Some of the best advice for any computer user is to make backups. Sooner or later, a problem will occur that results in data loss. And this can affect the document on which you窶决e currently working, a group of files, or an entire hard disk. After failed attempts at recovering the lost data, most people realize that they should have made backups.
Unfortunately, too many computer users knowingly take the risk, associating backups with spending long hours copying their files to stacks of floppy disks. While this may have been true in the past, there are now several alternatives to consider to protect your work and investments.
A very simple and quick method, relying on the fact that the majority of files on your Macintosh never change, is to only backup new software and recently changed documents.
Most new software is distributed on floppy disks or CDROMs, and are effectively a backup copy once the software has been installed. Keep these disks in a safe place where you can find them when the need arises. If the software is vitally important to your daily activities, make additional copies of these disks and, if possible, store them off site. Always be sure to comply with the product窶冱 license agreement when making backups.
Once all of your software is backed up, all that remains are important documents that have been recently created or changed. In most cases, software can always be replaced. But without a backup, your work is lost forever. Save work in progress frequently to ensure it is not lost before you finish. Every time you pause while typing, take a break, switch tasks, or finish a small section, save what you have. It is always better to lose a few minutes worth of work than a few hours. Most applications use the <Command>-<S> key-equivalent to save a document; get into the habit of using it.
At the end of your session, end of the week, or just on a whim, backup your current documents. Most of them are small enough where many (sometimes all) will fit onto a single floppy disk. Larger documents can be copied to hard-disk cartridges, tape-backup devices, or networked file servers. There are also many file compression utilities available to help you 窶徭queeze窶 more data into the limited space available. We would be neglectful if we failed to remind you of MacMedic邃｢'s Backup utility at this moment.
Whatever method you choose for backing up, the benefits assuredly outweigh the additional time it takes. In addition, knowing that specific files have been backed up and are safe on a separate disk, you can freely modify them or remove them completely from your hard drive without risk.
Changing the Loading Order of System Extensions
It is sometimes necessary to change the loading order of extensions in order to resolve conflicts and incompatibilities. During startup, the system loads extensions (and files that contain extensions, such as control panels) in alphabetical order. This becomes a little more complex under System 7, as extensions can be located in three different folders, each one loading in alphabetical order. Extensions in the Extensions folder are loaded first, followed by extensions in the Control Panels folder, and finally extensions within the System Folder.
Using this information, it is relatively simple to cause one extension to be loaded before another: just rename one so that it appears alphabetically before the other. A common method used involves prefixing a non-alphabetical character to the name of the file, such as a space or number. You can view a folder containing extensions by name to make their their loading order more apparent.
(Note: In rare instances, it is necessary to have a control panel load before another extension. This becomes a problem under System 7 because the two types of files are located in separate folders. In this instance, you must place the control panel into the Extensions folder as well as rename it so that it loads before the other extension. You can then place an alias of the control panel into the Control Panels folder for easier access.)
Adjusting the Application Partition Size
Since the introduction of MultiFinder, first released as an option under System 6 and always present under System 7, there has been a need for applications to specify how much memory they require in order to execute properly. Under MultiFinder, a portion of memory is partitioned off for each running application. The partition size setting lets the system know how memory will be needed. This setting is usually preset by the software vendor and in most cases never needs to be changed.
Problems may happen if the partition size is set improperly. If it is set too small, the application will not have enough memory available to load, causing them to behave erratically and crash. If the partition is set too large, the application will have more memory than it will ever use, leaving less available to launch other applications. The optimum setting between these two extremes can vary from system to system and depends on a few factors:
Document size 窶 If you work with large documents, or several documents at a time with one application, a larger partition size may be needed. If the application runs out of memory while executing, it could crash, destroying your work in the process.
Available system memory 窶 On systems with very little available memory, it is necessary to waste as little as possible. This often means setting applications窶 partition sizes just large enough for normal use. Systems that have an abundance of memory allow the luxury of larger partition sizes, as there is plenty to share between applications without causing problems.
Changing the partition size of an application is relatively easy:
1. Select the application窶冱 icon in the Finder. The application must not be running.
2. Choose "Get Info" from the File menu.
A window opens displaying various information about the application.
ﾂ
3. Change the value in the "Preferred size" edit field to the new size. (This field is named 窶廣pplication Memory Size窶 under System 6, and 窶廚urrent Size窶 under System 7.0 and 7.0.1.)
4. Close the Get Info window.
The next time the application is launched, it will receive the new amount specified, if that amount of memory is available. It is a good idea to experiment with the new settings first, before performing critical tasks, to ensure that the changes do not cause any problems.
You should be aware that the Finder will first attempt to open the application with the requested memory size; if there isn't enough memory to suit that request, the Finder then will attempt to open the application with the memory size in the "Minimum size" edit field. Failing that, the Finder will tell you that it does not have enough memory to launch the given program.
Notice that this means that, in the above picture, the Finder will not attempt to run the program with an amount between the Minimum and Preferred size. In other words, in the above picture, if there was only 300k available memory, SimpleText would run with 192k. If there was 511k free memory, SimpleText would still only run with 192k memory.
Adjusting the RAM Cache
During startup, the system sets aside a portion of memory called a RAM cache. This memory is used by the system to speed up repeated disk accesses to the same information. After copying information to the cache the first time it is needed, it is instantly available for the next time. A small amount of time is saved because it is faster to access RAM than it is to access a mechanical disk drive.
There are a few reasons why you may need to adjust the size of the RAM cache. Since its size determines how much old information can be kept around before being overwritten by new information, a larger cache is generally better than a smaller one. However, depending on your specific needs, setting the cache size greater than 128K gives little additional benefit. On machines with a small amount of memory, reducing the cache size (or turning it off under System 6) can make more space available for applications.
To change the size of the RAM cache in System 7
1. Open the Memory control panel.
2. Change the Cache Size setting to the new size.
ﾂ
3. Close the control panel.
4. Restart your Macintosh.
To change the size of the RAM cache or turn it off in System 6
1. Open the Control Panel desk accessory.
2. Change the RAM Cache size or turn it off.
ﾂ
3. Close the control panel.
4. Restart your Macintosh.
Rebuilding the Desktop
In order to quickly access information about software and files, the Finder maintains invisible database files. This database contains important information about file icons, file creator and type, and user comments. Every time a file is added, moved, renamed, and deleted, this database is updated with all of the latest file information.
However, from time to time the desktop database can become 窶徙ut of sync窶 with the files and applications actually present. The most common indicator of this is when incorrect icons, or no icons at all, display for an application and its related files. The only way to correct this is by rebuilding the desktop.
To rebuild the desktop
1. Restart your Macintosh.
2. Hold down the <Command> and <Option> keys while your Macintosh is starting up.
After the menu bar appears, an alert appears.
ﾂ
(Note: Prior to System 7.6, in rebuilding the desktop database, you will lose all file comments that may have been added using Get Info.)
3. Click the <OK> button.
The Finder will scan the hard drive for a few minutes while adding information about the applications and files it finds to the desktop database. This process will take place for each volume that is currently available. When complete, the desktop database should be 窶彿n sync窶 with your applications and files, and their correct icons should be displayed.
