Maximizing Stability and Performance of Mac OS9.x in Preparation of Transitioning to Mac OSX

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Maximizing Stability and Performance ofMac
OS-9.x in Preparation of Transitioning to Mac
OS-X
ITS Desktop Services Revised 09-20-2004 by Dean
Bateman
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Choosing an Operating System
Mac OS-9?
Mac OS-X?
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Expected Level of Support from ITS
The answer for now Limited support for Mac OS-9
and Full support for Mac OS-X.
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Transition Issues
Problems with Transitioning to Mac OS-X

• Cost and practicality of upgrading core
  application software to Mac OS-X native versions.
• Sluggish performance of non-native applications
  in Classic Mode.

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Introduction
This training material is applicable regardless
whether Mac OS-9 is the primary operating system
or if it is run in Classic Mode under Mac OS-X.
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4 Most Important Issues
These Issues for Maintaining Your Mac OS-9.x
Based Computer Will Be Discussed

• Backing Up Your Data
• Maintaining a Healthy Hard Drive
• Optimizing the Memory Allocation for Your
  Applications
• Check for Software Updates When Trouble Arises

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Backing Up Data

• Backups can take different forms
• Working with your files directly from the Super
  Server
• Periodically making copies of your files to the
  Super Server.
• If you dont have access to one of our Novell
  Super Servers, then you should back up to Zip
  Disk, an external hard drive, or some form of
  recordable CD disc.

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Novell Super Server Loginfrom within Mac OS-X
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Working Directly from theSuper Server
Click on the FILE menu and select SAVE AS.
Navigate to your Super Server home directory on
the desktop Username on JADE UserName on
TOPAZ UserName on ONYX
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Making Periodic Backups to the Super Server
Make an alias of your Documents folder onto
your desktop.
Drag the contents of your Documents folder to a
Backup folder inside your Super Server home
directory.
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Maintaining a Healthy Hard Drive

• Check your hard drive, floppies and Zip disks
  with DISK FIRST AID once each week.
• Use your bootable CDROM disc to make repairs if
  DISK FIRST AID indicates that the internal hard
  drive needs repair.
• Call the Help Desk at 325-0631 if Disk First Aid
  is unable to make the necessary repairs.

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How the Directory Structure Can Become Corrupt

• Ungraceful System Shut-downs
• Due to Power Outages
• Due to a Reboot After a System Freeze
• Poorly Written Application Software
• Running at a Near-Zero RAM State

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Make Repairs by Booting from Your OS-X Software
Restore CD/DVD

• With your computer running, insert your Software
  Restore CD/DVD Disc.
• Reboot the computer and hold down the C key
  until you see the Mac icon on the screen.
• Launch the DISK Utility application from the CD
  disc menu and select to REPAIR the affected
  volume.

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Using Mac OS-9s Disk First Aid Utility to
Repair a Volume
Highlight the volume you wish to test, and then
click the Verify button as shown below. If
errors are detected, then select the Repair
button.
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Properly Allocating Memoryfor Your OS-9
Applications
If you highlight the icon for an application,
take MS Word for example, then you Get Info on
the application (command-I)... you should see
some fields which allow modification of the
memory settings. Note that the suggested size is
17052K, but the minimum size is only 14052K.
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How Your Mac Uses RAM

• Unlike Mac OS-X applications, which automatically
  get fed RAM on an as-needed basis, Mac OS-9
  applications are only allocated a preset amount
  of RAM. This preset amount is set initially by
  the software developer and this setting remains
  static unless you change it!
• Software developers dont always know whats
  best. You can do a better job of determining how
  much RAM their application needs!

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Identifying How Much RAM Your System Has
Available
From the Apple Menu (in the upper-left corner of
your screen, select About this Computer Note
the amount of built-in memory.
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General Guidelines for RAM Allocation
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Proper Allocation of RAM
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Installing a Memory Tracking Application
If interested, you can download a shareware
utility (that you can install) which will help
you track the memory usage of your Mac OS-9
applications. Use this utility free for 10 days.
This should be enough time to evaluate most of
your core applications and to make corrections to
their RAM allocation if needed.
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More About the Memory Tracking Utility
Here are some examples of how it helps you
determine which applications are potentially
running in the danger zone

• Web browser with homepage open
• Same browser with PDF viewer active.
• Same browser with PDF viewer and a second web
  page open.

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When Trouble Arises
Mac OS-9 Automatic Software Updates
Automatic updates of core system resources is
best done using the SOFTWARE UPDATE control
panel. Trying to manually update system resources
can result in the installation of an outdated or
incorrect version of a resource therefore, use
the Software Update control panel instead.
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When Trouble Arises
Manual Software Updates
One of the best sites for software updates
is http//www.versiontracker.com They offer
updates for Mac OS-9 OS-X as well as updates
for Windows Palm operating systems. Simply
enter a search term or select a category
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http//www.VersionTracker.com
Enter a search term
Or, Select from a category
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http//www.VersionTracker.com
Results of a search for the term Internet
Explorer
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A PREVIEWConnecting to a Novell Super Server
Under Mac OS-X
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Connecting to Novell Super Servers Under Mac OS-X
Click on the GO menu from within the Mac OS-X
Finder.
Then, select CONNECT TO SERVER.
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Connecting to a Novell Super Server Under Mac
OS-X
Enter the IP address of your Novell Super Server.
In this case, the test servers address is
130.18.80.89.
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Connecting to a Novell SuperServer Under Mac OS-X
Enter your fully-qualified user name and password
in the format shown. Remember, Mac passwords will
be 8 characters or less.
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Connecting to a Novell SuperServer Under Mac OS-X
Select your departments volume from the list of
Super Server volumes. In this case, Ill select
the Work volume.
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Connecting to a Novell Super Server Under Mac
OS-X
The Super Server volume will mount on the
desktop. Then, the root directory of the server
will be displayed.
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Questions Answers