macOS Common

HDD format / FS delete

diskutil listFilesystems
diskutil list
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX
diskutil apfs deleteContainer diskX   ### ONLY if diskX is APFS container

   ### FORMAT
diskutil eraseDisk ExFAT FLASH diskX   ### This will create EFI partition
diskutil eraseDisk ExFAT FLASH MBR diskX   ### EFI is not created
    ### To DELETE all partitinos ONLY - to have empty HDD without filesystems
diskutil partitionDisk /dev/diskX MBR Free Space 100%

ISO / DMG conversion

From ISO to DMG

hdiutil convert -format UDRW file.iso -o file.dmg

From DMG to ISO

hdiutil convert -format UDTO file.dmg -o file.iso

Create installation USB

For macOS

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

For Linux, ISO needs to be converted to DMG format first

hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o ubuntu-iso.img ubuntu.iso

Write to Flash

diskutil list
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX
sudo dd if=ubuntu-iso.img.dmg of=/dev/rdiskX bs=1m conv=sync
    ### you can see status using Control+T
diskutil eject /dev/diskX

Create BOOT USB FLASH Windows ISO

diskutil list
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX
sudo dd if=windows.iso of=/dev/diskX bs=1m
diskutil eject /dev/diskX

Repair system volume

I need to be in Recovery mode & run Terminal from there.

diskutil repairvolume <diskX>

Create ISO from Folder on HDD

Use Disk Utility > File > Image from Folder > Browse to and select the folder containing your files
Set the Image Format to DVD/CD master
Convert CDR to ISO

hdiutil makehybrid -iso -joliet -o FILENAME.iso FILENAME.cdr

Create encrypted DMG

hdiutil create -encryption AES-256 -stdinpass -size 6m -volname "secureStorage" -fs APFS ./secureStorage.dmg
hdiutil attach ./secureStorage.dmg
ls -la /Volumes/secureStorage
hdiutil detach /Volumes/secureStorage/

FileVault - Check, Validate Recovery Key

It's good to run this command from time to time and for sure when it was changed.

sudo fdesetup validaterecovery

Set Login Screen keyboard layout

# sudo languagesetup   ### doesn't work anymore
# # ENG = 1            ### doesn't work anymore
nvram prev-lang:kbd
sudo nvram prev-lang:kbd="en_US:0"

Logout / Restart. Should be english keyboard layout on login screen always.
https://www.motionbug.com/jamf-connect-filevault-and-the-usa-keyboard/

Set macOS HTTP Proxy in terminal

export ALL_PROXY=px:3128

Flush DNS resolver

sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Protect hosts

Set immutable

sudo chflags uchg /etc/hosts
sudo chflags schg /etc/hosts

Unset immutable

sudo chflags nouchg /etc/hosts
sudo chflags noschg /etc/hosts

Handy Info Commands

sw_vers
sysctl -n hw.model
sysctl -n hw.memsize
diskutil info diskX | grep "Media Name"
diskutil verifyVolume diskX   ### diskXsY ...

Boot - Startup Keys, Reinstall

Start Built-in macOS Recovery system, NVRAM / PRAM / SMC reset, Safe Mode ...

Mac startup key combinations Reinstall macOS Reset the SMC of your Mac

Boot - Verbose Mode

sudo nvram boot-args - Show current settings
sudo nvram boot-args="-v" - Enable
sudo nvram boot-args="" - Disable

Debug Kernel Panic in human readable form

sudo nvram boot-args="-v keepsyms=y debug=0x144"
sudo nvram boot-args="-v keepsyms=y debug=0x14e"   ### More verbose

PlistBuddy a defaults

Get BundleID

defaults read /System/Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app/Contents/Info.plist CFBundleIdentifier

Some Examples

/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print :AppleGlobalTextInputProperties:TextInputGlobalPropertyPerContextInput" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.HIToolbox.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.HIToolbox.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :AppleGlobalTextInputProperties:TextInputGlobalPropertyPerContextInput true" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.HIToolbox.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Add :AppleGlobalTextInputProperties:TextInputGlobalPropertyPerContextInput bool true" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.HIToolbox.plist

Compress to ZIP using random generated password

openssl rand -base64 6 ; zip -er FILE.zip <folder-OR-file>

Searching / Filtering logs

### Network
log show --predicate '(processImagePath contains "kernel") && (eventMessage contains "AirPort: Link Down")' --style syslog --last 1d   ### or 5m, 6h ...
### Time Machine
printf '\e[3J' && log stream --predicate 'subsystem == "com.apple.TimeMachine"' --info

What FILES are accessed by whom

Talk on SuperUser
Use lsof, fs_usage, or GUI fseventer

sudo fs_usage [PID]

Disable LOW priority for background processes

sudo sysctl debug.lowpri_throttle_enabled=0

This will disable low priority for background processes including Time Machine. macOS Could be slower overal.

List loaded kernel extensions / kext

sudo kextstat --list-only

CPU details, power levels, load overal E and P cores

sudo powermetrics -n 1 -s cpu_power   ### (info since from last boot)

SWAP on macOS

Turn OFF

sudo launchctl unload -wF /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.dynamic_pager.plist
    ### REBOOT and after reboot: rm /var/vm/swapfile

Turn ON

sudo launchctl load -wF /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.dynamic_pager.plist

Flush

purge

Show what's using swap right now

sudo fs_usage | egrep --color=auto "PAGE_|swapfile"

Czech Spelling

Download dictionary from OpenOffice
To ~/Library/Spelling/ copy cs_CZ.aff, cs_CZ.dic and hyph_cs_CZ.dic
Turn it on in System Preferences (Settings) > Keyboard > Text

Word translation to CZ using Dictionary

Visit cesky-slovnik-macos on github and download latest version
Copy Czech/objects/Czech.dictionary to ~/Library/Dictionaries/ (Show ~/Library folder with Command+Shift+L and create Dictionaries folder if not exists)
In Dictionary > Preferences enable en-cs.txt and move it UP

QuickLook plugins

Folders

• /System/Library/QuickLook/
• /Library/QuickLook/
• ~/Library/QuickLook/

Plugins

• http://www.quicklookplugins.com
• Certificate Quicklook
• ZIP viewer
• Image dimension

Reload of plugin qlmanage -r and QL cache qlmanage -r cache

Apple Mail

Disable of showing inline attachments

defaults write com.apple.mail DisableInlineAttachmentViewing -bool yes

Enable

defaults delete com.apple.mail DisableInlineAttachmentViewing

TCP Debug

sudo lsof -iTCP -sTCP:LISTEN -n -P
sudo lsof -i TCP -n -P

Memory compresssion and swap settings

Default is vm.compressor_mode: 4
Memory compressed ON, SWAP OFF sudo nvram boot-args="vm_compressor=2"
Memory compresses OFF, SWAP ON sudo nvram boot-args="vm_compressor=1"
Check after reboot:

• sysctl -a vm.compressor_mode
• sysctl vm.swapusage

SQLite DB View

Autovacuum SQLite /private/var/db/systemstats/snapshots.db
Maverick issue

Delay Standby mode (OS sleep)

sudo pmset -a standbydelay 86400   ### 24 hours

Delay Hibernate after Standby mode

sudo pmset -a autopoweroffdelay 43200   ### in seconds

xcrun errors

xcrun: error: invalid active developer path ...
missing xcrun at: ...

xcode-select --install

OOBSOLETE: Sleep to RAM only

pmset -g   ### to see current settings

Disable hibernate to HDD

sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0

Delete sleep image

sudo rm -f /private/var/vm/sleepimage
sudo touch /private/var/vm/sleepimage
sudo chflags uchg /private/var/vm/sleepimage   ### it can not be created now

OBSOLETE: TRIM

log show --predicate "processID == 0" | grep spaceman
log show --predicate "processID == 0" | grep spaceman | grep "trims took"
log show --start $(date +%F) | grep -i spaceman_scan_free_blocks
log show --start 2023-02-03 | grep -i spaceman_scan_free_blocks | grep "trims took"
sudo trimforce enable   ### for non-Apple HDD
sudo trimforce --enable   ### for non-Apple HDD

OBSOLETE: NTFS

This is obsolete and probably not working.

Installation

NTFS-3G
wpbeaches.com

• Install FUSE for OS X from https://macfuse.github.io and Homebrew from https://brew.sh
• • When installing "FUSE for OS X" make sure to select the "MacFUSE Compatibility Layer" option.

  brew install homebrew/fuse/ntfs-3g ### not working anymore brew tap gromgit/homebrew-fuse brew install ntfs-3g-mac sudo mv /sbin/mount_ntfs /sbin/mount_ntfs.original sudo ln -s /usr/local/sbin/mount_ntfs /sbin/mount_ntfs

If using El Capitan, System Integrity Protection's fs role will first need to be disabled.

Uninstallation

sudo nvram boot-args="rootless=0"   ### and REBOOT

sudo rm /sbin/mount_ntfs
sudo mv /sbin/mount_ntfs.original /sbin/mount_ntfs
sudo nvram boot-args="rootless=1"   ### and REBOOT

brew uninstall ...