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

Run diskutil repairvolume <diskX> in Terminal from Recovery Mode. Does not work anymore for encrypted volumes.

Now run Disk Utility in Recovery Mode and repair the disk from there. After that, unmount and mount the disk. Then check if errors are gone and reboot.

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

SMART smartctl

diskutil list
diskutil info /dev/diskX | grep SMART      ### Basic info, only if S.M.A.R.T. is supported
sudo smartctl -l error /dev/disk0          ### Full info if it's supported

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 ...