A discontinued line of non-Pro and non-Air portable Macs.
41
votes
7answers
31k views
Why won't closing the lid sleep my MacBook Pro with external monitor attached after upgrading to Lion?
Up until yesterday (with Snow Leopard), closing the lid would cause my MacBook to sleep whether or not the external monitor was connected.
Since upgrading to Lion last night, closing the lid when the ...
26
votes
3answers
8k views
Can I use the new Lion OS X license on two machines, or do I have to buy one for each?
I have 2 macbooks (the unibody and the one before that). Do I need to buy two licenses or can I just use one license for both machines?
21
votes
4answers
8k views
Is there any way to set a MacBook Pro to not sleep when you close the lid?
The most common use case I have for this is when I'm playing music over AirTunes, but don't want an open laptop laying around. Or when I'm syncing or downloading something.
This isn't the same as ...
18
votes
3answers
1k views
What is this button on my MacBook?
I have a 2011 MacBook. Along the left edge (looking at it from the normal typing position), near the front, there is a small silver button which is flush with the rest of the case. When pressed, a ...
16
votes
1answer
688 views
How can I keep bugs out of the MacBook Pro's hinge vent?
I've noticed that some flying bugs have an irritating habit of crawling into the hinge vent on my MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009).
I don't know what possesses them to go in there, maybe it looks like ...
14
votes
4answers
6k views
What's the point of the 60W Apple MagSafe replacement charger?
One of the cable tabs on my MagSafe charger for my MacBook came undone, so I took this as a sign to retire the charger to home use and to purchase another for travel. When I went to my local Best Buy, ...
13
votes
5answers
541 views
Lock keyboard in lion
Is there a way to lock the keyboard in Lion? By "lock keyboard" I mean some way to make the computer ignore almost any keypresses, except some special "unlock" sequence. Maybe an OS X feature or ...
10
votes
1answer
3k views
Replacing SuperDrive with secondary storage?
I'm familiar with the OWC Data Doubler, a kit which allows you to remove your Macbook's SuperDrive and replace it with secondary storage.
What alternatives exist for this product?
A complete answer ...
10
votes
3answers
9k views
How do I call myself using Facetime?
I have Facetime on my MacBook and Facetime on my iPad. Of course I also have one Apple ID account. Sometimes the family uses the iPad while I'm away. I'd like to be able to call "myself", that is ...
10
votes
1answer
167 views
Macbook started to consume battery more quickly
This seemed to happen after I did several things at once (all of which I have since reversed in trying to track this down):
installed a (Crucial M4) SSD drive (replacing my old SATA 5400 RPM drive),
...
9
votes
5answers
13k views
Can I use iPhone earbuds as a microphone on my MacBook?
The only microphone I have is the one built-in to my iPhone earbuds. I want to try some line-in stuff, so I plugged the headphones into the microphone port. I then went to System ...
9
votes
6answers
1k views
Will I still be able to buy and install Lion after Mountain Lion is released?
I own an Early 2008, white MacBook (MB403LL/A) which still has Snow Leopard, 10.6.8, installed.
My understanding is Mountain Lion will not support my MacBook. If this turns out to be true then I ...
9
votes
4answers
3k views
MacBook Air Charger 45w vs 65w
Can you use a 65W apple charger instead of the 45w charger that comes with the Macbook Air? How will this affect the machine.
8
votes
1answer
14k views
Can I transfer photos from iPhone 4 to a MacBook via Bluetooth?
Is there any way to transfer photos from the iPhone 4 camera roll to a MacBook over Bluetooth?
8
votes
3answers
6k views
How can I reset the firmware password on a MacBook Air?
I purchased a MacBook Air from someone 4 months ago and everything was working perfectly. There is no user name or password needed to log in and I've never had problems using it.
Now I would like to ...
8
votes
3answers
2k views
Can a MacBook act as bluetooth headset?
Is it possible to use my MacBook as a bluetooth headset? I would like to connect my phone to my MacBook via bluetooth, so that when calls or SMS come into my phone I get notified on my MacBook, and ...
7
votes
10answers
4k views
How long should a 2007 Macbook battery last?
My girlfriend's battery won't last 1 second, so it obviously needs replaced.
But I just bought a new battery from Apple a few months ago and it seems to discharge extremely quickly. Are there any ...
7
votes
4answers
986 views
Is the white MacBook suitable for software development? [closed]
I'd like to know if you think the white MacBook (2.26ghz, 2gig ram) is good for software development (using Xcode, Interface Builder etc...)
7
votes
5answers
24k views
How can I set an external display (monitor) as the primary one?
Currently the MacBook's display works as primary, so every application I open gets open on the 13" and I have to drag it to the 24". I also don't have access to the dock on my 24".
Is is possible to ...
7
votes
2answers
8k views
A better way to remove keyboard grease from a MacBook Air's normal keyboard?
The grease stain on a black keyboard looks awful. What are the recommended steps to remove the grease?
I have found some posts online suggesting pure alcohol as a solvent. (one such CNET forum)
Is ...
7
votes
1answer
700 views
AirDrop on Unsupported Macs?
One of the Lion features I would really like to use is AirDrop. It would make transferring files so much faster than using a flash drive. Unfortunately, my Mac is a 2007 Black MacBook, and AirDrop is ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Use external display only with MacBook?
I have a Mid 2010 MacBook. Is it possible to make the external display into the only one, so that I can close the lid and keep working on my MacBook with an external keyboard/mouse and monitor?
7
votes
2answers
1k views
What are good specs for a MacBook to develop on iOS with? [closed]
I want to buy a MacBook to develop on iOS with. What is the best configuration of one? Should I go with a MacBook Pro or just a MacBook? What are the positives and negatives of each?
7
votes
8answers
5k views
Macbook HD “Other” all the Sudden Almost Full
As you can see in the below image, my HD "Other" category is almost full. A couple of days ago, I randomly kept getting a popup saying that my disk was almost full. Then I went in and noticed the ...
7
votes
1answer
2k views
MacBook Pro WiFi keeps shutting down for no apparent reason
I've got quite a problem with my Macbook Pro (late 2010, running OS X Lion 10.7.3).
Since a few days ago, my wifi frequently keeps shutting down. It starts by the network not being functional and then ...
6
votes
8answers
3k views
For equal cost, why would you select the MacBook Air over the MacBook Pro? [closed]
I can see that the 13" version of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air is same $1199, but the Pro is more feature-loaded than Macbook Air. Why would anyone buy MacBook Air? What's the catch in this?
I was ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
Will I damage my HDD if I transport my MacBook in sleep mode?
Is it safe to carry MacBook with HDD in a bag while it has been put sleep? I.e. I know there are some risks of hard disk drive damage if one tries to shake them or rotate them while they're working. ...
6
votes
4answers
2k views
How much RAM can I add to my macbook
I have a 2008 macbook with a 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo.
I am in the process of upgrading to Lion.
I currently have 2GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
What's the maximum amount of RAM I can put in and it have an ...
6
votes
3answers
557 views
View Image Full Screen
On occasion I need to look at an image at fullscreen so it doesn't have anything else around it to distract me. Is there a way to do that? I can't seem to find a way to do it with preview.
6
votes
3answers
4k views
Sharing internet from macbook to iphone
I've got a problem with sharing internet connection from my macbook pro to iphone.
I've shared Ethernet connection in System Preference and managed to connect to the network from my iPhone but has no ...
6
votes
1answer
335 views
Dangers of limiting fan-speed
The situation:
I work in a very quiet office using MBP Spring 2011 with an i7.
The problem is that when I put an intense but short workload for a few seconds on the CPU the fans spin up heavily, ...
5
votes
4answers
829 views
Can I configure an SSD and HDD to be one logic volume in Lion?
I recently purchased a 120GB SSD that will replace my optical drive in my MBP. It also has a 500GB 7200RPM hard drive.
Is it possible to have a single logical volume that uses both physical disks in ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Do all magsafe power ports have the same form factor?
I have a MacBook6,1 with a 60W magsafe power adapter. The cord on the adapter got chewed up by my rabbit (she's fine) and I would like very much to replace it. But I really don't want to spend the ...
5
votes
2answers
855 views
Use my 27" Thunderbolt monitor with a Macbook that has only DisplayPort output
Somehow this doesn't work out of the box – is there an adapter I can buy that will allow me to connect the Displayport output of my Macbook to the Thunderbolt input of my 27" Thunderbolt monitor?
5
votes
3answers
2k views
How can I stop my whole screen from flashing white on errors?
Whenever I access Terminal and press Command ⌘ + Delete ⌫ my screen flashes white.
It also happens when Chrome's Command ⌘ + F returns no results.
Have I somehow messed up my settings?
I already ...
5
votes
4answers
3k views
How can I boost the performance of my MacBook?
I know that upgrading my MacBook with extra RAM can help boost the general system performance.
Recently, I upgraded from OS X 10.5 to OS X 10.6.8. I thought that my RAM upgrade would speed up my ...
5
votes
2answers
680 views
Can I use any Apple power adapter with my MacBook?
There are 45, 60, and 85 watt power adapters for the MacBook line of portable devices (the Air, the Pro, etc.). Does the 45 watt charger which comes with the MacBook Air work with the 15" MacBook Pro ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Why are there two different sleep states on a MacBook?
It seems that there are two different sleep states on my MacBook:
Sleep State 1:
Invoked by: closing the lid or by the sleep timer.
Awaken by: touching the trackpad, clicking the trackpad, pressing ...
5
votes
3answers
422 views
Which model of Macintosh has the longest battery life?
I was exclusively a PC man (specifically Dell, Gateway, and HP), but I am now planning to buy a Mac, because my sister has a Mac, with a battery life (much) longer than mine, and I would like to ...
5
votes
3answers
8k views
Why are my Macbook's internal speakers not available?
My Macbook (the unibody aluminum version) has lost its internal speakers. When I open System Preferences -> Sound -> Output, all I see is "Digital Out". If I plug in a pair of headphones, this ...
5
votes
4answers
820 views
My MacBook seems to be an insomniac (won't sleep)
As of several days ago, my MacBook refuses to go to sleep either automatically or manually. I have taken the following troubleshooting measures to no effect:
Reset PRAM
Rest SMC
Boot in SafeMode
...
5
votes
1answer
295 views
Does using a brightness reducing app save battery?
I installed the app Brightness Slider on my MacBook because the lowest brightness setting in the System Prefs isn't low enough at times. When I choose a brightness setting below what the System Prefs ...
5
votes
1answer
3k views
Are there privacy concerns with the Built-In iSight Camera and LED Indicator?
I was having a discussion with some friends about the built in camera of computer and what you can do with them, and I realized that my macbook has one of those. That got me thinking about how the ...
5
votes
1answer
232 views
Auto mute macbook on headphone removal
I often listern to music on my macBook - when I unplug my headphones occasionaly forget to mute the speaker - so the whole office gets an earfull. How can I set my mac to be muted unless headphones ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
Is there software that allows me to use my Macbook Pro as a second monitor for iMac?
I'd like to do monitor spanning with my Macbook Pro next to my iMac, I haven't really found a good solution, anyone use anything they can recommend? I'm using Lion. Thanks.
5
votes
2answers
8k views
How can I perform an Apple Hardware Test without my original install media?
I have a 2007 MacBook that I'd like to perform an Apple Hardware Test on, but I don't have the original install media. I have a Snow Leopard install DVD, but rebooting and holding down D does not ...
5
votes
1answer
502 views
Running Chromium OS from bootable USB on MacBook?
I wanted to try the Chromium OS builds from http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/, but failed to create a bootable USB drive.
I followed the steps on the site:
Download the Mac builder
Download the vanilla ...
4
votes
3answers
4k views
Does overcharging a MacBook degrade its life?
I have an early 2011 13" MacBook Pro and I use it almost like a desktop. I leave the power cord connected all the time. Is this OK? Am I ruining the computer or diminishing its lifespan?
4
votes
7answers
2k views
How tough is the aluminum body of a MacBook?
I had an older macbook with a plastic shell. I broke and replaced the screen several times over it's lifespan.
I now have a MacBook with an aluminum body and am really nervous about cracking the ...
4
votes
2answers
819 views
How many cores does a Mid 2012 Macbook Air have?
I checked the specs, and the i5-3427U CPU has 2 cores.
But the Activity Monitor shows 4 little charts for the CPU, so it looks like 4 cores.
Which is correct? Why does the Activity Monitor have 4 ...
