System Information Tool Can Uncover MacBooks’ Secrets

System Information Tool Can Uncover MacBooks’ Secrets

Need tricky information about your MacBook? You can use the System Information utility. You may need to accurately select the hardware installed in your MacBook for the following reasons:
If you’re working with a technical support person to solve a problem: This person will usually ask for information about your system, such as the processor you’re running and how much memory you have.
If you’re evaluating an app before you buy it: You’ll want to check its minimum system requirements against the hardware on your laptop.
If you’re considering upgrading your MacBook: You’ll likely need to determine how much and what kind of memory you have available and which memory slots will be filled. (The same goes for your hard drive.)
Apple for Mac OS X provides a comprehensive hardware and software viewer, aptly called System Information, which you can find in the Utilities folder inside the Applications folder. You can also access System Information through the Apple menu. Simply click About This Mac, click the More Info button, and then click System Report. (Of course, system information is also available from the Utilities folder within Launchpad.)
As with folders in a Finder window in List View mode, you can expand or collapse each headline that appears in the information screen. Simply click on the triangle that appears to the left of each “Contents” heading to expand or reduce that heading.
Includes headlines for system information
Hardware: This address tells you the volumes of your hard drives as well as details about your memory; optical drives; modem; AirPort and Bluetooth devices; printers. graphics and sound equipment; AC power settings; And any FireWire, Thunderbolt, CardBus, and USB devices connected to your system.

Network: This title displays a list of your network configuration, active network connections, and other miscellaneous network tools. You’ll probably only need this screen when a tech support staff asks you which network protocols to use, but it’s easy to use nonetheless. (You’ll find details about network connectivity here that you can’t find anywhere else in Lion.)
Software: Well, this title shows something useful to the common man! This screen lists all applications, fonts, and preferences recognized in the Startup folder, as well as their version numbers.
(This includes fonts and preferences saved in the main folder Library folder, which are hidden from Spotlight search.) If you’re wondering if you need to update an app with a patch file (to fix bugs in the program) or update a file from the developer, you can search here to check the number The current version of the application.
You also get a rather boring list of extensions (or drivers) used by Mac OS X applications. The logs are usually only valuable to tech support staff; They document recent lockups, app crashes, and even system crashes.