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gregberns/macos_server_optimizer.sh

Last active August 9, 2025 05:23
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macos_server_optimizer.sh
#!/bin/zsh
# macOS Server Optimization Script
# Disables unnecessary background processes and services for server use
# Based on community research and tested configurations
# WARNING: This script makes significant changes to your macOS system
# Please read through and understand each section before running
# Test in a non-production environment first
set -e
echo "========================================="
echo "macOS Server Optimization Script"
echo "========================================="
echo ""
echo "This script will:"
echo "1. Disable unnecessary background services"
echo "2. Configure power management for server use"
echo "3. Disable visual effects and unnecessary features"
echo "4. Optimize system settings for headless operation"
echo ""
echo "WARNING: This will make significant changes to your system!"
echo "Make sure you understand what each section does."
echo ""
read "REPLY?Do you want to continue? (y/N): "
if [[ "$REPLY" =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
echo "Continuing..."
else
echo "Aborting."
exit 1
fi
# Check if running as root for some commands
if [[ $EUID -eq 0 ]]; then
echo "Don't run this script as root. It will use sudo when needed."
exit 1
fi
# echo ""
# echo "========================================="
# echo "STEP 1: Power Management Settings"
# echo "========================================="
# # Configure power settings for server use
# echo "Configuring power management for always-on operation..."
# # Prevent sleep when on AC power
# sudo pmset -c sleep 0
# sudo pmset -c disksleep 0
# sudo pmset -c displaysleep 0
# # Enable automatic restart after power failure
# sudo pmset -c autorestart 1
# # Enable wake on network access
# sudo pmset -c womp 1
# # Disable power nap
# sudo pmset -c powernap 0
# # Disable standby and hibernate modes
# sudo pmset -a standby 0
# sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0
# # Set automatic wake/power on schedule (optional - daily at 7 AM)
# # Uncomment the next line if you want scheduled daily startup
# # sudo pmset repeat wakeorpoweron MTWRFSU 07:00:00
# echo "Power management configured for server operation."
# echo ""
# echo "========================================="
# echo "STEP 2: Disable Network Services"
# echo "========================================="
# echo "Disabling WiFi and Bluetooth..."
# # Disable WiFi (assuming ethernet connection)
# sudo networksetup -setnetworkserviceenabled Wi-Fi off 2>/dev/null || echo "WiFi service not found or already disabled"
# # Disable Bluetooth
# sudo networksetup -setnetworkserviceenabled "Bluetooth PAN" off 2>/dev/null || echo "Bluetooth PAN not found or already disabled"
# # Turn off Bluetooth hardware
# sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth ControllerPowerState -int 0
# echo "Network services optimized."
echo ""
echo "========================================="
echo "STEP 3: Disable Spotlight Indexing"
echo "========================================="
echo "Disabling Spotlight indexing..."
# Disable Spotlight indexing on all volumes
sudo mdutil -a -i off
# Remove Spotlight from menu bar (user preference)
defaults write com.apple.spotlight menuBarShowsSpotlight -bool false
echo "Spotlight indexing disabled."
echo ""
echo "========================================="
echo "STEP 4: System UI Optimizations"
echo "========================================="
echo "Optimizing system UI for headless operation..."
# Disable visual effects
# -- This doesnt seem to work
# defaults write com.apple.universalaccess reduceTransparency -bool true
# defaults write com.apple.universalaccess reduceMotion -bool true
# Disable dock animations
defaults write com.apple.dock launchanim -bool false
defaults write com.apple.dock expose-animation-duration -float 0.1
# Disable window animations
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticWindowAnimationsEnabled -bool false
# Set solid color wallpaper (saves GPU resources)
defaults write com.apple.desktop Background '{default = {ImageFilePath = "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Stone.png"; };}'
# Disable screen saver
defaults -currentHost write com.apple.screensaver idleTime 0
# Disable automatic login window updates
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow DisableScreenLock -bool true
echo "UI optimizations applied."
echo ""
echo "========================================="
echo "STEP 5: Disable Unnecessary Launch Services"
echo "========================================="
echo "NOTE: The following section requires System Integrity Protection (SIP) to be disabled."
echo "To disable SIP:"
echo "1. Reboot into Recovery Mode (Command+R)"
echo "2. Open Terminal from Utilities menu"
echo "3. Run: csrutil disable"
echo "4. Reboot normally"
echo ""
read "REPLY?Has SIP been disabled? (y/N): "
echo
if [[ "$REPLY" =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
echo "Disabling unnecessary user launch agents..."
# Array of user agents to disable (safe selections for server use)
USER_AGENTS=(
'com.apple.ap.adprivacyd'
'com.apple.ap.promotedcontentd'
'com.apple.assistant_service'
'com.apple.assistantd'
'com.apple.BiomeAgent'
'com.apple.biomesyncd'
'com.apple.cloudd'
'com.apple.cloudpaird'
'com.apple.cloudphotod'
'com.apple.CoreLocationAgent'
'com.apple.financed'
'com.apple.gamed'
'com.apple.homed'
'com.apple.iCloudNotificationAgent'
'com.apple.iCloudUserNotifications'
'com.apple.intelligenceplatformd'
'com.apple.itunescloudd'
'com.apple.mediaanalysisd'
'com.apple.newsd'
'com.apple.parsecd'
'com.apple.passd'
'com.apple.photoanalysisd'
'com.apple.photolibraryd'
'com.apple.siriactionsd'
'com.apple.Siri.agent'
'com.apple.siriinferenced'
'com.apple.siriknowledged'
'com.apple.suggestd'
'com.apple.tipsd'
'com.apple.UsageTrackingAgent'
'com.apple.weatherd'
)
for agent in "${USER_AGENTS[@]}"; do
echo "Disabling user agent: $agent"
launchctl bootout gui/501/${agent} 2>/dev/null || true
launchctl disable gui/501/${agent} 2>/dev/null || true
done
echo "Disabling unnecessary system daemons..."
# Array of system daemons to disable (conservative selection)
SYSTEM_DAEMONS=(
'com.apple.analyticsd'
'com.apple.cloudd'
'com.apple.familycontrols'
'com.apple.GameController.gamecontrollerd'
'com.apple.locationd'
'com.apple.netbiosd'
'com.apple.wifianalyticsd'
)
for daemon in "${SYSTEM_DAEMONS[@]}"; do
echo "Disabling system daemon: $daemon"
sudo launchctl bootout system/${daemon} 2>/dev/null || true
sudo launchctl disable system/${daemon} 2>/dev/null || true
done
echo "Launch services optimization completed."
else
echo "Skipping launch services optimization. SIP must be disabled for this step."
fi
echo ""
echo "========================================="
echo "STEP 6: Additional Optimizations"
echo "========================================="
echo "Applying additional server optimizations..."
# Disable crash reporting
defaults write com.apple.CrashReporter DialogType none
# Disable automatic software updates
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.commerce AutoUpdate -bool false
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate AutomaticCheckEnabled -bool false
# Increase file descriptor limits for server applications
echo 'kern.maxfiles=65536' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
echo 'kern.maxfilesperproc=32768' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
# Disable Game Center
defaults write com.apple.gamed Disabled -bool true
# Disable Notification Center
launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.notificationcenterui.plist 2>/dev/null || true
echo "Additional optimizations applied."
echo ""
echo "========================================="
echo "STEP 7: Create Restoration Script"
echo "========================================="
echo "Creating restoration script..."
cat > ~/restore_macos_defaults.sh << 'RESTORE_EOF'
#!/bin/zsh
echo "Restoring macOS default settings..."
# Restore power management
sudo pmset restoredefaults
# Re-enable WiFi and Bluetooth
sudo networksetup -setnetworkserviceenabled Wi-Fi on 2>/dev/null || true
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth ControllerPowerState -int 1
# Re-enable Spotlight
sudo mdutil -a -i on
defaults write com.apple.spotlight menuBarShowsSpotlight -bool true
# Restore UI effects
defaults write com.apple.universalaccess reduceTransparency -bool false
defaults write com.apple.universalaccess reduceMotion -bool false
defaults write com.apple.dock launchanim -bool true
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticWindowAnimationsEnabled -bool true
# Re-enable launch services (requires SIP to be disabled)
echo "To restore launch services, delete the following files and reboot:"
echo "sudo rm -f /private/var/db/com.apple.xpc.launchd/disabled.plist"
echo "sudo rm -f /private/var/db/com.apple.xpc.launchd/disabled.501.plist"
echo ""
echo "Then restart your system."
echo "Manual restoration steps completed. Restart required for full effect."
RESTORE_EOF
chmod +x ~/restore_macos_defaults.sh
echo "Restoration script created at ~/restore_macos_defaults.sh"
echo ""
echo "========================================="
echo "OPTIMIZATION COMPLETE"
echo "========================================="
echo ""
echo "Summary of changes made:"
echo "• Power management configured for always-on operation"
echo "• WiFi and Bluetooth disabled (ethernet assumed)"
echo "• Spotlight indexing disabled"
echo "• Visual effects and animations minimized"
echo "• Unnecessary background services disabled"
echo "• System optimized for headless server operation"
echo ""
echo "IMPORTANT NOTES:"
echo "• A restart is required for all changes to take effect"
echo "• Keep SIP disabled if you want launch service changes to persist"
echo "• Use ~/restore_macos_defaults.sh to restore defaults if needed"
echo "• Monitor system performance and adjust as needed"
echo ""
echo "For manual fine-tuning, check running processes with:"
echo " Activity Monitor or 'top' command"
echo ""
read -p "Restart now? (y/N): " -n 1 -r
echo
if [[ $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
echo "Restarting in 10 seconds... (Ctrl+C to cancel)"
sleep 10
sudo shutdown -r now
else
echo "Please restart manually to apply all changes."
fi
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