ymbionts is a shareware program that allows you to turn extensions on and off selectively and independently of each other. It also has the ability to tell you how much memory each extension is taken up, as well as which version it is for easy reference and when it was last loaded. The memory number is in bytes, so 1,000 is roughly 1k of RAM. A great feature is the ability to define any number of sets of extensions so that you can switch between sets at a touch of a button. For instance, you can have one set with only the very bare essentials that you need so as to conserve memory and one set with everything on. Disabled extensions are shown with a big red X through them (as shown above if you are viewing pictures) and can be toggled between the two states, simply by double-clicking on them. Symbionts also gives the option to totally delete extensions, open them if they are control panels or any other openable one, and even get finder info on them. It will handle Extensions, Control Panels, System Folder Items, Fonts, Startup Items, Shutdown Items and Desktop Strip Modules. Wow!
xtensions that are disabled are placed in a folder called whatever they were in before and suffixed by "(disabled)" so unused control panels are automatically moved to the "Control Panels (disabled)" folder etc. Conversely, they will be moved back into the correct folder when you re-enable them.
Naturally however, you still have to Restart before any proper Extensions (i.e. INITs) will be toggled.
ortunately, Symbionts can be called on Startup if you press and hold down [Space] before you see "Welcome to Macintosh". It has a special code in it that will make it get loaded first (except see below) before anything else. Naturally, things will be changed immediately then, without the need for another restart if you choose to make changes..
For those people that own RAM Doubler, Symbionts can handle it, but because RAM Doubler absolutely MUST load itself into the computer's memory first, Symbionts cannot disable/enable it on startup without the need for a further Restart. This is because RAM Doubler's memory management scheme must have nothing but itself to handle when it initiates. Annoying, but true...
