Guiding Principals: Keep things simple, backup critical documents,
and don't panic.
Introduction:
This document contains many Macintosh troubleshooting
and maintenance tips. These tips can help you understand how to keep
your Macintosh from crashing. Common crashes include those that report
only an error number like "error of type 10" etc. In most
cases the root cause of these crashes is a software conflict which is
addressed in this document in the extensions manager section.
The Duckware CD:
If you have a Macintosh with CD-ROM capability, Microcomputer Services
has built an excellent resource for getting essential software for Internet
Access, site licensed commercial Antiviral Software, and documentation
with steps and pictures. The CD is free to UO folks. The CD's primary
purpose is to help you get connected to the Internet from home or campus,
but it also includes a plethora of other helpfull software (i.e. Network
Software, Printer and hardware drivers like Zip, System Software Updates,
Application updates, Commercial Licensed Antiviral Sofwtare, and even
some games.) This is our third year producing this CD.
Important Units of Measure:
1byte = 1 character (letter).
1K = 1024 bytes. (About
half a page of text)
1Mb = 1024K. (could hold
about 500 pages of text)
File = Is an electronic
storage medium with a name. If you create a document using a word processor
on a computer, then when you store it on the computer it is called a
file. Files can be anything (the program itself) or the document you
create. There is some representation chosen depending on the file type
(is it the program or the document).
Memory: (RAM) Memory implies
ability. Software programs that you purchase for your computer will
state specific memory requirements like 8Mb. If your system software
takes 6Mb, and the program you want requires 8Mb, then you need at least
14Mb.
Choose a good version of the System Software. I
only recommend 6.0.8, 7.1 , 7.5.1, 7.6.1, 8.1. There are no perfect choices. [Disclaimer: Always backup any important
data before upgrading systems. Read the UO and Apple documents on CC
Public Domain for any special and important documentation.
Choosing
the Best System Version
When not to upgrade to the newest System Software:
If everything works well, don't change it. Only upgrade
when the new system has features you require or desire and you have
taken into account added memory requirements, disk requirements, and
applications that may need updates.
Understanding the difference between memory (RAM)
and storage (Disk).
Memory implies ability. You may need 6Mb of memory to
use an application like Microsoft Word. Hard disk is related to the
amount of storage capacity you have. When you turn the computer off,
nothing remains in memory but your Hard disk storage area remains intact.
Analogy: Your desktop=RAM and your file cabinet=DISK. You can only have
4 documents on your desk at a time (and really make use of them), but
you can have thousands of documents in your file cabinet.
Select "Apple"->"About this computer..." to see how
much memory you have:
Here is what you see:
The total memory in your system in the example above
is 32,768K which is 32Mb. You have an open application
called "Microsoft Word" which is using 6,918K which is almost 7Mb. The
system software is using 13Mb, and you have about 10Mb free to use additional
applications.
Macintoshs cannot manage memory automatically:
Each application program comes with a preferred preset
memory size. If Microsoft Word has been set to 7Mb, you cannot load
a document larger than 7Mb. If you need to load a larger document, increase
Word's memory size. In the example that follows, I have selected the
word document, selected "Get Info" from the file menu, then typed 9000K
(9Mb) into the preferred size field. If you are experiencing crashing
while loading large documents, this tip may be just the trick to better
stability.
(Click once to select the icon)
Memory Fragmentation Problems:
Macintosh programs load in the first available, largest
contiguous chunk of free memory. If you load Netscape, then simple-text,
then Eudora and quit simple text first, you will likely fragment memory.
One way to avoid fragmentation is to quit programs in the reverse order
of what they were opened. Since most of us prefer not to keep track,
the best way to deal with this problem is to simply restart your macintosh
after periods of heavy use. For example if you are opening and closing
programs frequently in the morning,save your work, then restart the
macintosh as you leave for lunch. Restarts give the macintosh a clean
slate in terms of memory fragmentation.
Useful Customization: Some things to do right off
the bat
1) Get more feedback from your computer so you can make informed decisions:
Open the Views control panel, and check the box "show disk info in header."
I also prefer to make the default icon size bigger by selecting the
middle icon choice. Don't check "Calculate folder sizes" because it
causes a major performance degradation.
This ability was removed from System v8. In System 8, views can only
be assigned on a per-window basis.
TIP: If you set the views as you like them prior to upgrading to System
8, those views should be retained. When you open a folder in System
8, the disk information should appear automatically.
Note the critical changes in the way my
hard disk icon opens once I made the views change. I can now see how
much disk I'm using, and how much is left. My icons are also large enough
to be recognizable.
Open the General Control Panel:
Allow yourself to make changes to your configuration: It is critical
that you uncheck any of the "Folder Protection" icons if you want to
make any meaningful use of your Macintosh. The documents option is
usefull.
Resolving Conflicts: How to use Extensions Manager
Eliminatating extensions is a natural part of the process
of the troubleshooting and simplification. Once brought back to the
base case, one can add extensions back 2-3 at a time to discover which
ones are problematic. You may even wish to avoid extensions given to
you by Apple. Performa 6400 users certainly do not need the 150+ extensions
pre-installed by Apple. Avoid "Desktop Printer" anything, Quickdraw
GX, OpenDOC, Cyberdog, PowerTalk, MacLinkPlus, and "Speech" anything.
Quick Note to MacOS 7.6 users: If you use System version
7.6 or higher, the "Save Set..." option is a button labelled "Duplicate
Set..." One can question Apple's logic here, but it still works fine
and under 7.6 and 8.x the extensions are grouped by the application
they belong to which can greatly simplify things.
Here is what Extensions Manager looks like:
Extensions manager allows you to select only those extensions
that came from Apple (Base Case). Select "System 7.x Only"
or "MacOS 8.x Base" as appropriate for your system version.
You can click to check or uncheck these items individually.
For example, if I do not have a Color SW (StyleWriter) 1500, or for
that matter any StyleWriter, I can turn them all off. For testing sake,
reset and see how things work. Just turning off the stylewriters saves
you 85K of memory.
If you like the results of your test, Save your settings.
You can name the set anything you like, and you can
have as many sets as you like and switch between them. You must restart
to have changes take effect.
Show me Apple's readmes explaining "What's in the System Folder?",
"What's in the Extensions Folder?,"
and "What's in the Control Panels Folder?"
THE UGLY INTERNET CRUISING CRASHING CYCLE:
Netscape Crashes -> Disk Corruption Occurs -> Netscape Crashes
More!
* Open the Options, Network Preferences. Select "Clear Disk
Cache now" and do this at least once a month! Netscape's weakest point
is its caching. Ethernet users may consider turning caching off, or
doing the more advanced "Shrink Wrap" trick.
* You may need to clear the disk cache manually by throwing
away the contents of the cache folder. System Folder -> Preferences
Folder -> Netscape Folder -> Cache
* Run Disk First Aid (System CD in the Utilities folder) regularly
to correct minor disk corruption *before* it becomes major disk corruption.
* Disk First Aid will report but not correct many problems.
You are then forced to purchase commercial disk repair software to fix
the problem. Symantec's Norton Utilities is the most prominent (They
bought the other major players like MacTools).
* In a small number of cases, it may be necessary to backup data,
reformat, and restore.
ADDITIONAL SPRING CLEANING
Microsoft Product Users Beware:
Avoid installing and using MOM (the menu bar addition
that comes with Office. If you must use it, get the latest version.
Any Microsoft Office 4.2.x or Word 6.x or Excel 5.x user must get and
install a patch called "Office4.2x Update for Power Mac" v1.0.1. Upgrading
to Office 98 is probably the best move.
* Update your applications software.
Especially those that have an extension component. You should not use
a 3 year old version of After Dark with a brand new PowerMac. In computer
time, a year is a really long time. If you have software that is more
than a year old, you need to be wary when using it with a new version
of the System Software.
Mac's and PC's are inherently unstable: Learn where
the Danger is, and learn to avoid it! My contention is that to a large extent the way you work with the machine
has more to do with stability than its configuration.
* Always save before you print.
The printing process is complex, and even more complex if you print
to a network printer. If the printer is unavailable, the Macintosh should
issue an error and let you continue but many times it won't, it will
simply crash with a bomb.
* Dialin modem connections
reduce stability. Avoid composing documents
while dialled in if you can avoid it, or at least save often if you
can't.
Advanced Power Management can reduce stability:
Tell your energy saving control panel to sleep "Never."
If you walk away from your Macintosh, turn off the monitor. Avoid screen
savers if possible.
* Save often and in more than one location. Learn
to use "Save as..." really well.
* Reinstall the same system software = non-destructive
and can replace damaged files.
* How and why to do a clean install if necessary.
The Clean
Install
This step is a great last resort. If your machine is really behaving
badly, the clean install will really get you back to the base case.
This is different from extensions manager mentioned earlier, in that
*all* files in the system folder are new.
* Backup critical files.
You may not need everything backed up, but
get those important documents recorded to one more than one location.
* Don't share documents with multiple people (over
a network) at the same time.
Closing Comments:
Hidden Costs. Stuff you "should" buy: A word processor or office
suite, Disk Utility software (Norton's etc.), Connectix Speed Doubler
for PowerMac Users, Antiviral Software (FREE TO UO USERS!). Memory for
desktop machines is fairly cheap right now. I've seen 32Mb for $44,
and you probably pay $50 to have it professionally installed. Adding
memory, especially to PowerMacintosh machines can be one of the most
cost effective upgrades. If you do choose Microsoft Office, Office 98
is infinitely supperior to Office 4.2 (the prior version).
* Current Apple Information:
MacOS 8,
* Our favorite source for Apple related news and preview information:
Document Author: Dan Albrich
