Regular OS-X Yosemite Maintenance

[skays]

Is there any regular regimen of maintenance that should be accomplished on my iMac running the latest version of OS-X Yosemite? Are there maintenance software programs that folks recommend?

 

[vansmith]

The only regular maintenance app you should need is probably OnyX. Run the tasks under the automation tab once in a while and you should be fine.

 

[harryb2448]

Once a month does m for OnyX, and avoid MacKeeper, CleanMyMac etc and personally never run AV software. These days an adware remove such as AdwareMedic is good, together with AdBlockPlus and Ghostery.

 

[Dittoman1]

CCleaner?

Once a month does m for OnyX, and avoid MacKeeper, CleanMyMac etc and personally never run AV software. These days an adware remove such as AdwareMedic is good, together with AdBlockPlus and Ghostery.

How do you compare OnyX to CCleaner?? Is CCleaner good as I heard??

 

[bobtomay]

No - do not install that in OS X.

You do not "need" any cleaner for OS X. This ain't Windows.

Read this - link - first - before you ever install any cleaner in OS X.
While I feel there should be some caveats there, that is a good place to start related to cleaners.

OnyX is the cleaning tool recommended for when / if you ever need one and it is free.
Do not pay for any of the cleaners using the old "Windows" keywords aimed at taking money from the newbies.

The main reason for cleaners in Windows is because every app installs junk in the "registry" which loads every time you start the computer and slows it down.
There is no "registry" in OS X and apps in general do not install stuff in system folders and do not load stuff every time you boot the system up.

If you wait to use OnyX until "after" you see some slow down that is unrelated to the amount of free space, fragmented free space or a dying drive, you may find something similar to:
My wife opens up Onyx about once a year.
I was using it about once every 2-3 months on a hard drive.
While I do have OnyX installed on my SSD, I have not had a single occasion to actually use it related to trying to solve slow down issues. And this on a 4 yr old Mac, that has gone through at least 3 in place OS upgrades.

 

[harryb2448]

CCCleaner comes heavily under the etc items!!!

 

[Dittoman1]

The only regular maintenance app you should need is probably OnyX. Run the tasks under the automation tab once in a while and you should be fine.

Don't you use Cleaning Tab besides Automation??

 

[Dittoman1]

The only regular maintenance app you should need is probably OnyX. Run the tasks under the automation tab once in a while and you should be fine.

Don't you use Cleaning Tab besides Automation??

 

[RadDave]

Don't you use Cleaning Tab besides Automation??

Hi Dittoman - just opened Onyx (Yosemite version) on my MBPro - pic below w/ the 'Automation' tab opened - the choices there are easily understood and should not disable your computer's drive when used - now, we've had a discussion on 'Repair permissions' in another thread and the developer of this app has even questioned its need, so can this be turned off?

BUT, the 'Cleaning' tab is much more complex in my mind - unless you REALLY understand what you are doing and what all of those tabs and selections mean, I would suggest simply to follow the advice already given here - you've received responses from some of the most experienced members/mods/administers on this forum - don't try to 'outguess the experts' or you'll return w/ a request to get you out of trouble - Dave

.

 

[bobtomay]

There are all sorts of options you can check out and use in OnyX - once you understand what they are.

The general recommendation for those new to OS X and to OnyX is to just use the Automation tab and check off everything under cleaning and maintenance - after you read what they are for yourself - nothing under rebuilding - for your once in awhile maintenance. There are a whole lot of casual users out there that will fall into the never need to run it to the once a year category. (The rebuilding category is for taking care of specific problems you're experiencing.)

Power users and those that are highly cognizant of any sort of slow down on their machines will likely want to run it more often and will want to check out the other options OnyX has available. This is a really small group of users and most of these will go in and figure out what works for them based on their own usage patterns.

lol - Dave beat me to it - started before dinner and finished after dinner ;P

 

[chas_m]

Please read the essay(s) listed in my signature, particularly the "Keeping your Mac in Top Form" one.