This Read Me document contains information about the MacCheck program. The Microsoft Word and MacWrite II documents, "MacCheck™ User Guide.msWrd" and "MacCheck™ User Guide.mwII" are a superset of this document and provide easier to read (better formmated and highlighted) text, along with more technical details about the inner workings of MacCheck.
MacCheck is an Apple support utility tool with which you can learn more about your Macintosh computer, as well as diagnose software problems that result from corrupted directories and files. By using MacCheck in conjunction with Disk First Aid, you can resolve common disk corruption problems.
MacCheck creates a profile of your Macintosh computer, including:
• The processor, memory, expansion cards, SCSI drives, keyboard, monitor, etc.
• The installed applications and system software on your startup drive
MacCheck also provides:
• A general logic board test
• A checker for the file system and System files
• A checker for duplicate System Folders
The MacCheck product consists of the application file “MacCheck™”, and the data file “MacCheck™ dataFile”. For MacCheck to work correctly, both the application file and the data file must be located in the same folder. MacCheck is compatible with System 7.0 (or later).
Under most circumstances, MacCheck can be run with extensions on. However, if you are having trouble running MacCheck, you should turn extensions off (by restarting your computer while holding down the Shift key). MacCheck does conflict with some non-Apple extensions:
Thunder 7:
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Do not run MacCheck while Thunder 7 is active and asks if it should be installed with MacCheck. MacCheck and Thunder 7 have serious conflicts when Thunder 7 is setup this way. You can turn off this feature of Thunder 7 via its Control Panel device.
Virus protection programs:
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You will need to "teach" some virus protection programs about MacCheck.
Electronic mail programs:
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Sometimes when electronic mail programs, such as Microsoft Mail or QuickMail, are active, they disrupt the file system checking (by making your startup volume "busy").
Hardware Incompatibilities:
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MacCheck 1.0.4 can crash (Type 1 or bus error) when operating with some 3rd party NuBus cards. As of October of 1993, it is unclear why these crashes are happening or how prevelant these problems are. The following list of cards has been compiled from field reports and does NOT imply that any of these cards or card families are faulty, but simply that MacCheck and these cards are somehow incompatible:
QuadraLink (serial port card--Applied Engineering), DaynaPort (Ethernet card--cards made earlier than Summer of 1993--the E2 and E23 cards DO work), GatorCard (Ethernet card (short card--older version)--Cayman).
II. MacCheck Overview
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Launching MacCheck
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When you launch MacCheck, you will see a splash screen detailing the initialization processes that MacCheck performs while it starts up. During most of this time, MacCheck gathers profile information and checks for multiple System Folders. On a new Macintosh LC III, MacCheck takes about 1 minute to launch; on a 400 MB, 8,000-plus-file Macintosh Quadra 950, it takes about 4–5 minutes to launch.
Note: If you want to speed up the launch process by about 20 seconds, press the Space bar when the splash screen first appears. This tells MacCheck not to profile modems or check SCSI devices that are typically slow, such as DAT tape drives. MacCheck will display a “•QuickBoot•” message. If you wish to quit the launch process at any time, press command-period.
Accessing Profile Information
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MacCheck stores the collected profile information in three log files, the “System Info”, “Additional System Info”, and "Application and Font Info" logs. To view the profile information placed into these logs, select the log you want from the Windows menu.
Starting Logic Board and File System Tests
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To start the logic board and the file system tests, click the Test button or select the Test option (command-G) in the Diagnostics menu. When these tests are completed, MacCheck stores the results in a results file. The default name of this file is "Test Results-1". You may rename this file by selecting the Save Results As option in the File menu.
Getting Help
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Consult the Help menu or click the Help button if you have questions about the information in the "System Info", "Additional System Info", or "Application and Font Info" logs. Help also provides suggestions of what to do if MacCheck detects a problem and includes troubleshooting tips.
MacCheck has added information about its menu items and buttons in Balloon Help (see your user's guide for information on using Balloon Help).
III. How to Use MacCheck Menus
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File
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The MacCheck logs are considered to be documents, so the File menu items behave in similar ways as the File items in other applications, such as TeachText. As with TeachText, there can be only one open document at a time. MacCheck does, however, do a few things differently:
New Results
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Clears all the logic board and file system test information stored in the results file; does not clear the profile information after the bullets ("•••…") that MacCheck gathered while launching.
Open Results
Save Results
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Saves the results log, "System Info" log, "Additional System Info" log, and "Application and Font Info" log into one results file, labeled with the name of the results log (default: "Test Results- 1"). When you open a results file, MacCheck reads back in the four logs that were previously saved into that results file.
Close
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Hides the front-most log or closes the "Help-Topics" window, if it was the front-most window. To make a log the front-most window, use the Windows menu and select the log you wish to view.
Print Results
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Prints the front-most log. You also can choose to print any of the other three logs from the same print dialog.
Diagnostics
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Test
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Starts the logic board, file system, and System file checking tests. MacCheck performs the check for multiple System Folders only when first launched. Once MacCheck starts these tests, the "Test…" item becomes grayed, and the "Stop Testing" item becomes enabled.
Windows
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When you select an item in the Windows menu, MacCheck will bring that log forward, making it the front-most window. If you have viewed Help, but not yet closed the "Help-Topics" window, you can also select the "Help-Topics" item in the Windows menu. If no Help window is open, the "Help-Topics" item will not appear in the Windows menu. MacCheck places a check mark next to the window that is currently front-most.
IV. How to Use MacCheck Help
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When you click the Help button in the main MacCheck window, or select "Topics" from the Help menu, MacCheck displays a window containing eight Help topics; each topic contains one or more pages of information. To go to the next or previous page of help for a particular topic, press the inner arrow keys at the top of the Help window. To go to the next or previous Help topic, press the outer arrow keys at the top of the Help window. You can also select the topic you want to view by using the pop-up menu at the top left of the Help window.The last three Help topics, “Sad Mac Codes [Newer Machines]", “System Errors [Positive Codes]”, and "System Errors [Negative Codes]", are intended as a technical reference.
Note: When you run MacCheck on a Macintosh Plus, SE, Classic, or Classic II, the "Help-Topics" window becomes a "modal" window (i.e., the title and title bar are not visible and you cannot move the window), to save screen space.
V. Common Errors Reported by MacCheck
and Suggestions to Resolve Them
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Multiple System Folders
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MacCheck detects multiple System Folders and displays them in the "Additional System Info" log. Although you can safely store multiple System Folders on your drive, many problems can be traced to additional System Folders inadvertently placed on drives. Ignore the warning if you intend to have multiple System Folders; otherwise, Apple recommends removing the extra ones.
Directory Corruption Detected
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If MacCheck detects directory corruption during its file system test, locate the Disk First Aid program on your Utilities or Disk Tools disk. Then follow the procedure detailed below:
1) Shut down your Macintosh (via the Special menu).
2) Insert your Utilities or Disk Tools disk and turn on your Macintosh.
3) When the Finder appears, run the Disk First Aid program. Note: Be careful to designate the drive that MacCheck detected the problem on as the drive that needs to be fixed.
4) Choose Quit to return to the Finder and choose Restart from the Special menu to restart your Macintosh.
Occasionally, Disk First Aid versions earlier than version 7.2 will not find or fix the problems that MacCheck has detected. If you run MacCheck after running Disk First Aid, MacCheck may still detect file system problems. If this occurs or if MacCheck tells you that it detected problems that Disk First Aid cannot fix, the problems can be corrected by reinitializing your hard drive using Apple HD SC Setup. Please make sure that you have backed up your drive (using Apple Backup if you are a Performa user) before reinitializing your drive. Some non-Apple utilities may be able to repair problems that Disk First Aid cannot (and vice versa), though reinitializing your drive is the only way to be sure that the problems that MacCheck found are fixed.
System File Corruption Detected
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If MacCheck detects corruption problems in your System, Finder, System Enabler, or Launcher (Performa) files, replace these files from your original Apple installation disks. If you are a Performa user, restore a backup of your System files with Apple Restore program. If you have not made a backup, contact the Apple Assistance Center.
Logic Board Failure
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If MacCheck detects a logic board failure, shut down your Macintosh by selecting Shut Down from the Special menu. Restart your Macintosh while you hold down the Shift bar to ensure that all extensions are off, and run MacCheck again. If MacCheck still detects a logic board error, contact the Apple Assistance Center or your Authorized Apple Service Provider.
VI. Common Warnings Reported by MacCheck
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Bad File Creation Dates
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The "Additional Systems Info" log lists all files with bad creation file dates (a creation date later than the last modification date). This usually means that some time in the past the system clock was not set up correctly. This warning is not fatal, and since it is time consuming to reset file dates, you may not wish to repair these files. Apple’s ResEdit and some non-Apple programs will help to reset file dates.
MacCheck Gives a “Log full” Warning
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If you have too many files with bad creation dates, or too many aliases that are unresolved (i.e., if you double-click on the alias, the Finder gives you a "Document/file cannot be found" error), MacCheck may not be able to fit all of the regular profile information into the “Additional System Info” log. You might also fill the "Application and Font Info" log if you have too many fonts or applications.
File System Test Can’t Test This Kind of Volume
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MacCheck only tests for file system and System file corruption on volumes that are not locked (i.e., it only tests volumes that you can repair). MacCheck considers CD-ROM drives and file-server drives locked.
File System Test Reports Volume Is Busy
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MacCheck should be the only program running while it performs the file system test. The results are not valid if other applications, extensions (including File Sharing), or Control Panel device programs are running at the same time as MacCheck.
VII. MacCheck Operating Tips
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A “Software Bundle ID = xxx-xxxx” message may appear at the bottom of the launch splash screen. The Software Bundle ID is a unique number that identifies what system software (7.0, 7.1, US, France, etc.), applications, or additional software was installed on the drive at the factory. MacCheck displays this information if the bundle information is detected during launch.
If MacCheck is running on a Macintosh Performa, it reports only that it is running on a Performa; it does not report the Performa model name.
On larger drives, the “Gathering Miscellaneous Boot Volume Statistics” section of the launch process often takes the most time, as MacCheck searches for bad file creation dates.
While tests are running, the File and Help menus and Help, Test, and Quit buttons are dimmed (not available).
If no printer is selected or if no log is currently selected, the “Print” and “Page Setup” menu items are dimmed (not available).
When the file system test is in progress, the status bar is updated only after each volume has been checked. For large volumes, this may mean that the status bar is “frozen” for a minute or two.
Note: Apple Customer Service Division welcomes comments and suggestions from users of MacCheck. You may send messages to one of the following addresses:
Internet: maccheck@guest.Apple.com
AppleLink: MacCheck
US Mail: Apple Computer, Inc.
20525 Mariani Avenue, M/S 72-W
Cupertino, CA 95014-9968
ATTN: MacCheck Manager
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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this document is accurate. Apple is not responsible for printing or clerical errors.
Apple, the Apple logo, AppleShare, AppleTalk, A/UX, EtherTalk, ImageWriter, LaserWriter, ImageWriter, Macintosh, and Multifinder are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Apple Desktop Bus, Apple SuperDrive, At Ease, Balloon Help, Disk First Aid, Finder, MacCheck, Macintosh Centris, Macintosh Quadra, PowerBook,Performa,PowerBook Duo, QuickDraw, ResEdit, System 7, and TrueType are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
Classic is a registered trademark licensed to Apple Computer, Inc.
