Everything Apple (the Mac heads thread)

I think Mojave has broken Plex's ability to run files from external drives (connected by usb 2 in my case).

Is there a wrist too small for the bigger Apple watch?

anyone got an apple keyboard, one of the later thinner ones, either wired like this,
https://www.amazon.co.uk/b/ref=TT_ILM_APRILPROMO?node=14737482031&pf_rd_p=db21f0fc-f164-48bc-91c4-c8125d95fb52&pf_rd_s=detail-ilm&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B005EMLOP4&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=AXM97D46N4B9J1TYK10D&pf_rd_r=AXM97D46N4B9J1TYK10D&pf_rd_p=db21f0fc-f164-48bc-91c4-c8125d95fb52

or wireless, mines had some books fall on it and some of the keys are a bit fucked..

let me know

Like a total fucking amateur (which I sort of am) I got had by a fake Adobe Flash update and got some stupid malware which was trying to sell me antivirus software. I've been thought the library and deleted everything I think it installed, problem seems gone and nothing suspicious in Activity Monitor, but is there anything I could or should do now to be sure that it hasn't installed a key logger or something? TIA.

Submerge the hardware in a 1:5 chlorine solution overnight.

Do you need an Apple keyboard? Or would a non Apple keyboard but has the exact same layout do?

We bought a load of Cherry keyboard at work as we can no longer get Apple wired keyboards and putting wireless keyboards out for students just isn’t a good idea. They are cheap and cheerful and has the same key mapping as an Apple keyboard.

Oh yeah I totally have. E3 based.

do you run an Antivirus like Avira?

hit me up if you get stuck. I've got a couple of Apple wireless keyboards and three trackpads (the latest versions) BNIB which I've been meaning to shift for a while

@chrisbmx116 my GF has a 38mm version 1 in gold (boxed) if you want it. She's hardly worn it

haha i've gotta stop buying apple gear!

will do.
pm, what you'd want for the wireless versions.

I've always believed the 'Macs don't need antivirus software schtick'. But I guess that only applies to people who know that Flash is dead and legit updates don't come from popups. Read lots that say that stuff slows machines down and is itself hard to get rid of.

https://www.avira.com/en/free-antivirus-mac

I've run this for a year with no dramas

Malwarebytes - https://www.lifewire.com/malwarebytes-anti-malware-for-mac-3878139
Use that, then best thing yo can do is uninstall flash.

I know to expect this, but I always hope for better.

It happens. Luckily these thing tend to be easy to remove on macs. Run malwarebytes (download from their site) and see if it picks it up.

Hi folks. I'm not a "mac head" in any way. My girlfriend is, but knows nothing beyond "i just like them". I'm going to need some advice on a couple of subjects...

First, cleaning out an old cupboard we've come across a 2006 17' MacBook pro. It's missing both battery and charger but works we borrow a mains lead. Is it worth anything? Looks in really good nick bar a dent on the bottom.

Should i sell it? Is there an upgrade? Shall I store it and wait to realise some retro value in 20 years time?

Further advice requests in due course....

It’s only worth something for a proper Mac head collector. I know a couple of people who collect Apple stuff but beyond that, it’s not worth much. As for upgrade, it wouldn’t be worth your time or money to do so even if there are still compatible parts.

A colleague asked me a similar question last year on a circa 2008 iMac, so close enough to yours in terms of time, and the only thing I could do was to upgrade the RAM from 1GB to 4GB but that isn’t gonna make nearly any difference in terms of preformance, so he decided to leave it be as he only needed a machine for the odd emails... he doesn’t use computers...

The main ‘issue’ yours is the processor being so old, even if you could put a fancy SSD and bump up the ram, which I am not 100% if you could, I wouldn’t do it.

As extra said, not worth much. Trying to think what macos it will go to so that the thing will run with modernish programs. Look at prices of batteries and chargers, can be expensive. Needs to have a working battery as macos controls the speed of the computer due to battery charge condition.

But that said screen maybe worth something...I she wants a mac, wait till something comes up here.

Thanks all. Much appreciated! Think I'll just put it in the loft....
We do have another mac which is the subject of my next questions. This is her current laptop. It's a late 2008 model. Currently running el capitan but is very sluggish generally.

It's got a 320gb SATA hardrive and 2x 2gb Ram.

I understand that it is probably worth upgrading all of this. I can max out at 2x4gb ram. I should also install an ssd hard drive right?

If I do this, but want everything that's on the Mac now to be there after, what are the main steps I need to follow? I'm nervous about ending up with a dead mac and very angry girlfriend. Can't find a great basics guide online. As I said, I've never done Macs before.

Replies greatly appreciated.

Turns out my "Waterproof iphone case" didn't live up to it's name. I have no back up on icloud. It's dried out now but won't start up and I'm getting an apple support restore in itunes message. Is there any way of retrieving the photo's off it or is it doomed?

What does she use it for? Upgrading to an ssd will make it faster but as per my last reply to your older Mac, it’s kind of the same situation, the processor is old and that’s the one thing you can’t replace. You probably also won’t be able to upgrade to th lastesy iOS and that comes with some headache with upgrading other software etc.

Also it’s worth remembering that going from 4GB to 8GB ram doesn’t make it twice as fast.

If you really want to give it a go, I’d probably just buy a cheap ssd and see how it goes.

As for DIY, I can’t tell top of my head how to do it but those unibody ones should be easy.

Ifixit is your friend

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/MacBook_Pro_15%22_Unibody_Late_2008_and_Early_2009

This might not be the exact model you have, so just google ifixit Mac (model) (year).

Re: data transfer, does it have time machine? That would be the easiest step.

But whenever I do a major upgrade, I tend to also do some housekeeping, so I’d probably manually transfer whatever actual files your girlfriend wants to the ssd after you have fitted it and installed all the software you need.

You’ll always have the files on the old hard drive and to access it, you’d need to buy a caddy, probably cost less than a tenner.

Does it do Internet recovery? Or do you have to insert a disc to reinstall the iOS? You might want to check that, not that it should make much difference.

Bottom line is, as long as your hard drive doesn’t die, if fitting an ssd or whatever you do make the Mac behaves funny, all you need to do is to reverse you steps and put the hard drive back and it should be like nothing’s ever happened.

BUT if the hard drive is the original one that comes with the Mac, it is 10 years old and it might die, so before even taking out a screw driver, get a reliable external hard drive and back up your files.

Went through similar with my partner, easiest fix was reducing the amount of stuff she had on the HDD- seems that once you head past 80% capacity it has an effect on the speed of the system.

After that the RAM and SSD upgrades should give a decent bump. RAM is easy enough to just swap out, never got as far as cloning and replacing the HDD though so good luck with that!

Which mac is it? Best bet is look up to see what macbook it is, and if it is upgradeable. Earlier intel mac books can have the processor swapped out for the most powerful that will fit the socket.

On older macbooks, I usually open them up. Remove all the dust and then clean the fan and replace the heatsink compound between the processor and heat sink and the gpu if it has one.

Memory upgrade will depend on if the macbook has ddr2 or ddr3 memory. If the laptop is ddr2 usually won't see more than 4gb but may some go to 6gb (2gb and a 4GB) with sofware tweaks. But then 4gb ddr2 chips are quite expensive. If DDr3 usually can go to 8gb and the chips cost a great deal less.

As I mentioned before Macbooks do seem more slugish with a worn or dead battery.

Thanks so much for all the feedback. It is a ddr3 MacBook.

I've gone and ordered a new hardrive, but will also take the time to give the heatsink clean up and give it a general spruce up.

I bought a new battery for it about 6 months ago, but did pick up the cheapest option on eBay...sounds like that could be a problem too.