As I've mentioned elsewhere in my site, one of the biggest myths about Mac OS X is that because it's so much more efficient and logically built around a UNIX core that it doesn't require any maintenance, and that it's three built-in routines of daily, weekly and monthly scripts will magically keep the system running clean and stable. That's just not anywhere close to being the truth.
Like any computer operating system OS X does in fact require routine maintenance and "tune-ups" if you will to keep things running smoothly and prevent major issues. One of the best - and free - utilities on the market today is one from Titanium Software called simply, Onyx.
Built into the Onyx interface are several cleaning and maintenance routines that do things like clear out old cache, delete hidden temporary files, reset the dyld shared cache about about a dozen more operations that literally clear out all the cobwebs in OS X and freshen up the back-end interface.
On top of that are several options for feature-tweaking to help OS X run more efficiently and or, to turn on or off hidden features that would otherwise require manually entering code into the Terminal window such as speeding up the display of sheets, allowing for more file formats in Disk Utility, adding and directing where scroll arrows are placed in windows and tons more too many to list.
And of course Onyx can manually do the high-level Disk Utility functions of fixing permissions, executing the daily, weekly and monthly maintenance scripts and resetting the launch database. All these cleaning and maintenance routines go a long way to keeping a tuned-up and smooth OS X environment. In fact, many low-level UI problems and slow-running machines can be cleared up by running all the Onyx routines.
What Onyx doesn't do however, is look at or fix the directory and the best tool hands-down for that is DiskWarrior which is yet another must-have Mac maintenance application. (see my review)
There are other Mac maintenance programs out there and a few are even payware (Onyx is 100% free!) but none of them do the job of being a multi-routine maintenance application as well nor as thoroughly as Onyx.
There are versions of Onyx that are compatible not only for 10.6.2 Snow Leopard but also all the way back to 10.2 Jaguar. Try to find that much compatibility in the those "other" products!
Along with a copy of DiskWarrior, Onyx should be part of EVERY Mac user's toolkit for DIY maintenance, period. I guarantee regular usage of this powerful application will go along way in helping you from having to make a trip to the Genius Bar.
And did I mention: It's free!
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