Techniques Regarding Improving Performance of Mac OS X

Question

I am a Windows user and used to use:

• ccleaner for managing installed application
• ccleaner for managing registries of windows
• disk defragmentation, ChekDisk, for disk (built-in Windows)
• ccleaner for clearing my all history at a single shot.
• I would use boost xp to manage xp.
• Similarly, I would increase the virtual memory from options for faster performance.

I was explaining here - that If I am a windows user I do above things to manage my OS properly.

I want same here for Mac OS X.

I would like to find out your techniques regarding managing Mac OS X.

One technique per answer please & if possible please give brief description.

Answer 1

You really don't need to do all that at all.

Since most OS X applications don't install by putting files all over the drive, you can generally uninstall an app simply by deleting it from the /Applications or ~/Applications folder. The rare application that needs one should include an uninstaller (and again, this is rare).

There is no registry to manage.

HFS+ doesn't require manual defragmentation.

You're best letting the OS manage the virtual memory (as you indeed are in most XP configs as well).

If you're looking for something like BoostXP to manage lots of hidden settings, etc, try OnyX.

Answer 2

http://noahlittle.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/macintosh-maintenance-basics-from-typical-mac-user-podcast/

http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/maintainingmacosx.html

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i think the only periodic maintenance most people do is "Repair disk permissions" and "Verify Disk" using Disk Utility. One one mac, that wouldn't go, so i had to do a safe boot every few months (hold down Shift while booting)