Past Meetings

October 26, 2007 - Hammondsport Mac Users Group

TOPIC: Hard Drive (Backup - Erase - Install)

Read how to backup, reformat and install a new Operating System in your Mac.

Leopard can be bought for quite a bit less through Amazon ($109 and no tax or shipping) vs. Apple's ($129 + Tax).
System Requirements for Leopard:
---Mac computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor
---512MB of memory
---DVD drive for installation
---9GB of available disk space
Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply.
Some features require Apple's .Mac service; fees apply.

Some excellent tips on preparing to install OS 10.5 can be found here at MacFixit.
*Note: Be sure your Firmware is up to date before installing Leopard (find out which version of firmware you have at this Apple site and how to update the firmware on Intel-based Macs here).

---- S.M.A.R.T. status - Disk failure warning: (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) is a diagnostic method originally developed by IBM that at that time referred to as "Predictive Failure Analysis". This technology was developed for IBM mainframe drives to give advanced warning of drive failures. You can check the SMART status of your hard drive by opening Disk Utility, selecting the disk and looking at the status described at bottom.It should read "Verified".

Carbon Copy Cloner 3.0 Free! 1.9MB download - make a complete bootable copy of your entire hard drive

'On-The-Go' FireWire/USB HD enclosure $65 from OWC (OtherWorldComputing)-transfer 50MB/sec - for 2.5 inch laptop hard drives. Just buy a hard new drive to match the one in your Mac and clone a bootable copy of your entire HD. OWC has 60GB HD for as little as $60!

XLR8 AnyDrive USB Adapter - $24.95
Hook up any IDE or SATA drive 2.5" or 3.5" to quickly copy data from your Mac
Informative review of XLR8 AnyDrive by Charles Moore

---- Macworld magazine is currently offering a nice deal on subscriptions - buy one year for yourself and give a free 1-year subscription to two friends who don't yet subscribe.

---- Command-Shift-4 continues to be the greatest single reason for using Mac rather than Windows- take a picture of any part of any screen with this key combination. And you probably knew that Command-Shift-3 captures the entire screen. But did you know that you can hit Command-Shift-4, then press the SPACEBAR to convert the cursor to a CAMERA. Roll the camera cursor over an open window and it will be highlighted blue.Click the mouse to capture a picture of that specific window, even if it is partially covered!

Some other recent Discoveries (not shared at the meeting):
---- Instant spell check a partially-typed word in TextEdit, Mail, etc - - just push Esc
---- Prune auto-complete email list (Mail>Window>Previous recipients)
---- Reduce the number of unnecessary languages on Mac (Prefs>International>Languages>Edit)
---- Hyperlink URLs in TextEdit - how to
---- Frisky Freeware - more great free apps at this site
---- Use Port 587 in Mail Prefs for outgoing mail (rather than default Port 25 -: read why here
---- Highlight some words in a Doc or Website, then CNTRL click, select START SPEAKING
---- SpeedTest.net - another connection speed test- like driving a spaceship! Gives delay time of PING (should be under 100ms) and keeps a log of your past speed tests to boot.
---- kb / kB / Mb / MB - what's the difference? Bit converter site
For example, 1079 kb(kilobits) = 134.9 kB (kilobytes) = 1.05Mb (megabits) = .13MB (megabytes)
---- Prefixes for binary multiples explained (sort of)

Mac Security Tips
---- Open Firmware Password application found in Tiger DVD utilities- protects against Target disc, Install Disk Password Reset, etc.
---- Set A Firmware Password
Just as you can set a password on any account you can also set a Firmware password. Essentially what a Firmware password does is lock down your computer from those who would use it for malicious purposes. This lock prevents users from booting via an Optical Disc, NetBoot Server, Target Disc Mode, Verbose Mode, Single-user mode, and resetting your Mac’s PRAM if they do not have your Firmware Password. However this lock is vulnerable on several occasions, such as being booted in OS 9 if a user can get into your Mac. Shortcomings aside it would be incredibly useful to set up a Firmware password. Instructions are available via Apple’s Website. Note: If you forget your firmware password or buy a used machine which is locked, the only way to over-ride the firmware password is to change the amount of RAM in the computer, then immediately boot up and reset the P-RAM by holdling down keys Com-Opt-P-R until you hear three reboot chimes.

Other nifty software

Corel Painter X (retails for $399) - brand new, legitimate Install CDs at great prices on eBay $50 and less! - just do a search on eBay.

WannaBe tiny 'text only' Web Browser - great little browser; works only in Mac Classic all the way back to OS7.5 PowerPC and 68k macs

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