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iPod - it's an MP3 player!
NO!
It's a diagnostic device!
In the business of servicing Apple machines one needs certain diagnostic and file system repair tools, boot disks, upgrade software images, etc. in the course of repairing and maintaining machines.
Minimize your OS X install
A typical OS X install (10.1.3) consumes about 1 GB (-200 songs) of disk. You can easily remove about 25% of the OS X install by removing non-English language support, Japanese fonts, Screen Savers, Desktop Pictures, Printer support, and other stuff, you won't need for diagnostic use with your iPod. (I've actually gone further, reducing the OS X install on my iPod to 660 MB, before adding diagnostic tools.) You also might want to throw away the games and end user programs not needed to repair systems (Chess, Mail, Address book, iMovie, etc.) to make more room for music on your iPod.
To easily remove that 25%, I've written a script that searches local disks (iPod or NOT) for the files to remove, it prompts you to ask which disks you want to analyze. The Script then outputs the commands that should be executed to deletion the unwanted files. This provides an opportunity to review what files will be deleted before executing the commands. (NOTE: I have not tested this script on any 10.2 or later releases.)
Once you receive the script and save it as 'less-lang.csh', then make it an executable 'chmod 754 less-lang.csh' The script needs to be executed as a privileged system administrator (e.g. root), or via 'sudo less-lang.csh' from the command line, as an Administrator-privileged user.
iPod - tools to add to your OS X Install
I've added the following tools to my iPod for diagnostic purposes:
- Drive 10 - MicroMat's Disk Drive Analysis and Repair utility
- Data Rescue X- Prosoft Engineering's File recovery tool
- PackUpAndGo - Stone Design's Archiving package
- Stuff-It Lite - Aladdin's ubiquitous expansion package
- Retrospect 5.0 - Disk Archiving tool
- Keyspan Serial Assistant - Support for Keyspan USB-Serial adapter
- ZTerm - Terminal program for use with Serial line or direct-to-modem
- OmniWeb - THE OS X native Web Browser
- iCab - Best Mac Browser to avoid Advertisements and protect privacy
- SkeyCalc - Secure Key (One Time Password) Generation tool
- Server Admin - OS X Server Administration tool
- InterMapper-OSX - Dartware's Network Mapping Tool
- Mactracker - Macintosh Hardware configuration reference
- Open Firmware - KB tech notes and downloaded patches for Open Firmware and Boot Proms
iPod - Mac OS 9 install
My Mac OS 9 install is rather chunky with about 160MB System Folder and a 60MB Applications folder. I've included most every extension that I use with either my desktop, PowerBook or any peripheral that I own or/and think is common. In theory, I should be able to deal with Firewire, SCSI or USB-connected disks or even SCSI or IDE disks connected via USB or Firewire converters.
iPod - tools to add to your Mac OS 9 Install
- Data Rescue Classic - Prosoft Engineering's File recovery tool
- Techtool Lite - MicroMat's handy utility
- Disk Warrior - Alsoft's file system repair utility
- F-Secure SSH 2.0 - ssh2 application
- NiftyTelnet 1.1 SSH r3 - ssh1 application
- Versaterm - Telnet and Serial terminal application, FTP client
- iCab - Best Mac Browser to avoid Advertisements and protect privacy
- OPIE Calculator (fat) - Secure Key (One Time Password) Generation tool
- AGNetTools - WildPacket's ping/probe package
- WhatRoute - A traceroute application
- micro-Emacs - emacs - 'cause I don't have 'vi' for Mac OS 9 (and never took up BBEdit)
- StuffIt Expander - Aladdin's ubiquitous expansion package
- Anubis Utility - Support for multiple drive types
- SCSIProbe - Handy SCSI tool
- Silverlining -LaCie's drive tools
- SONY Describe - Support for Sony Firewire CDRW drive
- TimeDrive - Tool to measure Drive performance
- Gauge Pro - Newer Technology (defunct) tool for system board info
- Package First Aid
Computer Diagnostics
Everyone should have a copy of IBM's dying disk drive noises on their 'Pod, so they can identify that nasty noise that soon-to-be-dead IBM DeskStar glass platter drive is making...
Audio Diagnostics
Forgot your audio test CD or tone generator? Need to verify correct speaker connection? or ring a room to equalize it? Yes, RIP that Test-Tone CD and put it on your iPod.
Single Tone Signals
- 31.5 Hz
- 63 Hz
- 250 Hz
- 500 Hz
- 1 KHz
- 1001 Hz, -15 dB
- 1001 Hz, -16 dB
- 1001 Hz, -20 dB
- 125 Hz
- 2 kHz
- 4 kHz
- 8 kHz
- 16 kHz
- Silence
Assorted Test Signals
- Balance Check, Phase Check
- Channel Check
- Dolby Test
- Pink Noise, -14 dB
- Sweep
Date Created: 4 March 2002 with OS X 10.1.x |
