Click HERE to download the free FSE Product Profile in PDF format. This document includes screen shots of FSE, provides more technical details, and describes the differences between FSE and FSE-Lite.

Introducing FSE for Mac OS X

FSE is a file system events monitor for Macintosh systems running Mac OS X. A file system events monitor is an application that displays and optionally logs all file modifications occurring on a Macintosh computer running Mac OS X, even those being done in the background that the user is unaware of. FSE output is displayed on a user interface that identifies all file system activity using the full path name of every file being modified as well as the processes and applications making the modifications. Among other things, FSE is suitable for identifying applications running in the background, assisting in spyware removal, assisting in adware removal, detecting what operations are occurring at a given time, and identifying when specific events occur on a Macintosh system.   
 
FSE has two modes of operation, Default Mode and Profile Mode. In Default Mode, FSE displays and optionally logs all events coming from the file system events daemon. In Profile Mode, FSE targets only specific events based on a user created profile. The use of profiles allows FSE to become event driven, rather than simply a device to identify all file activity with no regard to what it’s receiving.
 
When FSE is in Profile Mode it can target file system events based on the following:
 

• An application name
• A process ID number
• A user name (short)
• A specific file by name
• A specific directory by name
• A generic string

 
FSE will report on the following types of file system events on a Macintosh system:
 

• Creation of a file or directory
• Deletion of a file or directory
• Modification of a files content
• Permissions change to a file or directory
• Ownership changes to a file or directory
• Changes to extended attributes on a file or directory
• Renaming a file or directory
• Data exchange between two files

 
FSE is an outgrowth of FSE-Lite, which is included with the base version of Scannerz with FSE-Lite for Mac OS X. FSE-Lite is provided with Scannerz to help users identify problems that may be leading a user to believe that a hard drive problem exists, when in fact it’s being caused by excessive file system activity. When FSE is running in Default Mode, it’s operating almost exactly like FSE-Lite.
 
The Profile Mode used by FSE allows a user to monitor output from the file system events daemon for specific events. This is extremely useful. The following list of examples shows just a few of the things FSE can help identify:
 

• Determining if a particular process or application has become excessively active
• Assist in identifying unauthorized access to a system
• Recording installation activities for some applications
• Identifying unwanted or unauthorized applications that may be running in the background
• Identifying processes that may be recording user information without the users knowledge
• Identifying when remote logins and logoffs are occurring
• Tracking the creation, modification, and deletion of files by a user
• Assist in understanding how some applications or operating system components work
• Identifying application or system crashes
• Assisting in adware removal
• Assisting in spyware removal

 
FSE is not intended to be used by novice or casual users of Mac OS X. End users should be familiar with process IDs, command line path naming conventions, command line interfaces, operating system file modes, and the various user levels that exist in Mac OS X. Click HERE to obtain the FSE Product Profile which will provide you with a PDF document that further explains FSE, and describes the differences between FSE and FSE-Lite.
 
System Requirements

FSE supports MacOS® versions 10.6 (Snow Leopard), 10.7(Lion), 10.8 (Mountain Lion), 10.9 (Mavericks), 10.10 (Yosemite),  10.11 (El Capitan), and 10.12 (Sierra) on Intel platforms. FSE is intended to be used only with standard MacOS formatted volumes, which can include internal and external hard drives, Fusion Drives, and RAID units. It does not support any other platforms or drive formats.
 
Supported Intel based systems include all variants of the MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac Mini.

Purchasing FSE for Mac OS X

FSE may be purchased as a standalone application or in one of the combined bundles shown below. Click on the Buy FSE Now button below to go to our secure shopping cart to place an order.
 
 
Prices:
          $19.95 For FSE for Mac OS X
          $39.95 For Scannerz with Phoenix, Performance Probe, and FSE-Lite for Mac OS X
          $49.95 For a Scannerz with Phoenix, Performance Probe, and FSE for Mac OS X (save $9.95)