1. Boost memory
The simplest way to a faster Mac is by installing extra RAM. Before you buy, check the maximum RAM capacity of your Mac. You can download a free program called MacTracker (http://mactracker.dreamhosters.com) that will tell you the precise technical specifications of every Mac ever produced.
2. Install RAM in pairs
Many Macs will give you a speed boost if you install matching RAM modules in pairs. G5 and Mac Pro towers actually require the installation of pairs of modules, though most other Macs will allow the use of an odd number, with the proviso that you won’t get the fastest possible performance from them. Crucial’s website (www.crucial.com/mac/index.aspx) will tell you the specifics for your model.
3. Faster drive
Installing a faster hard drive as the boot drive on a tower Mac will yield performance gains, especially if you go up to a 10,000-speed drive. On a laptop, installing a 7,200rpm drive (to replace a 5,400 rpm model) will also make things faster, though older Mac portables don’t have user replaceable hard drives
4. Is faster memory worth it?
When buying RAM you’ll often have the option to buy faster memory, which of course comes at a higher price. Although it may technically be faster on paper, in reality you may not notice a huge speed bump in real world, everyday use. Spending the extra money on faster hard drives would be a better idea for most users.
5. Graphics cards
On towers like G4s and G5s you may see a benefit to installing a faster graphics card, though only really if you use graphics-heavy software like compositing or video, or if you play a lot of games.
6. Firewire not USB
Although theoretically faster, USB 2.0 isn’t favored as much by professionals as FireWire due to the speed at which it requests data. So although a USB 2.0 drive will be cheaper, a FireWire drive offers superior performance.
7. Know your hardware
To understand the areas in which your Mac could be expanded or powered up, you need to know what its current hardware configuration is like. Go to the Apple menu and choose “About This Mac,” which shows you simple CPU and RAM details. Then click on the “More Info” button to open System Profiler.
8. Tweak the CPU
Some G4- and G5-based Macs have a feature called “processor bus slewing,” whereby you can manually increase or reduce the power of the CPU. This is found in System Preferences > Energy Saver.
9. Working with media files
If you’re working with iMovie, GarageBand, iDVD, Final Cut, Logic, or another program that uses large media files, storing and working with them off another drive will greatly reduce the strain on your boot drive as it tries to run the system and the main application.
10. Get a faster keyboard
Logitech’s Cordless Desktop S 530 Laser for Mac (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard_mice_combos/devices/158&cl=gb,en) is a wireless keyboard and mouse designed specifically for the Mac. The keyboard has specialized buttons to quickly open iTunes, iPhoto, Safari, Mail and other applications, while the laser mouse has a tilt wheel plus a zoom control, so you can go side to side and zoom in and out of documents
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The simplest way to a faster Mac is by installing extra RAM. Before you buy, check the maximum RAM capacity of your Mac. You can download a free program called MacTracker (http://mactracker.dreamhosters.com) that will tell you the precise technical specifications of every Mac ever produced.
2. Install RAM in pairs
Many Macs will give you a speed boost if you install matching RAM modules in pairs. G5 and Mac Pro towers actually require the installation of pairs of modules, though most other Macs will allow the use of an odd number, with the proviso that you won’t get the fastest possible performance from them. Crucial’s website (www.crucial.com/mac/index.aspx) will tell you the specifics for your model.
3. Faster drive
Installing a faster hard drive as the boot drive on a tower Mac will yield performance gains, especially if you go up to a 10,000-speed drive. On a laptop, installing a 7,200rpm drive (to replace a 5,400 rpm model) will also make things faster, though older Mac portables don’t have user replaceable hard drives
4. Is faster memory worth it?
When buying RAM you’ll often have the option to buy faster memory, which of course comes at a higher price. Although it may technically be faster on paper, in reality you may not notice a huge speed bump in real world, everyday use. Spending the extra money on faster hard drives would be a better idea for most users.
5. Graphics cards
On towers like G4s and G5s you may see a benefit to installing a faster graphics card, though only really if you use graphics-heavy software like compositing or video, or if you play a lot of games.
6. Firewire not USB
Although theoretically faster, USB 2.0 isn’t favored as much by professionals as FireWire due to the speed at which it requests data. So although a USB 2.0 drive will be cheaper, a FireWire drive offers superior performance.
7. Know your hardware
To understand the areas in which your Mac could be expanded or powered up, you need to know what its current hardware configuration is like. Go to the Apple menu and choose “About This Mac,” which shows you simple CPU and RAM details. Then click on the “More Info” button to open System Profiler.
8. Tweak the CPU
Some G4- and G5-based Macs have a feature called “processor bus slewing,” whereby you can manually increase or reduce the power of the CPU. This is found in System Preferences > Energy Saver.
9. Working with media files
If you’re working with iMovie, GarageBand, iDVD, Final Cut, Logic, or another program that uses large media files, storing and working with them off another drive will greatly reduce the strain on your boot drive as it tries to run the system and the main application.
10. Get a faster keyboard
Logitech’s Cordless Desktop S 530 Laser for Mac (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard_mice_combos/devices/158&cl=gb,en) is a wireless keyboard and mouse designed specifically for the Mac. The keyboard has specialized buttons to quickly open iTunes, iPhoto, Safari, Mail and other applications, while the laser mouse has a tilt wheel plus a zoom control, so you can go side to side and zoom in and out of documents
keyword "system maintain,system speed, system tips and tricks,hardware maintain,how to improve system speed,how to optimize old system,how to solve system errors"
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