Andy's Un-Official Unsolicited Mac Advice Thread

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  • PupatorPupator Registered Users Posts: 2,322 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    A friend of mine has been going through Apple power adapters like they're candy. He has a 17" MBP and his wife has a 13". One of their adapters quit working and they went with a 3rd party option - it had burnt out in about two weeks. He replaced it with an Apple one and it lasted even less. Took the computer to the Apple store, but they couldn't find anything wrong with it. He's trying adapter #3 now.
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,893 moderator
    edited October 28, 2010
    RogersDA wrote: »
    This is one thing I hate about Apple - their thin, crappy cables break too easily.
    That's true of most laptops. What is most annoying to me is that in general, you cannot simply replace the brick to machine cable as there is no connector, so a ten dollar repair becomes a lot more expensive. I went though two of them in three years on a Dell Latitude. Apple's magnetic power connector is a great idea, but unfortunately, my wife's MacBook has the same design flaw at the brick. All of them ought to have magnetic connectors at both ends.
  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    So the power surge last night gives me this today. Luckily the main drives appear fine, and all is sitting @ BackBlaze, too.

    1067407848_9umGb-O.png

    What irks me a lot is (a) I have a primary surge protector installed on the main power line into the house (the electric company here installed it) and (b) I have the computers/drives connected to surge protectors as well. The primary surge protector is supposed to trip immediately before allowing any surges into the house.

    So, either that did not work or WD external drives just can't handle a power loss.
  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    Pupator wrote: »
    A friend of mine has been going through Apple power adapters like they're candy. He has a 17" MBP and his wife has a 13". One of their adapters quit working and they went with a 3rd party option - it had burnt out in about two weeks. He replaced it with an Apple one and it lasted even less. Took the computer to the Apple store, but they couldn't find anything wrong with it. He's trying adapter #3 now.
    Richard wrote: »
    That's true of most laptops. What is most annoying to me is that in general, you cannot simply replace the brick to machine cable as there is no connector, so a ten dollar repair becomes a lot more expensive. I went though two of them in three years on a Dell Latitude. Apple's magnetic power connector is a great idea, but unfortunately, my wife's MacBook has the same design flaw at the brick. All of them ought to have magnetic connectors at both ends.

    So - here's the cable in all of its fried glory (click for a larger version).

    1067503780_RZkcy-M.jpg
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited October 28, 2010
    Do you plug the brick into the wall directly? I use the power cord so the brick sits on the floor. Less convenient, I know but it also gives a couple extra feet of reach.
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  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    ian408 wrote: »
    Do you plug the brick into the wall directly? I use the power cord so the brick sits on the floor. Less convenient, I know but it also gives a couple extra feet of reach.
    Yup...power cord all the time. Elsewise the darn thing is just too short.
  • colourboxcolourbox Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    I use the included grounded extension cord to prevent wearing out the hinge on the duck head, which has given me intermittency and sparking problems in the past if it gets loose, and to keep plenty of slack in the cable. Also, I never wind up the cord tightly around the adapter for transport because I'm suspicious of causing such a sharp bend there, I keep it very loose. And after using white Apple power adapters for a total of 7 years on two laptops I've never had a problem with that cable. Only the duck head.
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    I bought one of these. Jury's still out on it, but I can say I don't hate it. :D
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  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    DavidTO wrote: »
    I bought one of these. Jury's still out on it, but I can say I don't hate it. :D
    I may look into that. Thanks David. thumb.gif
  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    On a better note, my Hokie case for the iPhone came this morning.

    1067546303_6r3Xi-M.jpg

    1067543612_SjhbH-M.jpg
  • W.W. WebsterW.W. Webster Registered Users Posts: 3,204 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    RogersDA wrote: »
    On a better note, my Hokie case for the iPhone came this morning.
    Obviously not something Apple would have designed! :D
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited October 28, 2010
    RogersDA wrote: »
    On a better note, my Hokie case for the iPhone came this morning.

    Two to beam up Mr. Scott!

    I always think of that when I see flip-phones or cases :D
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  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    Obviously not something Apple would have designed! :D
    No - Apple would do it out of paper for the minimalist look.
    ian408 wrote: »
    Two to beam up Mr. Scott!

    I always think of that when I see flip-phones or cases :D
    Better?

    1068605560_fEpgU-L.jpg
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited October 28, 2010
    RogersDA wrote: »
    Better?
    Ha ha! That was good!
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  • colourboxcolourbox Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 28, 2010
    oh geez I thought it said "TRS-80" at the bottom
  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited October 29, 2010
    colourbox wrote: »
    oh geez I thought it said "TRS-80" at the bottom
    That would be nice. Makes me feel old(er), though.:cry
  • BradfordBennBradfordBenn Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited October 30, 2010
    Yeah, the industrial design on the power supply is just a strain on the cable to put it nicely
    -=Bradford

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  • chrisjohnsonchrisjohnson Registered Users Posts: 771 Major grins
    edited November 1, 2010
    As a recent Apple convert I am wondering about the following.

    How should I lock my pc in case it gets stolen? Right now I just start-up, but so can anyone. Then they can access my mail and other sites, hijacking my identity.

    On my travel pc I have to swipe my finger (fingerprint id) which at least slows the thieves down. How to replicate this on Apple without irritating myself enormously by having to log in to my own computer every time? Especially, as with Apple I rarely close down - just shut the lid on my Macbook.
  • colourboxcolourbox Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited November 1, 2010
    How should I lock my pc in case it gets stolen? Right now I just start-up, but so can anyone. Then they can access my mail and other sites, hijacking my identity.

    There are several levels of security.

    Go to System Preferences, Security. Under General tab you have options for requiring a password under certain circumstances. First turn on "Disable automatic login" so someone must enter a username and password at boot before seeing the desktop. Right now it's just auto-logging you in straight to your user account's desktop.

    For a laptop you might turn on the first option "Require password ___ after sleep or screen saver begins." So if the laptop is unattended for a while, a password will be required. I don't use the "Immediately" option because sometimes I want to get back to my own computer that I was just using 5 minutes ago, without being locked out.

    FileVault is another tab there. Many Mac users don't use this because it can have complications, but the reason to use it is if you don't want anyone to access your data even if they take out the hard drive or use other means to bypass the login password.

    Macs don't have thumb-print lock though.
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited November 1, 2010
    As a recent Apple convert I am wondering about the following.

    How should I lock my pc in case it gets stolen?

    Set a master password, use FileVault and also get Undercover from Orbicule http://www.orbicule.com/undercover/
  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited November 5, 2010
    MacPro 2008 --> just replaced the failed CD/DVD reader/writer with a new unit. 'twas a bit of a pain as I ordered a SATA drive which required the removal of both hard drives, the video card, the front fan, and the cover for the heat sink. This was so I could access the SATA connector on the motherboard. But now I am disk-capable. Also added a bit more RAM today, and will be installing the PS CS5 upgrade and Lightroom 3 in a bit. Might have to find a new owner for my Lightroom 2 software as my 3.0 is a full version vice an upgrade.
  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2010
    So - everything's going well installing PS CS5 when, with a few minutes left in the process, I get a message that the disk can't be read, and then install failed.

    CS5_Failed.jpg
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited November 6, 2010
    RogersDA wrote: »
    So - everything's going well installing PS CS5 when, with a few minutes left in the process, I get a message that the disk can't be read, and then install failed.

    What does Adobe say?
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  • colourboxcolourbox Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2010
    It's not typical so there's no quick answer. If it was me, I'd wipe off the disc with a cloth and try again, and if it failed (and other discs install fine to rule out the drive), I'd call Adobe...
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,893 moderator
    edited November 6, 2010
    Or you could download a trial version from Adobe and give it the serial number that's on the disk you have. I think that works.
  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2010
    ian408 wrote: »
    What does Adobe say?
    colourbox wrote: »
    It's not typical so there's no quick answer. If it was me, I'd wipe off the disc with a cloth and try again, and if it failed (and other discs install fine to rule out the drive), I'd call Adobe...
    Richard wrote: »
    Or you could download a trial version from Adobe and give it the serial number that's on the disk you have. I think that works.
    Well, 2nd time's a charm. It installed fine. Not sure what happened the first time. Installed LR 3.0, too. Then I downloaded LR 3.2 patch from Adobe's site. That dmg file kept coming up with a corruption error, but would then run anyway. headscratch.gif

    Click for larger...
    1079681020_e8SC4-M.jpg
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited November 6, 2010
    Your laptop isn't sleeping is it?
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  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2010
    ian408 wrote: »
    Your laptop isn't sleeping is it?
    Nah - the 1079707786_5TPan-O.png is alive and active....:D
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited November 6, 2010
    RogersDA wrote: »
    Nah - the is alive and active....:D

    Guess that idea is down the toilet. Just seems strange to see it happen multiple times and with disk or download.

    You might want to run some memory diagnostic or look to see if there are memory errors in the log file.
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  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2010
    I would run Disk Warrior on your boot drive.
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