Micromat TechTool Pro - 10.0 User Guide
©2018 Micromat Incorporated. All rights reserved.
This manual, as well as the software described in it, is furnished under
license and may only be used or copied in accordance with the terms
of such license. The information in this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice and should not be
construed as a commitment by Micromat Inc. Micromat Inc. assumes no
responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in
this book.
Except as permitted by such license, no part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of Micromat Inc.
Trademarks
TechTool Pro is a registered trademark of Micromat Inc.
Apple and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Inc.
User’s Guide and
Reference Manual
www.micromat.com
Contents
User’s Guide and
Reference Manual ..................................................ii
Installation and System Requirements ............ 1.1
Introduction ....................................................................1.2
System Requirements....................................................1.2
Installing TechTool Pro...................................................1.2
What’s Installed ..............................................................1.5
Personalization and Registration ................................1.5
Contacting Technical Support .....................................1.6
About Micromat Inc. ......................................................1.6
Overview of TechTool Pro .................................. 2.1
Summary of Features ....................................................2.2
Summary of Features ....................................................2.2
TechTool Pro Interface ................................................... 2.2
TechTool Pro Menu ......................................................... 2.4
Install/Remove Techtool Protection ............................................ 2.4
TechTool Pro Manual ...................................................... 2.5
Troubleshooting Using TechTool Pro ............... 3.1
Preventive Maintenance ...............................................3.2
Troubleshooting Hints ..................................................3.2
Backup Before Repairing ................................................................. 3.2
Be Prepared ..........................................................................................3.3
Eliminate Easy Problems First ........................................................3.3
Simplify/Isolate ................................................................................... 3.3
Keep Your Software Up-to-Date ................................................... 3.3
Make Use of Available Resources .................................................3.3
Document What You Do ..................................................................3.4
Recovering Data from Damaged Drives ....................................3.4
Repairing Drive Problems ...............................................................3.4
Optimization ...................................................................3.5
Testing Components ......................................................3.5
Using TechTool Pro ............................................. 4.1
Launching TechTool Pro ................................................4.2
Sample Diagnostics Section .........................................4.3
Tests ................................................................... 5.1
Automatic Testing ..........................................................5.2
USB .......................................................................................................... 5.2
Cache......................................................................................................5.2
Processor ...............................................................................................5.3
Network .................................................................................................5.3
Thunderbolt ......................................................................................... 5.4
FireWire .................................................................................................5.5
Manual Testing ................................................................5.5
Check Computer .............................................................5.6
Conguration ......................................................................................5.7
Memory Test ........................................................................................5.8
SPD Data .............................................................................................5.10
Surface Scan ......................................................................................5.11
SMART Check ....................................................................................5.13
NVMe Support ..............................................................................5.15
Partition Map .....................................................................................5.16
Volume Structures ...........................................................................5.17
Video Memory ..................................................................................5.19
Fans Test ..............................................................................................5.20
Sensors Test........................................................................................5.21
Battery Test .........................................................................................5.21
File Structures ...................................................................................5.22
Bluetooth ............................................................................................5.23
Network Interfaces ..........................................................................5.24
Tools .................................................................... 6.1
eDrive ..............................................................................6.2
TechTool Protogo ...........................................................6.5
Partition Repair ..............................................................6.5
Volume Rebuild .............................................................6.6
File Optimization ..........................................................6.8
Volume Optimization................................................. 6.10
Volume Cloning .......................................................... 6.12
Duplicate Cloning ........................................................................... 6.12
File Sync Cloning .............................................................................6.13
Disk Image Cloning .........................................................................6.14
Data Recovery ............................................................. 6.14
Protection ...........................................................................................6.15
Drives ...................................................................................................6.17
Trash .....................................................................................................6.18
Wipe Data .................................................................... 6.19
Overwrite Pattern ............................................................................6.20
Overwrite Level ................................................................................6.20
Select Item To Wipe… button .....................................................6.20
Wipe Selection… button ..............................................................6.20
Wipe Volume… button ..................................................................6.20
Wipe Free Space… button ...........................................................6.21
Internet Speed ............................................................. 6.21
System Maintenance .................................................. 6.21
Cache Rebuild .............................................................. 6.22
Volume Journaling ...................................................... 6.23
Disk Permissions .......................................................... 6.24
Processor Check ........................................................... 6.24
Local Network .............................................................. 6.25
Video .............................................................................. 6.26
Video Geometry .................................................................................6.26
iSight ......................................................................................................6.27
Audio ............................................................................. 6.27
TechTool Protogo ............................................... 7.1
Interface ...........................................................................7.3
Devices Pane .......................................................................................7.4
Proles Pane ........................................................................................7.4
Prole Editor ........................................................................................7.6
Using a Protogo Device .................................................7.8
TechTool Pro Reports ......................................... 8.1
TechTool Protection ........................................... 9.1
Volume Usage .................................................................9.2
Directory Backup ............................................................9.3
Trash History ...................................................................9.4
SMART Check ..................................................................9.5
Power On Self-Test .........................................................9.7
I/O Check ..........................................................................9.8
RAID Status ......................................................................9.8
Battery Check ..................................................................9.9
E-mail Alerts ................................................................. 9.10
iv
TechTool Remote .............................................. 10.1
Requirements .............................................................. 10.2
Using TechTool Remote ............................................. 10.2
Push Notications ...................................................... 10.3
TechTool Pro Menu Options ............................ 11.1
TechTool Pro ................................................................ 11.2
About TechTool Pro ........................................................................11.2
Check for Update… ........................................................................11.2
Hide TechTool Pro ...........................................................................11.2
Quit TechTool Pro ............................................................................11.2
Mode .............................................................................. 11.2
Help ................................................................................ 11.2
Commonly Asked Questions........................... 12.1
Tips, Short Cuts, and Hidden Features ........... 13.1
macOS Versions ........................................................... 13.2
TechTool Pro Key Commands .................................... 13.2
Useful Apple Key Combinations ............................... 13.2
Basic Open Firmware Commands (PowerPC Macs) 13.2
Handy Terminal Commands (for Geeks only) ........ 13.3
Macintosh File Systems ................................... 14.1
Volume Header ............................................................ 14.3
B-Trees ........................................................................... 14.4
Catalog File ................................................................... 14.6
Extents File ................................................................... 14.7
Allocation File .............................................................. 14.8
Attributes File .............................................................. 14.8
Startup File ................................................................... 14.9
HFS Wrapper................................................................. 14.9
Journaling ................................................................... 14.10
Glossary ............................................................ 15.1
v
1.1
Installation and System Requirements
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing TechTool Pro! We have worked
hard to make TechTool Pro the most powerful and easyto-use problem-solving utility available for the Macintosh.
With TechTool Pro you will be able to:
• Protect your computer and data.
• Create an emergency repair partition.
• Diagnose and repair problems with your drives.
• Optimize your drives.
• Clone a volume.
• Recover data from damaged drives.
• See what devices and services are running on your local
network.
• Test critical computer components and sub-systems.
• Perform routine maintenance on your computer.
• Determine the cause of problems that cause your Macintosh to crash.
• Test new equipment.
• Make sure that your computer is running as fast as it
should be.
Most importantly, TechTool Pro allows you to test your
computer like a professional without the need of years of
experience or a computer degree. TechTool Pro allows you
to check a variety of components in your Macintosh with
a simple click of your mouse. When TechTool Pro nds a
problem with your computer it will suggest steps you can
take to correct the situation.
Consider TechTool Pro your personal Macintosh technician—always ready to help and only a mouse click away.
System Requirements
• Intel-based Macintosh
• OS X 10.10 or later
• DVD-ROM drive for installing from disk
• 1 GB RAM or higher
These requirements may change with future updates.
Installing TechTool Pro
TechTool Pro uses an automated installer to place the
TechTool Pro application and any ancillary les in their
proper locations.
NOTE If you suspect that your hard drive is damaged
or that there may be other computer problems, do not
install TechTool Pro until it is repaired. We recommend that
you run TechTool Pro before installation to verify that your
desired installation volume does not have any problems.
To do this, you may start up and run TechTool Pro from
another Mac or an eDrive. For instructions on running a
check of the computer see the Sample Diagnostics Section
under Using TechTool Pro later in this manual.
1.2
To install:
• Double-click on the TechTool Pro Installer icon.
• Enter your administrator password when prompted.
• Read the explanatory text on the installer screens and follow the prompts.
TechTool Pro will be installed in the Applications folder on
the startup volume. If any previous versions of TechTool
Pro are installed in your applications folder, they will be
removed.
NOTE If you are having trouble with TechTool Pro,
your installation may be corrupt. Running the installer to
replace your copy of TechTool Pro may help.
NOTE The TechTool Pro Installer contains an Uninstall
option. To Uninstall TechTool Pro, click the “Customize” button on the third page of the Main Install screen.
1.3
Then choose “Remove TechTool Pro...
NOTE Next, uncheck “Install TechTool Pro,” and check
“Remove TechTool Pro”
TechTool Protection
When you launch the installed TechTool Pro application,
the program checks to see if the TechTool Protection is
installed. If it is not, a dialog appears giving you the option
to install TechTool Protection. TechTool Protection includes
program functions that operate automatically in the
background, such as periodic hard drive SMART checks,
Volume Usage, Trash History, etc. These functions are congured via the TechTool Protection pane that is installed in
the System Preferences. You can choose Cancel if you do
not wish to install TechTool Protection at this time.
1.4
What’s Installed
When you install TechTool Pro you install the TechTool Pro
program package. This contains the main program components in one convenient location on your hard drive.
By default, the TechTool Pro package is installed in the Applications folder on your startup volume:
• Applications/TechTool Pro
The program’s preferences are stored on a per user basis in:
• ~/Library/Preferences/com.micromat.techtoolpro.plist le
The TechTool Pro Report will be stored in:
~/Library/Application Support/TechTool Pro/
TechTool Pro.reports
If you install TechTool Protection, the following les will
be installed:
Personalization and Registration
The rst time you launch TechTool Pro, you will be prompted to enter your serial number. Your serial number is your
proof of ownership of TechTool Pro. Keep it in a safe place
since you may need it when you make future updates or
upgrades. If you lose your serial number, we may be able
to provide it to you if it is registered. In addition, registration is required to receive free technical support for TechTool Pro. (This is subject to change without notication.)
You may register your serial number online. Simply direct
your browser to the Micromat web site at www.micromat.
com.
If you do not have internet access, you may call Micromat
Sales at 707-304-5993 and ask them to register for you.
• ~/Library/PreferencePanes/TechTool Protection.prefPane
1.5
Contacting Technical Support
About Micromat Inc.
Micromat provides technical support to its customers
by telephone or email. For a current listing of telephone
numbers and other contact information, please visit our
website at www.micromat.com. Technical support is available Monday through Friday (excluding public holidays),
from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM PT.
If you wish to contact technical support by telephone you
will need to have your TechTool Pro serial number and version number ready. Our automated phone attendant will
require you to enter this information before connecting
you to a technician. Please be near your computer when
you phone, since our technicians will need to ask you
questions about your system, and will attempt to guide
you through solving any problems.
Please have the following information ready for the support technician, and be sure to include it in any email you
send to Micromat.
• A brief description of your problem.
• Version number of your TechTool Pro software.
• Type of Macintosh and conguration. (Example: Intel iMac
3.06GHz, 2GB RAM, 500GB hard drive.)
Micromat Computer Systems Inc. has been developing
Macintosh diagnostic utilities since 1989. As the rst company to oer diagnostic products for Macintosh, Micromat
has pioneered many new technologies for helping Macintosh users bring their computers back to life and to keep
them running their absolute best.
Technical Support
707-566-3860
help@micromat.com
Micromat, Inc
5803 Skylane Blvd.
Suite C
Windsor, CA 95492
http://www.micromat.com
1.6
2.1
Overview of TechTool Pro
Summary of Features
64 - Bit
TechTool Pro is a full-featured computer diagnostic and
repair utility. It includes routines to check your computer’s
hardware, software, and peripherals. If TechTool Pro nds
problems with your computer system, it will let you know
and will provide straightforward advice on how to proceed. If the problems are of a type that may be repairable
by software, then TechTool Pro will oer you the option to
attempt repairs.
TechTool Pro can perform a number of automatic checks
and routines. These are designed to forewarn you of impending problems and to increase the chances of successful data recovery and repair in the case of disaster. These
automatic features are fully congurable by you.
TechTool Pro also includes a number of features that allow
you to more eectively work with your computer and
data. These include defragmentation and optimization
to enhance drive performance, data recovery routines
to rescue data from damaged drives, and Wipe Data to
securely delete sensitive information. You may even set
up an emergency boot partition on your drive (without
reinitializing your drive) that includes TechTool Pro. Then,
if problems arise, you can boot from the emergency partition and use TechTool Pro to attempt data recovery and/
or repairs.
TechTool Pro is a 64 - bit application. This allows it to take
full advantage of 64-bit processor Macs, providing greater
memory allocation size for RAM testing, Volume Rebuild,
and Volume Optimization.
TechTool Protogo Integration
TechTool Protogo is now integrated into TechTool Pro. With
TechTool Protogo, you can build diagnostic startup disks
that you can use to troubleshoot a variety of Macintosh
computers and portables. More information about using
TechTool Protogo is available in the Protogo section of this
Manual.
2.2
TechTool Pro Interface
Even though TechTool Pro is an extremely powerful program, it is designed to be easy to use. When you launch
the program you will see the TechTool Pro application
window.
There are three main categories available within the TechTool Pro program itself–Tests, Tools, and Reports. When
you launch the program the Tests window appears. Use
the Category Selector bar in the upper left corner of the
window to change categories as desired.
At the bottom of the application window is a bar graph for
each processor core. This graph displays processor use for
each core in real time.
In addition to the three TechTool Pro categories, there is
the TechTool Protection pane in the System Preferences.
This is where you congure the automatic background
routines of TechTool Pro.
The Tests category is where you congure and perform
tests to check the functioning of your computer’s hardware, check for volume corruption, etc. The Tools category
is where you perform various stand-alone functions such
as data recovery, le/volume defragmentation, eDrive
creation, etc. The Reports window displays test results and
other feedback from operations performed in the Tests
and Tools categories. The report information is displayed
in a tabular sortable format.
The Tests and Tools windows are divided into three main
areas. The top half of the window is the Stage. This is
where you view feedback about the currently running
operation. Multiple tests can be queued up and the
queue is displayed in the lower area of the stage. Tests are
performed from left to right. Hovering the cursor above a
queued item pops up a tooltip providing details about the
particular test. Tools cannot be queued since they should
not be interrupted as they perform their specic function. To the left beneath the stage is the Task Selection list.
Select the Test or Tool that you wish to use from the list.
Congurable options for that function will appear to the
right in the Conguration area. Once conguration is complete, click the appropriate button in the Conguration
2.3
window to add the test to the queue or to begin using the
selected tool. Items in the test queue are automatically
executed in the order they were chosen—left to right. You
can remove a test from the queue by clicking the cancel
button to the lower right of the queued test icon. You can
cancel all queued tests, including the currently executing
Help Center. Simply choose TechTool Pro Help from the
Help menu while running an installed copy of TechTool
Pro. This will bring up the TechTool Pro Help screen with
indexed and searchable online documentation.
Notication Center
test, by clicking the Stop button on the lower
right side of the stage.
As TechTool Pro performs it various tests and other functions, it keeps track of what is done and what is found. This
information can be examined in the TechTool Pro Reports
window. The Reports window summarizes the results of
all tests and is covered in detail in the Reference section of
this manual. Select the Reports category from the Category Selector bar in the upper left side of the program
window to view the report.
NOTE Because some TechTool Pro operations need
low-level access to the computer, they require system
privileges in order to run. When this is necessary, TechTool
Pro will display a dialog requesting the password for an
administrator account. For security reasons, Mac OS X only
keeps system level privileges active for a certain amount
of time. Consequently, you may need to re-enter the administrator password more than once as you use
TechTool Pro.
Online help is available for TechTool Pro through the Apple
TechTool Pro supports Notication Center alerts. You can
congure how these alerts display in the Notications
pane in System Preferences.
TechTool Pro Menu
TechTool Pro includes special menu items in the TechTool
Pro menu.
Install/Remove TechTool Protection
TechTool Pro can manually install or remove the TechTool
Protection system preference pane if desired. To do so,
simply choose this menu item.
Sync Results to iCloud
Enable this menu option to save recent test and tool
results to iCloud. See TechTool Remote section of this
manual for more information.
2.4
TechTool Pro Manual
The TechTool Pro manual is written for the typical Macintosh user. It assumes that you are familiar with the basic
operation of your Macintosh and Mac OS X. The manual
explains the many features of TechTool Pro and how to use
the program eectively.
The rst ve sections of the manual are introductory.
They include installation instructions, an overview of the
program, and general troubleshooting information. The
following eight sections, from Tests to Menu Options, are
the main reference portion of the manual. They provide detailed explanations about each of the program’s
features. The next two sections include commonly asked
questions, tips, shortcuts, and hidden features. These are
followed by an overview of the Macintosh le system.
This section is fairly technical and may be of interest if you
want more details about the inner working of the le system. An understanding of the le system provides a better
understanding of the types of problems that may occur
with the volume structures and also the issues that must
be addressed when repairing them. The manual ends with
a glossary, which explains the technical terms used in the
manual, and an index.
As you read through the manual you will encounter two
special icons:
Pay close attention when you see this icon. It
indicates that the information that follows is extremely
important. You should read and understand it before
proceeding. Failure to do so could lead to improper use of
the program and possible loss of data.
This icon indicates that the information to follow provides clarication or supplemental information.
Although the information may not be critical, it is highly
recommended that you read it in order to use the program most eectively.
2.5
3.1
Troubleshooting Using TechTool Pro
Preventive Maintenance
Troubleshooting Hints
One of the most valuable functions of TechTool Pro is its
ability to assist you in nding and repairing problems with
your computer before they get out of hand. For maximum
protection, it is important that TechTool Pro is actually
installed on your system. TechTool Pro includes automatic
features that can regularly check your drive hardware and
backup volume directories. These features are congurable from the TechTool Protection pane in the
System Preferences.
In addition, it is a good idea to run the TechTool Pro tests
on a regular basis (for example, monthly) to more thoroughly check your system. This will help ensure that your
computer is running at its full potential and minimize
the chance of crashes and data loss. Using TechTool Pro’s
Check Computer you can quickly and easily run a comprehensive set of tests to check your computer for
proper operation.
It is critical to keep backups of valuable data. A hard drive
will always fail at some point. Although TechTool Pro can
often recover your data or bring your drive back to life
when this happens, it cannot do the impossible. If the
drive has failed mechanically or electronically, then no
software can repair it. The insurance and peace of mind
provided by a backup is important. A little time spent
maintaining backups and checking your system regularly
may save you many hours of recovery and repair down
the road.
Computers are complex electronic devices. Consequently,
they can be dicult to troubleshoot. Their proper operation depends on the reliable functioning of both sophisticated hardware and software. TechTool Pro was designed
to simplify the process of diagnostics and repair in the
event of a computer problem. It can also help you nd and
correct small problems before they become big problems.
Be sure to backup your data regularly. Consider keeping
archival backups. This means that instead of having only
one backup you would keep several backups made on
dierent dates. That way if you should discover a le was
damaged, and was backed up damaged, then you might
be able to locate an undamaged version in a prior backup.
It is critical to keep backups since a drive may develop
a problem at any time. If the problem is an electronic
problem, a mechanical problem, or a volume structure
problem that is so serious that it can not be repaired or
the data recovered, then a valid backup would be your
only recourse.
Following are a few tips to help ensure that your computer
is up and running as soon as possible if problems do arise:
Backup Before Repairing
If you are experiencing problems, be sure your backups
are current. If possible, immediately backup any important
data that is not already saved elsewhere. You may need to
3.2
use the data recovery routines in TechTool Pro to do this if
your volume does not mount. Do this before performing
any repairs. It may be impossible to retrieve your data later
if the problems get progressively worse as the computer
is used.
Be Prepared
Set up a preventive maintenance routine so that you can
locate and address problems before they get too serious. Consider using TechTool Pro to set up an emergency
eDrive on your hard drive before problems arise. That way
you can boot and run the program from the eDrive in the
case of problems on your normal startup volume. Keep
current backups of your work. Know where to nd your
TechTool Pro serial number in case you need to call Micromat Technical Support.
Eliminate Easy Problems First
Use TechTool Pro to repair the startup disk’s permissions.
Log out and then log back in as a dierent user and see if
the problems still occur. There may be a corrupted preference in the original user’s account. Start up the computer
in Safe mode (holding down the shift key during startup).
This disables third party routines that may be causing
problems during startup. Run TechTool Pro’s Check Computer while booted to the TechTool Pro eDrive to see if it
reports any problems. It’s possible one of the above items
will help pinpoint or solve the problem.
Simplify/Isolate
Eliminate as many variables as possible. If your problem
appears to be with an internal volume, then power down
your machine and disconnect all external devices. If it is
with an external drive/volume, then connect only that
drive to the computer. Startup and run TechTool Pro from
the TechTool Pro eDrive. This will eliminate the possibility of system corruption on your normal startup volume
when testing.
Keep Your Software Up-to-Date
Many computer problems are actually software problems.
The producers of most software release regular updates
to address incompatibilities and other issues that they discover. Do your best to have current versions of software,
drivers, etc. Staying current may keep problems from
developing in the rst place. Updating an older piece of
software may actually solve a nagging problem.
Make Use of Available Resources
There are many sources of assistance available to help
you solve problems. These include local Macintosh Users
Groups, specialized newsgroups on the Internet, websites,
listservs, and technical support provided by software and
hardware vendors.
3.3
Document What You Do
As you try to solve your computer problems, keep notes
about what you do and the outcomes of these actions.
This can be a valuable reference for you later and can be
extremely helpful if you need to talk to a technical support
representative. Knowing exactly what was done and the
results (including any error messages) can make problem
solving much easier. In addition, if you have problems at
a later time, you may be able to spot a pattern that would
otherwise elude you.
Recovering Data from Damaged Drives
Files are more likely to be recoverable by TechTool Pro’s
data recovery routines if its automatic Protection features
have been enabled for your volumes. Congure these options within the TechTool Protection pane of the
System Preferences.
Repairing Drive Problems
You probably already understand how critical the proper
operation of your hard drive is for your computer. It contains the data that allows the computer to boot, as well as
the programs you use and the les you’ve created. TechTool Pro includes powerful diagnostic and repair routines
to keep your drives functioning correctly.
drive” and “volume” are almost interchangeable. Although
a hard disk can contain more than one volume (multiple
partitions), a volume cannot contain more than one hard
drive. (This is not entirely true. Some forms of RAID disk
setups can make many drives appear as one volume).
DVDs and CDs may also appear as one or more volumes.
When you view the contents of a volume in the Finder,
you’re not typically seeing everything on the volume.
Every volume contains many invisible les and data les.
This allows the computer to access the data on that particular volume. Items such as the le catalog or directory,
the extents B-tree, and a host of other objects, dictate
how data is stored on a particular device (see the Glossary section of this manual for denitions of these terms).
These items comprise the “volume structures” of a volume.
In most cases, when a drive fails and then is repaired by a
utility such as TechTool Pro, it is not the physical drive itself
that is being repaired. It is the software that makes up the
volume structures. If there is a problem with the structure
of a volume, it can prevent the computer from being able
to boot or prevent you from having access to your data.
If there is an actual problem with the physical drive, like
an electrical or mechanical problem, software will not be
able to correct the problem. TechTool Pro is unique in that
it can check the mechanical and electronic aspects of a
drive, as well as repair the volume structures.
In most cases, this manual will refer to a drive as a “volume.” A volume is simply a unit of storage that appears
to the computer as one “logical device.” The terms “hard
3.4
To check for disk problems, run the Surface Scan test, the
SMART check (if applicable), and the Volume Structures
test. These tests do a thorough check of the drive hard-
ware and should locate any problems within a volume’s
directories. If TechTool Pro nds problems, it will let you
know and provide advice on how to proceed. It would
be wise at this point to stop and make a backup of your
important les if necessary. If the problem was a volume
structure problem, you could attempt to repair it using the
Volume Rebuild tool in TechTool Pro. If it appears that a repair is possible, TechTool Pro will provide feedback about
the changes it proposes to make. If you’re satised that
the proposed repairs appear reasonable, then go ahead
and accept them.
After a successful repair the volume will be in good shape.
If the volume structures cannot be repaired, you should
reinitialize the volume and restore your data.
Optimization
In order to gain maximum performance from a hard drive
volume, it is a good idea to defragment/optimize it occasionally. This can be particularly important when working
with multimedia les where maximum data throughput is
critical. If a multimedia le is fragmented, then it may not
be able to be read fast enough from the drive for smooth
playback. This can lead to dropped video frames or to
gaps in audio playback.
Before optimizing, always check the volume structures of
the volume (and repair if necessary). The volume structure
tests are found in the Tests section of TechTool Pro. Once
the volume passes the volume structure tests it should be
safe to optimize it.
Testing Components
For your computer to operate correctly its components
must be working properly. TechTool Pro includes a
number of tests that will exercise many of the chips and
other critical components of your system and let you
know if any problems are found. You can easily check your
computer’s memory, cache, processor, video memory, and
much more. Many of these tests are run when TechTool
Pro launches. Others, such as the Memory Test, can be
performed from within the Tests area of the program.
Optimization rearranges the data on the volume so that
the data for each le resides sequentially on a contiguous
area of the drive and the free space is consolidated. Optimization is available in the Tools section of TechTool Pro.
3.5
4.1
Using TechTool Pro
Launching TechTool Pro
TechTool Pro will be installed in the Applications folder on
your startup volume by default. Do not move the TechTool
Pro application out of the Applications folder. To launch
TechTool Pro simply double-click on the TechTool Pro program icon in the Applications folder.
The program Installer also adds a TechTool Pro icon to the
dock. An alternative method of launching the program is
to click on the program icon on the dock.
4.2
Sample Diagnostics Section
After launching TechTool Pro you will see the TechTool Pro
Application window.
TechTool Pro does a check of a variety of system components automatically on launch. The results of these tests
are displayed in the gauges on the stage.
To do a more thorough check of additional components,
including your computer’s hard drives, as well as any other
hard drive connected to your computer, select Check
Computer from the Tests category and then click the
Check Computer button on the right. This single mouse
click initiates a suite of tests that run automatically, one
after the other. If problems are found, the Report will pro-
vide information on how to proceed. Information about
more in-depth testing and additional features of TechTool
Pro is available in the following sections of this manual.
4.3
5.1
Tests
TechTool Pro includes options to test various hardware
components, drives, and other aspects of your computer
system. These include tests that run automatically at
program launch as well as tests that you select to run
from within the Tests category. These testing options are
covered below.
Automatic Tests
When you launch TechTool Pro, a group of ve hardware
tests run automatically. On completion, the test results are
displayed on the gauges in the stage area at the top of
the screen.
These tests can also be run and the gauges displayed after
completion of manual testing by clicking the
refresh button on the lower right side of the
stage or by pressing the return or enter key. Details of the
ve tests follow.
USB
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. It is a protocol for connecting devices to a computer. The rst iteration of USB can
operate at 1.5 Mbps or 12 Mbps. The USB 2.0 standard has a
raw data rate at 480 Mbps, and the latest USB 3.0 standard a
rate of 5 Gbps. USB is present on all recent Macintosh models.
In addition, USB ports may be added via PCI cards or as USB
hubs attached to existing ports. Typical USB devices include
keyboards, mice, joysticks, game pads, and other low-bandwidth, low-cost devices. Unlike FireWire, USB controls peripheral devices in a master/slave relationship. USB oers several
benets such as low cost, expandability, auto-conguration,
hot-plugging and outstanding performance. It also provides
power to the bus, enabling many peripherals to operate
without the added need for an AC power adapter.
TechTool Pro checks the built-in USB bus in your computer
to ensure that it is functioning. If the test passes, the speed
of the USB interface is displayed in the USB gauge. If the test
fails or if no USB interface is recognized, this will be indicated
on the gauge. TechTool Pro cannot test the functioning of the
USB ports since this would require additional hardware.
Cache
Cache is fast RAM (random-access memory) that is used to
store data for CPU operations. Cache speeds up processing by storing frequently used instructions. Since the
cache is built into the CPU itself, it can be accessed at a
faster speed than memory attached to the standard sys-
5.2
tem bus. A good analogy to the cache would be a bulletin
board that holds frequently used phone numbers on PostIt™ notes. The numbers would be available on the board
for quick reference. That way you would not need to take
the time to look them up in the telephone book (analogous to main memory) every time they were needed.
TechTool Pro checks for the presence of cache and, if
found, tests it and displays its speed on the Cache gauge.
If the cache tests fail or if no cache is detected, this will be
indicated on the gauge.
lions of instructions per second. Although each individual
instruction is very simple, the fact that so many calculations are done so quickly allows your computer to perform
extremely complex tasks within a reasonable amount
of time.
TechTool Pro veries the operation of your CPU chip(s)
with both machine-level native instruction tests and more
complex system-level data operations. When the Processor tests complete, the processor speed is displayed on
the Processor gauge.
Processor
Every computer contains one or more CPUs (Central
Processing Units). These are the “brains” of your computer.
If more than one processor is present, they may reside on
individual chips (such as in a dual processor G5), may exist
as multiple cores on one chip (such as in an Intel Core 2
Duo iMac), or both (such as in a Dual Quad Core Mac Pro).
The CPU is the main component that dictates a machine’s
overall speed of operation. A slower CPU with an ecient
instruction set may actually provide better performance
than a faster CPU with a less ecient design.
Although the CPU is the master component in a computer,
its function is easily understood. It takes data supplied by
other components, moves it, does simple logical operations or math operations, and outputs the results. The
magic lies in the vast amount of data processing it can do
in a very short amount of time. Your CPU processes mil-
5.3
Network
All Mac OS X capable computers include Ethernet networking capability. The ability to print, communicate with
other computers in your local network, and connect to
internet services is dependent on proper conguration
and operation of the networking components.
Ethernet is the most widely installed local area network
(LAN) technology. Ethernet was originally developed by
Xerox and is specied in the IEEE 802.3 standard. An Ethernet LAN may be hard wired using a variety of cable types
or it may be wireless. The most common Ethernet systems
use 10Base-T cabling and provide transmissions speeds
of up to 10 Mbps. Fast Ethernet or 100Base-T provides
speeds of up to 100 Mbps, Gigabit Ethernet supports up to
1000 Mbps, and 10-Gigabit Ethernet goes all the way to 10
billion bits per second.
AirPort is Apple’s name for the IEEE 802.11 wireless net-
working standard. The original AirPort implementation released in 1999 is based on the IEEE specication 802.11b.
It transmits data at a maximum speed of 11 Mbps and
has a typical range of 100 feet. The newer AirPort Extreme
released in 2003 is based on the 802.11g specication. It
has a maximum speed of 54 Mbps and range of 50 feet at
full speed. The newest AirPort devices are based on the
802.11n protocol which increases performance even further to a maximum of 600 Mbps. Both AirPort and AirPort
Extreme transmit on one of 11 channels in the
2.4 GHz band.
The Network test performs the following functions on the
built-in network interface:
ware itself. This requires specialized test equipment. If the
problem appears to be faulty hardware you will probably
need to contact a qualied technician.
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt, also known as LightPeak, is a high-speed
hardware interface developed through a partnership
between Apple and Intel. It utilizes the Mini Display Port
connector to connect to peripherals and displays at high
speeds. The rst generation operated at up to 10 GB/s, and
was rst introduced on MacBook Pros released in February
2011. Newer Macs come equipped with Thunderbolt 2,
which utilizes speeds up to 20 GB/s.
• Network Check 1—This test checks the availability of the
network services for the system.
• Network Check 2—This test checks whether a network host
name is reachable using the current network conguration.
NOTE It is necessary to have at least one other network device attached (printer, router, or another computer) to use these tests since it is necessary to query another
device to determine communication abilities.
When the tests complete, the speed of the network
interface is displayed on the Network gauge. For multiple
network interfaces, the fastest one is displayed. If the test
fails or if no network interface is detected, this will be
displayed as well.
Note that TechTool Pro cannot test the networking hard-
5.4
Thunderbolt can be used to connect to hard drives and
other multimedia devices. A display can be connected via
Mini Display Port at the end of a Thunderbolt chain.
TechTool Pro checks the built-in Thunderbolt bus in your
computer to ensure that it is functioning. The Thunderbolt
ports themselves are not checked.
If Thunderbolt is present and the tests pass, the speed
of the Thunderbolt interface is displayed in place of the
FireWire gauge. If no interface is detected, the FireWire
test will run instead. A failure will be indicated on the
gauge.
FireWire
FireWire is a cross-platform implementation of the highspeed serial data bus dened by IEEE Standard 1394.
FireWire was conceived by Apple and then developed
within the IEEE 1394 Working Group. It moves larger
amounts of data between computers and peripheral
devices than previous data busses. It features simplied cabling, hot swapping, and transfer speeds of up to
400 Mbps. The newer IEEE 1394b specication, termed
FireWire 800 by Apple, handles data rates of 800 Mbps.
FireWire is integrated into many Macintosh models prior
to those equipped with Thunderbolt. Most of these
machines include FireWire ports that operate at up to 800
Mbps, although earlier models may use the 400 Mbps
interface. FireWire ports may also be added via PCI cards
or FireWire hubs attached to existing ports.
FireWire is intended for use with multimedia peripherals such as digital video cameras and other high-speed
devices such as hard disk drives and scanners.
TechTool Pro checks the built-in FireWire bus in your
computer to ensure that it is functioning. Note that the
program itself cannot check the FireWire ports to verify
that data is being sent and received properly. This would
require special loopback hardware not normally available.
the gauge.
Manual Testing
To run any of TechTool Pro’s manual tests, click the Tests
tab if necessary to display the Test Selection window.
Select a test from the Test Selection list and congure it as
desired in the Test Conguration window to the right.
Then click the Run button in the Conguration window to
add the test to the test queue. An individual test can be
stopped as it is running by pressing the Stop button
on the lower right of the test icon in the queue or
by pressing Command-period. All queued tests can be
stopped by pressing the large Stop button on the lower
right side of the stage or by pressing Command-Optionperiod. As a test runs, progress information is displayed on
the stage. Upon completion of a test or group of tests, the
results are displayed in the Job Results From Last Run
window on the left side of the stage. Selecting a test from
this list displays detailed test results on the right side of
the stage. All test results are also stored in the TechTool
Pro Report. The report can be viewed by selecting the
Reports category. Details about the individual tests follow.
If the tests pass, the speed of the FireWire interface is
displayed in the FireWire gauge. If the test fails or if no
FireWire interface is detected, this will be indicated on
5.5
Check Computer
In addition to the hardware checks that are done automatically at program launch, you can use Check Computer
to easily run a more intensive group of tests to check
other components of your computer, including drive and
volume tests. You might consider using Check Computer
once or twice a month as part of a program of preventive
maintenance for your computer. Even though problems
with your computer may not be apparent, they could
be developing in the background. It is best to nd and
correct them at the rst opportunity, before they become
so severe that you lose data and/or they may no longer
be correctable. All that is required to do a comprehensive
suite of tests with TechTool Pro is one click of the mouse.
Choose Check Computer from the Tests category to bring
up the Check Computer Conguration screen.
The Conguration screen displays an image of your computer with the computer model and date of manufacturer
listed below (this information may not be available if the
computer’s logic board has been replaced). An icon for
each hard drive attached to the computer appears to the
right of the computer graphic. Hover the cursor over a
drive icon to reveal a tooltip displaying the drive identier,
connection type, and volumes on the drive.
Click the Check Computer button to queue up and run all
tests on the computer and all available volumes/drives.
Feedback about the tests is displayed on the stage as the
tests are run. Progress and result information are
listed there.
At the conclusion of the tests, all results are saved to the
Report. Any test failures are listed there, along with advice
on how to proceed.
5.6
The following tests are run by Check Computer.
• Memory Test—checks the computer’s available RAM.
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