Micromat TechTool Pro - 3 Instruction Manual

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Installation and System Requirements

............................6

Registration ..........................8

System Requirements ...........8

Installing TechTool Pro ..........9

What’s Installed ..................10

TechTool Pro Parts ..............12

Contacting Technical

Support ............................15

About Micromat Computer

Systems Inc. .....................16

Getting Started........................17

Launching TechTool Pro .....18

Sample Session ...................19

Navigation Window ............20

MultiTester .........................21

Reports................................22

Preferences .........................23

TechTool Protection

Control Panel ...................24

Troubleshooting Using

TechTool Pro ............................26

Preventive Maintenance .....27

Troubleshooting Hints ........27

Recovering Deleted Files .....29

Repairing Drive Problems ...29

Repairing Problems .............30

Optimization ......................31

Testing Components ..........32

Checking for Viruses ...........33

Checking for Software

Conflicts ...........................34

In-Depth Testing .................35

Reference..................................36

Navigation Window ............37

Controls & Displays ............37

View ....................................38

Filter ....................................38

Test List .............................. 39

Tests....................................40

Audio Tests .........................41

Auto-Pilot ...........................45

Benchmark Tests .................49

Cache Tests ........................51

Clock Tests .........................53

Components Test ...............55

Data Recovery ....................58

Desktop Test .......................64

Directory Maintenance .......69

Drives ..................................70

File Structure Tests ..............73

Finder Info ..........................75

Floppy Tests ........................77

Internet Tests ......................82

Mathematics ......................84

Modem Tests ......................86

MultiTester Tests .................91

Network Tests .....................94

Optimization ......................96

PRAM Tests .........................99

Processor Tests .................102

RAM Tests .........................104

ROM Test .........................111

Scanner Test......................113

Serial Ports .......................115

Software Conflicts ............118

Surface Scan .....................120

System Files ......................122

Video ................................125

Video Geometry ...............128

Virus .................................131

Volume Structure ..............133

VRAM ...............................138

Wipe Data ........................140

Control Palette .................143

TechTool Pro Preferences ..146 TechTool Protection

Control Panel .................149

Trash Cache ......................152

Diagnostics .......................158

Virus .................................159

Table of Contents

Contents

more...

Problems and Solutions Using TechTool Pro

..........................161

Problems and Solutions

Using TechTool Pro ...........162

Flashing question

at startup ..............162

Computer freezes

at startup ..............162

Drive will not mount

on the desktop .......162

Recovering files that

have been deleted ..163

Recovering files on a

damaged drive .......163

Intermittent crashes ....163

Sluggish performance .164 Generic or incorrect

icons ......................164

Computer settings

don’t stay set .........164

Strange computer

behavior ................164

Optimization will

not complete ..........164

Hard Drive space is

disappearing ..........165

Making a TechTool

Startup Volume ......165

Troubleshooting TechTool Pro

..........................166

Troubleshooting

TechTool Pro......................166

Computer does not

startup from the CD 167

Not enough RAM to

boot from the CD ...167

Program will not accept

the serial number ...168

Control Panel indicates

serial number in use 168

TechTool Pro crashes

during testing .........168

Can’t select a

volume for repair

or optimization ......169

Glossary ..................................170

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User’s Guide and

Reference Manual

www.micromat.com

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Using this Manual

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 is a registered trademark of MicroMat, Inc. MacEKG, DriveTech, and TechTool Pro are trademarks or registered of Micromat, Inc. Micromat, and The 3-D "M" Micromat logo, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Micromat, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, Macintosh, Finder, AppleTalk, MacOS are trademarks or registered of Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective holders.

Printed in the USA.

Part number: MM00777

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Using This Manual

This manual was prepared in the Adobe® Acrobat® PDF format

for viewing on screen. You may also print out selected pages or the entire manual on your local printer.

Using the Manual on screen

Use the scroll bar at the right of this screen to scroll through the entire manual.

You may also click on Contents, Prev or Next buttons in the upper right to

view the Table of Contents or move to the Previous or Next page. Clicking the items in the Contents will jump to that page. The standard tools on the Acrobat Reader toolbar shown below may also be used to navigate this document.

Printing portions of the Manual

You may print pages at any time by selecting Print from the File menu. Follow the on screen instructions that appear for your specific printer.

The page sizes for this manual are 4.75 inches wide by 7 inches tall. If your printer software has the ability to print 2 pages side-by-side, you may select this option in your Print Options prior to printing. Refer to the instructions provided with your printer for additional information.

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Installation and System

Requirements

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Introduction

Thank you for purchasing TechTool Pro! We have worked hard to make TechTool Pro the most powerful and easy-to-use problem-solving utility available for the

Macintosh. With TechTool Pro you will be able to:

• Diagnose and repair problems with your drives.

• Scan for and eradicate computer viruses.

• Check for software conflicts.

• Recover lost data.

• Test critical computer components and subsystems.

• Do routine maintenance on your computer.

• Reveal the culprits which cause your Macintosh to crash.

• Verify system configurations.

• Check critical software like the system and enablers.

• Test new equipment.

• Make sure that your computer is running as fast as it should.

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 the intricate components of your Macintosh with a simple click of your mouse. When TechTool Pro finds a problem with your computer, it will either fix it for you or 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.

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Registration

Please take a moment to register the program. 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, upgrades, or need technical support. By regisitering, you also give us a means to help you determine your serial number in case it is lost. Most importantly, registration is required to receive technical support for TechTool Pro.

The easiest way to register is to do so online. Simply visit Micromat’s web site at www.micromat.com and click Register. Fill out and submit the online form and you are finished. If you do not have Internet access, then you should fill out the registration card and mail it directly to Micromat.

System Requirements

• Color-capable Macintosh computer with minimum 640x480 display.

• System software version 7.5.5 or later.

• Drive capable of reading CD-ROMs.

• Minimum 5 megabytes of RAM above that required by the OS.

• Hard disk drive.

Note that these requirements may change with future updates. Please refer to the ReadMe file on the CD for additional changes.

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Installing TechTool Pro

TechTool Pro utilizes an automated installer to correctly place the TechTool Pro application and all ancillary files in their proper locations. The installer offers several installation options and these are explained in detail on the TechTool Pro installation screen. To install:

• Insert the TechTool Pro CD.

• Double-click the TechTool® Pro Installer icon.

• Read the explanatory text on the installer screen and then follow the prompts.

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What’s Installed

The TechTool Pro installer will install the following components as indicated below:

Note that this installation may vary in future updates.

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TechTool Pro Parts

Following is a brief description of the files and folders that are installed by TechTool Pro. Full details on the functions of these items are provided throughout this manual.

TechTool Pro Folder

This folder contains the TechTool Pro program and its necessary support files.

TechTool Pro Prefs Folder

The TechTool Pro Prefs folder contains the various preference files used by both the TechTool Pro main application and the TechTool Protection control panel set. The TechTool Protection control panel requires that a copy of this folder resides in the System Folder’s Preferences folder. However, a copy can also be kept in the TechTool Pro Folder. This makes it easy to use the program on another drive/volume where you would like the TechTool Pro application, but don’t require a system folder and the TechTool Protection control panel set. Just copy the entire TechTool Pro Folder (with the TechTool Pro Prefs Folder included) to the second volume, and you will have everything necessary to run the program from the second volume.

Application Support Files

This folder contains various data files required for the operation of TechTool Pro.

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TechTool Pro

Resides in the TechTool Pro Folder. This is the main application and the item that you double click to launch the program.

Application Prefs

Resides in the TechTool Pro Prefs folder. It contains the preferences for the TechTool Pro application itself. If the TechTool Pro Prefs folder resides both in the

System Folder’s Preferences folder and the TechTool Pro Folder, the application preferences in the TechTool Pro Folder will take precedence over those in the Preferences folder.

Control Panel Prefs

Resides in the TechTool Pro Prefs folder. It contains the preferences for the TechTool Protection control panel.

Virus Database

Resides in the TechTool Pro Prefs folder. This file contains the information required for the virus checking tests of TechTool Pro.

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Key File

Resides in the TechTool Pro Prefs folder. This file contains the serial number and personalization information for TechTool Pro.

Software Profiles

Resides in the Application Support Files folder. It contains a database of software information used by TechTool Pro. This information is necessary to perform the File Tests. It checks the Finder, System, Enablers, Updates, MacOS ROM, and System Resource files.

Conflict Database

Resides in the Application Support Files folder. This file contains the database of known software conflicts used by TechTool Pro.

Sound File

Resides in the TechTool Pro Prefs folder. This file contains the various warning and control sounds heard while using TechTool Pro. This file may be alternately installed in the Application Support Files folder.

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Graphics

Resides in the Application Support Files folder. This file contains graphic elements used by the TechTool Pro application.

Geometry Picture

Resides in the Application Support Files folder. This pict file holds the Custom Picture used in the Video Geometry test. To use your own image in the test, replace this file with a pict image of your choice named Geometry Picture.

TechTool Pro Help

Resides in the Application Support Files folder. This file contains help and advice information.

TechTool Protection

Resides in the Control Panels folder. This control panel works together with the Protection Extension to provide automatic security for your computer. This includes an automatic check of your directory structure, regular backup of your disk’s directory, maintenance of the Trash Cache (which allows you to easily “unerase” deleted files), and virus checking routines.

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Protection Extension

Resides in the Extensions folder. The Protection Extension implements the automatic routines controlled by the TechTool Protection control panel (see above).

Serial Tool

Resides in the Extensions folder. This file is an Apple Communications Toolbox item. It is used in the Serial Ports tests, and in the Modem tests to allow TechTool Pro to test all available ports.

Contacting Technical Support

Micromat provides technical support to its customers by telephone, email and U.S. Mail. For a current listing of our telephone numbers and other contact information, please refer to the back cover of this manual or visit our website at www.micromat.com. Technical support is available Monday through Fridays (excluding public holidays), from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM PST

If you wish to contact technical support, 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 or U.S. postal mail you send to Micromat.

• A Brief description of your problem.

• Version number of your TechTool Pro software. (Example: TechTool Pro 3.01)

• Version of Macintosh System software you are running. (Example: Mac OS

8.6.1)

• Type of computer and configuration. (Example: Apple Macintosh 8600, 48MB of RAM, 4GB internal hard drive.)

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• A list of peripheral devices and accessories attached, such as external hard drives, scanners, printers, recordable CD-ROM devices etc.

• If you are using a third party Video Card, please have the make and model number available.

• If you are connected to a network, including a cable modem or DSL modem that uses the network connection, mention the type of network and devices being used.

• Modem type and speed (Example: Apple Internal 56k).

Micromat News (for notification of updates and other information):

Micromat maintains a notification system called Micromat News. This allows us to inform our customers of updates and upgrades by email. If you wish to receive these notifications, please follow the instructions below:

1. Send an email message to listmanager@micromat.com. (You must send the message from the email account that you wish to subscribe.)

2. Message body should say ONLY the following:

SUBSCRIBE MICROMATNEWS

(note that “micromatnews” is one word)

3. You’ll receive confirmation of your free subscription and you’ll automatically be notified whenever a new update is released.

About Micromat Computer Systems Inc.

Micromat Inc. has been developing Macintosh diagnostic utilities since 1989. As the first company to offer 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. When NASA needed to conduct micro-gravity computer experiments in space, they chose our first product, MacEKG, for its ability to test the behavior of computer equipment outside the confines of the Earth’s gravity. We were more than happy to help, because NASA not only put us miles above other utility software products, they gave us the honored distinction of being the first computer diagnostic ever to be used in space.

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Getting Started

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Launching TechTool Pro

After successfully installing TechTool Pro, locate the TechTool Pro Folder. Inside you’ll find the TechTool Pro application. Double click the TechTool Pro icon to Launch the program.

The first time you launch TechTool Pro, you’ll be presented with a dialog box with three fields for your name, company name, and product serial number. Your serial number is listed on the registration card included with the TechTool Pro package. Enter the appropriate information into the corresponding fields.

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Sample Session

When you first launch TechTool Pro you will see the Navigation Window and the MultiTester panel open on the screen. The MultiTester contains a standard suite of tests that will do a thorough analysis of your computer’s drives and components. To run these tests, all you need to do is click the BEGIN button on the MultiTester panel. If problems are found, you will be notified and offered the option to make repairs. When the tests are completed you will be presented with a report detailing any problems found and the results of any repairs. If repairs cannot be made, the TechTool Pro report will give you information on how to proceed. This is all that is required to do a comprehensive check of your computer system.

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Navigation Window

The Navigation Window can be thought of as TechTool’s Center of Operations. It lists each test suite and utility available in the TechTool program so that you can work with it individually. When you double-click on a test, an individual test panel opens with the options for that test.

The Navigation Window has a number of options that make it easy to use. You can drag it to any spot on the screen and size it to your liking. If you wish, you can choose a large format display to make it easier to read. Each test displays an icon indicating its category, such as Drives or Communications. You are able to sort the list based on a variety of criteria. In addition, you can choose favorite tests and list only your favorites, or list only tests that contain a certain “string” of characters in their name.

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MultiTester

The MultiTester is one of the panels in the Navigation Window. It contains a variety of tests that you can run as a suite on your computer. To see what tests are available in the MultiTester, click on the Options disclosure triangle.

Each test may be selected individually by checking its box. The tests may be run on all the attached physical drives or on selected volumes. To run the tests on the selected drives/volumes just click the BEGIN button.

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Reports

As tests are performed in TechTool Pro, the data for the final report is being generated. Upon completion of the tests this report is displayed. It lists which tests passed and failed, any action taken, and advice on how to proceed if further action is recommended. The report may be saved as a Simple Text document and printed for future reference.

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Preferences

TechTool Pro allows you to control and save certain program settings from the Preferences dialog. These are set by choosing the Preferences… option under

the Edit menu.

By adjusting preferences you can customize how TechTool Pro behaves—from whether it uses sound and speech, to how its window settings and dialogs are displayed.

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TechTool Protection Control Panel

When you install TechTool Pro, the TechTool Protection control panel and the Protection Extension are placed in the active System Folder. These two items work

in tandem to provide extra protection for your system. The TechTool Protection control panel allows you to configure the operation of the Protection Extension, and to change the default settings for it, if you wish. By default, TechTool Protection does a diagnostic scan of your volumes at startup to try to spot any directory corruption before it becomes serious. If problems are found, you will be warned so that you can take further action. In addition, a backup of your volume’s directory is made at shutdown. This can often help with data recovery in the case of volume structure problems. TechTool Protection allows you to perform a scan of your drive(s) in order to detect the presence of any known Macintosh viruses. The extension also maintains a Trash Cache that allows you to retrieve deleted files within the currently set limits for the cache (configurable by you).

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The Trash Cache is useful not only for “undeleting” items you have purposely trashed, but can often assist in recovering data from documents you were working on during a computer crash.

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Troubleshooting Using

TechTool Pro

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Preventive Maintenance

One of the most valuable functions of TechTool Pro is its ability to assist you in finding 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. When you install TechTool Pro you install extensions which regularly check your volume(s) and backup your directories. In addition, it is a good idea to run the basic suite of tests in MultiTester 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. It is important to keep valuable data backed up. A hard drive or volume will always fail at some point in time. While TechTool Pro should be able to bring your drive back to life, the insurance 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.

Troubleshooting Hints

Computers are complex electronic devices that can sometimes be daunting to troubleshoot. Their proper operation depends on the reliable functioning of both sophisticated hardware and software. TechTool Pro was designed to do as much for you as possible in the event of a computer problem. It also has functions to help you extinguish small problems before they become big problems. But here are a few tips which can help ensure that you are back in business as soon as possible.

Backup Before Repairing

If you are experiencing problems be sure and immediately attempt to backup any important data that hasn’t already been saved. Do this before trying to make any repairs. It may be impossible to retrieve your data later if the problems get progressively worse as the computer is used. Also, consider archival backups. This simply means that instead of having one backup, keep several backups made on different dates. That way, if you should discover a file was damaged, and was backed up damaged, you can refer to a prior backup.

Be Prepared

Keep your version of TechTool Pro up-to-date. Know where the TechTool Pro CD is located in case you need it. If you have updated your copy of TechTool Pro over the Internet and don’t have the latest version of TechTool Pro on CD, then be sure you have copied the updated TechTool Pro program folder to another location (such as a removable disk) in case you need to use it. Keep current

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backups of your work. Know where to find your TechTool Pro serial number, in case you need to call Micromat Tech Support.

Eliminate Easy Problems First

Try starting with extensions off (hold the shift key while booting) and see if that eliminates the problem. Run through all the tests in the MultiTester and opt to repair whatever problems might be found. Check the Desktop files and the PRAM (TechTool Pro can do this for you). 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 CD if possible. This will eliminate the possibility of extension conflicts or system corruption.

Keep Your Software Fresh

Many computer problems are actually software problems. The producers of most software will release regular updates to address incompatibilities and other issues that they discover. Do your best to have current versions of software, extensions, drivers, etc. Staying current may keep problems from developing in the first place, and 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, and websites, listserves, and tech support provided by software and hardware vendors.

Document What You Do

As you try to solve your computer problems, keep notes about what you do and the outcome of these actions. This can be a valuable reference for you later and can be extremely helpful if you need to talk to a tech support representative. Knowing exactly what was done and the results (including any error messages) can make problem solving much easier. In addition, if you continue to have problems at a later time, you may be able to spot a pattern that would otherwise elude you.

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Recovering Deleted Files

Deleted files can usually be retrieved if the Trash Cache was active when a file was erased. To recover a deleted file, simply go to the TechTool Protection control panel in the Control Panels folder, select Trash Cache, click the Displayed Cached Files button, and drag the deleted files back out onto the desktop. If Trash Cache was not active, the chances of recovery may have been diminished. The Data Recovery panel might be able to recover the file for you.

Repairing Drive Problems

You probably already know the importance of your hard drive. It contains the data that allows the computer to boot, as well as the programs you use and the files you’ve created. In most cases, this manual will refer to a drive as a “volume.” A volume is simply a unit of storage that appears as an icon at the upper right side of your desktop. A CD-ROM is a volume. Your hard drive is a volume. A floppy disk is a volume. A removeable disk is a volume. A mounted drive from another server is a volume. The term “hard drive” and “volume” are almost interchangeable. Though 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).

When you double-click a volume icon, and view the contents of that volume, you’re not seeing the true nature of that volume. Every volume contains many invisible files and data files. This allows the computer to access the data on that particular volume. Items, such as the file catalog or directory, the extents tree and a host of other objects; dictate how data is stored on a particular device (see the Glossary section of this manual for definitions of these terms). These items comprise the “volume structure” of a particular volume. In most cases, when a drive fails and then is repaired with a utility like TechTool Pro, it is not the physical drive that is being repaired. It is the software that comprises the volume structure. 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 (Drive panel), as well as repair the volume structures (MulitTester panel and Volume Structure panel).

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Repairing Problems

First start by using the MuliTester panel of the program. This will conduct a series of abbreviated tests that can repair most volume problems, if found. Be sure the Volume Structure, Surface Scan and Drives tests are checked. If TechTool Pro finds a problem, it will ask you if you wish to repair the problem. If you still have access to your files, you should stop the test at this point. Make a current backup of your important files prior to proceeding with repairs. Then run the tests again and allow the repairs to proceed.

After the program has made repairs, it will create a pseudo-volume (which is a replica of your volume) on the desktop. This allows you to pre-check a repair before committing the changes and making them permanent. The pseudovolume will behave like a normal volume: you can open files and folders. Once you’re satisfied that the proposed repairs are accurate, the Replace button will make the repair permanent and will dismount the pseudo-volume.

In the unlikely event that the MultiTester routines are unable to repair the volume, open the Volume Structure panel from the Navigation window. Check all of the test options and make sure Validate & Repair is selected. Using the Control Palette, run the tests and allow repairs to proceed.

If the repair is successful, the volume is probably in good shape. If the volume structures cannot be repaired, you should either reinitialize the volume, or reformat the drive and restore your data.

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Optimization

In order to gain maximum performance from your hard drive, it is a good idea to defragment/optimize it occasionally. This will rearrange the data on your drive so that the data for each file is on a contiguous area of the drive, and all free space is consolidated into one contiguous area. Optimization is done from the Optimization panel of TechTool Pro. Before optimizing, you should validate the volume structures of the volume (and repair if necessary). This can be done either by running the full suite of tests in MulitTester or directly from the Volume Structure panel itself. Once the volume passes the Volume Structure tests, proceed to the Optimization panel, select the volume, and click on the Optimize button.

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Testing Components

To check the chips on your computer go to the MultiTester panel and select the following tests: RAM, ROM, VRAM, PRAM, Processor, Components, and Cache. Then click BEGIN. This will run a test suite on each component and report any problems.

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Checking for Viruses

A virus is a small program that can invade your computer and damage your files or volumes. Viruses may cause bizarre computer behavior and can wreak havoc on a system. It is a good idea to check for them regularly, particularly if you get files and programs from sources such as the Internet. To check for viruses, simply use the Virus panel in the TechTool Pro application; or use the virus checking portion of the TechTool Protection control panel. If a virus is found, you will be alerted and told what action was taken by TechTool Pro and how to proceed.

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Checking for Software Conflicts

Because all the software on your computer is sharing the same memory when it is operating; it is possible for programs that are running simultaneously to interfere with each other. This can lead to crashes and other problems. Using a frequently updated database of known conflicts, TechTool Pro allows you to check for this type of problem. Use the Software Conflicts panel and run all the tests. At the conclusion of the tests, a report will detail any conflicts found and recommend possible solutions.

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In-Depth Testing

The Auto-Pilot panel allows you to create a custom suite of tests that you may run for long periods of time. This is very useful when attempting to isolate an intermittent problem. Drag the desired tests to the Auto-Pilot panel and configure each test as you wish. Then click Begin. Each test will automatically be run in order. You may configure the tests to be run multiple times in order to thoroughly exercise your components. This is particularly useful when you are suspicious of faulty components, like RAM.

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Reference

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Navigation Window

The Navigation window is your “Center of Operations” for TechTool Pro. It lists all the test suites and utilities available within the TechTool Pro application. To access any of the tests, simply double-click its entry in the list section of the window. The Navigation Window may be configured to make accessing your favorite tests as easy as possible.

Controls & Displays

Options

The Options disclosure triangle displays a number of controls that allow you to configure the Navigation window. Click on the triangle to display the options.

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View

Allows you to display the Navigation icons in small or large format.

Show Favorites Only

When you select this option only your checked test suites will be shown in the list portion of the Navigation window. Favorites are chosen by clicking to place a checkmark in the Favorites column of the Test Display portion of the window.

Filter

The Filter text box allows you to view only tests that contain a certain series of characters. As you enter characters into the Filter text box, the Navigation Window will interactively display only those tests that contain the characters you have typed. For instance, if you wanted to see only the test suites that test RAM, typing “RAM” into the filter field would shorten the Navigation test list like this:

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Test List

The Test list section of the Navigation panel is divided into three columns: Cat(egory), Fav(orites), and Panel Name. If you click in a column heading, the tests will be sorted according to that column. For example, if you click in the Favorites heading all your selected favorites will appear at the top of the list sorted alphabetically. The items not chosen as favorites will follow in alphabetical order. Clicking on the Panel Name heading will sort the list alphabetically by name, and clicking on the Category heading will sort by tool type. Clicking the “stacked triangle” on the right of the headings will reverse the sort order.

Each test or utility belongs to one of the following categories:

Special: Utilities that allow you to work with multiple tests.

A/V: Tools for testing the audio or visual components of your

system.

Media: Tools for working with your drives and other media.

Files: Tools for working with (or on) files.

Components: Tools for analyzing the electronic components

within your system.

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Peripherals: Tools for checking external and third-party peripherals.

Performance: Tools relating to checking and improving the speed and performance of your system.

Communications: Tools for checking computer communications.

Sorting by category allows you to easily choose all tests that relate to only that category. For example, if you are having problems with a drive, then sorting by category easily allows you to see all the drive tests.

Tests

Double-clicking on a test listing in the Test list window will open the panel for that test suite. This allows you to set the parameters and options for that particular test suite prior to actually running those tests. Most test panels have a Control Palette button on their lower right that will display the Control Palette when clicked.

The following sections provide descriptions of each test suite and utility available from the Navigation Window.

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Audio Tests

One of the features of the Macintosh that has always set it apart from, and ahead of, other platforms is its advanced, built-in audio features. Without the need for external devices or cards, any standard Macintosh can perform advanced audio signal processing. In fact, the first computer game to deploy digital audio sound was released only for Macintosh.

TechTool Pro has a multitude of audio tests to help you verify the proper operation of your Macintosh audio circuits. The Audio panel also offers a microphone frequency response test that actually checks the microphone by sending an audio signal out of the speaker while simultaneously sampling the sound back into the computer with the microphone.

Test & Function Descriptions

Square Wave

Utilizes internal synthesizer to generate square wave.

Sine Wave

Utilizes internal synthesizer to generate sine wave.

Combination

Utilizes internal synthesizer to generate combination sine and square wave.

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Sawtooth Wave

Utilizes internal synthesizer to generate sawtooth wave.

Triangular Wave

Utilizes internal synthesizer to generate triangular wave.

Sampled Output

Loads sampled digital audio file and plays sound at sample rate.

Channel Timing

Times the number of milliseconds necessary to allocate and deallocate several sound channels.

Multi-Channel

Determines the maximum number of sound channels that can be opened simultaneously.

Up Frequency

Generates square wave while incrementing frequency level.

Down Frequency

Generates square wave while decreasing frequency level.

Up Timbre

Generates sawtooth wave while incrementing frequency level.

Down Timbre

Generates sawtooth wave while decreasing frequency level.

Left Channel

Sends sampled sound out of the left speaker (only noticeable on computers with stereo speakers attached).

Right Channel

Sends sampled sound out of the right speaker (only noticeable on computers with stereo speakers attached).

Panning

Pans sampled sound between left and right speakers (only noticeable on computers with stereo speakers attached).

Mic. Frequency

Samples and displays the microphone frequency.

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Controls & Displays

Meters

Displays two meters:

• Microphone Frequency— Displays the frequency levels detected by the microphone during the Mic. Frequency test.

• VU Meter— A volume unit meter for audio input. Activated upon opening the panel.

Waveforms

Allows selection of the Waveform tests.

Channel Audio

Allows selection of the Channel Audio tests.

Peripheral

Allows selection of the peripherals used in the tests.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

Usage Notes

Like the Video Geometry tests, all Audio tests (except for Open Channel and Multi-Channel) are non-qualified tests. This means that there are no pass/fail marks. It is up to the user to determine whether the computer produced acceptable results.

All stereo tests (Left Channel, Right Channel and Panning) require the computer to be attached to stereo speakers to achieve the desired effect. Without separate speakers, the output of these tests will be monophonic.

Older Macintosh computers will not be able to utilize the microphone frequency response test if they do not support simultaneous audio in and out. Before executing the microphone frequency response test, you should position the microphone close to one of the Macintosh speakers and be sure the volume is turned up slightly above normal listening level. When the test is executing, TechTool Pro will emit various frequencies from the speaker as the sound is input to the microphone. The frequency display will create a graph bar for each frequency emitted.

Like the other audio tests, the microphone frequency response test is not meant to return a pass or fail result. Its purpose is to display the frequencies that the microphone is capable of detecting. Bear in mind that this is not a fair assessment of the microphone, since the quality of the speakers attached to the Macintosh will have a great bearing on the output of the frequencies.

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Common Questions

Q: Why can’t I select certain tests in the Audio panel?

A: Some Macintosh models do not have the audio capabilities that TechTool

Pro inspects. In those cases, TechTool Pro will gray out those tests.

Q: Why don’t I receive a pass or fail screen after running tests in the Audio Panel?

A: The Audio test in TechTool Pro is an interactive, subjective test. In other

words, it is up to the user to determine whether the tests passed or failed.

Q: Why doesn’t the VU Meter register any activity?

A: You may not have a sound input device installed or selected in the Sound

control panel.

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Auto-Pilot

TechTool Pro makes it easy to run several tests manually, but sometimes the conventional method of running a test, changing panels, running a test, etc. can be too time consuming. TechTool Pro allows you to automate a test session by using the Auto-Pilot Panel and by creating Test Suites.

To run a group of tests automatically, just drag the desired test panels from the Navigation window to the Auto-Pilot Panel. You can execute all the tests in the list by simply pressing the Begin button. This allows you to run your test session with little, if any, interaction with the program. If you would like to perform repetitive testing, the Repeat Count option allows you to select from 1 to 1000 test sessions to be run consecutively. Each time TechTool Pro completes a test session, the selected tests will be repeated until the number of sessions selected has been reached.

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Controls & Displays

Test List

Displays the Category and Name of each test to be executed by Auto-Pilot. To add a test to Auto-Pilot simply drag it into the Test List from the Navigation window. To remove a test from the Test List, select the test and press the delete key.

Change/Select Device

Allows you to select which volume or device a particular panel will test.

Options

• Stop on Errors—This option causes TechTool Pro to halt any Auto-Pilot session if a failure is detected.

• Restart Computer—This option configures Auto-Pilot to reboot the system after each test session.

• Shutdown When Completed—This option instructs Auto-Pilot to shutdown the computer after all test sessions have been executed.

• Repeat Count—This slider lets you select the number of times the tests will automatically be performed.

Sessions Remaining Field

This field displays the number of Auto-Pilot sessions remaining to be executed.

Restart Countdown

This field displays a ten-second countdown that occurs before the computer is about to be restarted. The countdown enables you to terminate an Auto-Pilot session (by clicking the STOP button) before the system restarts. This field will only be activated if Auto-Pilot is configured for Auto-Boot.

Begin/Stop Button

This button starts or terminates an Auto-Pilot session.

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Test Suites

TechTool Pro allows you to save Auto-Pilot settings for future use. For example, if you have situations where you only wish to run certain selections in the RAM and Mathematics panels, you could create a suite that would represent those settings. The next time you wish to run that particular configuration, you would simply LOAD the test suite you had previously created. Here are the steps for creating and later using a test suite:

• Launch TechTool Pro.

• Configure Auto-Pilot to use the desired tests.

• Select Save... from the File menu.

• Give the file a unique name.

If you wish to load a test suite you have created:

• Launch TechTool Pro.

• Select Open... from the File menu.

• Navigate to your saved test suite file.

• Double-click the file name or select OPEN.

• Auto-Pilot will configure itself according to the settings of the test suite.

A handy feature of the test suite option is that you can invoke Auto-Pilot just by naming your test suite file so that its name begins with “Auto-Pilot.” Following is an example:

• Configure Auto-Pilot as desired.

• Select Save... from the File menu.

• Name the test suite “Auto-Pilot My Suite”

• Quit TechTool Pro.

• Double-click the Auto-Pilot My Suite test suite file.

TechTool Pro will automatically launch and begin an Auto-Pilot session based on the tests you configured when you saved the suite.

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Common Questions

Q: Why can’t I drag the Video Geometry test over to Auto-Pilot?

A: Auto-Pilot cannot simulate interactive tests requiring user feedback. Since

Auto-Pilot cannot perform these tests, they are rejected by the test field.

Q: If I change settings for a test suite in the Navigation window, will it affect my

settings in the Auto-Pilot panel?

A: No. The preferences for Auto-Pilot tests are separate from those for the

Navigation Window.

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Benchmark Tests

Computer users are often concerned about how fast their systems operate. The never-ending quest for better performance has created a significant industry of acceleration devices for computers. The question is, how do you tell if your computer is really running any faster after it’s been upgraded? The answer is benchmark tests. These are tests designed for the sole purpose of determining computational speeds and rendering the results in a numeric format for comparison. For a computer manufacturer to simply say, “Our computers are faster than our competitor’s” is not enough. People need hard evidence to believe such a claim; and the proof is in the numbers.

TechTool Pro provides several popular benchmark tests that will help you compare your computer’s performance to that of other computers or against itself for upgrade testing.

Test & Function Descriptions

Whetstone

Tests mathematical processing speed using floating-point integer calculations. Results are displayed in whetstones per second. Larger numbers are better.

Dhrystone

Tests speed of string operations. Results are displayed in Dhrystones per second. Larger numbers are better.

Cycle

Calculates the number of event loops processed per second. Larger numbers are better. NOTE: System extensions will affect cycles per second.

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Sieve

Tests mathematical processing speed calculating prime numbers. Results reflect sieve executions per second. Larger numbers are better.

Sort

Calculates the time necessary to sort a complex array. Results reflect amount of time necessary to complete test. Smaller numbers are better.

Controls & Displays

Test Select

Allows you to choose the Benchmark test you wish to run.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

Common Questions

Q: Why does the cycle rate differ so greatly with extensions on as opposed to

extensions off?

A: System extensions add hooks to the System’s event loop. Most extensions

intercept the event loop looking for messages that they were intended to trap. For instance, a macro program intercepts an event related to keystrokes which could be an instruction to invoke a macro. As you add more extensions to your system, the cycle rate of the machine decreases meaning the computer is operating more slowly than it would with less or no extensions.

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Cache Tests

Macintosh computers that have a PowerPC processor have an instruction cache built into the CPU called Level 1 cache. This cache speeds up processing speed by storing frequently used instructions. A good analogy to this would be writing down frequently used phone numbers on Post-It notes and keeping them on your wall for quick reference instead of having to look them up in the telephone book every time they are needed.

The next step above Level 1 cache is Level 2 cache. This is generally an optional card that is attached to the Macintosh logic board or integrated into the machine’s logic board. Some third party upgrade cards also come with L2 cache. Just as the L1 cache holds frequently used CPU instructions, the L2 cache is a repository for frequently used blocks of memory.

TechTool Pro will show you how much L1 and L2 cache your system has available and will verify that it is working properly.

Test & Function Descriptions

L1 Performance

This test checks the amount of L1 cache contained in the computer and will verify that it is operational.

L2 Performance

This test checks the amount of L2 cache contained in the computer and will verify that it is operational.

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Controls & Displays

Cache Size Fields

Displays the amount of memory in the L1 and L2 cache.

Test Select

Allows you to select which verification test will be performed.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

Common Questions

Q: Why does my ancient 68K Macintosh fail the L2 cache? I know that it did not

come with L2 cache. So why is it failing?

A: Apple did not create any mechanism to detect the presence of L2 cache. So

the L2 cache is inherently “blind” (if L2 is there and is damaged, the test fails and if L2 is not there the test still fails). We’ve worked closely with Apple on this problem and there is currently no way around this. Future versions of the system may allow us to do this.

Q: I have a third party processor upgrade card installed in my machine that

includes its own L2 cache. TechTool Pro does not recognize it and either reports the L2 cache installed on the motherboard or does not report it at all. Why?

A: In some cases, third party upgrade cards are accompanied by software to

make the upgrade visible to the system. Generally, TechTool Pro will see the correct L2 cache size and test it correctly. However, if this software is not active (possibly because extensions are off or you booted from the TechTool Pro CD) this information may not appear correctly. In that case TechTool Pro may test the L2 cache installed on the logic board instead.

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Clock Tests

The term “clock speed,” when used in computer jargon, refers to a measure of performance, much like the automobile industry refers to the power of an engine in terms of “horse power.” Computer users can improve their computer performance by finding ways to increase their clock speed. This can be accomplished by either buying a new machine or upgrading the existing computer with an accelerator or faster clock chip.

The Macintosh clock provides base timing signals to the CPU. This dictates how many instructions per second the CPU can process. Sometimes comprised of a crystal unit and clock circuit, the computer’s clock determines the “heart beat” of the computer. The faster the rate, the faster the computer runs. The clock rate is measured in megahertz (MHz). One megahertz represents 1,000,000 pulses per second. The original 1984 Macintosh ran at a whopping 8MHz or 8,000,000 pulses per second (don’t confuse this with IPS – instructions per second). A Macintosh G4 might run at 500MHz or 500,000,000 pulses per second – quite a difference.

While clock speed has become the industry benchmark for comparing computer speeds, it is not the absolute speed indicator that represents computer performance. For instance, an old Macintosh G3 modified to run at 500Mhz may seem like it would perform better than a Power Macintosh G4 running at 450MHz, but that is not the case. The improved processor, newer bus architecture, and accelerated I/O of the G4 will boost performance above what can be achieved from older-generation systems.

TechTool Pro will help you verify your clock speed and test the circuit that comprises your Macintosh clock. While this is helpful in diagnosing an ailing machine, you will also find it useful for testing upgrades to verify that advertised gains in clock speed are being realized.

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Test & Function Descriptions

Read Register

This test checks the clock circuitry output by requesting several thousand read commands and verifying the contents.

Write Register

The Write test checks the clock circuitry input by sending several thousand write commands and verifying that the contents of the clock registers contain what was sent by the program.

Controls & Displays

Test Select

Allows you to choose one or both of the clock tests.

Clock Speed as reported by System

This field displays the clock speed as determined by the MacOS during boot.

Clock Speed as reported by TechTool Pro

This field displays the results of a timing algorithm that calculates the approximate clock speed.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

Common Questions

Q: My computer is supposed to have a clock speed of 150MHz. Why does TechTool

Pro report that my clock speed is 147MHz?

A: There are a couple of reasons why this could be happening. TechTool Pro

employs a complex algorithm to estimate the clock rate of your machine. While this is accurate in most cases, there are situations where other software or hardware elements of your system might affect the outcome of TechTool Pro’s calculation. In particular, interference by extensions and networking can cause the test to report a low result. To get a more accurate report, try running the test again with all extensions disabled and network services, such as AppleTalk and file sharing, turned off.

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Components Test

The original Macintosh Plus (1986) contained four integrated circuits on the logic board that were very important to the operation of the computer. They were the VIA1, VIA2, SCC and SCSI chips. Shortly after the release of the first PowerPC Macs, Apple began implementing the functionality of these chips into newer, hybrid chips. These not only emulated the functions of the original chips (for backward compatibility), but also added additional functionality to support the evolution of the platform.

Your computer may have few, if any, of the tested components. However, these tests will still check the functionality of the new chips that now implement the functions of the original chips. A description of those chips and their functions is listed below for historical reference.

The VIA1 and VIA2 Chips

The 6522 VIA or Versatile Interface Adapter is an integrated circuit that was originally developed by Rockwell International as a generic computer interface circuit. It handled all of the Macintosh user input, such as from the mouse and keyboard, as well as helps in the operation of the floppy drives. Some computers have a second VIA which would handle timing and other functions for NuBus slot devices like video cards and modems. This chip was phased out with the introduction of the PCI format expansion slot.

The SCC Chip

The 5380 SCC or Serial Communication Controller is an integrated circuit that was originally developed by Zilog Incorporated for processing computer serial communications. It is the primary circuit model used in the operation of the serial ports that allows the use of modems, printers, and other input/output devices.

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The SCSI Chip

The 8530 SCSI integrated circuit was originally designed by AMD to provide an easy interface to the ANSI standard of the SCSI parallel communication protocol. This chip provides the pathway interface for both internal and external SCSI. While the SCSI format is now a thing of the past, many users add cards to their systems that give them a SCSI port. This allows them to use older devices on newer generation systems.

Any problems with the above chips (or their hybrid counterparts), can make your computer unreliable or completely inoperable. A faulty VIA can cause numerous problems on the Macintosh including inconsistent cursor movement or complete failure of the mouse and keyboard. It can also cause unpredictable and untraceable freezes or system crashes. In the very worst case, it can prevent the Macintosh from booting. Indications of a damaged or faulty SCC are poor serial communications, no serial communications, or possible problems with the floppy drive (if the system has one). Signs of a faulty or inoperable SCSI chip are poor SCSI read/writes, repetitive SCSI read/writes, or the complete inability to communicate with SCSI devices. This chip is often damaged when a faulty cable or device is plugged into the bus. TechTool Pro checks all four of these components or their hybrid counterparts.

Test Descriptions

The component tests are designated by the four component names they encompass: VIA1, VIA2 (if installed), SCC and SCSI (if installed). The tests are comprised of assembler routines that test the individual registers of each chip at the lowest level available. By setting and checking each register, TechTool Pro is able to verify the proper operation of each component.

Controls & Displays

Test Select

This is a group of check boxes that signify each component test available.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

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Common Questions

Q: Why can’t I select the VIA2 test?

A: Your computer does not have this particular component. Many models did

not employ this processor.

Q: Why can’t I select the SCC test?

A: It is possible that your system may not have this chip or its equivalent

hybrid. It is also possible that there is software that is interfering with TechTool Pro’s ability to control and test the SCC chip. Some programs, such as fax and network software, will often take over complete control of the chip and not allow low level operations from outside programs. TechTool Pro checks for this condition and will prevent the operation of the SCC test if it will possibly interfere with the operation of your computer. Try restarting with extensions and AppleTalk disabled.

Q: Why can’t I select the SCSI test?

A: Your computer probably does not have this particular component. Older

Macs came with built in SCSI, but newer Macs do not contain SCSI unless you add a third party SCSI card.

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Data Recovery

The Data Recovery panel can be used to resurrect damaged volumes, recover lost data from a crashed drive, and retrieve files that were erased by accident. This panel is usually used when the drive is completely inaccessible and attempts to repair the volume using the Volume Structures routines did not succeed.

If you can still access the drive and all or some of your data, consider backing up before proceeding, especially if you’ll be using the Resurrect feature. If the data cannot be copied normally, then you can use Data Recovery to try to rescue your data.

When using Data Recovery it is important to recover files to a second volume to lessen the chance of overwriting other critical data on the original volume.

Some of the options of the Data Recovery panel work in unison with the data saved by the TechTool Protection control panel. It stores important file location data, allowing TechTool Pro to easily find files and, in most cases, quickly restore a lost volume to its earlier state. If the TechTool Pro extension and control panel were not installed, a volume recovery will be more complicated. Without the vital data that TechTool Protection saves, you will need to recover the files to another drive/volume, reinitialize the damaged volume, and then copy the recovered files back to the original volume. The TechTool Pro installer automatically installs and activates the control panel and extension. If you have removed or disabled these important components, you should seriously consider reinstalling or reactivating them to help guard against a potential future catastrophe. If you have multiple volumes on your system, be sure that

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TechTool Protection is set to protect ALL of your volumes. The default is to simply protect your system volume.

In the event that the TechTool Protection File is not available or the damage to the volume is too serious, you should still be able to recover most, if not all, of your data. The Data Recovery panel offers options and features that make recovering your data very easy.

Controls & Displays: Recovery Options

Resurrect Protected Volume – This allows TechTool Pro to attempt a full volume recovery provided that a valid Protection File was created for the volume by the TechTool Protection control panel. Be aware that TechTool Pro will replace the current directory of the volume with the previously saved Protection copy of your directory. Any changes made after the Protection File was updated may be lost. You can tell that TechTool Pro recognizes a Protection File if the information about your drive in the volume window says Protected: <date>. The <date> indicates when the Protection File was made.

TechTool Pro will search all local volumes for the TechTool Protection File that is relevant to the target volume. If such files are found, TechTool Pro will select the most current Protection File. When you instruct TechTool Pro to resurrect the volume, that Protection File will be used in the attempt to restore the volume to its original state. If no serious structural or mechanical problems prevent a recovery, your lost volume will appear in the Finder with most, if not all, of your files intact.

Recover Files Using Protection Data – This option allows you to access an available Protection File to recover a file or to undelete a file that was accidentally deleted. This is especially useful for files that were deleted but not saved using TechTool Protection’s Trash Cache feature. As long as the Protection File for the volume has not been updated by the TechTool Protection control panel since you deleted the file youhave a good chance of retrieving it. Remember, TechTool Pro extensions must have been installed and active in order to have a valid Protection File for the volume. If you are unable to recover the file(s) using this option, consider utilizing the “Recover Files By Scanning Directory” or “Recover Files By Scavenging Volume” options.

Recover Files By Scanning Directory – Selecting this option will search for files using available directory structure information existing on the volume/drive. This routine is faster than using “Recover Files By Scavenging Volume.”

Recover Files By Scavenging Volume – Selecting this option will search the entire volume for valid files. This option is useful if you have not installed TechTool Pro on this volume, if TechTool Protection did not create a Protection File for this volume, or if the Protection File cannot be found. Since scavenging must

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examine every sector of a drive, it may take a long time to build the recovery list, especially on large volumes. However it may be worth the wait if it can save you the frustration of losing a file that may have been accidentally deleted.

Controls & Displays: File Location Parameters

There are three Find File methods. If one of them does not find your files you should consider trying the others; they each use different techniques to scan your drive or volume. The following methods work in concert with the above recovery options for narrowing your search in the Data Recovery panel:

Find All Files – This option will scan the entire target volume for files that can recovered. Once TechTool Pro has scanned the volume, it will present a list of all files found.

Find Files By Name – This option allows you to search for a specific file based on the name of the file. After choosing the volume to search, you will be prompted to enter a name or a name segment to be used in the search. Once TechTool Pro has scanned the volume, it will present a list of files that match the search criteria you have specified.

Find Files By Example – This option allows you to search for files based on their unique type and creator codes. Every Macintosh file has a type and creator code that uniquely identifies the type of document and the application with which it is associated. After choosing the volume you wish to search you will be prompted to select an example file of the type you wish to use in the search. For example, if you were searching for a lost Microsoft Excel file, you could “show” TechTool Pro what kind of file you were seeking (by navigating to an Excel document on another volume). Once TechTool Pro has scanned the volume it will present a list of the files it found that have the chosen type and creator codes.

Recover Files

This button brings up the standard Volume Selection dialog.

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Choose the volume you wish to search. Then click OK. TechTool Pro will display the Recovery Window.

The window is divided into two sections. The left half relates to the files that were found and the right side refers to the files you wish to be recovered. Following are the main components of the window:

Found Files: – This list on the left of the Recovery Window will display files that match your search criteria. You can use the disclosure triangle beside a folder to open it and display its contents.

File Information – Located below the Found Files: list, this information box contains details about the volume and the search results.

Progress Bar – As the volume is searched, a progress bar is displayed below the File Information box. This is only active during the recovery process.

Files to Recover: – This list on the right of the Recovery Window contains the files you have selected for recovery.

Recovery Information – Located below the Files to Recover: list, this information box displays the total disk space required to hold the files in the list. It also displays the total disk space available on the selected recovery volume. A green check beside the items indicates that enough space is available for recovery to occur. A warning symbol means the destination does not have enough space to hold the selected files.

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Destination – To the right of the Recovery Information box is the Destination information and selection box. It displays the selected destination volume (or indicates if one is not yet selected). Clicking the Select button in the box will display the standard Volume Selection dialog. This allows you to select a destination on which to save the selected files. Do not save them back onto the original volume. This may overwrite data that is not yet recovered. You may use the Eject button to eject the currently selected volume (if it is removable) and insert another. The Eject button will be grayed out for non–removable volumes.

Double–clicking a file or folder in either the Found Files: or Files to Recover: list will move it from one list to the other. Selecting a file or folder in either window by clicking on it once and then choosing the appropriate double-arrow will also transfer it to the opposite list as above.

You may use command-A to select all files, or shift-click or command-click to select multiple items in either list. Once you have transferred the files you wish to recover to the Files to Recover: list and have chosen a destination volume, simply click the Recover button to recover the files from the original volume to the chosen destination. Note that the Recover button will be grayed out if there is not enough space on the destination volume.

Common Questions

Q: My hard drive and Zip drive are grayed out and I cannot select them for

Resurrect Protected Volume. Why?

A: In order to recover data from a volume, it is sometimes necessary to

dismount the volume from the desktop. This means that the volume is no longer available for use by the System. There are three conditions that will prevent TechTool Pro from allowing you to operate with a volume:

The volume contains the active system.

Since the computer needs constant access to the System files, a System volume cannot be dismounted for the Resurrect Protected Volume option. You will need to boot from another volume or from the TechTool Pro CD- ROM, which has a bootable System file.

The volume contains the active TechTool Pro application.

TechTool Pro will not allow you to perform the Resurrect Protected Volume operation on the volume where TechTool Pro is residing and running. You will need to run TechTool Pro from another volume such as the TechTool Pro CD-ROM.

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The drive has no media.

Removable drives, such as Zip and DVD-RAM, will not be a selectable option if they presently do not contain a disk cartridge. Insert the cartridge you wish to work on and then click the Scan for Missing Volumes button in the standard Volume Selection dialog to update the volume list in the Data Recovery panel.

Q: Can I recover files to a network volume?

A: Yes, the TechTool Pro CD contains the necessary networking extension to

mount a remote shared volume over an AppleTalk network. Remember, though, that copying files over the network is usually slower than copying them to a local volume.

Step-By-Step Recovery Over a Network:

• Boot the computer that has the volume needing recovery from the TechTool Pro CD.

• At the Desktop go to the Apple Menu and select Chooser.

• In the Chooser select the network computer to which you wish to recover files.

• Enter the User ID and Password (if applicable) for the network volume selected. The volume should appear on the Desktop.

• Launch TechTool Pro from the TechTool Pro CD.

• Choose the Data Recovery panel from the Navigation Window.

• Select the recovery options you wish to use.

• Choose the List Files button.

• Use the standard Volume Selection dialog to choose the volume from which you wish to recover files and click OK.

• TechTool Pro will now search for files matching your search criteria and display the results in the Recovery window.

• Transfer the files you wish to recover from the Found Files: list to the Files to be Recovered: list.

• Click the Select button and choose the network volume you previously mounted.

• Click the Recover button—the selected files will be saved to the network volume. If the Recover button cannot be selected then there may not be enough room to hold the selected files.

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Q: How can I select multiple files or folder within the Data Recovery window?

A: Hold down the Command key as you click on files or folders that you wish

to recover.

Desktop Test

The Desktop Database is comprised of one or more invisible files that reside on Finder-mountable volumes. It contains file-to-parent application information and other attributes related to individual files. Data stored in the Desktop includes file and application icons, type and creator codes, file comments, and semi-critical directory information. The Desktop Database records are updated on an individual basis each time a new application is introduced (copied or mounted) to a given system. The Finder scans the new application for a BNDL resource, which provides the Desktop Database with icon and file type information for the application and its respective document icons. Once the Desktop has been updated for the new application, that application no longer needs to remain present on the system for its document icons to be correctly displayed at the Finder.

The Desktop Database, formerly the Desktop File, has been problematic since the first Macs were released in 1984. A problem that plagues the Desktop is bad data, often referred to as corruption. During normal use, the Desktop will be updated often by the System, Finder, or other applications. In the event that these updates are interrupted for any reason, because of a crash or an extension conflict, the data stored could be written incorrectly. In most cases the bad data may not affect anything important or be immediately noticeable, but it is possible for vital file segments to become damaged, rendering the machine completely useless or prone to crashes and freezes.

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Rebuilding the Desktop is often necessary when documents fail to launch after double-clicking them, or when custom icons are unexpectedly replaced with generic document or application icons. Traditionally, holding the Option and Command keys before the Finder loads will force the invisible Desktop Databases to be rebuilt. This is sometimes ineffective because if the original Desktop Databases were damaged, then rebuilding them only yields updated Desktop Databases that may still be damaged.

TechTool Pro provides better solutions to rebuilding the Desktop. First, it provides a check/repair routine that can repair almost any Desktop related problem. Also, it can actually delete the original Desktop Database files. The Finder is the watchdog of the Desktop Databases. If the Finder loads and notices that a volume does not have Desktop files, it will begin the process of creating a new Desktop Database. TechTool Pro also allows you to save and restore Desktop Database files, in case something goes wrong with the rebuild.

Test & Function Descriptions

Backup Desktop

Allows the user to optionally save the Desktop Database files so that they can be used by the Restore Desktop option later, if needed. These Desktop files are saved to a folder with the same name as the volume inside the folder that holds the TechTool Pro application.

Restore Desktop

Allows the user to restore a Desktop Database previously saved with the Backup Desktop button. You would not normally need to use Restore Desktop. It is only included as an option so that you may return the Desktop to its previous state if needed.

Check/Repair Desktop

This test checks the file integrity of the Desktop Database and scans your volume’s applications to make sure that there is a valid entry for each application’s icon set (BNDL). This test should repair any difficulty you might be having with generic icons, provided that the parent application is resident.

If the Check/Repair Desktop finds an application that does not have a valid entry in the Desktop Database, TechTool Pro will create an entry. To make an entry, TechTool Pro must force all other applications to quit, including the Finder. If you know you’ll be running the Check/Repair Desktop function, you may want to quit all other applications before launching TechTool Pro.

When you manually execute the Check/Repair Desktop, TechTool Pro will prompt you to select the volume(s) containing the Desktop Database you wish to examine.

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Delete Desktop

Deletes the Desktop Databases. The next time the Finder is launched, it will create a new Desktop.

Controls & Displays

Backup

Allows you to backup or restore the Desktop Database files.

Repair

Allows you to check/repair or delete the Desktop.

Usage Notes

Backing up the Desktop:

Some users may find it desirable to save their Desktop Database prior to check/repair or deleting it for rebuild. This is not necessary, but provides a method to undo any potential side effects by using the Restore Desktop button. If you wish to save a copy of the Desktop Databases, be sure to do so BEFORE clicking the Delete Desktop button. The delete routine will not remind you or prompt you to save. If booted from a locked volume or CD-ROM the Desktop Databases and Finder Info comments cannot be saved.

Deleting the Desktop Database:

When you click the Delete Desktop button, all applications running (except

TechTool Pro) will be forced to quit (including the Finder). This is to avoid potential wrestling over command of the Desktop Database files. It is recommended that Delete Desktop be performed when booting and running from your normal startup volume.

You will then be prompted to select the volume(s) from which you wish to delete the Desktop Databases. If you want to keep comments you have made in the Finder’s Get Info window, be sure to check the Save Info Comments box.

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Remember that there is at least one Desktop Database to be deleted for each volume on your system, excluding write-protected media like CD-ROMs. To do a thorough job we suggest you delete the Desktop Database files from all available volumes.

The deletion takes only a few seconds. When finished, you’ll receive confirmation:

TechTool Pro will prompt you to restart the computer after it deletes the Desktop Database files. It’s up to the Finder to then create the new Desktop Databases and to rebuild them. When you see the following progress box after the restart, you’ll know the new Desktops files are being created:

Don’t interrupt the process! Nothing terrible will happen if you do; however, you’ll end up with a bunch of generic document icons and will have to start again. Depending on the number of files and size of your volumes, this could take a long time.

Restoring the Desktop Database:

If for some reason you wish to restore the previous Desktop Databases, follow these steps:

• Click the Restore Desktop button.

• You will be presented with two dialog boxes explaining what will occur.

• You will then be prompted to choose a volume from the standard volume selection dialog. Select the volume you wish to restore.

• Click the Restore button to start the routine.

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• Click Restart when prompted.

Potential Side Effects

• Documents that have lost their parent applications will become generic document icons.

• Comments will be lost unless the Save Info Comments box is checked.

• The Finder may repeatedly rebuild the Desktop Databases with each successive restart. This constant rebuild problem is an odd bug that can sometimes occur with the Apple extension Macintosh Easy Open. The same thing will apparently happen if you rebuild the regular way. Should this occur, try this:

• Disable Macintosh Easy Open.

• Delete the Desktop Databases again with TechTool Pro.

• Enable Macintosh Easy Open.

• Let the Finder complete the rebuild.

Common Questions

Q: I keep a lot of files and folders on my Desktop. Will I lose these by deleting the

Desktop?

A: No. The Desktop that you see at the Finder, the open area where the trash

can and your drive icons live, is in no way related to the invisible Desktop Database which TechTool Pro deletes. This correlation between names confuses many people. Apple should name the Desktop Databases something else.

Q: “Deleting the desktop” sounds so drastic. What if something goes wrong with

deleting the Desktop? Will I lose everything on my hard drive?

A: Definitely not. Think of the Desktop Database files as preference files. When

you delete an application’s preference file, a new one is created the next time the application is launched. In this case, the Finder will just create new Desktop Database files the next time it is launched.

Q: Why should I save my Desktop files before rebuilding the Desktop and what

should I do with the saved files afterwards?

A: TechTool Pro allows you to save the Desktop files just in case something goes

wrong with the rebuild. In this case, you have a method of “undoing” the rebuild by using the Restore Desktop button. If you are confident that a rebuild was successful, you can trash the saved Desktop files.

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Q: When the computer restarts after I delete the Desktop it freezes. Why?

A: You are probably experiencing an extension problem. Try disabling

extensions when the computer restarts by holding down the shift key.

Directory Maintenance

The directory of a volume stores information about the files and folders stored on the volume and where they are located. As files and folders are added and deleted from the volume, the data structures that hold this information may become fragmented. This lowers the speed that this vital information can be accessed by the system. Rebuilding the directory structures optimizes them and improves overall system performance.

Controls & Displays

Information Screen

This screen shows a variety of information about your directory structures. In particular it lists the following:

• Current Volume: – the volume currently under examination.

• Format: – the format of the volume, either HFS or HFS+.

• Block Size: – the size of the blocks for the current volume’s format.

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The screen also displays a graph of the selected volume’s directory allowing you to visually see the condition of fragmentation of the directory structures. The information is coded as below:

• Green – contiguous areas of the directory.

• Blue – free space in the directory.

• Red – fragmented areas of the directory.

Select Volume(s)

This button brings up the volume selection dialog.

Update Graph

This button displays a pictorial representation of the current state of the selected volume’s directory in the Information Screen.

Rebuild

The Rebuild button rebuilds and optimizes the directory structures of the selected volume.

Drives

While there are utilities available to help recover lost files and repair damaged directory information, few utilities examine the mechanics of the hard drive. The controller board, heads, spindle motor, and head armature are just a few items that deserve equal, if not more, attention than the software attributes of the drive. Should one of these items fail, no software recovery program alone will be able to save your data.

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TechTool Pro tests many important elements of your hard drive including the controller I/O, memory, and head-positioning mechanism to name just a few. These universal tests are applicable to almost any drive types. Some of the tests can even be performed on CD-ROM drives.

Test & Function Descriptions

Self Diagnostic

This test initiates a self-diagnostic on the target drive. These routines are designed by the drive manufacturer and provide excellent insight into the operational condition of the drive.

Test Unit Ready

Determines whether the target drive is able and ready to receive commands.

Read Buffer

This test is used in conjunction with the WRITE BUFFER command as a diagnostic function for testing target memory and the bus integrity.

Write Buffer

This test is used in conjunction with the READ BUFFER command as a diagnostic function for testing target memory and the bus integrity.

Seek

The SEEK command provides a way for the initiator to position the device in preparation for access to a particular logical block.

Random Read

Reads data from a random memory location.

Random Write

Writes data to a random free storage location.

Linear Read

Reads blocks of data linearly.

Linear Write

Writes blocks of data linearly to a free storage location.

Rezero Unit

This test is used to determine the target drive’s ability to position the actuator at cylinder zero.

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Controls & Displays

Test Select

Allows you to select which drive tests will be executed.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

Common Questions

Q: When I test my CD-ROM drive at the Drive panel, the Read Buffer, Write Buffer,

Random Read, Random Write, Linear Read and Linear Write tests reports that these tests are unavailable. Is there something wrong with the drive?

A: No. In order for TechTool Pro to be able to run these tests a file must be

written to the drive. Even the read tests require that we write a file so that we can verify the validity of the read. Since the CD-ROM is a read-only device, any test that involves writing data will not be available for testing.

Q: Does TechTool Pro test USB and FireWire drives?

A: Yes. TechTool Pro is fully compatible with these types of drives.

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File Structure Tests

The File Structures panel of TechTool Pro is used to determine whether individual files are damaged. Some of the items checked by this panel are:

Resources:

• Verifies that resource length is correct.

• Checks that resource map follows resource data.

• Verifies that type list offset is correct.

• Determines if reference list offset is correct.

• Checks if resource data length is correct.

• Verifies that resource name length is correct.

PPC native code in data fork:

• Determines if valid data fork exists.

• Verifies that fragment location and offset are valid.

• Scans data fork to determine if declared code is actually present.

• Tests for code fragment type matches.

• Verifies that fragment length is correct.

The combination of these tests can quickly determine the state of all the files on your volumes. Use these tests when looking for corrupted files.

Test & Function Descriptions

All Resource Files

Checking this radio button indicates that all resource files should be tested.

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Applications Only

Checking this radio button indicates that only application files should be tested.

Validate PPC Native Code

Checking this box will cause the tests to validate PowerPC code fragments while testing file structures.

Controls & Displays

Test Select

Allows you to select the File Structure tests you wish to perform.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

Common Questions

Q: Will the File Structure tests repair any broken files they find?

A: In some cases they will, but in most cases the data needed to repair the files

will not be available. If the files cannot be repaired then they need to be replaced from known good copies or backups.

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Finder Info

The Finder Info panel corrects problems with the Finder information of a file. It will scan the selected volume(s) and validate and optionally repair problems that are found:

Bundle Bits

This resource within applications determines which documents belong to an application. If this resource is not correctly configured, the result will be generic icons for documents or failure of the application to launch when those documents are double-clicked.

File Dates

Sometimes file and creation dates will be incorrect because the Macintosh clock was incorrect when the file was created or modified. This results in files with improbable file dates such as January 1, 1904. While determining the true dates for a file may not be possible, TechTool Pro will change the file dates to the computer’s current date if they are obviously incorrect.

Custom Icons

If you assign a custom icon to a file or application, a custom icon bit is set so that the Finder knows it should display the custom icon instead of the normal icon for that file. Sometimes this custom icon bit will be set incorrectly and the custom icon will not display. TechTool Pro will correct this problem by properly setting the bit.

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Test & Function Descriptions

Bundle Bits

Allows you to activate or deactivate the Bundle Bit test and repair routine.

File Dates

Allows you to activate or deactivate the File Date test and repair routine.

Custom Icon

Allows you to activate or deactivate the Custom Icon test and repair routine.

Validate Only

Allows you to designate TechTool Pro to only scan for and display found problems. The problems will not be repaired.

Validate and Repair

Allows you to designate TechTool Pro to both scan for and repair problems based on the selected tests.

Controls & Displays

Test Select

Allows you to select the tests you wish to perform.

Test/Repair

Allows you to choose to validate only or to both validate and repair if problems are found.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

Common Questions

Q: I’ve run all of the Finder Info tests and my Microsoft Word icons are still generic.

What do I do now?

A: Be sure that the parent application for the document, in this case Microsoft

Word, is on the volume. If it’s not, there is no reference to the correct icon for that file. If the parent application is on the drive, it’s probable that the problem lies in the Desktop Database and not in the application or document file. Go to the Desktop section of this manual and learn how to repair the Desktop Database files.

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Floppy Tests

The floppy disk drive is a viable storage device on many Macintosh models. Although floppy disks are used less now than in the past, they are still an important means of distributing programs and data files. They also provide an easy and convenient way to backup smaller files. Many owners of new model Mac computers will buy an external floppy drive to attach to their USB port, enabling them to have access to legacy files and backups.

TechTool Pro’s Floppy Drive panel offers a method of cleaning your floppy drive to prevent problems. This should be done as part of a regular maintenance routine. You will need to obtain a floppy drive cleaning kit. These kits can be obtained directly from Micromat and most computer retailers. Added to the benefit of repairing units that are malfunctioning due to dirty heads, TechTool Pro offers some diagnostic features otherwise found on industrial test systems. With only a few clicks of the mouse, you can find out if your floppy drive is good, salvageable, or requires replacement.

Test & Function Descriptions:

Clean Drive

• Overview: Imation, the company that manufactures the cleaning disk sold separately by Micromat, recommends that the read/write heads be cleaned every 40 hours of operation. If you have an Imation USB SuperDisk floppy drive you should contact Imation for a special cleaning disk. In environments

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where there is a large amount of airborne debris, head cleaning should be performed on a more frequent basis. Think of periodic head cleaning as preventative maintenance: clean heads mean less trouble in the future.

• Prepare the Cleaning Disk (First time use only) Remove the protection tab from the cleaning diskette.

• Dispense Cleaning Fluid Dispense six (6) drops of cleaning solution onto the fabric exposed by the head access slot on the metal hub side of the cleaning diskette.

• Start Cleaning Routine Select Clean Drive and then choose RUN in the Control Palette.

• Insert Cleaning Disk TechTool Pro will prompt you to insert the cleaning disk.

• TechTool Pro Cleans Drive As TechTool Pro cleans the drive, you might hear an

abrasive sound as the routine sweeps the drive. This does not mean that the diskette is harming your system. In fact, the cleaning fabric is less abrasive than industry specifications for actual magnetic recording media.

• Cleaning Completion TechTool Pro will take approximately 30 seconds to complete the cleaning cycle. As it cleans, you can monitor its progress by watching the progress bar.

• Completion When the TechTool Pro cleaning routine is complete, it will eject the cleaning diskette. Mark one of the boxes on the back of the cleaning diskette for usage reference. Put the cleaning diskette back in its protective bag and store it for future use.

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Quick Test

The Quick Test is similar to the Read Test, but does not test every track and sector. It is meant to be used for fast verification of drives where the 20 minutes required for a full test is unacceptable. Should any of the Quick Test routines fail, it is recommended that the full Read Test be employed for verification.

This test utilizes either the 800K or 1.44M Test Disk depending on the model disk drive. Creating test disks is explained further in this section.

The test takes approximately 1 minute on either a 1.44M or 800K drive.

• Select Test Disk Select the appropriate Test Disk. If you are using an 800K drive (Macintosh II or below) use the 800K Test Disk. If you are using a

1.44M drive (SE/30 and above) then use the 1.44M Test Disk.

• Start Quick Test Routine Select Quick Test and then click RUN from the Control Palette.

• Insert Test Disk TechTool Pro will prompt you to insert the test disk.

• Test Completion TechTool Pro will take approximately 1 minute to complete the test cycle. As the tests proceed, you can monitor progress by watching the progress bar. When the Quick Test routine is complete, it will eject the test diskette. If any test failures occur TechTool Pro will prematurely end the entire test, eject the test disk, and display the error in the Test Log.

Read Test

The Read Test verifies several aspects of the accuracy of your floppy drive. This test utilizes either the 800K or 1.44M Test Disk depending on the model disk drive. This test verifies the following aspects of the drive:

• Relative Head Alignment

• Read Integrity

• Head to Head Integrity

• Random Seek

• Maximum Seek

The test takes approximately 12 minutes on a 1.44M drive. An 800K drive will take approximately 19 minutes to complete.

• Select Test Disk Select the appropriate Test Disk. If you are using an 800K drive (Macintosh II or below) use an 800K Test Disk. If you are using a 1.44M drive (SE/30 and above) then use a 1.44M Test Disk.

• Start Read Test Routine Select the Read Test and then choose RUN from the Control Palette.

• Insert Test Disk TechTool Pro will prompt you to insert the test disk.

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• Test Completion TechTool Pro will take approximately 12 to 19 minutes to complete the test cycle. When the Read Test routine is complete, it will eject the test diskette. If any test failures occur, TechTool Pro will prematurely end the entire test, eject the test disk, and display the error in the Test Log.

Write Test

The Write Test verifies the write integrity of your floppy drive. The test takes approximately 23 minutes on a 1.44M drive. An 800K drive should take approximately 22 minutes to complete the test. You must create a scratch disk for use by the Write Test prior to running the test.

Creating Disks for the Write Test

The Write Test does not use data that currently exists on the floppy for verification. Instead, it writes data to a scratch diskette and reads the data back to verify that the information was properly recorded.

You should use high-quality diskettes as scratch disks, since any defects on the disk will cause a failed Write Test and an incorrect drive diagnosis.

1) Use a high-quality diskette of the same type as your drive. In other words, if you have a 1.44M floppy drive, use a 1.44M diskette (these always have an HD symbol stamped on them). If you have an 800K floppy drive, use an 800K floppy disk. Most drives are 1.44M and only very old Macintosh models (prior to 1987) use the 800K drive.

2) While at the Finder, insert the diskette into the floppy drive.

3) If the Finder prompts you, initialize the disk then click the Erase button.

4) When the initialization is complete, eject the disk and mark it as a scratch diskette.

Start Write Test Routine

Select the Write Test and then choose RUN from the Control Palette.

Insert Test Disk

TechTool Pro will prompt you to insert the scratch disk.

Test Completion

TechTool Pro will take approximately 23 minutes to complete the test cycle. When the Write Test routine is complete, it will eject the scratch diskette. If any test failures occur, TechTool Pro will prematurely end the entire test, eject the scratch disk, and display the error in the Test Log.

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Controls & Displays

Create Test Disk

The primary floppy disk test employed by TechTool Pro is alignment. Alignment indicates the ability of a drive to accurately position its read/write head over the sectors of a disk. When a drive is out of alignment, the heads do not correctly position themselves. This results in read and write errors.

To properly check alignment with TechTool Pro it is necessary to use alignment disks. These are disks that were created on known good floppy drives and contain precision alignment information.

You should create a test disk only on a properly functioning floppy drive. If you are not currently having difficulties with your floppy drive, you do not need to create your test disk on a different machine. Follow these steps to create your test disk:

1) Use the Disk Type: popup menu to select the appropriate disk format for the type of floppy drive you wish to test. Then click the Build button.

2) TechTool Pro will prompt you to insert a blank diskette of the appropriate format. Use a high-quality diskette and insert the diskette into any floppy drive.

3) TechTool Pro will create the test disk. This can take a very long time since the program verifies each track and sector as it is written. If for any reason you wish to cancel the build, click the Cancel button.

Test/Function Select

Allows you to choose the type of floppy test you wish to perform.

Eject Disk

The Eject Disk button will eject a floppy disk currently in the drive.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

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Internet Tests

The Internet testing capabilities incorporated into TechTool Pro allow you to verify the connectivity between your Macintosh and your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or another host. Instead of using an e-mail program or a web browser to check your Internet connectivity, TechTool Pro can run an independent test of your connection. TechTool Pro can execute a domain name lookup and will also ping the specified host to see if possible problems exist.

Test & Function Descriptions

Lookup Name

This test will confirm the ISP domain that you entered in the Host Name field and return an IP number. A reverse domain name search is then executed with the IP number to determine whether the correct host name is returned.

Ping Host

A series of communication packets are sent to the target host. These “pings” are then sent back to the machine under test and the integrity of the data, as well as the round-trip time, is analyzed to determine acceptable connectivity.

Controls & Displays

Test Select

Allows you to click to select which test(s) to perform.

Host Name Field

This field is used to enter the target host domain name or address for the tests.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

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Usage Notes

In order for this test to run successfully you must have a current, live connection to your ISP. Be sure that you have selected an appropriate host name in the Host Name field. For example, to check communication between your computer and a web server you might enter:

www.micromat.com

To test connections to a mail server you could enter:

mail.micromat.com

To test connections between specific hosts, simply replace the domain with the appropriate domain name. For example, if you wish to test communications with your ISP’s mail server, and your email address is john@monster.net, you would enter:

mail.monster.net

Common Questions

Q: Where would I find my Internet Service Provider’s domain name or address?

A: Usually when you first sign up with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), they

provide you with documentation that tells you how to correctly setup the Internet software on your computer. In that documentation you should be able to locate your Internet Service Provider’s domain name or email address.

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Mathematics

This panel allows you to check for correct operation of your computer’s mathematical processing hardware and software routines. Ancient models of Macintosh use a separate chip called a floating-point unit or FPU. This is also sometimes called a math coprocessor. If available, this chip helps the CPU calculate floating-point and other complex math operations and functions. While many machines have separate and independent FPU chips, the recent trend has been to super-integrate these circuits into the CPU. This saves the manufacturer money by reducing the number of components and assembly time. The user gains by reduced product costs and a nominal computational speed increase since an integrated FPU does not have to contend with bus arbitration and the other delays of processor-to-processor communications.

Whatever type of mathematical processing your computer employs, TechTool Pro will test it by requesting both simple and complex floating point calculations from the system. These are thousand-iteration tests that use a cascading scheme that exponentially increase in complexity.

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Test & Function Descriptions

TechTool Pro uses the follow computational functions to test the accuracy and timing of the FPU chip or FPU circuit of the CPU:

Add/Subtract Binary To Binary

Multiply/Divide Binary to Decimal

Square Root Decimal to Binary

Round Integral Base-E Logarithm

Truncate Integral Base-2 Logarithm

Remainder Base-E Exponential

Binary Log Base-2 Exponential

Binary Scale Cosine

Controls & Displays

Test Select

Allows you to check the test(s) you wish to perform.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

Common Questions

Q: Many years back, Intel had problems with the math calculations on their

Pentium processor. Would TechTool Pro’s Mathematics tests help me find a similar problem if it existed on my Macintosh?

A: Yes. The Pentium chip failed several floating-point calculations similar to the

ones employed by TechTool Pro. Should your FPU or CPU begin to incorrectly calculate floating-point operations, TechTool Pro will flag that test as failed.

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Modem Tests

One of the most popular peripheral add-ons would have to be the modem. Modems let your Macintosh communicate with popular online services, your bank, shopping services, and the Internet. Modems will eventually become a thing of the past, making way for high-bandwidth digital connections like DSL and T1. However, they probably will always be on laptop computers for the wayward traveller that may not have access to a broadband connection.

The modem takes binary signals from your Macintosh serial or USB port and turns them into a series of tones (MOdulate-DEModulate) that are compatible with conventional phone lines. Just like everything else in the computer business, modems have become faster and better over the years.

Those of you who have had to configure a modem to get it to work with a particular service have probably suffered some configuration problems. Handshaking, AT commands, and S registers can make setting up a modem daunting. As you try different configurations with no success, you may have wondered, “Is this modem even working correctly?” TechTool Pro offers a battery of tests that allow you to test the most critical functions of your modem. Since TechTool Pro’s Modem test panel utilizes the Apple’s Communications Toolbox, you can test any Hayes-compatible modem regardless of which port it uses.

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Before running the modem test, be sure to read the Port and Dialing configuration sections. Note also that some modems do not support all the selftests.

Test & Function Descriptions

Carrier

Connects to a user-defined host computer and establishes an initial connection.

Signal Quality

Executed during the carrier test, this test measures the quality of the phone line.

Line Level

Executed during the carrier test, this test measures the line level of the phone line.

Dialing Prefix:

This is where you enter a telephone number prefix if necessary. For instance, if you need to dial a “9” to reach an outside line.

Host Phone Number:

This is where you enter the telephone number to connect to an outside host such as your Internet Service Provider.

Ignore Dial Tone

Check this option to ignore dial tone detection (blind dialing).

Pulse Dial

Check this option if the phone service requires pulse dialing.

ROM Self-Test

Initiates the modem self test routine (if it has one) and interprets the results.

Performs a read/write test of the modem configuration registers.

User Memory

Tests the modem memory (if present) allocated to user settings.

Digital Loopback Req

Tests whether modem can enter digital loopback mode.

Analog Loopback

Initiates an internal analog loopback test.

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Analog Self-Test

Initiates a self-test of the analog circuitry.

Speaker Test

Takes phone off hook to dial four times, each time at a different speaker volume.

Dial Tone

Determines whether the modem is attached to a live phone line.

Hook Test

Tests the hook relays (the switch that “picks up the phone”).

Modem DTE

This test confirms proper communication between the computer and the modem.

DTE Maximum

This test determines the maximum possible communication speed between the modem and the computer. This is useful for revealing whether your computer’s ports are fast enough to communicate with a high-speed modem.

Controls & Displays

Line Tests

Allows you to choose tests concerned with line integrity and quality.

Dial

Allows you to choose dialing options.

Modem Components

Allows you to choose tests to perform on the modem itself.

Line Control

Allows you to perform operations on the line.

Rate Tests

Allows choice of tests to check modem speed.

Port Select

Brings up a dialog allowing you to select the port to which the modem is attached and various port parameters. See below for further details.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

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Configuring Modem Port

To configure the modem port:

• Click the Port Select button. The following dialog will appear:

• Hold down the Method pop-up menu and select Serial Tool. If the Serial Tool

option is not available, it means that the Serial Tool was not installed in the System Folder and needs to be reinstalled using the TechTool Pro installer.

• Select the port the modem is attached to in the Current Port field.

• Set BAUD RATE to 9600

• Set PARITY to NONE

• Set DATA BITS to 8

• Set STOP BITS to 1

• Set HANDSHAKE to NONE

• Set HOLD CONNECTION to disabled.

• Click OK.

Configuring Dial Settings

• If your phone service does not support touch-tones, enable the Pulse Dial

option.

• If your modem is attached to a PBX, enter the appropriate information to

gain an outside line in the Dialing Prefix: field. In most cases you would insert 9,.

• Enter the phone number of a computer service in the Host Phone Number:

field. This could be the phone number of your BBS, your Internet Service Provider, or another computer with a modem ready to accept calls.

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Common Questions

Q: Why is the carrier test option grayed-out?

A: That test will not be available until you enter a host telephone number.

Q: Why are the Signal Quality and Line Level test options grayed-out?

A: These two tests are executed during a carrier test. If the carrier test has not

been selected or configured, Signal Quality and Line Level tests will not be available.

Q: Why do the results from the Signal Quality and the Line Level tests report

unavailable after testing?

A: Your modem probably does not support these types of tests.

Q: Why does my new modem keep failing the User Memory test? The modem

seems to be working fine.

A: Some newer modems do not have a User Memory feature and this would

explain why your modem fails this test consistently. The user memory was used with older modems when software was not used to store information like frequent phone numbers and settings. Since software now controls these aspects of the modem, many modem vendors no longer employ this feature.

Q: When I go to the Modem panel a message appears stating, “Communications

ToolBox Missing.” What is the Communications ToolBox and how do I get this to work?

A: The Communication ToolBox error is indicating that the Serial Tool

extension (which is a part of the TechTool Pro installation) is either not enabled, is missing, or is damaged. Usually enabling the extension or reinstalling the Serial Tool from the TechTool Pro installer resolves this problem.

Q: Will the Modem tests check my DSL, ISDN, Frame Relay, T1, or cable modem?

A: These are digital connections. Hayes-compatible modems are analog

devices. To test the above digital devices use the Internet panel to check for connectivity.

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MultiTester Tests

The MultiTester panel allows you to easily run a comprehensive suite of tests on your computer. One mouse click is all that is needed to perform a thorough check of your computer and many of its peripherals. By clicking the Options disclosure triangle you can see the list of tests that can be run by MultiTester. Each test can be activated or deactivated by clicking to check or uncheck its box. Using Select Volumes allows you to choose whether to run the tests on all the attached volumes/drives or on only selected ones. Once your choices are made, just click on BEGIN to perform all the selected tests for the selected volumes.

Test & Function Descriptions

RAM

The RAM test will do a quick check of the memory chips in your computer. RAM problems can cause intermittent crashes that are not dependent on the particular software you are using.

ROM

The ROM test checks the ROM chips on your computer. ROM stores your computer’s hard wired System routines.

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VRAM

This test checks the video memory of your system.

PRAM

The PRAM stores various System settings. This test checks the integrity of this component.

CPU

This test will check your computer’s central processing unit—the heart of your computer.

Components

These tests verify the operation of various peripheral chips such as the serial chips and SCSI chip if present.

Cache

This test checks the special fast memory, or cache, on your computer.

Mathematics

These tests verify the operation of the math hardware and software routines of your computer.

Volume Structure

These tests check the validity of the directory and other critical volume data structures on local volumes.

Drives

This tests the proper hardware operation of your drives.

Surface Scan

This tests for physical damage to the surface of your drives. Also known as a Block Scan.

Finder Info

This checks for corruption in the Finder Info of all your files, such as bad modification dates, bundle bits, and custom icons.

File Structure

This test checks for corruption in the structure of your files.

Virus

This test will scan your drive for files that are infected with a known virus or other virus-like programs.

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Software Conflicts

This test will check all the software on your computer and attempt to locate programs that will conflict with each other.

System Files

This test will check the critical operating system files for modification or corruption.

Controls & Displays

Options

Displays and allows you to choose the tests performed by MultiTester.

Select Volumes

Allows you to perform the tests on the volume(s) or drive(s) of your choice.

BEGIN

Starts the selected tests on the selected volumes.

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Network Tests

The networking hardware and software of your Macintosh is very important if your computer resides on a local area network (LAN). The ability to print, communicate with other computers in your local network, and connect to Internet services is dependent on proper operation of these components.

The network tests incorporated in TechTool Pro permit you to verify that your network connection is working properly. It is necessary to have at least one other device on your network (printer, router, or another computer) to use these tests since it is necessary to ping another device to determine communication abilities.

Test & Function Descriptions

All Zones

This test will broadcast and receive on all available zones on your network to confirm proper network communications.

Local Zone Only

This test will broadcast only to other devices that are available within the same network zone as your machine.

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Show Network Devices

This button will display a node list of what devices were found on the network and display the zones that were accessed during the test.

Controls & Displays

Test Select

Allows you to select the test you wish to perform.

Show Network Devices

Displays a node list of network devices.

Control Button

Brings up the Control Palette.

Usage Notes

The Network panel sends a getNameList command to an available zone. Successful returns from all machines, including the machine on which the tests are executed, determines whether testing was successful.

Common Questions

Q: After running the Network test the dialog box indicated the zone as “*.” Why?

A: The asterisk “*” represents the local zone. If your computer is connected to

a LocalTalk bridge that enables you to have multiple zones, then the node list will display the actual zone names.

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Optimization

As your hard drive saves and deletes files, the file system will instruct the drive mechanism on where and how to store the information. It can place this information anywhere there is available free space on the drive. If there is not a contiguous area on which to save a file then your drive will fragment it, saving a piece here and a piece there. This is transparent to you. Although the file itself appears as one complete logical item, in most cases it is actually physically scattered around the disk in many pieces.

Fragmented files can slow down file access on your hard drive. Instead of your drive being able to scoop up a requested file in one swoop, it must find all the pieces at various places on the drive. This increases the amount of time needed to read and write files and results in a degradation of performance.

A cure for fragmented files is to optimize your drive. This involves using software (such as TechTool Pro) to rearrange all of the file fragments and reassemble them into contiguous areas on the disk. This is done much like the game “Hanoi Towers” is played. Several files may be moved until the target file will have enough free space to be written contiguously. This process is repeated many times until all or most of the files are no longer fragmented.

There are two methods for optimizing files on a disk. One is to use low-level calls, rewriting the directory and extents information. This method involves many modifications to the basic file structure of the drive. While this method is fast, it could cause a loss of some or all of your data in the event of a power failure, crash or some other event that interrupts recreation of critical drive files.

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The other method, employed by TechTool Pro, uses standard file write-copy- delete methods to rearrange the files. While this method is sometimes slower than using low-level calls, it is far safer since there is no risk to the data. You can literally unplug your machine during optimization with no ill effect to your drive or data.

Controls & Displays

Information Screen

This screen shows information about space usage on your volume. In particular it lists the following:

• Current Volume: – the volume currently selected.

• Format: – the format of the volume, either HFS or HFS+.

• Block Size: – the size of the blocks for the current volume’s format.

The screen also displays a graph of the selected volume’s disk usage allowing you to visually see the fragmentation of the volume.

The information is coded as below:

• White – disk space used by the directory on the volume.

• Green – space used by contiguous files on the volume.

• Blue – free space on the volume.

• Red – space occupied by fragmented files on the volume.

Select Volume(s)

This button brings up the standard Volume Selection dialog.

Update Graph

This button displays a pictorial representation of the current state of the selected volume’s use of space on the Information Screen.

Optimize

Selecting this button will quit all open applications except TechTool Pro and then begin optimization on the selected volume(s). It is recommended that the computer be restarted upon completion of optimization.

Usage Notes

The optimization feature should be used as a general disk maintenance routine for your Macintosh.

It is highly recommended that you perform a Volume Structure test (and repair if necessary) prior to running optimization on the volume. This will allow

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TechTool Pro to optimize more efficiently and keep any volume structure problems from getting worse during optimization.

Common Questions

Q: Do I need to run the optimization feature from my TechTool Pro CD every time I

want to optimize my hard drive(s)?

A: Not necessarily. If you are using OS 8.6 or below TechTool Pro can optimize

the boot volume and/or the program volume. However, if you are using OS 9 or above, then you must both boot your computer and run TechTool Pro from a volume other than the one you are attempting to optimize.

Q: When I run the optimization feature, I get a message indicating that “there

isn’t enough contiguous free space” on my volume. What does this mean?

A: In order for TechTool Pro to perform the optimization feature on your

volume, you must have enough available free space on the volume for the routines to operate. TechTool Pro uses an extremely safe method of optimizing. It uses high-level file moves to move each file to a contiguous area of the volume before it deletes the original copy of the file. However, this means that TechTool Pro must have enough contiguous free space on your volume to hold your largest file. If there is not enough contiguous space, then TechTool Pro will issue the warning indicating that it cannot proceed. If this happens then you need to temporarily copy some files to another volume to make more room available. As a general rule, it is recommended that you have at least 15% free space available on your volume. However, the amount of free space necessary to optimize is dependent on a number of factors, including the degree of fragmentation and the size of the files on the volume being optimized.

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PRAM Tests

Pronounced “pee-ram,” the parameter RAM is a non-volatile RAM chip residing on your Macintosh motherboard. This device holds special parameters independent of the System or hard drive. Some of these settings include mouse speed and designated startup device. This information is stored in the standard area of PRAM (usually the high 128 bytes). Below the upper 128 bytes is an area of PRAM that contains more critical settings like boot services, manufacture date and hours of use (mandate), and other reserved areas used by the System software.

Some software and hardware developers have used the reserved lower areas of PRAM to store settings. Although Apple has been warning developers not to use reserved sections of PRAM because they are used by System software, some vendors have adopted this practice. This can lead to reliability problems with your computer. Inexplicable crashes and freezes are mild symptoms. In some scenarios, the computer will not even boot. Changing the System, removing extensions, or “zapping” the PRAM using the conventional method does not cure the problem. The traditional method—hold the command, option, P and R keys—only clears the upper bytes of RAM where the problem does not reside. Historically, the only way to correct lower PRAM problems was to open up the computer and momentarily remove the PRAM battery. This would clear all of the PRAM memory allowing the Mac ROM to replace the data with default settings. TechTool Pro will clear ALL of PRAM without the need to disassemble the computer. The program also offers the ability to save the PRAM data before it is cleared and the ability to restore this information should the need arise. TechTool Pro also allows you to test the physical memory that comprises the PRAM.

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Test & Function Descriptions

The PRAM panel employs the same memory testing routines for PRAM that are used by the RAM test panel. For test details please refer to the Test & Function

Descriptions area of the RAM test section.

TechTool Pro allows you to save and restore your PRAM data using conventional

file saving methods. The Save PRAM button will copy the contents of the PRAM data and save it as a file to your hard disk. The Restore PRAM button will restore the data saved in a PRAM data file to the PRAM chip.

Clicking the Clear PRAM button empties the contents of the PRAM chip in order to correct potential PRAM problems. You’ll be prompted to save the contents of your PRAM in case you’ve forgotten. The program will quickly clear the PRAM chip and the computer will automatically be rebooted. The reboot is necessary to avoid potential problems that might be caused by software such as the System or extensions when they attempt to use the now empty PRAM chip.

When the PRAM is cleared and the Macintosh is rebooted, the computer ROM will check the PRAM. If the contents are not valid (they won’t be since it has been cleared) the ROM will install the factory default settings. Some models of Macintosh keep track of the Date of Manufacture and Hours of Use (the Mandate). If this information is maintained by your Macintosh model, it will be automatically restored at this time. Many people find the thought of “clearing” the PRAM distressing, since they feel they will lose some important information. This is not the case. Apple designed the PRAM to be self-sufficient should the PRAM battery wear out or fail.

Controls & Displays

Test Select

Allows you to select the various PRAM tests.

Clear PRAM

This control will clear the contents of PRAM. The factory default settings will be loaded back into the PRAM from ROM next time the computer is rebooted. In addition, the mandate information will be restored if appropriate. Using this button will force a restart immediately after the PRAM is cleared.

Save PRAM

This button will save the contents of PRAM to a file. This is the data that will be used if you decide later to restore the original PRAM settings.

Contents

Micromat TechTool Pro - 3 Instruction Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual