About.com Rating

EtreCheck is an unusual bit of software, one that definitely meets a very specific need: helping you and others troubleshoot problems you may be having with your Mac. The unique part is how it came about, by a collaborative effort of users of Apple's Support Community.

Apple Support Community members would often see users ask for help with their Macs with vague descriptions, such as "it's running slow" or "an app always freezes." With EtreCheck, users can report exactly how their Mac is configured, what apps and processes are running, etc.

The EtreCheck report is sanitized of any personal information beyond the basics, such as what software is installed.

EtreCheck proved so helpful in letting community members figure out what was wrong with someone's Mac that "Can you post your EtreCheck results, please?" almost became the first question asked. The EtreCheck software quickly spread well beyond the Apple Support Community, and now shows up in many Mac forums that help users troubleshoot their Mac's performance.

Pros

• Free Mac diagnostic reporting tool
• Compiles a complete set of hardware information
• Complies a complete set of what software is installed
• Determines which apps, daemons, launch agents, and plug-ins are present and loaded

Cons

• User Interface is very basic, but hey, it works
• Only a reporting system; doesn't correct any problems found

EtreCheck from Etresoft is a troubleshooting diagnostic tool designed to produce a text-based report detailing how your Mac's hardware is configured and what software is installed. It can point out where conflicts and improper configurations could lead to poor performance of your Mac.

Starting with the basics, EtreCheck provides details of your Mac's hardware configuration, including how much and what type of RAM is installed, and processor types and number. It also reports on the video system your Mac is using, as well as all attached storage devices, including model, size, and amount of free space available. The version of OS X that is installed is also reported.

You'll also see details about all of your Mac's ports, and what is attached to them, including USB, FireWire, and Thunderbolt devices.

After the above basics are reported, EtreCheck goes into more detail, displaying what configuration files are loaded, which kernel extensions are installed and loaded or in use, and which launch daemons, launch agents, and log-in items are present. It also reports on which Safari extensions and plug-ins are installed, which iTunes and audio plug-ins and extensions are installed, and what third-party preference panes are present.

EtreCheck also gives information on whether Time Machine is configured, and if the target Time Machine drive is too small, a surprisingly common problem.  Lastly, memory and CPU performance are detailed, as well whether your Mac is using excessive virtual memory.

EtreCheck also highlights items it finds that may be questionable; for instance, it maintains a database of adware that is known to cause stem slowdown, and will highlight them in the report. And while EtreCheck doesn't have the capability to remove such items, it will provide a link to documentation that describes the removal process.

Even when you're not experiencing any problems, EtreCheck can help you keep on top of things before issues arise. For instance, EtreCheck let me know about a few items that were a bit out of date, as well as one or two orphaned startup items or system extensions which had been left behind when I uninstalled applications or services.

EtreCheck is a fine addition to any Mac user's collection of utilities, and if you do ever have a problem that you need outside help in troubleshooting, it provides a detailed starting point.

EtreCheck is free.

See other software choices from Tom's Mac Software Picks.