OSX: Cleaning out in auto-start stuff

[Leon]

Hi,

Overtime your installation will be filled with stuff that you test.. some of it you might not use anymore or you just want to trim it.

Cleaning out in automatic starting things can also help you speed up your system boot time and generel run time.

 

1) The autostart is usually not in the User-Autostart-Items, but you should check them anyway:

Open the System-Preferences > Users > Select your user > Start-Objects

Check if there is something started you want to deactivate and do so if.

 

2) Normally the start of apache is handled by the launchd-service: You can either change this manually, or with the help of a old little tool named "Lingon". To do it manually, you need to find the launchd-folders:

~/Library/LaunchAgents
~/Library/LaunchDaemons

/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons

/System/Library/LaunchAgents
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons

There you'll find .plist-files, that define when and what to start. To remove a object from auto-start use launchctl on the terminal to remove it from the actual launchd and then simply delete the file.

user$ launchctl unload *filename.plist*

Make sure you do not delete the wrong files! This may lead to a fatal situation on your machine. Btw: The .plist-Files can be read with BBEdit, TextWrangler or the PropertyList Editor from the Apple Developer-Tools.