Matters involving physical computer components, circuitry and parts, as opposed to matters of software or computer programming
3
votes
1answer
1k views
MacBook SSD replacement — sudden motion shock sensor in optical bay?
When looking to upgrade a MacBook Pro with a solid state drive (SSD), one option is to:
First, install the SSD instead of the spinning hard disk drive (HDD).
Then, install the HDD instead of the ...
3
votes
4answers
2k views
Is it bad or unhealthy to put my Mac to sleep?
I am wondering if it is bad or unhealthy to always put my Mac to sleep or should I shut it down instead? What I mean by putting it to sleep is that the display and hard drive are sleeping.
The reason ...
9
votes
5answers
5k views
Are there headset adapters usable for MacBook Pros?
I bought a headset, and it has a (obviously) male headphone input and microphone output. Problem is, MacBook Pros don't have a microphone input. Instead, they have an audio line in.
However, ...
5
votes
2answers
491 views
CD doesn't eject
I have a problem with ejecting a CD. It happened twice in the past few days, CD drive disappears from the list of devices in a Finder and I can't eject a CD that sits inside my laptop. I tried Disk ...
6
votes
5answers
4k views
How can I avoid my MacBook Pro giving me minor shocks?
The aluminum Macbook Pro gives a mild shock when connected to a wall socket and charging. It only happens when I'm, for example, not wearing shoes or slippers and my feet are resting on the ground ...
1
vote
3answers
349 views
Cleaning White MacBook
I have a white MacBook, and it has gotten kinda dingy over the past couple of years. Still runs fine, but I would like to know what I can use to clean the white plastic. I was thinking one of those ...
5
votes
1answer
5k views
Can I upgrade my 2008 Mac Pro completely?
Hey everyone, I have a 2008 Mac Pro/2.83hzXEON(8)/8800GT512mb.
Is it possible for me to upgrade this machine to newer hardware, since it is Intel based? What would it entail to put a newer processor, ...
3
votes
1answer
634 views
MacBook Pro Memory
This relates to my previous question regarding my MacBook Pro. http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/1450/macbook-pro-will-not-start-or-quits
I need to replace one of my 2G DIMMs and in shopping ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
Are non-Apple lightning cables and power transformers safe to use?
I need to buy an Apple 12W USB Power Adapter for my iPhone 5.
In eBay you can find replicas for one third of the price. Do you know if these can ruin your phone? I am more cautious about a third ...
2
votes
7answers
771 views
Is there a way to evaluate OS X without purchasing Macintosh hardware?
I'd like to play with OS X to see what makes it tick under the covers for the purpose of IT support - at CWRU here we have a lot of Mac-using professors. However, I can't justify spending twice as ...
0
votes
2answers
170 views
Two older Macs (G3 / Intel) need their drives erased. No install discs
I have two older Macs in which I want to erase the hard drive. Secure-erase is a plus, but not a show-stopper at this point. I don't have any Mac OS X discs so I can't use disc utility.
What I'd ...
23
votes
6answers
6k views
What are the best practices for battery longevity?
How do you maximize the cycle count of your battery?
There seems to be a debate between:
Leave plugged in 24/7 but do a full cycle once a month
Charge to ~100%, drain to ~10%, repeat.
NOTE: ...
8
votes
5answers
823 views
Two external displays without Thunderbolt
I need to buy a new laptop (Mac) for work and the top priority for me is having at least two displays.
Unfortunately, due to budget limitations I cannot buy Apple Thunderbolt Displays. Now, and ...
9
votes
4answers
31k views
Locking an iPhone if button is broken?
My friend's iPhone's sleep/wake button no longer works. Is there any way to turn off the screen besides setting up auto-lock and waiting a few minutes?
9
votes
2answers
1k views
What happens at the Mac OS level when the SSD finally wears out?
I have been reading up on SSD technology and don't know of any first hand reports on what happens when an SSD eventually fails due to over use. I am most interested in the SSD that apple includes as a ...
6
votes
6answers
3k views
Switch internal monitor off by software (script/terminal/shortcut/…)
I’m using my MacBook Pro (OS X 10.6) standing in a shelf with an external screen on my desk so I don’t use and need the internal screen. But if the internal one is on it’s shown in spaces.
It is ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
Did Apple degrade the accuracy of the iPhone 4S GPS compared to the iPhone 4
I have done some extensive testing of my iPhone 4S compared to my iPhone 4 and found GPS accuracy has suffered substantially.
I've been using the 4 for about a year, riding a bicycle on a 3 mile loop ...
3
votes
1answer
277 views
Is it a good idea to seal off the optical drive bay after installing a second HDD?
When installing a HDD instead of the SuperDrive:
Does the bracket, which holds the HDD, seal off the optical drive slot in the unibody?
If not, it seems that debris and dust could get in. (I guess ...
3
votes
2answers
983 views
Why is my MacBook Pro quitting and/or failing to start up?
This is an issue that started today.
Last night I shut down the machine. This morning I switched it on and got the initial sound but not the chime. The sleep indicator light would blink in groups of ...
0
votes
1answer
732 views
Solving a problem on a MacBook Pro 5,1 with an OCZ Agility 3 SSD
I installed Mac OS X lion on an SSD (through USB) after checking the firmware was the latest version (2.15). When I transferred the SSD into the MacBook Pro (like i usually do after an install) but it ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views
Does AppleCare cover physical wear on MacBook Pros?
I have a Mid-2010 MacBook Pro with AppleCare. I've had a few minor/cosmetic hardware issues:
My power cord recently started coming apart. The rubber/plastic coating around the MagSafe end of the ...
6
votes
5answers
3k views
Can I use a non-Apple keyboard with OS X?
Recently I've been thinking about the idea of migrating from PC to Mac, specifically Mac Mini. The biggest issue however is hardware, since I'm not sure what will and what won't work on OS X.
First ...
4
votes
2answers
243 views
Where can I get highly technical documentation of Macintosh hardware?
I am often looking to dig deeper than the overview technical specifications that Apple provides and miss the old Developer Notes that used to be published as Apple Hardware Documentation in HTML and ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Mac Pro Memory - Should I use 8 RAM slots in dual-channel mode or 6 RAM slots in triple-channel mode?
I have a Mac Pro tower with a 2 x 2.66 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon chipset, and 8 RAM slots. I have been told because of the processor's triple-channel memory capability that I should be installing RAM ...
2
votes
1answer
2k views
High fan speed and CPU temp with low CPU usage?
I've been having intermittent fan speed and high CPU temperature when my CPU usage is nearly 0%. I don't run any weird apps. If I put my computer into sleep mode and wake it back up, this fixes the ...
1
vote
1answer
278 views
SSD adapter for optical drive
I'm going to add a SSD drive to my macbook pro.
I'm wondering if the optical drive adapter can have any influence on the disk speed, taking it down from a SATA III to a SATA II or I.
1
vote
2answers
1k views
iPod 2nd Gen Replacement digitizer not working
So I just ordered a new digitizer and middle frame for my 2nd Gen iPod Touch, wired everything up, and the digitizer is not recognizing any finger swipes.
I have not snapped the frame into place yet ...
0
votes
1answer
444 views
How to pinpoint cause of disk I/O errors
I am getting (seemingly random) disk I/O errors on my bootdrive. At first I thought it was caused by a faulty hard drive, but now I've replaced it and I still get those errors.
These are the steps I ...
0
votes
2answers
900 views
MacBook Pro (15" mid-2010) crashes upon waking up from sleep sometimes
I have this MacBook for quite a while now. It's been working just fine with the exception of sleep/wake-up issues. Sometimes there's no problem at all, but occasionally it does not.
For instance, I ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
When do the Macbook Pro fans turn on?
As a complement to this question about keeping the Mac cool so the fans don't get triggered:
At what temperature does the mac turn on the fans? I know that a high CPU load can cause the fans to go ...
0
votes
1answer
452 views
Do MacAlly keyboards require drivers to function?
I need to replace the keyboard on my iMac G5, and I'm considering the MacAlly keyboards, probably the iKey Slim as it's available for less than $20 with shipping and tax. It also has two USB ports on ...
0
votes
2answers
190 views
there used to be a full sized wireless keyboard?
I am a programmer and find the small wireless keyboard hard to use (the small arrow keys and lack of home/end keys). From what I remember there used to be a full sized wireless keyboard, is this ...
