How to put your Mac into Safe mode, what Apple claims it does, and what evidence there is of its benefits. Includes an assessment of free space it may create.
troubleshooting
Problems syncing files with iCloud Drive? Don’t just turn it off and back on again. Use Cirrus instead to upload a test file, and check whether syncing that works. Full details.
Is the log the right place to look? Should you use the active log, or make and use a logarchives? When should you start the search? Predicate or search? And further questions answered.
What to try if your Mac doesn’t enter Recovery Mode when you want it to. For Apple silicon Macs, there’s Fallback Recovery, while Intel Macs have two forms of internet or remote recovery to choose from.
Anything can happen, but so long as you have a recent backup you should be able fix the problems and get back up and running again. Here’s how.
A macOS update has just been announced, but your Mac can’t seem to find it. Here’s what to try next, so you can bring your Mac up to date. Includes details of log entries during a normal check.
When you double-click a file and expect to see it opened by the app of your choice, but instead it’s opened by the wrong app, or the wrong version of the right app, or maybe macOS refuses to open it at all. How to fix that.
Have your Time Machine backups become irregular, or stopped altogether? Are software updates infrequent, or malware scans rare? Find the answers here.
Is there a memory leak in that app? How to tell, and what you can do about it. Also notes about rare leaks in kernel zone memory, which can cause kernel panics.
How to investigate an app that crashes when starting up, using log entries. Includes detailed instructions for one of the simplest adventures in the log, and a summary of code signature errors.
The Eclectic Light Company 