Basics - Maintenance for Your Mac

One of the most overlooked ways to keep your Apple Macintosh computer problem free is to perform regular maintenance. Not only will these maintenance tasks keep your Mac in good shape, they will also help you maximize the performance of your machine.

1. Update Software

The most effective way to make sure your Mac is properly maintained is to keep your software up to date. Mac OS X includes Software Update functionality. From the Apple menu, Software Update can be launched and when your Mac is connected to the internet, it can automatically check for available software updates directly from Apple. Software Update can also be scheduled to run automatically as well in System Preferences. In addition to updates to Apple software, you should also check with the individual companies who make a 3rd party software you might use. Some of these programs may have built in functionality to check with their respective manufacturers but this will vary by program. You should check for Mac software updates at least once a month.

2. Back Up

While backing up files doesn't specifically do anything to maintain your Mac, it is something that should be done on a regular basis and is thus included with the other maintenance we suggest. If something were to happen to your Mac and you were to lose access to your hard drive or lose data, how secure would you feel? Backing up the data on your Mac on a regular schedule will give you the freedom to not worry. There are many different types of media and many different back up devices that work with Apple Macintosh computers. Backups can be done to CD, DVD, external hard drives, tape drives, etc. Depending on your space needs, some of these backup solutions may not be practical for you.

3. Repair Permissions

Permissions control who can edit, access and execute a file, folder or application on your Mac. From time to time these permissions can get changed or damaged and prevent files or programs from opening. Repairing the permissions on your Mac once a month can help ensure that it continues running smoothly and efficiently. To repair the permissions, open Apple's Disk Utility program and select the disk on which you'd like to repair permissions. Click on First Aid and click Verify Disk Permissions. This will run a check to determine which permissions, if any, need to be repaired. If items are found which need permission repair, click on Repair Disk Permissions to fix them.

By performing these maintenance procedures at regular intervals you will be going a long way to help keep your Mac running smoothly and error free.