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Spontaneous volume-change and program-launch in OSX

Cucurbit — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:53:51 -0800

Spontaneous volume-change and program-launch in OSX. MacBook Pro, OSX 10.5.8. I was using iTunes to put some stuff on my iPod (I think the only other programs I had pen were Firefox and maybe Preview) when all of a sudden my computer's volume started to increase and decrease spontaneously (complete with the speaker image and volume level indicator on the screen and accompanied by the click sound), and then Front Row opened and closed a couple times. I turned off AirPort, disconnecting from the Internet, but again my volume spontaneously changed. I restarted my computer, keeping it offline, and the same things happened again. Any ideas what's going on? I'm really freaked out. I can't think what it might be; a few people were watching movie trailers on a mac in the same room while it was happening, but I guess that couldn't be relevant, since stuff happened after I disconnected from the network...

It's like a tech question and a bad sitcom plot in one!

Navelgazer — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:51:47 -0800

How do I either recover my Mac OS X password or else get around needing it? Several years ago, my then-girlfriend's father bought a family pack of OS_X Leopard, and gave one of them to me. A year later, she and I were broken up. About six months after that, my computer crashed, and the genius bar had to replace the hard drive and reinstall everything. This means that the update password was lost from memory, and I never knew it and can't easily find out what it might have been (ex's dad installed Leopard himself).

So now I've gone a year without updating and it's starting to drive me crazy. Not only can I not update OS_X, but I can't install any number of things I'd like to either.

Does anyone know how I can either recover what this password might have been, or work around it so that I don't need a password to update?

Much Thanks, and Happy Christmas/Hannuka/Kwanzaa/Solstice/Festivus/Holidays to you.

I just know this is possible...

nokry56 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:58:19 -0800

How do I take an image file and mount it as a CD drive on my Mac (Snow Leopard) without using Toast. Bonus points for doing it from the command line. I have a dmg file of Age of Empires III and am really tired of carrying around the CD in my backpack. Plus it just frustrates me, because I know this has got to be possible without using Toast.

For those of you who are confused, I don't want it to mount like a Mac normally mounts a .dmg - I want it to mount as if it is a CD. Toast does this, but if I could do it from the command line then I could set up a script that first mounts the dmg as a CD then runs the app!

It can be done on Windows, surely it can be done on a Mac. I just can't find any good virtual drive software for the Mac and Google is utterly failing me.

How to drive 12 interactives with one machine?

MrBobaFett — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:51:52 -0800

What do I use to drive a multi head (12 displays) interactive display wall? I want to use one machine to run 12 discrete slide shows. Each show is only 2 slides. Mac/PC? Software? The details. Looking to have 12 displays running. Currently looking at the ELO 1537L ACCUTOUCH with VGA in and USB out for the touch screen.

My boss is drawn to using a MacMini for it's very small form factor since it will be installed in the display wall as well. It looks like I can use an EVGA USB VGA Adapter to drive the video for the displays. This solution would probably also work if we switched to a Shuttle PC.

The big question I think is what software will let me run 12 discrete full screen interactive? The interactive is very simple, each display has a default image it displays constantly, until someone touches the touch screen, then it flips to a second slide with info on the graphic. After an amount of time flips back.

Is there something that will let me do that with one machine? I'm pretty sure PowerPoint would be fine if I used 12 different machines.

This admin account has no admin authority?

thecaddy — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:50:56 -0800

Why can't I see around half of the applications in the Applications/Utilities folder on my friend's laptop? I'm trying to get access to Disk Utility so I can repartition a new external hard drive. But while I can see that the app exists when I go into the folder in Terminal, I can't see it in Finder--or open it through spotlight, for that matter.

The computer (a powerbook G4) is running 10.4.11, and my friend's account is admin and the only account on the computer. I can't back out on the login screen to try and become root or anything--and using SU in terminal, even assuming I could know the password, probably won't get me anywhere.

How can I get access to the full folder? Any thoughts?

I'll wipe my ass with a roll of Intel X-25 SSD drives!

melorama — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:48:04 -0800

I need semi-definitive opinions regarding the real-world lifespan of an Intel X-25M Solid State Drive running in a Macbook Pro. I just couldn't pass up a $214 Black Friday deal on an 80GB Intel X25-M (2nd generation) SSD, and am excited to install it into my "early-2008" Macbook Pro (pre-unibody) w/4GB of RAM. My plan is to replace the current system drive (a 500GB 7200RPM Seagate Momentus) with the SSD, and physically relocate the Seagate drive to the Superdrive bay, using the MCE OptiBay kit.

The original plan was to install just the base OS (Mac OS X 10.6.2) to the SSD, then relocate my home folder to the larger Seagate drive. But then I got to thinking I might actually want to have everything in my ~/Library and ~/Library/Application Support/ folders to live on the SSD instead. Because I am a neurotic multitasker (I generally have over 50+ tabs open in Firefox at any given moment, just as a general reference point), my logic tells me that I would see a performance benefit from having the ~/Library folder on the SSD, since all my running applications are constantly reading and writing to this folder. So my new plan is to just leave my homefolder on the SSD, and relocate my iTunes Library, videos, pictures, etc on the Seagate drive.

But as astute followers of SSD technology know, MLC-based SSDs will burn out faster the more often you write to them. I've done a lot of searching, and have found conflicting opinions on whether or not it's a good idea to leave oft-written to system files such as the OS page/swapfile on the SSD drive, because of the accelerated wear this would cause. Because of this, many Windows users simply disable the pagefile (despite recommendations from Microsoft to keep it enabled on an SSD), but this is not a viable option under OS X. Another concern with OS X and SSDs is Spotlight indexing, the disabling of which is simply not something I'm willing to do, given how useful Spotlight is.

So the question is, just how quickly will an SSD (specifically the X25) "burn out" if I keep my Mac's swapfiles, ~/Library/* files, Mail.app mailboxes on it, with Spotlight enabled? I also run Crashplan online backup, which does realtime block-level, encrypted incremental backups of my drives up to the cloud.

Additionally, will the lack of TRIM support in OS X cause a significant slowdown in overall performance (i.e. near spinning-platter speeds) if I run my SSD in this manner?

I don't really expect this 80GB X25 SSD to be a long-term thing. I fully expect the sizes of SSDs to significantly increase in the next 12-18 months, at inversely lower prices, at which point I will almost certainly feel no remorse in buying a new SSD, regardless of the level of wear on my current X25. But if my X25 burns out in 6-10 months, that won't be worth it, either.

What say you, Mac SSD-heads?

SBOA (Spinning Beachball of Annoyance)

ottereroticist — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:52:33 -0800

My Mac just got very sluggish. Common actions like typing, scrolling, clicking app controls, etc. cause the beachball to appear for 5-10 seconds. This happens across applications. Please help me figure out what's wrong. It's a MacBook with OS X 10.4.11 and 2 GB RAM. I've had it about 3 1/2 years. This just started today, and I can't think what could have changed to cause it. FYI, the annoying thing has happened at least a dozen times while I was posting this. GRR! Help!

Where can I find attractive powered speakers?

bryanlacksfocus — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:13:21 -0800

Does anyone know of any attractive powered speakers? Ones that look like they belong on a bookshelf and not next to a PC? I'm looking for speakers to put in my living room that I would beam music to through an Airport Express. It could be one speaker or a pair, but they should be powered and stand-alone—I don't have room for a "system" with a separate amplifier. I don't need a radio, CD player, or iPod dock—just a power switch, a volume knob, and one audio input jack. The only powered speakers I'm finding are designed for use with a computer and are, in my opinion, unforgivably ugly—at least for use outside a computer workstation. I'm hoping to find something simple and modern with straight, clean lines—possibly a cousin to this Tivoli or this GenevaSound radio or the wooden-cased (non-powered) speakers our parents had in the 70s.

With everyone doing so much from their computers these days, it seems like these ought to exist! Have you come across any? Any ideas are appreciated!

Scrobblin on a Mac with no privileges

puritycontrol — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:34:17 -0800

Please help me install a Last.fm scrobbler for iTunes on Mac OSX 10.5.8 without administrator privileges. I'm a Windows guy, so please keep the explanation simple! This is for my iMac at work, which I've been using for a few months.

I know that you can scrobble iPod tracks, but my iPod is formatted for a PC. And my desk is tiny, so I'd rather not have to bring in an extra set of speakers and hook the iPod up to those. Thanks in advance.

The processor cost of upgrading

WhackyparseThis — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:21:49 -0800

Upgrading from OS X 10.4 to 10.6: Does it use more CPU? I have a Mac Mini 1.66GHz that suffers from overheating problems when placed under stress. I'm looking at upgrading for the extra utilities such as Time Machine and Quicktime Pro, but i am concerned that a newer OS may place more pressure on my weakened computer. Does 10.6 run the computer harder than 10.4?

TOSLINK USB surround sound adapter + Mac OS X?

Blazecock Pileon — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:57:24 -0800

What is a good, working surround sound USB adapter for a Mac mini in a home theatre setup, which uses a TOSLINK connector? (I would be using this with DVD Player, iTunes, VLC, QuickTime Player, etc. if that matters for software support.)

Are there any free Mac programs to remove PDF encryption?

raddevon — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:39:12 -0800

Are there any free Mac programs to remove PDF encryption? I purchased a PDF book which I would like to transfer to my new Kindle. I have done the transfer, but the Kindle cannot open the book. I assume this is because the book is encrypted. Does anyone know of a free program for the Mac which will remove this encryption?

Stubborn Mac Menu Bar Item

razorfrog — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:18:53 -0800

MacFilter: Help me remove a mystery menu bar item I have a blank spot in my menu bar that when clicked, opens up a shaded blue window top on my screen. Goes away when you click elsewhere. It doesn't do anything else, no right click options and no way to close it that I can find. Nothing weird listed in startup items for my account, and I'm stumped to try to figure it out. Any ways to find out what it is? Or force remove it (tried command-dragging).

Here's an image of the menu bar
And one of the window

Thanks!

Tie me up; or, rather, tether me, please

ocherdraco — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:01:49 -0800

I've got an HTC Magic (also known by the execrable name myTouch 3G) running Android 1.6 from T-Mobile. I also have a MacBookPro running OS 10.4.11. Does a tethering program exist that will let me use my phone to supply an internet connection for my computer? It seems that I can't use PdaNet (my computer would need to be a PC, or I would need a phone running Android 2.0). Do any other good programs exist that fit my specifications?

What to do with a broken iMac G5?

crios — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:36:47 -0800

My mom has an iMac G5, 1.8 Ghz w/ superdrive and 2GB of RAM (I think). It's been a problem since they first got it with a logic board replacement and multiple power supply replacements (all free thankfully). Recently it started giving kernel panics on start up with the fans sounding like jet engines. It's a little over 4 years old and even though it's given us hardware problems, it has been a good computer and my mom likes it. What should we do with it now? I've tried all the troubelshooting suggestions (rest PRAM, remove peripherals, startup off of disk, etc...) and nothing is working. She's ready to throw in the towel with this one and get a new one. I'm thinking a mac mini, all we'll need to buy is a monitor.

My question is, what do we do with this iMac. I've tried rebooting off of the install disk and it's still panicking so it seems to be pretty broken. Should we try to sell it on ebay? Does anybody know any organizations in the Chicagoland area that would be interested in it? My other question is, what should we do about the hard drive. Since I can't even start up off of a disk I can't even format the HD. I don't think there is anything really sensitive on it but still I think it's probably a good idea to erase it before giving it away.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Help me recover a deleted MySQL database on osx

special-k — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:19:16 -0800

Where does MySQL store actual data in Snow Leopard? How would I retrieve a deleted database from a Time Machine backup? MySQL was crashing repeatedly on my Snow Leopard. On the advice of an Apple genius, I nuked the existing install and all its associated directories. I didn't worry much because I do database stuff on my work computer and only keep copies on my laptop.

Turns out that there was one particular database [now nuked] that I spent a whole week cleaning up on my laptop. The desktop only has a really old version of this particular database.

I have regular time machine backups. How do I pluck this database out and restore it?
I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get to the data without going through mysql. Someone suggested looking in /usr/local/mysql/data

I can get to the mysql directory but have no permission to enter the data directory. I could recreate much of this work but it will take forever and I'd rather not. Can someone help?

Unless he's keylogging me, in which case he gets what he deserves, the Grinch. ;)

kathrineg — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:51:45 -0800

I need a way to keep a browser state with tabs, cookies, passwords, forms all saved but password-protected and inaccessible. I have Mac OS 10.5.7 and I usually use Firefox, kinda hate Safari. This would be somewhat like Firefox's "Private Browsing" but instead of erasing my settings when I go out of the password-protected browser, it would keep everything ready and waiting.

So it would be like when you go from "private browsing" back to regular browsing, and Firefox restores everything automatically. Except that all the data associated with it would need to be password protected/hidden. No one should be able to access anything by clicking through folders, searching the drives, etc.

Switching logins is too onerous. I have some password protected documents but it's getting really old to move stuff from my browser to there, remember to close the document, etc.

I don't need anything with a force password, or anything completely invisible. It's okay if you can see the program/plugin and tell that I'm keeping something secret. It just needs a password so I can foil a certain Santa-hating member of my household who is adept with computer stuff, without going nuts trying to erase my tracks.

How many unique words?

OLechat — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:25:24 -0800

How can I determine how many unique words and how many repetitions are in a text? I have a small translation contract and the client has different rates for repetitions and for unique words. How can I find this out? They are Word documents, I'm on a Mac using Word 2004. Is there a program I can download, or a web-based solution?

Writer meets arthritis

grumblebee — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:18:40 -0800

Mac voice-recognition software for a writer with arthritis. My father's arthritis is making it more and more difficult for him to type. This is hard for him, because he's been a writer for decades (over 25 books and countless articles). He is considering switching to voice-recognition software.

Here are some things to note:

- He is originally from England but has lived in the US since the 1950s. He is a very clear speaker, but his accent is a mix of British (cockney originally) and American.

- He owns a Mac.

- He is not highly computer literate, but he lives in a university town and could find people to help him set things up if necessary. He probably will have trouble if the voice-recognition software itself is overly complicated to use.

I am looking for any advice and experiences with this. What is the state of the art these days? What's available for the Mac? What is the experience like for people who are heavy users?

Back to the basics

jfricke — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:36:15 -0800

I really like the idea of text-based programs like WriteRoom (Mac) or DarkRoom (Windows). Are there similar applications for other purposes? I am looking for any software that is more or less text-based, is not a game and runs with Microsoft Windows or Mac OS. Examples would be a text based email-client, text based to-do list or a text based diary.

Need help setting up AirPort on my Mac

Joseppi — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:52:14 -0800

I'm trying to set up an AirPort on my Mac and I'm having some issues. It's asking for OS X 10.4 and I'm running 10.5 but it still doesn't work. Any clue as to why this is happening? I'm trying to set up an AirPort on my Mac and I'm having some issues. When I try and install the software I get a message that says, "You cannot install AirPort on this volume. The version of Mac OS X on this volume is not supported." It's asking for volume 10.4 and I'm on 10.5. This is beyond frustrating as this is supposed to be such a simple process. Does anyone know what my issue might be?

Looking for a Simple HTML Dingus

interrobang — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:59:11 -0800

Is there a very simple, free, standalone OSX application like the HTML Post Opera widget? A dashboard widget would be fine, too; I mostly just want it to run on its own on a PPC computer.

Would like to open these documents

amethysts — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:36:41 -0800

I have some .pages documents and do not have Apple Pages to open them with. This question was asked back in 2005 but I was wondering if anyone has solved this problem yet. Already tried a bunch of online doc->PDF converters, and downloaded OpenOffice, to no avail. I'm on Windows XP.

If worse comes to worse I can just wait for the person to respond to my email. If it was an emergency I would get on the train and go to my school's computer lab, but I don't have a lot of time and it's cold and dark out.

Is there a way to do this without going outside? Thanks for your help.

How to scale up DVD playback on Mac?

kidbritish — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:04:58 -0800

In Apple's DVD Player app for Mac (or in VLC), how can I scale the footage beyond the screen resolution? (Or specifically, scale the footage to the full width of the screen.) I'm playing a DVD on a widescreen Mac, and even when I'm in "full screen" mode, it displays black bars on all four sides of the video. (Presumably because the DVD is not anamorphically encoded).

No problem, I thought, I'll just scale it up even further. (I don't care if the black bars on top & bottom are cropped off). But I can't find a way to scale it up any further. How can I utilize the full width of my screen?

(20" iMac early 2009, OS X 10.6.2)

What's the best wireless audio bridge / networked digital audio receiver that works on the Mac?

nitsuj — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:27:10 -0800

What's the best wireless audio bridge / networked digital audio receiver that works on the Mac? I'm looking for a simple hardware solution that will allow me to bridge my Macbook Pro's audio-out source to my home theater amplifier. Many products like the WMB54G and Sirocco either have no Mac support at all, or have very poor reviews and cost way too much.

The Airport Express seems decent if I only wanted to stream iTunes, but I'd also like to stream from other sources, like Spotify, which it won't support.

Is there a simple, under-$100 (or close to it) solution out there?