Andy's Un-Official Unsolicited Mac Advice Thread

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  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited December 23, 2011
    Now that iCloud is free, and inextricably linked to so many things on an iPhone... what do families do? By that I mean, up until now, we've both used my one AppleID for iTunes purchases (via phone) so that we could share one library. My wife is finally starting to use the calendar and contacts more, so this morning I went to turn on iCloud for her (free, why not), but hesitated because there's my AppleID at the top of the iCloud settings.

    So I guess my question: is it possible, on an iPhone, to run iCloud with one ID and iTunes with another? I feel like the answer is "no way".
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited December 23, 2011
    Yeah, no. But you can use iTunes match to free your DRM music.
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  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited December 23, 2011
    Apple must be an only child; they suck at sharing. How hard would it be to enable some family options for all this cloud stuff?
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


  • cmasoncmason Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited December 23, 2011
    Hmm, well I have the same issue, with one Apple ID for iTunes across all my wife and kids devices. So, iTunes is logged in as my Apple ID, but for iCloud, I set my wife up with her own Apple ID, and that works fine. So for iCloud, she has her own ID, but for music purchases, and iTunes she uses mine. Works fine.

    In any case, I really find little use for iCloud: I use Gmail and Google Calendar, as does my wife. Gmail IMAP manages email everywhere, and GCalendar syncs with iCal on phone and Mac. Also sync contacts with GMail, and they stay in sync on the iPhone as well. About the only thing iCloud is useful for is docs and photos. I use a free Dropbox account for docs, so thats useless, and so, we use iCloud to sync the photo stream only. At least it keeps iPhoto from popping up all the freaking time.
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited December 23, 2011
    Oh!
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  • BradfordBennBradfordBenn Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited December 23, 2011
    I am doing a similiar thing as CMason. The key is to put in the iTunes Store info separately. The easiest way I found to do it, and I have done it four times now... Sign up and configure iCloud, then launch iTunes go to the Store Menu and select sign out. Then sign in with the account you want to use on that computer.

    The thing that has me wary of iCloud is the way it handles iPhoto integration. It was questionable enough I actually went to the class at the local store... Your pictures are up in the cloud. Period. You delete from your computer and they are still in the cloud. I understand that with the Internet that things are never really truly gone. However when I issue a delete command it should come off the server
    -=Bradford

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  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited December 23, 2011
    DavidTO wrote: »
    My 1st gen MacPro is showing its age, and I need to upgrade my photo storage. I was thinking about an iMac and a Thunderbolt RAID, but I think that I'm going to start out by simply hooking my MBA up to the monitors and RAID with this and see how I get by. The biggest drawback at that point will be the 4GB RAM limitation.

    The LandingZone looks pretty amazing.

    Anxious to hear how you like it.
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  • cmasoncmason Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited December 23, 2011
    You delete from your computer and they are still in the cloud. I understand that with the Internet that things are never really truly gone. However when I issue a delete command it should come off the server

    I have read that a iOS update coming soon will allow deleting from the photo stream
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited December 23, 2011
    cmason wrote: »
    I have read that a iOS update coming soon will allow deleting from the photo stream

    You can also delete the entire stream, once you've got it in iPhoto.
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  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited December 24, 2011
    cmason wrote: »
    Hmm, well I have the same issue, with one Apple ID for iTunes across all my wife and kids devices. So, iTunes is logged in as my Apple ID, but for iCloud, I set my wife up with her own Apple ID, and that works fine. So for iCloud, she has her own ID, but for music purchases, and iTunes she uses mine. Works fine.
    Really? Good, I'll cross my fingers and try it, I was afraid of my stuff vanishing in a "sync"
    In any case, I really find little use for iCloud: I use Gmail and Google Calendar, as does my wife. Gmail IMAP manages email everywhere, and GCalendar syncs with iCal on phone and Mac. Also sync contacts with GMail, and they stay in sync on the iPhone as well.
    I was just looking into that as well - although I'd heard iOS5 actually made syncing with Google harder? There used to be an easy button to "sync with Google"
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited December 24, 2011
    MacBook Air Battery
    Crud.

    Time to replace. Maybe get a new MacBook and sell this one after swapping. :D

    coconut.jpg
  • cmasoncmason Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited December 25, 2011
    DoctorIt wrote: »
    Really? Good, I'll cross my fingers and try it, I was afraid of my stuff vanishing in a "sync"

    I was just looking into that as well - although I'd heard iOS5 actually made syncing with Google harder? There used to be an easy button to "sync with Google"

    Well, not iOS5, but iCloud did. If you use Gmail and its 'sync' capability, don't have iCloud sync your email and calendar...it makes a mess. If you use Apple exclusively, it works well, but introduce any other vendor in the mix and it really screws up. I had to turn iCloud off for everything but photos.
  • bike21bike21 Registered Users Posts: 836 Major grins
    edited December 27, 2011
    Mac OS redo?
    Anyone here ever reinstall Mac OS to improve performance? I used to do this about twice a year with Windows but after 3 years of Mac ownership I have yet to do it. Not sure if I really need to at the moment because performance is still pretty strong and I use Onyx to keep things firing on all cylinders. I also keep my photos & media on a secondary hard drive I installed (in place of CD drive) to keep my root drive mostly free of clutter.


    Thoughts? I think there is probably room for improvement but wanted to get some feedback. I use SuperDuper for backups so restoring everything should be a snap.
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited December 27, 2011
    bike21 wrote: »
    Anyone here ever reinstall Mac OS to improve performance? I used to do this about twice a year with Windows but after 3 years of Mac ownership I have yet to do it. Not sure if I really need to at the moment because performance is still pretty strong and I use Onyx to keep things firing on all cylinders. I also keep my photos & media on a secondary hard drive I installed (in place of CD drive) to keep my root drive mostly free of clutter.


    Thoughts? I think there is probably room for improvement but wanted to get some feedback. I use SuperDuper for backups so restoring everything should be a snap.

    Not in 7 years have I ever even contemplated this. Can't imagine that an OS reinstall would do anything for you. Keep SW update on, keep updating, and you'll be fine.
  • PupatorPupator Registered Users Posts: 2,322 Major grins
    edited December 27, 2011
    The reason why that worked to improve Windows for you was that you (as most users tend to do) lost control of how many applications were installed and how many were starting up (or starting some process) at boot. The Windows reinstall trick was just an easy way to clear all of that out and afterwards you'd (likely) only install the programs you actually use. It wasn't necessary in Windows and it's not necessary in OSX either. Just keep tabs on what's running in the background all the time.
  • BradfordBennBradfordBenn Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited December 27, 2011
    I have just done a complete reinstall on my MacBook Pro. The reason, it went from Tiger to Leopard to Snow Leopard to Lion over the five years. When I got the new machine and was retasking the laptop, I wanted a fresh clean start from a house keeping stand point not from performance. I wanted to get rid of all the legacy stuff and free up drive space. Performance wise I can tell you that it made not a difference. Operationally the way the computer is being used, it was a good move. No legacy stuff of having something unexpected on there.
    -=Bradford

    Pictures | Website | Blog | Twitter | Contact
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited December 28, 2011
    Andy wrote: »
    ... Keep SW update on, keep updating, and you'll be fine.
    Speaking of updates, I have one that is "stuck" now - it seems to be a major one that requires a restart and does its installing of packages after logout. However, it just hangs there.I've even tried leaving it overnight with no luck. I have to do a hard shutdown by holding down the power button. Everything seems fine when I restart.

    Anyone ever experience this? Or have advice on somehow manually getting this one update off the queue (there's another update now stuck in line behind it)?
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


  • eoren1eoren1 Registered Users Posts: 2,391 Major grins
    edited December 28, 2011
    Do you know what the update is? If a major OS one, you can download the 'combo' update that includes all changes and usually works better if the 'delta' update fails/stalls

    Also, when in doubt, can always run 'repair permissions' in disk utility.
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited December 28, 2011
    DoctorIt wrote: »
    Speaking of updates, I have one that is "stuck" now - it seems to be a major one that requires a restart and does its installing of packages after logout. However, it just hangs there.I've even tried leaving it overnight with no luck. I have to do a hard shutdown by holding down the power button. Everything seems fine when I restart.

    Anyone ever experience this? Or have advice on somehow manually getting this one update off the queue (there's another update now stuck in line behind it)?

    You can always ingore the update.
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  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited December 28, 2011
    DavidTO wrote: »
    You can always ingore the update.

    I'd have to say it sounds like the update is half way installed or something. Would you still ignore that? I probably wouldn't--just because you don't know how much is installed (or not).

    Can you look through the log file and see what's happening? /var/log/install.log is the first place to look. Fixing the on-disk permissions is a good idea. Could be the install cannot write something it needs to in order to finish a task--it should be in the log file.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited December 28, 2011
    ian408 wrote: »
    I'd have to say it sounds like the update is half way installed or something. Would you still ignore that? I probably wouldn't--just because you don't know how much is installed (or not).

    Can you look through the log file and see what's happening? /var/log/install.log is the first place to look. Fixing the on-disk permissions is a good idea. Could be the install cannot write something it needs to in order to finish a task--it should be in the log file.
    Thanks, Ian. It turned out to be the Safari update, so I took Eyal's suggestion and just downloaded the whole package. All better now, no more software updates.
    thumb.gif
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited December 28, 2011
    DoctorIt wrote: »
    Thanks, Ian. It turned out to be the Safari update, so I took Eyal's suggestion and just downloaded the whole package. All better now, no more software updates.
    thumb.gif

    Maybe it just me but I've always wondered why Safari updates require a reboot. It's almost the same as the old IE complaints back when Firefox users were trying to make FF the default browser.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • BikerKBikerK Registered Users Posts: 9 Big grins
    edited December 29, 2011
    In this case, size does NOT matter!
    Andy wrote: »
    I run Photoshop CS5, Lightroom3 on my 11" Macbook Air and it screams. Go do it, no worries :)


    I'm a new mugger, but my "day job" is computers. Don't let the size of the Air fool you. Blast anything you got at it!
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited December 29, 2011
    ian408 wrote: »
    Maybe it just me but I've always wondered why Safari updates require a reboot. It's almost the same as the old IE complaints back when Firefox users were trying to make FF the default browser.
    Probably because Safari is tied into everything... after the update, I opened a new tab and navigated to gmail, and the browser immediately asked me if I wanted to setup gmail to work with Contacts, iCal, and Mail. So, clearly, it's got hooks into system settings and other apps.

    After all the trouble, I figured I'd give it a go last night, and I have to say, I really enjoyed the fullscreen browsing. I may just ditch FF for that reason alone - everything else is pretty much a wash.
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited January 1, 2012
    Wife's Macbook - no Timemachine rolleyes1.gif

    We changed hosting companies, and the email pop servers changed as well.

    Set-up the new mail account just fine. She hightlighted all of the old messages from her old account's inbox, and copied them to the the inbox of the new account.

    She then deleted the old mail account.

    Well, she forgot to copy all of the sent mail messages from the old account.

    Going to ~Library/Mail I can still see (and import) the old mailbox, but that is just the inbox. There is no sent mail!

    Anyone with ideas?
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited January 1, 2012
    Depending on the settings you're using to retrieve mail, it's possible it removed the folder contents because the messages don't exist on the server.

    Did you look in ~/Library/Mail/V2/? Do you see two directories there? Mailboxes usually contains the various directories, etc.
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  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited January 3, 2012
    ian408 wrote: »
    Depending on the settings you're using to retrieve mail, it's possible it removed the folder contents because the messages don't exist on the server.

    Did you look in ~/Library/Mail/V2/? Do you see two directories there? Mailboxes usually contains the various directories, etc.

    Checking the /Mail folder and all subfolders did not give any help.

    Lost mail is lost.
  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited January 3, 2012
    Issues with iCloud and iCal
    O.k. - anyone having issues with iCloud and iCal?

    All calendars are on iCloud.

    The MacPro and iPad are configured to use iCloud, and obtain all calendars from iCloud.

    For some reasons the iCloud calendars will not sync sometimes. They were there, and now all the calendar entries are gone even though the calendars are listed ont he Mac and iPad.

    Resyncing is not helping, and turning off/on iCloud on the devices is not helping.

    At wit's end on this.

    Contacts are no problem. It is just iCal with iCloud that is straining my iPatience.

    Any ideas? headscratch.gifne_nau.gif
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited January 4, 2012
    Are you sure there isn't a gmail calendar account on your iPad? I had entries go to that on my phone.
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  • RogersDARogersDA Registered Users Posts: 3,502 Major grins
    edited January 4, 2012
    DavidTO wrote: »
    Are you sure there isn't a gmail calendar account on your iPad? I had entries go to that on my phone.
    Thanks for the suggestion, David.

    I never use Gmail's calendar. But, I deleted Gmail just as a check. That did not work.

    Then, while using the iPad, I changed from month view to day view in the calendar. Low and behold all the events were there! i went back to month view and everything reappeared as if by magic.

    Seems a bit buggy to me and to others (based on the posts I have seen on the internet).
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