Apple FAQ

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This is it. Post useful tidbits of information. Feel free to converse in here, but be warned I'll delete them to reduce clutter after a while. :)

The Rules of this forum

I encourage all sorts of discussion, including mac vs pc debate. The stipulation on this however is this must be what I refer to as "Honorable" debate.

NO PERSONAL ATTACKS OR INSULTS
so long as you abide by this single rule, you are invulnerable from me.

If you break this rule, the next time you log in you'll see a curious message that goes something like this: You have been banned from this forum...

That is all.
 
Hardware Compatibility
IDE devices are all fully compatible - hard drives, DVD drives & burners, CD drives & burners. The exception is that iDVD wont burn to anything but the Apple SuperDrive.

PCI devices are an iffy thing. "Simple" devices like FireWire adapters and Ethernet (sans boot ROM) usually work. More complicated devices such as SCSI, video and such require Mac-specific compatibility. General rule of thumb is to double check.

One important thing to note is that macs use "Open-Firmware". its like a BIOS, but OF is not proprietary. Other computer architectures use it as well, and any (simple) device compatible with one OF architecture is compatible with a mac.

Memory
Crucial is the memory that Apple uses, and you should too. It is pricy, but Macs can be picky about their memory upon occasions and Micron (Crucial) memory is the only stuff that you can pretty much guarantee will work with any Mac.

AirPort and 802.11b/g
AirPort is fully compatible with 802.11b, and AirPort Extreme is with 802.11g and b. WEP can be tricky with some brands however.

What is required to run OS X?
Mac 10.3 - Panther) supposedly runs all the way down to a G3 233MHz and is tolerable for the most basic of tasks. Performance is okay for casual use around 500MHz. The most important thing is that OS X likes lots of memory, and Apple never seems to give enough of it. Get at least 384MB as a starting point.

The Mac filesystem: HFS+

HFS+ is a relatively advanced filesystem, if you are reinstalling the OS for some reason and don't know if you should use UFS or HFS+, use HFS+ always. UFS is for unix compatibility purposes.
In 10.3 (panther) HFS+ automatically de-fragments files under 20MB in size on-the-fly, negating the need for such a file-defragmenter, but Disk Warrior comes in handy for directory-de-fragmentation, and disk repairs.

OS-X and Quartz

Quartz in the name of the method OS X draws items on the screen. Quartz-extreme is hardware accelerated Open-GL graphics. This greatly enhances the UI (User interface) feel and makes it silky-smooth when minimizing windows or using Expose.
Quartz-Extreme requires a graphics card with 16+MB of memory and runs on any ATI radeon, or nVidia Geforce2mx and up.

I want to serve files so my peers can access them on the net

This is where the BSD underpinnings of OS X shine. OS X incorporates the wu-ftp daemon (a daemon is a core program/process), and Apache web server.
To turn on the webserver and FTP server, simply open system preferences, go to sharing, and start the "personal web server" and/or "FTP access".
Place the files in your home directory subfolder, "sites" (for web), and "public" for FTP.

Windows networking and OS X

Accessing windows shares
In the finder, go to the "go" menu, and "connect to computer".
You can either browse the servers or type in the IP address. The prefix should be "SMB://". For instance, "SMB://192.168.1.1" will display a list of shares at that computer.

Accessing windows-shared printers
In the applications folder, go to the utilities folder, then the "printer setup utility". Go to "add" and select "windows printing". Browse until you find it
NOTE: Add jaguar method later

Sharing your files and printer
To do this you need to enable Windows sharing, and Printer sharing in System Preferences--->Sharing. If you only intend to share your printer, you still have to enable windows sharing.
For windows sharing, your home folder is mounted. NOTE: Add how to browse whole drive??
Any connected printers are open for other computers to access.

iPods
The battery should last a couple of years at least. The following applies to all lithium-ion batteries and most battery types in general:
Don't let it freeze.
Don't store it without a charge. Battery life will drop. If your not going to use it, top it off every once in a while (or give it to one of us!).
Also, physical impacts can adversely affect battery life as well, however this trait is enormously more visible in NiMH (nickle-metal hydride) batteries, and if you drop your ipod you've probably got bigger worries... ;)
Additionally, there is an exchange program Apple has started, it costs $99 to get a new battery.
Links to a certain iPod website will invoke vicious "RTFF" replies, and grounds for petty literacy insults (in good fun).

Bluetooth
Apple uses the standard bluetooth in its computers, peripheral devices such as mice and keyboards that use standard bluetooth WILL work with macs. If you don't have bluetooth as a BTO (build to order) option, you can not obtain the BTO module if you decide you want bluetooth later, and must buy a USB bluetooth adapter.
Also, bluetooth cellphones work as well, with reports that 3G cellphones and BT-equipped mac laptops can be used in conjunction to wirelessly surf the web, depending on your cellular provider.

Keeping the OS "clean"

To keep OS-X from eventually slowing down over time as it simply fills it up, you should do a few things.
Leave your computer on every once in a while. You may notice flurries of disk activity, its doing something called updating your pre-bindings, so that applications launch faster. If it's been a while since its had an opportunity to do this, it'll do it while your actively working on it.
Don't fill any data-disk to more than 80% capacity. With all filesystems really, as you fill it up, fragmentation increases dramatically, leading to poor performance across-the-board in relation to hard drive access.
Spyware, virii, and worms aren't a plausible threat to OS X.

What is a Kernel Panic?
A kernel panic is when the computer has an error so egregious that it absolutely cannot recover, and can only freeze where its at. If you are getting these, there is something badly wrong with your computer. Sometimes its misconfigured hardware, or unstable hardware. I believe KP's are grounds for apple support (if you've still got it). Unlike windows machines, if it crashes, there's something wrong with it. :p
If you get hard-freezes in which the computer completely freezes and cant even display a KP message, something is terribly wrong with your hardware. Check things such as ventilation, and undo any hardware changes you've recently made.

Games

A hot-topic for macs. Yes, you can play games, despite what some say. Most new games are ported over to macs, however they are almost all coded for PC's so there is a performance degradation. As with any platform, you need a fast computer to play most games. If you play a lot of games, consider getting a PC as well.

Tips
If going to your applications folder is a pain, drag it into the dock, to the left of the trash. When your right-click on it, it will display a menu giving you access to the items contained therein.

Do NOT move apple-branded products from the applications folder. If an update is released, the software update program will not see the program, and accordingly not install the update.

All the "consumer" models (eMac, iMac, iBook), as well as the 12" PowerBook, use regular 10/100 Ethernet. PowerMacs as well as the 15" and 17" PowerBooks do have gigabit Ethernet.

However, all Macs of the past few years do have the crossover ability, so you don't have to worry about buying crossover cable as it is (Aurelius)




Handy Key-codes

To access Open Firmware on bootup: press cmd-opt-O-F immediately on power-up. Do not play around in OF unless you've got a specific need to do so. If you change a setting wrong, your mac is toast. There is no "clear cmos"
any OS X keys that change startup behavior. I'll get these later. throw in OS9 as well for good measure.
 
What is Mac OS X?
kernelthread.com, a blog from a computer enginner offers a great overview of Mac OS X, aptly named What is Mac OS X?. It is a very great read.

Mac Pet Peeves
It is not MAC. It is not an acronymn. It is just simply Mac. Using MAC does not exactly look good either. Here is a list of official product names:
  • Power Mac G5
  • Power Mac G4
  • iMac
  • iSight
  • iPod
  • iPod mini
  • Xserve G5
  • Xserve RAID
  • PowerBook G4
  • iBook G4
  • eMac
  • PowerPC G5 Processor
  • AirPort Extreme
  • Bluetooth
  • FireWire
  • USB
  • Mac OS X Panther
  • iLife '04
  • iTunes
  • iPhoto
  • iMovie
  • GarageBand
  • iDVD
When is *INSERT PRODUCT NAME* going to be released?You will know when it is released. Unless you are an Apple employee working on that product; you don't know. Even sales and support do not know it until it is officially released and have to scramble to learn the info before people start calling. In short: no one knows.

Will Apple ever release OS X for the x86 platform?
The chances are that it is highly unlikely. Apple is a hardware company that makes a bulk of it's money from hardware. Apple uses it's software to entice users to buy an Apple; and make's not-that-much-but-some money on software. If people didn't have to buy Apple hardware; Apple would very most likely suffer majorly.

OS X History: Version - Codename - Release Date
Mac OS X Server 1.0 - March 16th, 1999
Mac OS X Beta September 13th, 2000
10.0 - Cheetah - March 24th, 2001
10.1 -Puma - September 29th, 2001
10.2 - Jaguar - August 13th, 2002
10.3 - Panther - October 24th, 2003
 
AppleCare provides phone support and hardware support for 3 years from date of purchase of the comp and NOT the APP. It is only available while the equipment is in warranty and does not have any accidental damage.

You can get AppleCare on Desktops (PowerMac/iMac/eMac) portable (iBook/PowerBook) and iPod

iPod AppleCare is only for 2 years from date of purchase of iPod but will cover shipping, phone support and HW repairs for that 2 year period (including battery if less than 50% advertised life)

Is it worth it? It depends on YOU and only you. I have it on my iBook even though I **CAN** repair it (portable/desktop certified) and don't need for phone support I don't want to repair it, so my personal opinion is yes it is worth it.
 
(Edited due to new Power Mac G5's)

Do I have to use an Apple branded monitor with a new Power Mac G5

No.

The display adapter will be dual-head, one proprietary ADC connector, (Combines a DVI interface with USB, and power so that no additional cables are needed to connect the monitor.) and one standard DVI port.

(Now the Current models all have 2 DVI ports)

you can connect a DVI monitor, or an analog monitor, (using DVI to VGA adapter.) ADC to DVI adapters are available for dual head use with non Apple branded monitors

(Someone added, that ADC to VGA adapters are available also.)

Edit: found this on CDW

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=550433
 
Your Apple computer will work with 90% of the usb mice, and keyboards out there. Also do not automatically asume that any mp3 player will work with it.
 
5% of USB anything that won't work with OS X = USB NICs

I have yet to encounter a USB NIC that is compatible with OS X, it's not a big problem because all Macs have Ethernet anymore, but not ok when that port dies.
 
Another thing to add is if you want to upgrade a G4 or any other mac to a dvd recorder the pioneer ones are the way to go if you want it to work with apples own software(the 8x burner is not supported yet though). For anything elce there is Toast that you can get.
Another note is the apple LCDs. They will work with a pc that has dvi with an adapter(apples is about $100)
 
The Belkin F5D6050 802.11b usb nic works on OS X.

It seems to need ssid turned on to work too. Drivers are on the Belkin site.

Short but sweet.
 
Batteries

Rechargable batteries that are found in both the iBooks and PowerBooks have a finite life...they WILL die eventually. Depending on usage you can look at 12-18 months before having to replace the battery. AppleCare does NOT cover battery replacement under most circumstances as it is a consumable item (think of it like toner in your LaserJet printer)
 
CAN YOU BUILD A G5 JUST LIKE A PC?
No.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO EMULATE OSX ON x86 ?
Yes it is now possible with a software called PearPc that is in early beta stage if not alpha and it is really slow. Here is a link to the Official Website
 
swatbat said:
Another thing to add is if you want to upgrade a G4 or any other mac to a dvd recorder the pioneer ones are the way to go if you want it to work with apples own software(the 8x burner is not supported yet though). For anything elce there is Toast that you can get.
Click to expand...

Or, if you are going to use a DVD-RW/CD-RW or DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive that isn't supported by Apple's software, you could always give PatchBurn a try. There are two versions, really, PatchBurn (for OS 10.2.8) and PatchBurn II (for OS 10.3.2 or higher). These utilities, once used, enable Finder Burn support as well as Apple iApp. support for normally unsupported drives. I had to run PatchBurn II to gain support for the 2x DVD-RW/CD-RW drive that I put in my Cube and it seems to be working fine. I'm just a little surprised that nobody had mentioned this yet... ;)
 
I have been a PC user for my entire life. I am the IT Supervisor where I work and upper management is beginning to push Apples throughout the company. Fearing my job, I ran out and bought a tiny 12" PowerBook G4 last month. :) So I have a lot of simple questions and answers that people new to Mac OS X might be interested in. The first one that comes to mind:

Q: How do I -copy- file(s), not move file(s), from one location to another?
A: Hold down the Option key while dragging the file(s).
 
A similar one...

Q: How do I easily create a "shortcut" (for you Windows people out there) somewhere other than the Dock?

A: Hold alternative and command ("option" and "apple") while clicking and dragging creates an alias wherever you drop it.
 
Troubleshooting Tips
These are common issues I've come across

If you have any question, check out Apple's Support Site before asking. Most likely it'll be answered there.

My Application Unexpectantly Quits
If your application does this, 9 times out of 10 it can be resolved by removing the Application's preference file. To do this go to ~/Library/Preferences and find the piece of software's name in the list of files. If it's an Apple application it'll look like com.apple.app's name.plist

My AirPort card no longer connects to my base station or 3rd party router
There are a number of things you can try here.
1. Power cycle. Power cycling involves turning the computer off, turning the base station/3rd party wireless router off, and the cable/dsl modem off. Then turn on the modem, wait for the indicator lights to turn green to signify that it has a connection. Then turn on the base station/3rd party wireless router and wait about a minute. Once that's done, start up your computer and try to connect.
2. Go to your system preferences (located under the Apple menu) and click on Network. Once inside of network, create a new location (drop down box next to 'Location:') then click on 'Network Port Configurations' under the dropbox next to 'Show:'. Then unselect everything but AirPort (and bluetooth if you want to have the 2 under the same location), then click and hold on AirPort and drag it to the top of the list. This will give AirPort priority. Now click Apply Now.
3. Are you able to see your network but unable to get online and you know the base station/3rd party router has an internet connection? Most likely your networking preferences are currupted. Go to /Library/Preferences/System Configuration and drag the entire folder into the trash. Restart your machine and re-enter your network settings. This is a common issue when upgrading to Tiger.

I just 'switched' and my keyboard isn't as responsive as my PC's keyboard. What's up?
Go to your system preferences (located under the Apple menu) and click on Keyboard & Mouse. Once inside there, select Keyboard and play with the two sliders until it is adjusted to what you like.

When I try to run an application from the dock, a question mark appears on the icon. What's that?
That means the shortcut from the dock is no longer valid. Either the application was removed, moved, or perhaps cupported to a point where it does not work at all. Try re-installing or re-creating the dock icon

My system isn't starting up. It won't go past the blue or gray screen
1.Try holding down the shift key. This will boot the computer in safe boot mode. If the computer boots up, then the issue is most likely currupted settings or a rogue application that is run on startup hanging everything.
2.Try booting off your OS X installation disc and running Disk Utility (hold down 'C' when starting up to boot from a disc. In OS X (before 10.4(Tiger)), the Disk Utility is under the Installer Menu. In Tiger (10.4) It's under the Utilities menu.). Then try to repair the disk. If you get a message stating something was repaired, run it again and again until it no longer repairs anything else. NOTE: DO NOT RUN ANY DISK UTILITIES ON 10.4 (Tiger) EXCEPT FOR DISK UTILITY ON THE TIGER DISK
3.Unable to boot from a disc or don't know where your disc is? Reboot your computer and hold down the Command Key (Apple Key) and the 'S' key. This will bring up a prompt. From here, type " /sbin/fsck -fy" without the quotes. Once completed, if it repairs anything, run until it stops repairing.
4.Still unable to boot into your OS? Try an Archive & Install(if you want to preserve your user's data) or an Erase & Install(100% of the time will make your OS work correctly unless you have a hardware issue or compatability issue) with OS X.

I installed QuickTime 7 and now things don't work correctly
If you're running 10.3.9, you're going to have to either upgrade to 10.4 or wait for a quicktime update that makes QuickTime 7 compatable with OS 10.3.9 because currently it can cause multiple things from not playing files correctly and not letting go of file associations to actually reset other system preferences. If you installed QuickTime 7 on an OS pre-10.4, download and install this package: QucikTime 6.5.2 Reinstaller for Mac

I did an Archive & Install and now my user files are gone. Where did they go?!
Your files are located in directories (or a single directory) called previous systems (sometimes the directions have a number appended to the end if there is more than 1). The directory is located in the root of the hard drive (select your hard drive from the sidebar in a finder window or by double clicking on the hard drive icon on your desktop). Any documents you had previously are most likely located in your username's folder within the Users folder of the previous system.

I can't print correctly after installing Tiger (10.4)
For some odd reason, Tiger likes to currupt something with the printer drivers. if you choose to do an upgrade, try doing an archive & install or an erase & install otherwise you'll be trying for hours to use drivers you just downloaded from HP and installed. If you don't want to do that, you can look for your driver or just delete all drivers installed during installation and then just use the driver you downloaded from your printer's manufacturer.

How to and Can I Section
Here are some common questions I've come across

Can I fax wirelessly with my AirPort Card & Base Station?
Yes and No. Yes if you're going to be using a broadband connection to do this but you'll need to sign up for a 3rd party subscription/service/software to do so. No if you want to connect your phone line into the modem of the Base Station and fax wirelessly.

Does this mean I can't fax with a Mac?
No, check out http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/mh1797.html and http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/mh1005.html
 
The 10.4 DVD that comes with some Mac Minis after April 1st cannot be installed standalone, it has to detect a previous install of 10.3 or the setup will exit.

On that same note, if you find yourself stuck in an loop where you have a bootable disc in the drive (with no eject button) and no OS on the hard drive, hold Command-E and power up the machine to automatically eject the disc.
 
Q: Why can't i print through my airport express(s) like my Tiger apple can.

A: Because the apple documentation, FAQs, and website kind of fail to mention you need to download Bonjour. It's simple and easy and with it you can disregaurd entering TCP/IP ports and finding drivers, it'll do it all by its self.

Grab it here, don't spend two days banging your head on a desk like I did.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/bonjour/

-esr
 
The_Mage18 said:
The 10.4 DVD that comes with a Mac Mini after April 1st cannot be installed standalone, it has to detect a previos install of 10.3 or setup will exit.

On that same note, if you find yourself stuck in an loop where you have a bootable disc in the drive (with no eject button) and no OS on the hard drive, hold Command-E and power up the machine to eject the disc.
Click to expand...
If your computer has Panther restore discs and a tiger disc, this means your computer was made after tiger came out and the tiger disc will only be able to be installed if 10.3 or 10.4 is installed on your computer. This is true for all macs, not just mac minis.

Also, if you need to do an erase and install or an archive and install and you're running 10.4.1 or 10.4.2; you may need to erase & install to 10.3 with your system restore disc and then reinstall 10.4 with whatever method you choose. This is a limitation of the tiger upgrade disc that was dropped in with your computer
 
Q: Can I use a wireless card besides the Apple one in my G4 tower?

A: I put an Orinoco Gold in my G4 tower (Digital Audio mobo) and in 10.4 it picked up the card as an airport card and worked just fine
 
i need a DVD/ CD burner for my mac g4 agp model. it can only have one drive i would like an internal one that can be used for mac OS burning and booting form CD and installing. i tried a Yamaha drive that was supposed to work would burn but would not play record able CD i dont know if it would auto boot b/c my x an OS9 Cd's r burned. can you help?
 
Not to be mean but the FAQ is to help answer common questions for new Mac users. You should post this in the regular Apple forum where more people will look first.
 
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