![]() ProToGo is a utility that runs on the installed computer and copies over a full installer for OS X-along with TechTool Pro 8-to an external drive, like a USB Flash Drive, for use on non-bootable computers or to run a complete check on them without having to install the full application on that device.Īll in all, TechTool Pro 8 works like a charm and has already been paying for itself. One thing I do tip my hate to Micromat for including is TechTool ProToGo, which comes with each version of TechTool Pro 8 (the latest version as of this writing with Yosemite support). It's nice to see what was checked when the blood was examined and what was found-like a clean bill of health for the computer. These details might seem like minutiae to others, but I look at the diagnosis process similar to getting blood drawn at the doctor's office during a checkup. If there's something wrong, it's definitely going to tell you, which is the purpose of the report, but it feels lacking because it doesn't display any other information or include a "pass" mark for the items it checked for. While the reports do an admirable job of looking Apple-quality, aside from spotting any errors during a featured check, they display little useful information to really go on. TechTool has a dedicated Reports section where the results of each scan, test, and tool are listed for later review ( Figure H).įigure H TechTool has a dedicated Reports section. What would a diagnostics app be without Reports? Not very useful, I would imagine. There are about a dozen tools in total, offering a wide range of uses-some more mainstream and critically used, while others are limited in range or frequency of use-but they're all included in the price of admission, without the need to run multiple apps, which definitely makes it easier to manage. The Data Recovery option isn't quite as beefy as some of the other options available out there for Mac, but the sheer inclusion of this feature is boon to IT for the casual "missing document" or "I accidentally deleted the file" responses received by the end users you support.Īdditional tools, such as Wipe Date-this is used to securely erase a storage device to sanitize the contents prior to disposing or repurposing it to another user-are often under utilized, but in this day and age of security taking a front row seat, you can never be too careful. In a pinch, volume cloning allows for an exact bit-for-bit duplicate of the boot partition or drive to be created and copied to another partition or drive, so as to create a working, bootable backup-or in the event that the HDD/SSD is being upgraded. Volume or Disk Image cloning is yet another great feature included in this app. Once the app is installed locally, execute it from the Applications folder, and you'll immediately be greeted by the clean, concise layout with basic information presented alongside test selections for testing individual components-or all of them at once ( Figure A). It costs $99.00 (USD) but goes above and beyond the built-in Apple Hardware Test or Apple Diagnostics found on newer Macs to explore each facet of the device, gathering information and comparing baselines for hardware operability to detect nuances (and outright failures) of many components contained in each computer shipped by Apple. TechTool Pro 8 from Micromat is the app equivalent to the Swiss-army knife for Apple computers. More specifically, this app helps IT personnel diagnose potential problems that affect the hardware side of computing by looking at everything under hood: network, battery, video, RAM, and each delicate sensor that makes up the whole hardware profile of a Mac. And since our motto is to "work smarter, not harder," there's typically an app to aid us in the troubleshooting process. From the initial end user that reports the problem, to the application itself, or a bug, policy, or good old-fashioned hardware failure, it can be tricky to find a solution, to say the least.Įven for the most seasoned IT pros, what looks to be a quick, five-minute issue can turn out to be a grueling two-hour service call. No task in IT can vary as much as troubleshooting a software or hardware issue that's affecting a computer. ![]() Use TechTool Pro 8 for Advanced Diagnostics
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