Slow G4

[logisticprism]

os x has a built in defragging system that defrags all files under 25 mb every time you install a new program. i've had a 1st gen 12" powerbook for over 2 years now without reformatting, and i haven't noticed a single slow down. that's really odd.

 

[X-Istence]

On file access it does file defragging as well if a file is under 12 MB, or 2 MB, can't remember what exactly. I find it strange as well.

 

[LeeJend]

Does OS X pack the file system as well as defrag it? If not and with just 10% of HD capacity left the usable space may be scattered all over the drive. What about hafing enough space left for a memroy disk cache?

In the x86 PC world it is a bad idea to operate with just 10% free space on the HD. I'd recommend some serious housekeeping (purging) or a HD upgrade.

And a stupid PC guy question. Why has no one mentioned Virii, Bots or Spyware? They are much less common in Mac land but they do exist. Is the protection built in and automatically updated?

 

[logisticprism]

macs can operate just fine with even 1-5% hard drive space free. i have a pc also and i usually keep 50% free to maintain current speed so i know what you mean. yeah... and people don't usually mention spyware or viri on macs because it's not really an issue. although that may be worth looking into in this case?

 

[X-Istence]

Does OS X pack the file system as well as defrag it? If not and with just 10% of HD capacity left the usable space may be scattered all over the drive. What about hafing enough space left for a memroy disk cache?

When a Mac reports how much space it has left, it accounts for the amount of VM currently in use, if this is 4 GB, and you have a 30 GB HD, with 10 GB used for Mac OS X and other apps, it will tell you only 16 GB is free.

In the x86 PC world it is a bad idea to operate with just 10% free space on the HD. I'd recommend some serious housekeeping (purging) or a HD upgrade.

Mac OS X runs just fine, only bigger files over 2 GB will start to bog it down, but that is mostly fixed by running an updater to optimize the drive.

And a stupid PC guy question. Why has no one mentioned Virii, Bots or Spyware? They are much less common in Mac land but they do exist. Is the protection built in and automatically updated?

Because "ps auxwww" showed nothing out of the ordinary which i have not seen before. Also, installing Virii would just be awesomely dumb, and i'd have to laugh for years if anyone did, as nothing auto executes itself. Bots would show up in ps auxwww, and if the guy properly maintained his mac, which anyone does, there is no service open in the first place to crack and get in. So, that leaves spyware, which falls under Virii, anyone installing that deserves it.

You'd have to download it, unpack it, then start the program running (if it wants System admin rights, which is something to be wary about, it will ask you), and then you need to follow some installation which will give it the right permissions to be executed in the first place.

So they are not really all that well known on the mac for those reasons.

 

[Scooter]

... and my work here is done..... (so-to-speak) ...

One thing that does come to mind, is that about a year ago, my iBook started acting slowly and irratically (sp?) due to a physically damaged Hard Drive (ex-friend dropped it.... emphasis on "ex") and it needed replacing.
Whilst this is probs not the case for you, I'd bear it in mind and backup data just incase.

 

[X-Istence]

if someone were to drop my iBook they would be an ex-friend ASAP

 

[Scooter]

If they'd dropped it any higher, he/she/it would not be living anymore. I care about my Apple products (and all the others) like they were my kids.... dam it Janet! They ARE my kids... moohahahahaha

 

[logisticprism]

finally people who think the same way i do! i will protect my powerbook at any cost. somehow my friends don't get why it's such a big deal. they just don't understand.