iMac drives failing - first external, then internal. Seems to be hardware in both cases. Questions about troubleshooting or replacement inside. [more inside]
posted by tkolstee on Oct 29, 2009 - 5 answers

Can anyone lend me a hand in designing my new home network computer setup? [more inside]
posted by decrescendo on Oct 7, 2009 - 7 answers

What do I do with several Apple IIs (and a Commodore, and maybe a few other "vintage" comptuers) that I have? [more inside]
posted by niles on Oct 1, 2009 - 19 answers

Carrying solutions for an imac? [more inside]
posted by cazoo on Sep 14, 2009 - 9 answers

Will Apple be replacing my 2 yr old Macbook Pro with a totally new machine? [more inside]
posted by pianohands on Sep 11, 2009 - 11 answers

Windows xp and Ubuntu? PCI video card? Mac Mini? Opinions? [more inside]
posted by snowjoe on Sep 2, 2009 - 7 answers

Loathe the new Macbook trackpad in XP, what input device should I use instead that doesn't require a desk and is OK for gaming? [more inside]
posted by Your Time Machine Sucks on Aug 5, 2009 - 7 answers

Wi-Fi security. How much of the contents of my a) iPhone or b) iBook can be "seen" if I'm on a public network? Particularly concerning the latter, I've never been clear whether, in logging on to network X--be it a free municipal net or my employer's "guest net"--I'm simply an inscrutable blip on a network or I'm making my hard drive an open book to anyone who cares to peek. Any insight would be appreciated.
posted by the sobsister on Jul 19, 2009 - 11 answers

A friend gave me a Powermac G3 this afternoon It's not the fastest in the world, but it has OSX installed 10.4.11. What are some cool things I can do with this machine? [more inside]
posted by bsexton on Jul 15, 2009 - 8 answers

I'm in the market for a new laptop. Should I get a PC or Mac? What specs are important for me to look at when making a decision? [more inside]
posted by reenum on Jun 2, 2009 - 31 answers

Has anyone installed OS X on a windows laptop? How does it compare to a Mac Book? Is it as stable and/or fast? I would like to put together a Windows/OS X dual-boot machine to take advantage of both operating systems and while it sounds good theoretically I an curious about how it works practically. (Plus, I would rather not pay Apple laptop prices)
posted by rtimmel on Apr 11, 2009 - 16 answers

Is my iBook G4 dying? [more inside]
posted by Brachiosaurus on Apr 2, 2009 - 7 answers

What are the Mac equivalents of great Windows software? This was a great question about what a Mac person should install on a Windows box. I'm going the other way, as my office kindly bought me a new MacBook Pro. I'm a scientist and haven't used a Mac since OS 7.5. For the past decade my machines have been Windows, Linux, or dual-boot. Freeware/shareware programs I use a lot under Windows: Cygwin, Essential PIM, FLVplayer, IrfanView, Maxima, Openoffice.org, Scilab, Winamp, Xemacs, Xplorer2 pro. Commercial software: Mathematica, IDL, occasionally Microsoft Office. I'm mostly interested in freeware or shareware such as great text and image editors, tex/latex, and other nerdware. Thanks! Naturally, the new laptop runs Leopard.
posted by lukemeister on Dec 3, 2008 - 40 answers

What are all the things I should do to prepare an old iBook of mine before I sell it to another person (who I don't know and isn't related to me)? [more inside]
posted by micawber on Oct 27, 2008 - 3 answers

I inherited a fully-functional Apple Macintosh Plus computer complete with external SCSI hard drive. What are some cool things I can do with it? [more inside]
posted by karizma on Oct 21, 2008 - 10 answers

DVDs and Blu Ray discs are such a pain with their ability to be scratched and the need to find where a disc is, is it in the right case, etc. I find myself often drawn to standard definition “on demand” movies on cable (free ones) instead of searching my own high definition or DVD movies. Is there a way to have the convenience of “on demand” and the quality of the original media? [more inside]
posted by arniec on Oct 7, 2008 - 11 answers

When and where should I buy a laptop (also: what kind?!)? [more inside]
posted by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel on Sep 11, 2008 - 16 answers

What (early 80's?) Apple Computer was this nicely constructed nylon "carry-on" bag made for? [more inside]
posted by SmileyChewtrain on Sep 5, 2008 - 16 answers

Apple iMac G5 (4 years old) dies during bootup [more inside]
posted by Wilder on Sep 4, 2008 - 9 answers

My macbook, running OSX 10.5.4, has been working really poorly lately [more inside]
posted by god particle on Aug 28, 2008 - 7 answers

Help me with a weird Windows install problem. [more inside]
posted by Electrius on Aug 21, 2008 - 10 answers

iBook G4 battery is out of juice. Computer won't start up... even when AC adapter is plugged in. Is there something else going on? [more inside]
posted by kmtiszen on Jun 10, 2008 - 7 answers

My MacBook (mid-2007) just crapped out. I can't afford a pro data extraction fix. Is there any other option? [more inside]
posted by jeffmshaw on Mar 7, 2008 - 13 answers

Can I drag & drop Safari from one hard drive to another? I accidentally deleted the application:-( I don't have the original install DVD with me right now, but I do have a backup on an external drive that's about two weeks old. So, I dragged the Safari.app that was on that to the Applications folder on my Powerbook. Everything seems to be functioning okay.....or am I inadvertently running a browser with a bunch of loopholes & missing parts? [more inside]
posted by invisible ink on Mar 5, 2008 - 3 answers

Help me figure out how to salvage my hard drive! [more inside]
posted by agent99 on Dec 10, 2007 - 7 answers

Is there a scam here that I'm not seeing? I'm planning to buy a Mac Mini off Craigslist for a family member. Found a Mac, it's a good price for this model, maybe a little low, but not suspiciously so. Local seller, responsive to e-mail. Local cellphone number. Gmail address that doesn't appear to be a throwaway. But something doesn't feel right. I've bought electronics in this price range off Craigslist before but the seller in this case seems to be providing an atypical amount of reassurance about the purchase. [more inside]
posted by jeffhoward on Nov 14, 2007 - 18 answers

Can I configure and use an HP wp100 AirPort print server in an all PC environment? If so, how? [more inside]
posted by potch on Nov 13, 2007 - 5 answers

After installing OpenSSH on your iPhone, is there a way to disable it except when needed? [more inside]
posted by yesno on Aug 28, 2007 - 11 answers

Stolen ibook, email from Apple about recent call to Apple Support...think I have a chance? [more inside]
posted by thisisnotkatrina on Jul 21, 2007 - 7 answers

What's the cheapest way of plugging a piano keyboard into my mac [more inside]
posted by singingfish on Jun 26, 2007 - 9 answers

Shopping for 15" MacBook Pro: Buy now, or wait? [more inside]
posted by mikeand1 on May 21, 2007 - 19 answers

How can I catch the villain who stole my laptop? [more inside]
posted by unSane on Apr 23, 2007 - 29 answers

I believe I have a decent case for Apple to replace my defective Powerbook G4 with a shiny new Macbook Pro. How do I make this happen? [more inside]
posted by empty commercial spaces on Apr 19, 2007 - 19 answers

Is there any way that I can easily use my iMac Desktop (Current Intel Model) monitor as a second or primary monitor for my Powerbook using either the wireless network or a monitor adapter? [more inside]
posted by Bengston on Mar 14, 2007 - 6 answers

What is the physically smallest laptop capable of running OS X? I'm only interested in word processing and light web browsing, so I have no prejudice against old models -- in fact, I'd prefer an older model if it's cheaper. [more inside]
posted by tweebiscuit on Dec 25, 2006 - 23 answers

Is there a way to retrieve the old files I have saved on 5.25" Apple IIc floppy disks? [more inside]
posted by zooropa on Oct 25, 2006 - 4 answers

How do I sell my dead laptop for parts. I know virtually nothing about computer thingies. [more inside]
posted by arcticwoman on Oct 16, 2006 - 14 answers

How can I save my iMac G4? [more inside]
posted by eustacescrubb on Sep 29, 2006 - 5 answers

I typically use Safari, and have my preferences set to store all of my passwords and user names in my Keychain.app. However when it starts acting up and giving me the spinning beach ball, I use Camino (v. 1.0.3.) When I try to log in to a website, it asks me for my user name and password - do I really have to fill in ALL those passwords and user names all over again? In other words, is there any way I can get Camino to access the passwords I saved using Safari? [more inside]
posted by invisible ink on Sep 19, 2006 - 6 answers

My friend has a dual 2GHz Apple G5, and is unable to run Virtual PC 6.1 on his computer. He knows Virtual PC 7 will work, but is unsure if he can buy solely the upgrade, or if he will need a full version of Virtual PC 7. Anyone have any insight into this situation? Thanks in advance!
posted by potch on Jul 5, 2006 - 6 answers

It taught me how to read a map... What was this "educational" computer game from the 1980's? [more inside]
posted by peppermint22 on Jun 26, 2006 - 9 answers

After installing the most recent security update for OS X, my PowerBook G4 no longer boots. I've gone through the generic troubleshooting steps on Apple's site, and even paid for the phone support, but couldn't get any better answer than "Archive and Install," which I can't do due to lack of free space. Please help me fix this hopefully simple problem. [more inside]
posted by odinsdream on Jun 3, 2006 - 10 answers

My iBook has started freezing on me. When I start it up, it starts making a buzzing, whirring sound from under the left of the trackpad, then won't do anything else. I'm thinking it's some sort of a fan problem or HD-related issue, but I'm at a loss, and very frustrated. Can you help? [more inside]
posted by macdara on May 17, 2006 - 10 answers

Some water (a glass, only about 20% full) got accidentally spilled on my iBook (it was closed, turned off and disconnected). I immediately rinsed it all off, especially the rear panel vent, very carefully. But I am afraid water got in the insides of the iBook. How long do I have to wait until its guts dry up & I can safely try to turn it on, see if it's been damaged? And, if it doesn't work, is it going to be expensive to have it fixed (it's a G4, two years old)?
posted by PenguinBukkake on Mar 25, 2006 - 13 answers

The power connector to my G4 Powerbook is almost dead. It only charges in one very specific position, and I have to twist it around for a few seconds to find the sweetspot (rotating it in situ). Nothing is loose and nothing is visibly wrong. I tried squeezing the metal sleeve slightly to make it more elliptical in the hope this would create a tighter connection, but it made no difference. [more inside]
posted by unSane on Feb 16, 2006 - 18 answers

My mother has an Acer LCD (model AL1715) hooked up to her Mac Mini. The warranty expired 3 days ago, and last night it woke up after being asleep for about 45 minutes with a black line across it - the image divided in such a way that the image has rolled - that is, the bottom is at the top and the top at the bottom, split not quite equal halves. Disconnecting and reconnecting don't work, powering off and back on don't work, changing the display mode on the mac doesn't work, and we can't find a reset button. Acer doesn't answer tech support phone calls (endless holds) or emails. Any ideas?
posted by luriete on Feb 6, 2006 - 6 answers

PowerMac motherboard (logic board) shorted, help me fix it. [more inside]
posted by chuckforthought.com on Jan 22, 2006 - 6 answers

Should I get my PowerBook's logic board replaced? [more inside]
posted by danb on Dec 27, 2005 - 12 answers

I'm a longtime PC user who is considering purchasing a Mac laptop for personal use. I'm relatively unfamiliar with Macs, and need advice! [more inside]
posted by charmston on Dec 27, 2005 - 34 answers

I was just contacted by my company's ISP saying that our company's account is compromised by a virus as phishing emails have been sent out from here. I find this very hard to believe as we are an all-mac shop and I am fairly confident that these phishing emails generally spoof headers and such. Am I wrong? [more inside]
posted by miss tea on Nov 28, 2005 - 9 answers