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EDITOR NOTES
To update your copy of TechTool Pro 5 launch an installed copy of the application and select the "Check For Update..." option located under the TechTool Pro 5 menu. To update an existing eDrive, boot to the eDrive and perform the Check For Update.
To update the DVD you must order a new 5.0.6 DVD from Micromat for $25. Micromat does not provide free DVD updates.
DESCRIPTION
TechTool Pro is a full-featured utility program containing options for testing and repair, maintenance (including disk defragmentation), and data recovery. All it takes is one click of the mouse to perform a comprehensive suite of tests on your computer's hardware and attached drives. TechTool Pro does it all. There is no need to purchase additional software to keep your computer performing at its best. In fact, it's so good that Apple includes a copy of its sibling, TechTool Deluxe, in its AppleCare Protection Plan. Diagnostics and Repair Use the Check Computer feature to perform a complete diagnostics check of the computer and the Macintosh formatted hard drives with one click of the mouse. This includes a SMART test of the computer's built-in hard drive to check for impending drive failure, a test of the computer's available RAM, a check of the disk directories, and much more. If problems are found, advice is provided on how to proceed to repair the problem. Use Check Computer regularly as a part of a preventive maintenance program. Volume Rebuild In addition to testing the disk directories of hard drives, TechTool Pro can also perform a complete rebuild of them. This optimizes these critical data structures and, on a corrupted drive, repair any problems. Use volume rebuild to keep your hard drives operating at their peak performance. Optimization TechTool Pro performs both file and volume optimization. File optimization consolidates each individual file into a contiguous area of the hard drive. Volume optimization consolidates the free space on a hard drive. Optimizing enhances the overall performance of your drives and simplifies the file storage layout. Data Recovery TechTool Pro includes several methods of data recovery. Use them to recover data from corrupted drives that don't mount on the desktop and save the data to another location. Use the Trash History feature to track the location of deleted files and increase the chance of their recovery in the case of an accidental deletion. eDrive One of the unique features of TechTool Pro is the eDrive. This is a bootable Mac OS X partition containing TechTool Pro and a small copy of your system that you can use when performing regular maintenance or in the case of an emergency. It is created on one of your hard drives without the need to reformat it. Protection TechTool Pro includes the option to install the TechTool Protection system preference. This is where you configure automatic functions that operate in the background. In particular, you can configure Protection to track deleted files, monitor the free space on your hard drives, save backups of critical directory data to help with recovery in the event of drive corruption, and to monitor the SMART routines of your hard drives. If problems are found, Protection provides an onscreen alert and can even be configured to send an email alert.
WHAT'S NEW
Version 5.0.6:
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Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) compatibility.
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Fixed Disk Permissions crash issue.
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Fixed missing volume names in stage for Tools category.
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Addressed Check Computer latency issue at application launch.
- Enhanced SMART Check routine and attributes list.
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Updated French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese (Simplified) localization.
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Added more machine identification strings for Check Computer.
REQUIREMENTS
- PowerPC G4, G5, or Intel Mac
- Mac OS X 10.4.9 or newer
- DVD-ROM drive
| SCREENSHOT
| Developer: | Micromat, Inc. |
| Downloads: | 639,756 |
| - Version d/l: | 10,706 |
| Utilities: | System |
| License: | Updater |
| Date: | 29 Sep 2009 |
| Platform: | PPC/Intel |
| Price: | $98.00 |
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| TechTool Pro User Reviews (241 posts) | Write A Review |
 | Feb 1 2009 |
CHRISWAN I assume they would charge again an 'upgrade fee' for October 2008 Unibody MB and MBPs a few weeks from now (since it requires 'a lot of resources' to make TTP compatible with those products)
(Version 5.0.1) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Apr 1 2009 |
CHRISCHRAM All this little patch does is update the Sparkle component of TechTool Pro so that the application itself can perform the REAL version update. The real update is close to 60MB. After two attempts which ended in dropped connections, I was able to download it at their overloaded server that was dispensing data at dialup modem speed. We're talking several HOURS here folks! If you have an eDrive, you must go through that whole slow process again. (If you run Activity Monitor during the first download, you can see where the updater is being saved, then quickly copy it to another location while it's being expanded.) This update also blows away whatever protection preferences you have set, so write them down before you start. I guess MicroMat is trying to protect their intellectual property, but by making it impossible to simply download their updater in the more traditional way, they're treating all their paying customers like criminals. Not a wise move when money is tight.
(Version 5.0.4) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Feb 1 2009 |
ZO219 But Micromat has *always* been this way ... uninformative, a bunch of geeky engineers who majorly offput the public, and there has always been much debate as to whether their tools, always overpriced, are worth it. Let me just add that the product seems more substantial, if you can look past the silly interface,and while it is far, far better to repair you directories and disk with Disk Warrior, if you have concerns beyond that, and can afford this, it is not per se a *bad* tool.
(Version 5.0.1) | |
| [ 1 Reply - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Feb 2 2009 |
YORICK2A This version is no were near the same as the previous version total change in interface and features. sure some are the same but a whole lot more was added. Data recovery works wonderfully. This program is like two programs into one. Combine Data Rescue and Drive Genious into one program. There is always gonna be a debate on which is better but each program is different. Disk Warrior has one feature and techtool has other features they are not the same program and both were designed to do different things. The main difference is that this comes on a OS X.5.5 bootable DVD which is a must if you are working with newer macs that are not OS X.4.11 compatible. the former version sure would work on the newer macs but do not even try to boot it from the DVD it will not work. but this new version would boot from the DVD. Main reason for the delay was due to apple and the new Macbook and Macbook pros to make sure the product was compatible with them. THis version will install on an pre 900mhz mac G4 but the DVD will not boot on a older G4 which is to be expected. If you are using OS X.4 and a mac slower then 900mhz then use Version 4.6 but newer macs the this version works much faster and nicer. The biggest speed boost is the optimization and surface scan which was dead slow in Version 4. I did email the techs on why the web was not updated. he told me they were working on it and it would be ready for the official release the of product to the retail shelves this past week. Those who did the early pre order or the upgrade preorder (i got mine for $30 back in Nov) would get them first and the retail products would not ship till after MacWorld Exp was finished. If you are unsure wait till the office MacLife or MacWorld review due out in the March issue i think. For Me i tried this on 4 computers all seem to work with this just fine I just would not use the 4.6 Boot DVD on OS x.5 if you are using OS X.5 or newer then i would recommend the new version of techtool if u do not want to spend the money there are other tools out there some free some not - Onyx works fine for general maintance of your computer.
(Version 5.0.1) | |
| Oct 5 2009 |
MJKPHOTO $25 to update the DVD to version 5.0.6 is outrageous!
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| [ 5 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Oct 5 2009 |
$25 for a 5.0 release to 5.06! sneaky bastards!
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| Oct 5 2009 |
AMBIENT apologies for my incorrect comment. 5.06 is a free update for 5.X users. update to the newer version from within the application. the $25 update is for anyone who wants a new DVD from them. sorry for being incorrect earlier.
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| Oct 8 2009 |
HHEGEDUS If $25 for new DVD makes you mad, how about $59 to upgrade 4.6.2 just so you can run TechTool Pro with Snow Leopard? In fact, it won't even let you repair a disk that has Snow Leopard installed so now my version of TechTool Pro is completely useless. The is the only application so far where I will have to pay for an upgrade in order to keep using it. It makes me so mad I could spit nails!
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| Nov 5 2009 |
SNOWWHITESICKETTE There are differences between version 4.6.2 and the current version. The interface, for one, is completely overhauled. There are some differences in features. It is not what you've been using, which does still work for the operating system you used to use it with before you upgraded. Any version of TechTool you purchase is only going to work with Mac OS X versions that existed and were supported by that particular TTP version. It's the nature of the beast, unfortunately.
(Version 5.0.6) | |
 | Nov 22 2009 |
SNOWWHITESICKETTE You don't need the DVD. If an eDrive is installed, update the application within the eDrive, and run TTP from there. Or install your OS to a partition on an external FireWire drive, and install TTP there, update to the latest, and boot from the FW drive to run TTP on your drive.
(Version 5.0.6) | |
 | Sep 29 2009 |
STILL_SPARKLING Nice smooth update this time; no delays caused by Micromat's servers. And a very timely update indeed because one of my internal drives decided to cr@p the bed this morning. TechTool Pro wasn't able to rebuild the drive (neither could DiskWarrior), but it at least warned me before the drive totally failed and I was able to rescue all of my files. The files included my iTunes library, which, even though I have a backup, would have been a pain to restore. Thanks TechTool Pro (and MacUpdate for offering TTP in the bundle)!
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Jul 21 2009 |
HARV I almost didn't buy v5, but I weakened. And now the moral is clear. Sadder but wiser am I. Even if it were free, 'tis hardly worth the angst. I have 2 internal, 2 external and 1 off site backup. Should I have a problem, I'll revert to verified backup. And if that doesn't work, I can still save time and grief by (even) doing a clean install. Perhaps MicroMat can merge with Intuit (just a suggestion)...
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
 | Jul 21 2009 |
AGENT59653198 I bought 5.0.4 last May, as a part of the respective MacBundle. I only use the bootable DVD and right now I'm puzzled: where's the link to download an updated DVD image? Thank you in advance for your help, TT Pro veterans.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ 3 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Jul 22 2009 |
MISHA As with other disk utilities, updated DVD images are not free updates to download (due to their large size and bandwidth costs). You can contact Micromat about ordering a new DVD. I think it's around $10.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Jul 22 2009 |
HARRISTYPE There are ways of letting the customer create their own DVD. Take a look at iDefrag from Coriolis Systems. They released a free (for purchasers of iDefrag) DVD-making utility (Coliolis CD Maker) that will create a bootable DVD with iDefrag on it. That way when they release an update to iDefrag, the customer can immediately make a new bootable DVD. The way Micromat does it, and charges $10 for 5.0.4 to 5.0.5 update is a racket at best.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Jul 23 2009 |
BACKPACKER AFAIK Coriolis lets the owner of a Coriolis DVD make a new DVD with the updated Coriolis app on it; the DVD itself doesn't get updated. If one has an older Coriolis Tiger DVD then you can only make another Tiger DVD with a newer app on it; to boot the latest Macs with the newer Coriolis Leopard DVD would require an upgrade purchase. With the coming of USB-3.0 and ever cheaper external drives, all the disc talk may well become irrelevant.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Jul 21 2009 |
FOULGER Fairly useful programme - UTTERLEY USELESS AND SLOW SLOW SLOW DOWNLOAD. Tried four times to download the update and each time it fails 2/3 of the way through. How, in this day and age a developer can provide such a hopeless service I don't pretend to know. Perhaps sell it to someone more swithched on? Micromat have always been on again/off again & as far as I can see, nothing has changed.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Jul 21 2009 |
CHRISCHRAM It's a royal pain to have to download this update multiple times for multiple locations, especially when their servers are so slow. I was able to find where the file was being downloaded to, and copy it before it got deleted. Then I could deploy it elsewhere as needed. I wish MicroMat would just make their updaters available for normal download, and stop treating their customers like criminals! Also, during the update process, my com.apple.finder.plist file got blown away, and I ended up with default Finder settings. (Thanks the gods for Time Machine.) Did this happen to anyone else? I can't imaging why TechTool would be messing around in there.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ 3 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Jul 21 2009 |
BACKPACKER Nice work finding the TTP download location, and could be useful to know. Care to share ?
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Jul 22 2009 |
CHRISCHRAM It's buried a few levels under /private/var. I found it with Spotlight, but an easier way is to get info on TechTool Pro in Activity Monitor while the download is running. (You'll have plenty of time.) The path to the downloading file is listed under File Activity. It's called 5.0.5_4470.zip, and is contained in a folder with TechTool in its name. Grab that file and copy it somewhere else while it's being unzipped. The original file and its enclosing folder will disappear once TechTool is done updating.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Jul 23 2009 |
BACKPACKER Thanks! Shall make a note of that. My guess is that installer does nothing more than create the TTP app within it's folder; the TTP PrefPane and daemon only install upon serializing.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Jul 21 2009 |
DR. GIRLFRIEND 5:00am PST - Site is up, but running extremely slow. 5:05am PST - Nevermind; site is down again. App is hanging in the middle of update. Don't bother updating until they fix their server issues.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
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