Archive for the “Troubleshooting” Category

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Client Phone Call, Sunday 9/28/08 1pm.

New iMac, OSX 10.5.4 connected ethernet to AsanteTalk 10/100 switch to Xerox B/W tabloid Laser.

Indesign was failing to print a document that printed a few days ago. Appletalk error message.  First test was Photoshop print test that failed as well.  Second test, unplugged and replugged ethernet cable from iMac. Checked power to printer and switch, all good. No change.

Final test and solution, unplug power from AsanteTalk, wait 15 seconds, replug power, printer prints.

Macs, viruses, and anti-virus software - a thread at MacFixIt’s forums

OSX Hard Drives should have 10 to 15% of their capacity empty or available.

A Thread in the MacFixIt Forums about missing hard drive space

http://www.macfixitforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/353391

WhatSize - a utility for viewing files and their sizes version 4.3.1, released on August 19, 2008

Grand Perspective - a free utility for viewing filesizes

MacFixIt http://www.macfixit.com/ MacFixIt Forums

MacInTouch http://www.macintouch.com/ MacInTouch Reader Reports

Accelerate Your Mac http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/

Newer Technology Universal Drive Adapter - connects ATA/IDE/SATA to USB2 *New 2008 Version* $29.99

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/U2NV2SPATA/

About Apple Macs & FireWire 400 for external startup/booting

All FireWire Equipped Apple Computer models since 2001 support booting this drive via FireWire when a proper, supported OS has been loaded onto this Drive.

Booting via FireWire requires Mac OS 8.6 or later or any version of Mac OS X.

About Apple Macs & USB 2.0 for external startup/booting

Apple Officially supports USB 2.0 Bootability on all Intel Processor based desktop, laptop, and tower models. Unofficial support exists for various PowerPC models.

Macintouch Reader Reports - Hard Drives

One of my favorite external harddrive enclosures. About News Release NewerTech upgrades miniStack v2.5 to SATA interface NewerTech Site NewerTech® miniStack v2.5

OWC Add your own 3.5″ SATA Hard Drive $80

This first link is a video by David Pogue, a technology columnist, about his using a Data Recovery Service to retrieve his data that was NOT backed up. The cost would have been $500 or more, not counting plane fare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA28zXo5e6I

This next link is a youtube video about harddrives operating (you may want to skip to time 6:50 to watch a strong magnet and screwdriver being used to cause hardware failure). (no audio, aside from HD noises)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK1RR7Bhd-s

This video shows what is, sometimes, the only fun thing that can be done with dead harddrives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YocnQ0NMTUA

The following are videos about what Data Recovery Services do (for the 15% to 20% of harddrives that have failed mechanically, not simple software or interface problems). (Very Techy, and Geeky). AdvHDRec1of5, AdvHDRec2of5, AdvHDRec3of5, AdvHDRec4of5, AdvHDRec5of5. (9 minutes each)

The same HD Recovery presentation at Defcon 14 Defcon 14’s Hard Drive Recovery presentation

These videos are an obvious attempt to scare you into reliable backup habits.