Clean up on macbook pro

I am a previous windows user and I did disk clean ups on my old windows laptops and I am wondering if there is anything similar on macbook pro which I own and use now?

No.
Maintaining Mac OS X - The X Lab
Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk - The X Lab

Similar Messages

Backing up and cleaning up my Macbook Pro

Hi,
I've been using a Macbook Pro 2.2 GHz Intel i7 for just over a year now and my hard drive is full to the brim. I have recently noticed how much slower the whole system is and so have bought a 3TB Seagate desk top external hard drive and want to back up my whole system and clean up my Macbook Pro. This is the first time I've done this, so I would really appreciate some step by step advice.
I would like to know how best to copy all my files and documents to the drive so I can delete them in vast quantities from my Macbook, knowing that it is all safely backed up and accessible from the external drive. I've also been advised to install extra RAM, which would enhance the speed when running two programmes (Final Cut Pro and After Effects, most regularly). Basically, I would like to clean things up so my system runs as smoothly as it did when first out of the box.
Could you please offer some advice as to how I should go about doing this? Is there a process that I should be following in order to clean up my computer so everything is safely backed up? What other areas of my hard drive that I don't even know about should I be going into to free up space (caches, etc) .The Seagate is literally just out of the box.
Cheers,
Nick

I would suggest using Disk Utility to make two partitions on the Seagate, one the same size as your internal HD, the other for the remainder.
Then use Carbon Copy Cloner or similar to clone your internal disk, so that your Seagate is a bootable backup in case of problems.
Don't worry about caches, temporary files etc - let the OS take care of them.
You could then copy the contents of one of your big directories to the other partition on the Seagate, then delete from the internal disk and empty trash.
But longer term, use the Seagate as backup and internal as working, so I would suggest putting say a 1TB hard disk in place of your Superdrive and moving your bigger directories to that. Now all work is internal, with OS stuff on the original and your stuff on the not-yet-purchased disk, and when you backup (maybe every month for OS stuff, every week or even every day for work stuff) the OS stuff goes to one Seagate partition, the work stuff to the other. You have a bootable clone if your startup disk fails, and a backup of your work. For backing up to the work partition you could consider using Time Machine, so that you have several generations of security from accidental deletes, woopsies etc.

How to do a fresh install of Mountain Lion after clean wipe of MacBook Pro Early 2008 version?

Hey everyone,
The following are my computer specs:
MacBook Pro
15-inch, Early 2008
Hardware
Overview
Processor
2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory
4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
L2 Cache
6 MB
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT 512 MB
Software
Mac OS X Lion 10.7.4 (11E53)
mid 2008 - I got this laptop at the online Apple Store, configured to my specs. It came with Leopard.
mid 2009 - I bought a Snow Leopard disk from the Apple Store and upgraded the OS directly over Leopard, with all my data still there.
mid 2011 - I purchased the Lion download online from the Mac App Store and upgraded the OS again, directly over Snow Leopard, with all my data still there.
mid 2012 - Now I want to upgrade to Mountain Lion. I have already purchased the Mountain Lion download online from the Mac App Store and downloaded it to my computer. Have also copied (i guess) all my files, bookmarks, iTunes library on to an external HD.
But I haven't installed it yet because I want to first clean wipe my computer and restore it to factory settings, to the way it was when I first got it with Leopard, because its extremely slow. Doesn't even feel like that Mac I got..
Now my problem is - I don't have the Leopard CDs that came with it, nor the iWork or iLife ones which I bought with, or the Snow Leopard one which I got later.
I also don't see Apple offering the Lion download on the App Store anymore..so, can anyone please help me out with how I can do this?
Another thing I want to mention is - I had my display replaced at the Apple Store late 2011 because of that defect which apparenly affected many MacBook Pros from that period.
So was wondering if there might be any hardware issues if I downgraded all the way down to Leopard? Because at the time of the replacement, the laptop was running Lion.
Any help is great, thanks!

1) You don't see Apple offering Lion for download from the app store anymore because you already downloaded it to your computer. Hold down the option key then click on purchases and it should appear. I don't know why they hide it after you bought it?
Ref: http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/02/re-download-mac-os-x-lion-from-app-store/
2) Don't install Lion right after you download it from the app store! Make a copy and put it in a different directory first! I use this tutorial to make a bootable usb and a dvd for backup just in case. This will give you the "clean" install you are looking for.
Ref: http://www.macworld.com/article/1165337/create_a_bootable_lion_install_drive_for _newer_macs.html

Is is okay to clean an aluminum MacBook Pro with alcohol?

I have an early 2011 MacBook Pro 13-inch (aluminum), and I am wondering if it is okay to clean everywhere other than the screen (top, bottom, around and on the keyboard, around the ports) with a 70% alcohol wipe.
Also, I am currently away from my home and I forgot to bring the black microfiber cloth that came with the mac, so that does not apply.
Thank you in advance!

I'm sorry, there's some OK stuff in that thread, but there's also some arrant nonsense.
> Alcohol is not good for LCD screens. Technically it is
> considered a solvent.
Really?! Alcohol is a solvent? Wow! Well, hold on to your hats, folks. This will give you a shock. Do you know what else is a solvent? Water. Yeah, plain water. In fact, any liquid cleaning agent you're likely to use is a solvent, otherwise it would be no use for cleaning.
As to alcohol not being "good for LCD screens" -- what then about vendors who recommended a solution of 50% isopropylic alcohol in water for cleaning their screens? (Including Apple for some of its old notebooks -- see the PowerBook G3 Firewire user manual.)
The fact is that there is only one blanket, one-size-fits-all "solution" -- RTFM (Read The Friendly Manual)!
Read carefully the cleaning instructions in your laptop or LCD monitor manual and follow them. What you should use to clean the LCD screen depends on what type of coatings were added to it during manufacture, and you're not likely to know that. My very old Toshiba Satellite says, "You can use glass cleaner on the display" -- and glass cleaners contain ammonia! My not so old Fujitsu Lifebook says I should use Klear Screen wipes -- and Klear Screen is 99% water. And my Early 2011 MBP says, "dampen the included cleaning cloth with just water". When in doubt, use distilled water, because that's the mildest solvent, and hence least likely to do any harm. But that doesn't mean is the best suited for that particular LCD screen.

Cleaning kit for Macbook Pro?

Hello, I have recently purchased the Macbook Pro. But, as the screen and the exterior parts of the Macbook Pro were getting dirty, I am currently trying to find a cleaning kit for the Macbook Pro and for other electronic devices.
I hear products like iKlear but I don't know if it is safe.
I can't find a reliable cleaning kit. Some say it leaves streak and it worries me if it will damage my Macbook Pro and my other electronic devices.
If possible, please recommend me a kit that can clean the screen, keyboard, and the exterior part (aluminum). Thanks!

rainequalsteve wrote:
I already read it, but their description was not clear enough..
MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air
When cleaning the outside of your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air, first shut down your computer and unplug the power adapter. Then use a damp, soft, lint-free cloth to clean the computer's exterior. Avoid getting moisture in any openings. Do not spray liquid directly on the computer. Do not use aerosol sprays, solvents, or abrasives that might damage the finish.
To clean the screen on your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air, first shut down the computer and unplug the power adapter. Dampen the included cleaning cloth with just water and wipe the screen. Do not spray liquid directly onto the screen.

What's the best way to wipe clean a 2006 macbook pro?

I have a 2006 15-inch MacBook Pro, and I'm looking to wipe it clean to speed it up and use it as a bedroom media player (front row/itunes and netflix). What's the best way to wipe it clean and start over?
Also, any suggestions on a media player to use? I hear XBMC and Plex are great, but I don't want it to power another TV, I am going to use it as the "TV" and all controlled by the (old, included, white) Apple remote.
Thanks for any and all help. I'm relatively adept with mac's so it doesnt have to be super simple, but hopefully it doesnt require coding or anything.

Back up all your files to external media. If you don't want this computer to access your iTunes material then "deauthorize" the computer in iTunes. Create a new account on your Mac with admin rights. Delete your old Mac account. Run disk utility and erase unused space.
If you have an iPhone then use the Remote app rather than the Apple remote clicker.
The new ApplyTV has some very good media center features. While using AirPlay you can also stream music thru the AppleTV.
If you're running Lion you made need to upgrade the memory to reduce page swaps.

How to easily clean under 2012 MacBook Pro trackpad?

Ok so.... I know it's stupid of me and before I begin, I am ashamed of myself!! *facepalms*
I spilt a sticky berry drink on my MacBook Pro 2012, I've cleaned under the keys but some are still slightly sticky, but my point is some clearly got underneath the trackpad (it has no button so I can't easily stick a strip of paper under there), and I was wondering, is there any way to clean under the trackpad without any disassembly (at least not much, definitely not from the bottom)? If absolutely necessarry I will take it into my nearest Apple Store, but I'd rather that I could do it at home.
Thank you for your help
EXTRA DETAILS
I wiped the laptop down quickly, tried not to let it soak in too much.
Both the laptop and the trackpad and mouse are still working fine, and the exterior is clean, but it's simply just annoying as my left click does not feel like it's going down as deep as it should (it doesn't feel like the right click which has not changed).
I got it in October, but would rather have it fixed than replaced.
Thanks again,
opalsasha

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
Apple only supports client versions in Macs, but you should be able to install Windows Server. However, note that you may have problems installing Boot Camp drivers in order to make it work correctly.
If you only want a computer for Windows Server, buy a PC. Macs aren't completely ready for Windows Server editions even if they may work

Clean Install on MacBook Pro

Hello,
I'm trying to perform clean install of Lion on my late 2007 MacBook Pro, currently running 10.7.5. It is incapable of being upgraded to anything past 10.7.5. The guide I'm refferring to states to get a clean copy of lion from the Mac App store, but as it is no longer availible in the store, how would I do this? Thanks!

Lion is here. But you don't require it. The following will reinstall Lion for you. The Mountain Lion link also works for Lion.
Install or Reinstall Mavericks or Mountain Lion from Scratch
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
OS X Mountain Lion- Erase and reinstall OS X
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
because it is three times faster than wireless.

How Do I Clean Up my MacBook Pro?

Call me dumb, but I don't know how to "clean up" my computer. I am being told I don't have enough memory to open up an extra document. How can I fix that without throwing away a 1,000 pictures? Can I compress anything? Allot memory to different places? I know on my pc there was a way to squeeze it all together every now and again... Does the MacBook Pro have something like that?
Thank you!

Empty the trash!
Open up your application folder & go through all your apps. Trash all the apps you no longer want and/or use.
An easier way to do this is to open the Application folder in list view & press the Command+j keys.
In the the dialog that appears, click the "This Window Only" button & the "Calculate All Sizes" check box.
Wait a bit until your file & folder sizes have all been calculated, then click the "Size" column to sort your apps from the fattest to the most anorexic.
Get rid of all your photo files you don't want and/or need. Same goes for those pics off the websites you downloaded (gifs, jpegs, etc.).
I'm old fashion. I still keep my photos in a photo album. So when people come over my house, they can actually "touch" & "feel" my photos without me running to my computer to "show my photos".
Get rid of all your music files you no longer listen too. Especially, if you already have the actual CDs and/or DVDs or you can later redownload from a website.
Use Spotlight to make sure you got rid of everything. You can even trash directly from Spotlight!
Drag what you don't want and/or need to the trash. Better yet, download this neat little shareware app demo called AppZapper. It basically does all the work for you by not only trashing the apps but the apps preference files, caches & all its associated files.
Another software that does the above is AppDelete. Best of all this software is free!
Burn what you want and/or need onto CDs or DVDs.
Not everyone has the luxury of purchasing an external HD and/or a .Mac account to store their "stuff, junk, music & photos".
You can check with your ISP to see if they offer free storage space. Most if not all do now-a-days. I store all 5000+ of my music (mp3s) files & 500+ music videos in my ISP storage bin.
There are thousands if not millions of free storage facilities on the web also. Use your favorite search engine, Google &/or MacGoogle to search them out as they come in different storage sizes to fit your needs & wants.
Check for duplicate fonts.
Applications>Font Book
Select “All Fonts”
If you see any “black dots” next to any fonts this mean you have duplicates and/or multiple versions of these fonts.
To clean this up, select a “black dotted” font or the Apple + click to select multiple dotted fonts;
Edit>Resolve>Duplicates.
What the above does is turns off the duplicates & multiple version fonts. Not delete them.
More than likely the “extras” were installed by other programs and/or other users.
Clear out font caches
Use FontNuke. It does all the work for you. And, best of all it’s FREE.
Printer Drivers
Get rid of all the printer drivers you don’t need & use except the ones for your current printer(s)/scanner(s).
HD>Library>Printers Folder
If you accidently threw something out that you needed for your printer/scanner it can be easily obtained from the manufacturer’s website and/or from the CD that came w/the printer/scanner.
Garage Band
Has about 1GB of loops stored. Get rid of some some them. You surely don’t use, like and/or need them all.
HD>Library>Audio/Apple Loops>Apple>Apple Loops For GarageBand
Or just get rid of the Garage Band app altogether if you don’t use it.
Get rid of extra languages
Strip your computer down to your “native” tongue.
You can do this with a FREE utility called Monolingual. Another app that apparently does all the work for you. I’ve never used it. However, a lot of users here swear by & recommend it highly.
However, there is a warning for *native English speakers*. Make sure you keep BOTH English and English (United States).
Other Resources:
Knowledge Base Article http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303602 Mac Maintenance Quick Assist
Scroll down to "4) Prune Through Your Files".
Slimming your hard drive
Rule of thumb: You should never let your hard drive get to where you have only 10-15% of space left.

What's the best type of anti-virus or spyware to use for cleaning up my MacBook Pro? I recently switched to a mac from pc, so don't know much about my computer yet.

I recently switched to a macbook pro from a pc, and am curious what type of (if any) virus protection or spyware protection to use for it. I keep getting a message to Install MacKeeper 2012; but am not sure if it's worth paying for or not. I'd like some advice on what would be the best protection for my computer. Also, I recently had the new microsoft office installed; which has been having issues freezing up quite often when I use it. I don't know if clenaing my mac would help with the Microsoft office stuff, or not (or even if that would be related)...also each time I restart my computer; all windows applications open (word, power point, excel & outlook). obviously I'm not very tech savvy to begin with so any advice would help! I'm hoping this computer will last me thru the next 4 years of grad school & just want to make sure this computer is well taken care of to last that long. Thanks!

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
You don't need an antivirus, but don't install Mackeeper if you don't want a damaged Mac OS > https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3036 See > http://www.reedcorner.net/mmg/

Clean Up my MacBook Pro

My beloved old MacBookPro has been slowing down day by day and the latest version of the OS hasn't helped. (Maverick)
I use this machine when I go on photo shoots and for simple web browsing and mail.
I am thinking of taking drastic action to reclaim disc space and functionality to this computer i.e. a complete re-formatting of the hard drive and re-build from the ground up.
Frightening.
My plan would be to wipe my entire hard drive and start again from scratch
I have Time Machine backups so IN THEORY I should be able to re-install everything bit by bit (???)
Will I encounter problems ?
How can I avoid them ?
Can I re-install Photoshop and Lightroom and not have to worry about by activation codes ?
(I have had a series of Photoshop and Lightroom upgrades and goodness knows how many activation codes I must have had and I certainly haven't kept track of them all - all I know is that Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 5 are on my machine and I would need them back)
How should I go about wiping the disc in the first place. (Would I have to start up from another disc and use Utilities ? Where does this disc come from ? Nowadays all the OS software came via the internet).
Once I have a totally empty hard drive what happens next ?
Can I go back to Apples App store and get a new Maverick OS - but I guess the App Store won't recognise me anymore.
See my worries ??
So Guys a step by step guide would be most helpful.
All your knowledge, skills etc would be soooo helpful before I embark upon this life changing event
PS I have been using Postbox 3.0.8 mail software instead of Mail - I am concerned that this may not be the best bit of software for the job as it seems to crash a lot. - Anyone else out there have problems with it ? or is it just that my computer needs a clean out ?
MacBook Pro4,1 15" Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 Ghz 4GB RAM
I will want to re-install
Mail
Contacts
Calendar
iTunes - (I guess)
Photoshop
Lightroom
Portrait Professional
Rapidweaver and Dreamweaver (web design)
Preview
CyberDuck and Fetch (FTP programs)
Toast (disc burning)
Filemaker Pro12
Firefox and Safari

Personally I would consider reinstalling Snow Leopard if that would not have an adverse impact on any of your vital applications. It is the most efficient OS from Apple.
Here are two comprehensive troubleshooting articles:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3521
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3353
Start by focusing your attention on the internal HDD.
Ciao.

Clean install for macbook pro

Hello, I purchased a MacBook Pro 8,1 with i5 recently and I had to buy used. It was running Snow Leopard (no disk came with it) but I had upgraded all way to Yosemite. I contacted Apple support and was sent white Mac OS X Snow Leopard Install DVD. At bottom it says replacement DVD not for resale. This is my first taste of Apple products and really haven't grasp how things are done compared to the many years on a Window machine. Anyway I was in disk utility and I erased some stuff I shouldn't have I think. When I put DVD in Superdrive and boot up I get a white screen only. If I depress the "C" while powering up, I get to the Apple logo then to screen with big power button icon that's says I need to restart. Hold down the power button until it turns off in 5 languages. If I depress "option" when powering up I have "choose network" then above that I can pick my installation DVD. When I choose network I'm advanced 1 screen to right to put in password. I'm then back to left to select install DVD. It then shows me Apple logo then the shutdown screen.. Someone please enlighten me on fixing this problem....

No, when holding down option key it takes me to "CHOOSE NETWORK" and with the install disk above it. I pick my wifi and type my password but when I select the dvd it shows the apple logo then back to the restart screen. The only thing I'm guilty of was getting delete/erase happy while in disk utilities prior to this mess. I do know the macbook HD was deleted but shouldn't the dvd be my safety net? I should always be able to boot and install from that right? I here's weird fact, what should be listed on that snow leopard dvd if I opened it up in my windows laptop?

Is it possible to fully clean install my macbook pro without losing applications?

Hello,
Im currently thinking of setting my macbook to out of the box state. But by doing this i don't want to lose my apps. (creative cloud, cinema 4d. etc etc)
Is this possible?
Im running a rMBP 15" + gt750m mid 2014 10.10.3
Kind regards.

gbrugman1995 wrote:
I just have to copy them from the applications folder to an external source? and paste them back after installing a fresh copy of OSX?
Yes, copy it to an external volume. I call it drag and drop.
I also made a time machine backup, this does backup all the files i made right?
Yes, Time machine should have all information on it except any data that you may have selected not to be backed up.
Ciao.

Clean install/clone MacBook Pro

replacing my HD with SSD and was thinking (since I don't have much on there I'm concerned about) I would just do a clean install. That said (excuse my noobiness) can I simply boot it up once the install is done? Will it set up the mac os on the new drive on its own?

Lion is here. But you don't require it. The following will reinstall Lion for you. The Mountain Lion link also works for Lion.
Install or Reinstall Mavericks or Mountain Lion from Scratch
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
OS X Mountain Lion- Erase and reinstall OS X
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
because it is three times faster than wireless.

What is the best way or method (s) to clean up my MacBook Pro? Do you recommend any 3rd party applications such as "Cocktail" to do it for me?

I am looking at clearing cache, speeding things, clearing out junk etc

Please don't use any third party app to cleanup a Mac.
OS X takes care of that itself.
For more on this: http://www.thesafemac.com/mpg/
Best.

Clean up on macbook pro

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for