Last week we asked readers to share the OS X maintenance applications they’re currently using for their Mac. Of all the other apps listed below, I’ve only tested Cocktail and TechTool Pro.
Indeed, I know many Mac users run Cocktail. MacLife says “We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Cocktail is simply one of the most useful maintenance utilities ever created for Mac OS X.” However, in my Mac use, I’ve only ever needed to use Onyx (along with daily Time Machine backups).
Click here to visit the Onyx developers page.
Here are the other, reader-submitted and tested Mac maintenance applications:
Cocktail – Cocktail is an award-winning general purpose utility for Mac OS X. It is a smooth and powerful digital toolset with a variety of practical features that simplifies the use of advanced UNIX functions and helps Mac users around the world to get the most out of their computers. Cocktail is installed on more than 200,000 computers worldwide.
Click here to read more and download Cocktail.
Yasu – One reader says “I started using this several years ago.” Yasu was “Created with System Administrators who service large groups of workstations in mind, Yasu (Yet Another System Utility) is an Apple OS X maintenance utility that has been developed to do a specific group of tasks quickly within a few clicks, rather than needing to endlessly type shell script commands in the Terminal application.”
Click here to read more and download Yasu.
Macaroni – Macaroni is a tool which handles regular maintenance for Mac OS X, including the Mac OS X repair privileges process as well as Unix-style maintenance. You could do this yourself, but don’t you have more interesting things to do with your time?
Click here to download Macaroni.
MacJanitor – MacJanitor is designed to be used on a periodic basis by Mac OS X users who don’t leave their computer on (and awake) 24 hours a day. MacJanitor is provided as freeware as a service to laptop and energy-conscious home users.
Click here to read more about MacJanitor.
Main Menu – MainMenu is a powerful maintenance tool to keep your Mac running like new, packed in a slick and simple interface. Improve application performance, make searching faster and speed up your disk access.
Click here to download Main Menu.
TechTool Pro – Use TechTool Pro to keep your Macintosh running smoothly. TechTool Pro is a full-featured utility program containing options for testing and repair, maintenance (including disk defragmentation) and data recovery. All it takes is one click of the mouse to perform a comprehensive suite of tests on your computer’s hardware and attached drives. TechTool Pro does it all. There is no need to purchase additional software to keep your computer performing at its best. In fact, it’s so good that Apple includes a copy of its sibling, TechTool Deluxe, in its AppleCare Protection Plan.
Click here to view TechTool Pro.
DiskWarrior – DiskWarrior is used more as a repair tool than a maintenance utility, but it does have maintenance features. It claims to be the safest, most technologically advanced, most powerful utility to eliminate directory damage and recover your files, folders and documents. DiskWarrior is so advanced it can even recover your data from a failing hard drive. Yet all that power is hidden behind one button.