Tune up your hard drive - The Dedicated Mac - Column

Home Office Computing, July, 1992 by C.J. Weigand

Reformat the disk, Rebuild the Desktop

Whenever a client's hard disk begins acting up, the first thing I recommend is backing up important data and reformatting the disk. Reformatting the hard disk can instantly cure problems by eradicating corrupted files and making bad blocks inaccessible.

Many people think reformatting a hard disk is the same as erasing it--but it's not. To reformat a hard disk you use a special utility, usually supplied by the hard-drive or computer manufacturer. Such utilities tell the controller to format the media to store data so your computer can access it. They also usually check for and automatically map out any bad or marginally bad blocks. Erasing your hard disk simple deletes the directory, an invisible file that tells your operating system where to find programs and documents. It doesn't delete corrupted invisible files or look for bad blocks.

Here's an analogy that should make things clearer: Think of your hard disk as an office building and your files as individual rooms. Erasing your hard disk is like removing the directory from the lobby. The rooms and everything in them are still there; you just can't find your way to them (your files remain accessible, though, to disk recovery utilities). Reformatting, on the other hand, is like tearing down the walls and replacing them with new ones. All the old rooms (files) and their contents are gone.

If recurring problems loading programs or writing to disk inspire you to reformat your hard disk, back up any irreplaceable data. After reformatting, install fresh copies of your system software and applications.

If only one program consistently behaves erratically, try trashing its Default or Preferences file. I've found that these small files tend to corrupt easily, sometimes causing the program to behave rather bizarrely. Most application programs automatically create new Default or Preferences files if you delete the old ones. I've managed to remedy several annoying problems this way.

It's also a good idea to periodically rebuild your Desktop file. The Desktop file is a true pack rat in that it retains information about programs you may no longer have on your hard disk. And, as it swells in size, it becomes ever more prone to corruption. To rebuild the Desktop file, restart your computer and press the Command and Option keys immediately after the welcome message disappears. Continue pressing these keys until you get the Rebuild the Desktop dialog box.

If you're a System 7.0 user, you can rebuild your desktop without restarting your computer. While in the Finder, press the Command, Option, and Escape keys. This lets you force quit the Finder. (You can use this same key combination, incidentally, to quit safely to the Finder from within an application that suddenly freezes up.) Hold down the Command and Option keys as you click the Force Quit dialog button to bring up the Rebuild the Desktop dialog box.

Turn Postscript fonts into TrueType. Apple's basic TrueType fonts (Courier, Times, and Helvetica) are heavy stemmed and aesthetically unappealing. Converting the corresponding Adobe versions into TrueType with either FontMonger ($100; Ares Software Corp.; [415] 578-9090) or Metamorphosis Professional ($149; Altsys Corp.; [214] 680-2060) yields better-looking output.

In either case, if you print nine-point or smaller type on a 300-dpi laser printer, avoid using fonts with delicate serifs or with both thick and thin, or angled, strokes. They may look elegant at large sizes, but they quickly become difficult to read at smaller sizes. Adobe Times Roman is a notable exception--it prints quite well in all sizes.

To my surprise, I've also found that Apple's inexpensive Personal LaserWriter LS produces 300-dpi text output that is superior to that from my costly LaserWriter II NTX. So I've changed over to the LS and now use TrueType fonts exclusively. I've been slowly converting my Adobe PostScript font library to TrueType, with excellent results. In almost every instance I get better output at smaller type sizes than I did before.

Anybody wanna buy a used NTX?

Just for the fun of it. Here's a closing tip I just couldn't resist. If you open the QuicKeys2 2.1 About box and wait for around half a minute, a parody of the infamous Energizer bunny appears on your screen. Better yet, open the QuicKeys Template Printer About box. Wait until you see the Energizer bunny, then hold down the Control, Option, Shift, and Command keys and click your mouse. A safe whistles down and falls on the bunny's head. Gotcha, little bunny!