audio application, its various aliases and Guide files.

Unless you have a PowerBook, extensions or control panels that have the word "PowerBook" in their name, or a picture of a PowerBook in their icon, are useless to your system.

If you're not on a network, you don't need the various EtherTalk, Token Ring or File Sharing extensions and control panels.

Unless you connect to the Internet or use Email, all dialup and connection files (PPP, TCP/IP, Apple Remote Access, Modem and Modem Descriptions) are useless. So is the Web Browser and Email software installed in your applications folder.

Does anyone really use Desktop Printing? If you don't, disable the desktop printing extensions and throw away those ridiculous printer icons cluttering up your desktop.

People either love or hate the Control Strip. If you hate it, turn it off, and remove the Control Strip Modules Folder. Likewise, if you don't use the Launcher, turn it off and remove the Launcher Items Folder.

Dozens of machine-specific monitor and graphics files may be installed if you choose the "Universal Install" option. If their names suggest they are for a Mac or peripheral you don't own, get rid of them!

Printer Descriptions files and "Chooser Extensions" for every Apple StyleWriter, ImageWriter and LaserWriter printer are installed on every system. If you don't own one or more of those printer models, you can disable the appropriate chooser extensions, and remove most of the useless, machine-specific files in the Printer Descriptions Folder.

6. Teach Your Mouse New Tricks: Use these tips for more efficient and productive "mousing" in the Finder:

SHIFT-CLICK: Holding down the SHIFT key on your keyboard while single-clicking on icons with your mouse allows you to select or deselect multiple items at once. You can then drag the whole selected group to other folders or the trash.

OPTION-DRAG: Everyone knows how to drag an icon from one location to another. But, what if you want to create a copy of a file in a new location AND leave the original where it was. You could duplicate the original and drag the copy to the new location, but it's faster to hold down the OPTION key while dragging the original file icon. That automatically creates a COPY of the selected original file(s) in the new destination folder, while the original file stays in its original location.

LASSO THOSE ICONS: Many users don't know you can drag a "lasso" around a group of icons, instantly selecting anyt files within the lasso area. This can be a real time-saver compared to selecting one file at a time or shift-clicking to select multiple files. (Example: If you want to trash several files within a single folder, you can drag a lasso around the whole group, then use the COMMAND+Delete shortcut (only in OS8+) to move the whole group into the trash at one time.)

7. Install More RAM: The best investment you can make in your computer is to add more RAM! Extra RAM allows you to open more software at one time, so you waste less time switching between applications. Extra RAM helps increase your system speed and performance. On some machines it helps speed up graphics, too. And, in all cases, extra RAM makes your system more stable by reducing common "out-of-memory" errors, bombs and freezes. 32 MB is the minimum acceptable amount these days, but we would recommend no less than 40 MB for any PowerMac.

8. Use Your Existing Memory Wisely: No matter how much RAM you have installed, it won't help your productivity or performance if you don't use it correctly!

The easiest way to make sure you're using RAM correctly is to select the memory configuration Apple recommends for your computer by clicking on the "Use Defaults" button in the Memory Control Panel. An explanation of the default settings is listed below.

DISK CACHE: The computer sets aside a small RAM space to hold data until it can be moved to slower storage devices like hard drives or diskettes. The minimum is 32K. The default setting recommended by Apple allocates 32K for each megabyte of physical RAM installed.

VIRTUAL MEMORY ("On" by default, or you can use Connectix RAM Doubler Software): Virtual Memory (VM) sets aside space on your hard drive to use as "artificial RAM." If a document or application requires more RAM space than what is currently available, the CPU determines which instructions currently in RAM will not be needed for the next few moments, and moves those files to the VM space on the hard drive to make room for the new files. If VM is "Off," and you try to open more files or applications than your physical RAM can hold, the machine will freeze, bomb, or report an "out-of-memory" error.

NOTE 1: Virtual Memory (or RAM Doubler) is required for PowerPC Macs to properly use "Memory Mapping" instructions to allocate RAM space.
NOTE 2: On a PowerMac, each and every application will require more RAM than usual if VM is turned off.

NOTE 3: Virtual Memory in System 8.0+ is much more stable and reliable than it was in the past. Users of older system software should upgrade to OS 8.0+, or use the RAM Doubler utility software.

NOTE 4: Virtual Memory requires a large block of empty space on your hard drive. If your drive is full or severely fragmented, the necessary space may not be available in one large "contiguous" chunk. This can make VM unstable.

RAM DISK: This setting (OFF by default) makes your Mac think that part of your RAM is an ultra-fast hard drive. PowerBook users often use RAM disks to save battery power. You should ONLY use the RAM Disk option if you have plenty of real RAM installed. Also, be aware that any files stored on the RAM Disk can be lost forever when the machine is turned off.

32-BIT ADDRESSING: The Memory Control Panel in older versions of system software may also display a switch to turn 32-bit addressing on or off. Only a few of the very oldest Macs can't use 32-bit addressing. For any other model, it should be turned ON.

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Help: Practical Mac: 3 of 8
5. Turn Off Unnecessary System Resources: Because the MacOS is designed to handle the needs of every Macintosh user, it often installs system extensions and control panels (we call both types of files "resources") your computer doesn't need. That wastes memory and increases the chance of conflicts which will make your system unstable. Fortunately, you can disable (turn off) unnecessary resources using the Extensions Manager Control Panel. (WARNING: Don't disable anything unless you know exactly what it does for your system.) Some common examples of resources you might disable include: Macs that don't have a CD-ROM drive can't use the Apple CD-ROM Extension, its various translator extensions (High Sierra, ISO 9660, UDF Volume, etc.), or the Apple CD Audio application, its various aliases and Guide files. Unless you have a PowerBook, extensions or control panels that have the word "PowerBook" in their name, or a picture of a PowerBook in their icon, are useless to your system. If you're not on a network, you don't need the various EtherTalk, Token Ring or File Sharing extensions and control panels. Unless you connect to the Internet or use Email, all dialup and connection files (PPP, TCP/IP, Apple Remote Access, Modem and Modem Descriptions) are useless. So is the Web Browser and Email software installed in your applications folder. Does anyone really use Desktop Printing? If you don't, disable the desktop printing extensions and throw away those ridiculous printer icons cluttering up your desktop. People either love or hate the Control Strip. If you hate it, turn it off, and remove the Control Strip Modules Folder. Likewise, if you don't use the Launcher, turn it off and remove the Launcher Items Folder. Dozens of machine-specific monitor and graphics files may be installed if you choose the "Universal Install" option. If their names suggest they are for a Mac or peripheral you don't own, get rid of them! Printer Descriptions files and "Chooser Extensions" for every Apple StyleWriter, ImageWriter and LaserWriter printer are installed on every system. If you don't own one or more of those printer models, you can disable the appropriate chooser extensions, and remove most of the useless, machine-specific files in the Printer Descriptions Folder. 6. Teach Your Mouse New Tricks: Use these tips for more efficient and productive "mousing" in the Finder: SHIFT-CLICK: Holding down the SHIFT key on your keyboard while single-clicking on icons with your mouse allows you to select or deselect multiple items at once. You can then drag the whole selected group to other folders or the trash. OPTION-DRAG: Everyone knows how to drag an icon from one location to another. But, what if you want to create a copy of a file in a new location AND leave the original where it was. You could duplicate the original and drag the copy to the new location, but it's faster to hold down the OPTION key while dragging the original file icon. That automatically creates a COPY of the selected original file(s) in the new destination folder, while the original file stays in its original location. LASSO THOSE ICONS: Many users don't know you can drag a "lasso" around a group of icons, instantly selecting anyt files within the lasso area. This can be a real time-saver compared to selecting one file at a time or shift-clicking to select multiple files. (Example: If you want to trash several files within a single folder, you can drag a lasso around the whole group, then use the COMMAND+Delete shortcut (only in OS8+) to move the whole group into the trash at one time.) 7. Install More RAM: The best investment you can make in your computer is to add more RAM! Extra RAM allows you to open more software at one time, so you waste less time switching between applications. Extra RAM helps increase your system speed and performance. On some machines it helps speed up graphics, too. And, in all cases, extra RAM makes your system more stable by reducing common "out-of-memory" errors, bombs and freezes. 32 MB is the minimum acceptable amount these days, but we would recommend no less than 40 MB for any PowerMac. 8. Use Your Existing Memory Wisely: No matter how much RAM you have installed, it won't help your productivity or performance if you don't use it correctly! The easiest way to make sure you're using RAM correctly is to select the memory configuration Apple recommends for your computer by clicking on the "Use Defaults" button in the Memory Control Panel. An explanation of the default settings is listed below. DISK CACHE: The computer sets aside a small RAM space to hold data until it can be moved to slower storage devices like hard drives or diskettes. The minimum is 32K. The default setting recommended by Apple allocates 32K for each megabyte of physical RAM installed. VIRTUAL MEMORY ("On" by default, or you can use Connectix RAM Doubler Software): Virtual Memory (VM) sets aside space on your hard drive to use as "artificial RAM." If a document or application requires more RAM space than what is currently available, the CPU determines which instructions currently in RAM will not be needed for the next few moments, and moves those files to the VM space on the hard drive to make room for the new files. If VM is "Off," and you try to open more files or applications than your physical RAM can hold, the machine will freeze, bomb, or report an "out-of-memory" error. NOTE 1: Virtual Memory (or RAM Doubler) is required for PowerPC Macs to properly use "Memory Mapping" instructions to allocate RAM space. NOTE 2: On a PowerMac, each and every application will require more RAM than usual if VM is turned off. NOTE 3: Virtual Memory in System 8.0+ is much more stable and reliable than it was in the past. Users of older system software should upgrade to OS 8.0+, or use the RAM Doubler utility software. NOTE 4: Virtual Memory requires a large block of empty space on your hard drive. If your drive is full or severely fragmented, the necessary space may not be available in one large "contiguous" chunk. This can make VM unstable. RAM DISK: This setting (OFF by default) makes your Mac think that part of your RAM is an ultra-fast hard drive. PowerBook users often use RAM disks to save battery power. You should ONLY use the RAM Disk option if you have plenty of real RAM installed. Also, be aware that any files stored on the RAM Disk can be lost forever when the machine is turned off. 32-BIT ADDRESSING: The Memory Control Panel in older versions of system software may also display a switch to turn 32-bit addressing on or off. Only a few of the very oldest Macs can't use 32-bit addressing. For any other model, it should be turned ON.
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HOME . SERVICES . HELP DESK . RESOURCES . WHY MAC . CREDENTIALS
Copyright 1998, 5-Minute Mac Consulting, Wampum, Pennsylvania, USA