Question: My Macintosh, which runs OS X, seems to be running much more slowly than it has before. What can I do?
The IT Guy says:
Over time, cache files can build up and certain files can become corrupted on your computer, so it can be good to clear these out and repair corrupted files. Applejack is a free and very effective utility for Mac OS X that may fix your problems. After downloading and installing Applejack, boot up while holding down the command (apple) and “S” key to enter Linux’s “single user mode.” Type “applejack auto restart” and the command line prompt, and then press enter to begin. Applejack will use the Apple disk first aid tool to identify and repair any problems on your hard drive, repair the OS X disk permissions, cleanup your old cache files that have built up over time, verify your preference files are not corrupt and repair or remove those that are, and lastly remove swap files that are no longer needed. Depending on your use of your computer, you may choose to run Applejack once per week or once per month. For large hard drives with a lot of files, it can take a while for the program to run, so you may want to run it at the end of the day. One of the best things about Applejack (besides the fact that it is free) is that you don’t need to boot from a CD or removable hard drive to make all these repairs. Accessing the Linux command line, which is always in the background of the Mac OS X operating system, may seem a bit intimidating at first, but the power of this repair utility is superb. Give it a try!
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