Hiding 'mach.sym' File in System Folder with ResEdit?

[bjorkj02]

Hello - I have a PowerBook G3 running OS 9.1, and am planning to only run 9.1 natively. Now that I've installed OS 9.1 and booted it up, etc, I'm seeing a "mach.sym" fiile in the System folder.

Since it seems like this file should be invisible, I checked into it and found (via https://www.aelius.com/njh/macos9/#macmachbegone) that "every time Mac OS X starts up it recreates the 'mach' and 'mach.sym' files and they become visible next time you boot Mac OS 9".

Since I don't plan to ever boot into OS X on this computer, I figure the easiest thing would be to hide it (rather than install MacMachBegone!). So I'm following the instructions to hide 'mach.sym' with ResEdit using the instructions at https://kb.iu.edu/d/adgd ...

However, when I open that file with ResEdit, I see this prompt: The file 'mach.sym' has no resource fork. Opening it will add one. Do you wish to open it?

Which (finally) brings me to the question: Should I open this file and create a resource fork, or not? Offhand, it seems like doing so will create something that wouldn't normally occur ...  And I don't want to create additional files on this computer if they're not needed. Perhaps I should use MacMachBegone! (or do something else) instead??

The main objective is to keep this computer as lean as possible with OS 9, and since that web page doesn't mention anything about a resource fork I wanted to double-check this before proceeding.

Thanks for your input,
Jim

[IIO]

(rather than install MacMachBegone!)

putting MacMachBegone into the startupfolder is for sure easier than using resedit, no?

Which (finally) brings me to the question: Should I open this file and create a resource fork, or not?

this doesnt matter.

however, visible files which should not be visible should not occur in OSX later than 10.3.

[ssp3]

If you run plain OS9 and not OS9 under OSX in Classic mode, then just trash all that OSX crappola, no need to fiddle with ResEdit or otherwise.

P.S. There's a Control panel called Snitch that allows to make files invisible much faster than with ResEdit. It is very usefull for other tasks too. I've been using it all the time (since 1997?) to change file types and creators.

[ovalking]

File Buddy (shareware) has similar functionality to Snitch (but in an application, not CP).

[Daniel]

You don't have to open a file in ResEdit to make it invisible.

Open ResEdit by itself. In the File menu, there should be an option called "Get File/Folder Info...". Click that, and when you are asked to pick a file, select "mach.sym". A window will open that lets you turn it invisible and other stuff.

[bjorkj02]

Thanks everyone for their input, and in particular Daniel for answering the exact question. It turns out I was a bit confused by ResEdit, because you don't get an active 'File' menu until you cancel the 'Open File' prompt that appears by default ...

But after doing so, I then saw the "Get File/Folder Info..." option. So I selected "mach.sym" from that prompt, clicked 'Get Info' and that opened the desired window. From there, all I had to do was check the box for "Invisible" and save...

Result: the "mach.sym" file is now invisible -- as it should be -- and remains so after restarting So thanks again for helping me understand the process, and hopefully this will help someone else in the future as well.

Cheers,
Jim

[IIO]

you know, you could of course also just delete the file.

[bjorkj02]

Thanks for the comment, IIO - I did not know that!  However, this begs the question of what other OS9 hidden files exist that could be deleted ...

If there is a list somewhere (or if one can be provided here) of hidden files that are unnecessary (particularly when a user is only running OS 9 natively) and can be deleted, that would be great to have for reference.

[IIO]

honestly i think that these unneccesary files will only be generated when you start the system as classic enviroment in OSX  for the first time. i dont have any of them in my system folder...

[IIO]

no, not hidden files. not from OS9 and not in the system folder. hidden files are only coming from OSX - and in some cases from backup and restore software and copy protection schemes.

so be careful not to delete stuff you dont know, especially in the root folder.

in two cases they are system extensions, which are malware.

[bjorkj02]

Thanks for the input, IIO. To make sure I'm being clear, my root folder is called "System", and inside that is a folder called "System Folder" along with another folder called "System".

I first checked the "System" > "System" folder (using ResEdit), and there are no hidden files there

I then checked the "System" > "System Folder", and there is only one hidden file:

- VolumeNameIconPict

Lastly, I checked my root "System" folder, and these are the hidden files:

- .DS_Store
- .hidden
- cores
- Desktop DB
- Desktop DF
- etc
- mach
- mach.sym
- mach_kernel
- Shutdown Check
- tmp
- var

There are also the following hidden folders:

- HFS + Private Data
- .Trashes
- .vol
- bin
- Cleanup At Startup
- dev
- Network
- private
- sbin
- TheFindByContentFolder
- TheVolumeSettingsFolder
- usr
- Volumes

So it sounds like I could definitely delete the "VolumeNameIconPict" file in the "System Folder". However, since you said to be careful with the root folder, then I'm still not sure which can be removed...

If it can be broken down specifically file-by-file (ex: "mach.sym"), then I'll be happy to get rid of further files ... But if not, I'll probably error on the side of caution and leave them in.

[ssp3]

These are invisible files from relatively clean 9.0.4 install as seen by Norton's Fast Find. Hope this helps.

[IIO]

I then checked the "System" > "System Folder", and there is only one hidden file:

- VolumeNameIconPict

that´s what i was talking about ... inside the system folder there are normally no invisible files. only OSX or third party stuff could create those.

[ssp3]

The file "VolumeNameIconPict" belogs to OS9 and will be re-created, if deleted.