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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
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| TechTool Pro User Reviews (240 posts) | Write A Review |
 | Oct 5 2009 |
MJKPHOTO $25 to update the DVD to version 5.0.6 is outrageous!
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| [ 4 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) | |
| Sep 29 2009 |
HARV Not a complaint or rant, really, but what is the reason TTP still requires Rosetta and is not 64-bit?
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| [ 5 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Sep 29 2009 |
SHOCK J Rosetta? What? TTP does not require Rosetta. I don't even have Rosetta installed on my MBP (10.6.1) and it runs fine. Yes, it's still a 32bit application, but so is over half of the Mac applications out right now. Give them, and I mean all developers not just Micromat, a chance to update their applications. Snow Leopard's only been out 2 months.
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| Sep 29 2009 |
You are right of course re Rosetta ( I was looking at the wrong line). And shame on me. Re 64-bit, I'm not complaining, I just want to know if there is an operational reason for the 32-bit, e.g., TTP won't work with older machines or whatever.
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| Sep 29 2009 |
SHOCK J The Intel Core 2 Duo is the first chip (used in a Mac) to utilize 64-bit architecture. Snow Leopard is the first Mac OS X to take advantage of this architecture. It's not about backwards compatibility, it's about forward compatibility. I have a first gen MBP, which only has a Core Duo chip, which means it only runs in 32-bit. I can still run Snow Leopard and any other application written to run in 64-bit, they just run in 32-bit mode. Applications just don't run in 64-bit mode just because the OS is 64-bit. Developers have to update/rewrite their existing applications, which previously only ran in 32-bit, to run in 64-bit. An application like TTP, which has hooks into the OS, will require substantially more rewriting than "normal" apps. And the last thing you want is an app like TTP to be coded haphazardly so that it jacks up your system when you use it. So you just have to give them time.
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| Sep 29 2009 |
HARV Many thanks Shocks. Your explanation has very helpful and informative. It is most appreciated.
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| Oct 1 2009 |
RWATTS I wonder if I've missed something... I've updated to TTP 5.0.6 but using the TTP Preference Pane requires restarting Sys Prefs in 32 bit. Explanations anyone?
(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 ] | |
 | Sep 19 2009 |
REEGOR TechTool conflicts with "Time Machine" (Mac's great backup program). It creates HUGE, multi-gigabyte, backup files for Time Machine every day. This slows down TM, and fills up your backup disk with junk. The solution is to turn off TechTool's protection (in the preferences pane). Especially, turn off Directory Backup. After all, if you are running Time Machine every hour, as we all should be, we don't need TT's backup which sits on our regular hard drive and is therefore less reliable. Once your turn off TT protection, what's left? The disk information and trouble shooting utilities. Ask me in 3 months if they are worth the price.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ 2 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Sep 29 2009 |
PENNYHEAD1 Tech Tool has mas functions besides it's protection features. You can rebuild volumes, optimizes files, optimize volumes, recover data, rescue data which has been trashed. You can do diagnostics and sometimes repair your computer's HD. I have no use for the huge library that Time Machine creates and use SuperDuper which updates what's necessary. Tech Tool Pro has been a valuable resource for me! :)
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| Sep 29 2009 |
LOUKASH > "The solution is to turn off TechTool's protection (in the preferences pane). " No, the solution is to exclude /Library/Application Support/TechTool Protection/Your_HD_name from being backed up by Time Machine...
(Version 5.0.6) | |
| Sep 12 2009 |
ALENZ Trashing the pref pane fixes the problem. The only drawback: every time you want to open the TechTool Preference Pane it will restart the system preferences and ask for the system password. But it works. Thank you
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
 | Aug 29 2009 |
MC_SHIZZEL While I know the software is not officially Snow Leopard supported as of right now it still runs quite well with the exception of the TechTool Protection preference pane inside the System Preferences, once clicked it will cause the System Preferences to crash. Just thought I'd mention that.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ 4 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Aug 31 2009 |
ALENZ I have the same problem. TechTool Protection preference pane crashes consistently after installing Snow Leopard
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Sep 11 2009 |
JR23 I'm running 10.5.8 on a MacBook (late 2006), and the TechTool Protection preference pane launches and crashes within seconds, crashing System Preferences and requiring its relaunch. So, doesn't seem to be unique to Snow Leopard. Did it work for you under Leopard?
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Sep 11 2009 |
JR23 Dug around a little, found info on trashing the preference pane (in my case it was in my ~/Library/PreferencePanes directory). Doing that, it now launches and System Preferences doesn't crash. Wondering if this will help with Snow Leopard. To try this, be sure to quit TechTool Pro app first, then delete the preference pane. When you relaunch TechTool Pro app, it will ask if you want to install the Protection pref pane.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Sep 11 2009 |
MC_SHIZZEL Trashing the pref file stopped the crashing on Snow Leopard although it will ask for my system password each time I enter the TechTool Preference Pane but nonetheless it works, thanks a lot.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| Aug 23 2009 |
I have just updated and followed the instructions - no problems Having found where the Preferences are IE: in the preference pane (silly me for not looking there earlier) at this stage at least investigate or as I have done Turn them OFF I find this App to be of a high standard - the defrag very fast I backup to an external drive with several volumes I have used TTP for several years - also - DiskWarrior to verify my backups and now find that DiskWarrior surplus to requirements I give this App 4 out of 5 stars | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Aug 3 2009 |
MARKOH Forget TechTool Pro and the rest of the recommendations here. Try out DiskTool Pro => http://www.macwareinc.com/products/DiskToolsPro/overview.html
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Jul 25 2009 |
GYNNY After starting the TechTool system preferences they colapse - each time! (MacBook Pro, Intel Core Duo, 10.5.7, 2 GB) Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGBUS) Exception Codes: KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE at 0x0000000000000000
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Jul 23 2009 |
CHRISCHRAM Since updating to version 5.0.5, my eDrive no longer automatically unmounts after startup. I have to manually eject it now.
(Version 5.0.5) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
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