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Mac Hardware and Software |OT| - All things Macintosh

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
Excite.

Capture.PNG


By the way, FedEx says it'll be here Wednesday, Apple says Thursday. Do I believe FedEx? I'm going to work from home one of the days to be there...
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
What's the advantage to using CCC over Time Machine?
Bootable clones really. Zero downtime when a crash happens since you can boot up from the clone and use your computer while cloning back onto your new drive. And use the bootable clone as your boot drive while waiting for a new drive to arrive.

Though that second point becomes moot if you have a machine with an integrated non-servicable drive and have to take it to a store to get it replaced. But the first still applies.

Time Machine is good for version control and can easily put files back where they belong though, but before you can use it, you need to reinstall the OS onto the new drive. With the clone, you have the option of just picking up where you left off with no waiting.

And CrashPlan is a good off-site solution in case your house burns down.
 

dallow_bg

nods at old men
Went with my lady friend and picked up the new model 13" MBP for $999 since it beat her corporate discount.

Wow, it's actually quite nice to use.
I really enjoyed controlling it with the trackpad, switching between full screen apps, using launch pad, etc.
Felt natural almost after using an iPhone and iPad for years.

She loves it of course.
Maybe it's time to give up my Alienware.
 
So yeah, replacement fan I ordered from Amazon ended up being a cheaper (knockoff?) part than was advertised. The part I got has about 1/3 as many fan blades as the original fan, and while it may work, I'm hesitant to even put it in.

Company was AMZNeTek, so I would not order from them, ever again.

Gonna have to send it back and leave some nasty feedback. Now I'll either have to order another fan from a different seller, or just take it to the apple store and cough up the cash.
 

Ovid

Member
Went with my lady friend and picked up the new model 13" MBP for $999 since it beat her corporate discount.

Wow, it's actually quite nice to use.
I really enjoyed controlling it with the trackpad, switching between full screen apps, using launch pad, etc.
Felt natural almost after using an iPhone and iPad for years.

She loves it of course.
Maybe it's time to give up my Alienware.
That why Apple is awesome :)
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
Went with my lady friend and picked up the new model 13" MBP for $999 since it beat her corporate discount.

Wow, it's actually quite nice to use.
I really enjoyed controlling it with the trackpad, switching between full screen apps, using launch pad, etc.
Felt natural almost after using an iPhone and iPad for years.

She loves it of course.
Maybe it's time to give up my Alienware.
Welcome. Yes, the seamless way all of Apple's machines work together is one of the reasons they're so great. And something the other companies are now figuring out.
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
I got to see the new Retina Pro in person today. I really liked it. But I only got to test it for a little while. Also I forgot to do some weight tests. I wanted to compare the weight of the rMBP to the Air's but a father and his kids were busy drooling and arguing over the Air's and wouldn't leave. There were too many people and too many things going on that I forgot to do all the tests I wanted to, but I did check out the higher resolution settings and scrolling speed. I didn't notice as much slowdown in the 4th setting as I did in the 5th. But I did like how much space I got on the highest one. I guess as long as the 4th is fast enough I'll be able to stand it. I would never get one just to use at the default setting.

Non-Retina apps would simply double-pixel up and it would be slightly noticeable, but I forgot to see how noticeable it was at higher resolution settings.

I don't want to go back to the same store though to test it more. I really wish there was an Apple Store nearby. The closes ones are an hour away. I'd rather test it at a real Apple Store where the workers there could actually help me out and listen to what I'm looking into.

Maybe I'll take a fun little trip up next week. I've needed to drive that way for a while now. Though, an 80 mile round trip..
 

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
So what is the best external HD to get for mac and PC use? Is there one with thunderbolt and USB 3?

Also, any suggestions for external monitors that don't cost an arm and a leg like the Apple one?
 

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824260047 imo

Thunderbolt external drives are still expensive last I checked, you can get by with usb 3.0 at a cheaper price and have acceptable speed for most use cases. what are you using it for?

Just mainly storage for music, videos, documents, etc. Just need a new one to replace my old one, and need it to work on both PC and Mac without formatting.

EDIT:
This one looks pretty good. USB 3 with Thunderbolt adapter.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00829TIIQ/?tag=neogaf0e-20
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
It's only 1TB, but if that's all you need. In fact, I'm quite tempted myself. The shitty USB2 Western Digital Elements portable drive I have is horribly slow and freezes the system if it goes to sleep, which it does after a few minutes of inactivity. It literally takes longer to copy files to it than it does to copy across my WiFi network at G speeds. Wish it was TB though.

I like the red one, but why is it $10 more ($40 normally?) Is it Product Red or something? I'd get blue to save money, but I really like the red.
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
Laying my Mac mini to rest :( I somehow managed to brick it, trying to replace the hdd with a ssd. I took all the regular precautions. Only thing I can guess is that one of the power cables at the back beside the hdd got damaged.

600 euros out of pocket : Will have to get a replacement tomorrow, but won't be attempting a repeat...
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
Laying my Mac mini to rest :( I somehow managed to brick it, trying to replace the hdd with a ssd. I took all the regular precautions. Only thing I can guess is that one of the power cables at the back beside the hdd got damaged.

600 euros out of pocket : Will have to get a replacement tomorrow, but won't be attempting a repeat...
Take it to an Apple Store and see if it would be cheaper to have it serviced over buying an all new one. Explain honestly and say you just want to see what they can do.

I never attempted a SSD install in the mini because they're so complicated. Shame really because the Mac mini would be PERFECT if it were built like a MacBook Air without the laptop parts. i.e. an "all Flash based" desktop computer. They would make it even smaller and almost the same size as an AppleTV 2. It would be brilliant. And they could probably keep the price the same. I mean, if Apple still cares about the Mac mini, it's the obvious direction to take it in. But who knows if and when it would happen. I have a 2010 model that I bought for $700 a few months before they lowered the price and removed the optical drive. They could make it so much smaller. Even offer a Server version that is slightly bigger and has room for a HDD as well as the 64/128GB SSD boot drive.
 

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
It's only 1TB, but if that's all you need. In fact, I'm quite tempted myself. The shitty USB2 Western Digital Elements portable drive I have is horribly slow and freezes the system if it goes to sleep, which it does after a few minutes of inactivity. It literally takes longer to copy files to it than it does to copy across my WiFi network at G speeds. Wish it was TB though.

I like the red one, but why is it $10 more ($40 normally?) Is it Product Red or something? I'd get blue to save money, but I really like the red.

No idea on the red one. I may grab the black one soon. My old external is a Western Digital from like 2006 or so. Thing still works well, I'm just worried about how old it's getting and it's also huge and plugs into the wall. I'd like a more portable, USB powered one with faster read/write speed.
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
No idea on the red one. I may grab the black one soon. My old external is a Western Digital from like 2006 or so. Thing still works well, I'm just worried about how old it's getting and it's also huge and plugs into the wall. I'd like a more portable, USB powered one with faster read/write speed.
Shame it's not Thunderbolt. Would probably bump the price up. But at least it's USB3 and we Mac users finally have USB3 in some of our machines with more to come.
 

JackEtc

Member
Alright, although slight, the burn in on my MBPR's screen is starting to bother me. I think I'm going to take the long trip to the Apple Store before school starts.

How easy is getting a replacement laptop through Apple? Will all my data and everything be migrated over, or will I have to reinstall all my programs and bootcamp and all that.
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
Alright, although slight, the burn in on my MBPR's screen is starting to bother me. I think I'm going to take the long trip to the Apple Store before school starts.

How easy is getting a replacement laptop through apple? Will all my data and everything be migrated over, or will I have to reinstall all my programs and bootcamp and all that.
Make a backup to restore from. Apple will fix it, but they are never responsible for your data. They will take the whole machine from you and give you a new one if the problem is bad enough. You will not get a file transfer treatment.
 

LCfiner

Member
Alright, although slight, the burn in on my MBPR's screen is starting to bother me. I think I'm going to take the long trip to the Apple Store before school starts.

How easy is getting a replacement laptop through Apple? Will all my data and everything be migrated over, or will I have to reinstall all my programs and bootcamp and all that.

I’ve gone before for a HDD replacement on an iMac and they expected me to have a backup. So have one, if you can.

Maybe they can transfer your stuff over to an external drive if you don’t have a backup, but that would probably delay the replacement by a day or so. (just a guess)
 

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
Shame it's not Thunderbolt. Would probably bump the price up. But at least it's USB3 and we Mac users finally have USB3 in some of our machines with more to come.

Says it has a Thunderbolt adapter at least, although that wouldn't make it faster.



c0ema.jpg


Joined MacGAF. My first!

Pretty much exactly what I got for my first Mac (that came in today). Only difference is I upped the chip to the dual i7. :p

Can't wait to play around with my first ever mac tonight. Last Mac I used was high school.
 

JackEtc

Member
Make a backup to restore from. Apple will fix it, but they are never responsible for your data. They will take the whole machine from you and give you a new one if the problem is bad enough. You will not get a file transfer treatment.

Alright. So to do backups I just plug an External HDD in and set it up as a time machine, right?

And they take my machina away from me? Meaning I'll be with a laptop until the replacement arrives? Sheeeeeiiit.
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
Alright. So to do backups I just plug an External HDD in and set it up as a time machine, right?

And they take my machina away from me? Meaning I'll be with a laptop until the replacement arrives? Sheeeeeiiit.
I, like many people don't trust Time Machine for actual backups. I'd rather use CCC. But now that it's a pay program (Though it has a 30 day trial) you go with what you can. Back up everything important. Then when you get the new machine, first install any software updates, then use the TM backup to restore the important folders in your User folder. Don't forget your Library which is now hidden by default.

Actually, scratch that. When you get the new machine, it'll ask you if you want to use Migration Assistant. Use it. It'll pull the correct files from your Time Machine.
 
Sorry if this isn't the right place, but I don't know where else to put it and I don't want to create a thread just for this.

Both my MacBook Air 13" 2011 model and my iPad 3 overheat really bad to the point I can't even touch them. When I took my MacBook to the Apple store, it wouldn't get as hot as it usually would, due to the extreme air conditioning in there. The heat did some burn to my screen, which they replaced. The fan also gets crazy loud after 2-3 minutes of the computer being on without anything open.

Now my iPad has a dead/stuck pixel. I bought it on the 14th of this month, and a few days later I noticed a green stuck pixel. Just as when I was going to take it to an Apple store, it "died" and turned black so it was only noticeable on red screens, so I just left it. But now the green stuck pixel is back.

deadpixel.jpg


What should my next course of action be? They get super hot, and that green pixel is so annoying.

Thanks AppleGAF!
 

JackEtc

Member
I, like many people don't trust Time Machine for actual backups. I'd rather use CCC. But now that it's a pay program (Though it has a 30 day trial) you go with what you can. Back up everything important. Then when you get the new machine, first install any software updates, then use the TM backup to restore the important folders in your User folder. Don't forget your Library which is now hidden by default.

Actually, scratch that. When you get the new machine, it'll ask you if you want to use Migration Assistant. Use it. It'll pull the correct files from your Time Machine.

I had never heard of Carbon Copy Cloner before until you just mentioned it. How does it differ from TM? Is it worth buying now that it isn't free? If it is I'll probably pick it up.

Also does anyone know if I'll be able to keep my defective MBP until it's replacement arrives?
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
Take it to an Apple Store and see if it would be cheaper to have it serviced over buying an all new one. Explain honestly and say you just want to see what they can do.

Thanks for the advice...but I don't have an apple store locally. Would have to send it back to apple I think, but I need the replacement ASAP. I'll think about sending it back to ask them to quote me for it, though, and get it repaired if it would be less than the resale value.

And yeah, ssd seems a no brainier for any revision. The procedure to install one didn't look so bad in video, but they are really very pokey machines...and some of the cables are very delicate, i guess. A bad combination if you're pulling out larger stuff and pushing other stuff back in...
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
I had never heard of Carbon Copy Cloner before until you just mentioned it. How does it differ from TM? Is it worth buying now that it isn't free? If it is I'll probably pick it up.

Also does anyone know if I'll be able to keep my defective MBP until it's replacement arrives?
As for CCC, it's a different type of backup. It makes bootable clones. Time Machine is Version Control.

And no, unless you take it to an Apple Store and they can replace it on the spot, you will have to be without a machine.

Thanks for the advice...but I don't have an apple store locally. Would have to send it back to apple I think, but I need the replacement ASAP. I'll think about sending it back to ask them to quote me for it, though, and get it repaired if it would be less than the resale value.

And yeah, ssd seems a no brainier for any revision. The procedure to install one didn't look so bad in video, but they are really very pokey machines...and some of the cables are very delicate, i guess. A bad combination if you're pulling out larger stuff and pushing other stuff back in...
Sell it on eBay with the disclaimer for a cheap price. Then use the money to buy a new one. Just make sure it's clear that it's broken and will need to be repaired and you don't know how much it would cost so it's AS IS.
 

Ambitious

Member
Ugh. My rMBP just froze again. Same issue as last week - only beachball + screen corruption after waking it up.

The console's flooded with those entries:

24.07.12 23:50:00,000 kernel: NVDA(OpenGL): Channel exception! exception type = 0xd = GR: SW Notify Error

Seems to be an old issue, I found threads in Apple's support forum from 2010 about this. The possible causes according to those threads and other forums are either hardware problems (*) or driver issues. I'll see if it happens again on ML and take it to the local Apple reseller if so.


* Yay, again! My previous MBP had a faulty graphics card and froze/crashed all the time, often with similar screen corruptions. Got the logic board replaced and they got me another faulty one. Got that one replaced as well but then the speakers didn't work anymore. sigh.
 

JackEtc

Member
And no, unless you take it to an Apple Store and they can replace it on the spot, you will have to be without a machine.

Fuck. It's not the regular MBPR, it's upgraded, so they won't have it in. I can't afford to be without a laptop for weeks like that. Do I have any other option? I have AppleCare if it makes a difference.
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
Fuck. It's not the regular MBPR, it's upgraded, so they won't have it in. I can't afford to be without a laptop for weeks like that. Do I have any other option? I have AppleCare if it makes a difference.
Can you not live with it for a while? AppleCare lasts 3 years and the 1-2 week delay won't be forever. Let the kinks work themselves out and get it replaced when they can be shipped next day.

What did you have upgraded? RAM?
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
Hello, my sisters 2009 MacBook Power Adapter just melted and I was thinking about replacing it with this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005B9CNMI/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Any feedback would be appreciated
I didn't know third-party MagSafe adapters could exist. Apple hasn't licensed the technology which makes me think it's not supported at all. Plus Apple could shut them down at any time. But it is a lot cheaper. As long as it doesn't destroy your computer I guess..

The customer reviews seem pretty favorable.
 

Yami

Member
I'm considering buying a decent refurb 20" aluminium cinema display for cheap, the ones with a 1680 x 1050 resolution and smexy body. These ones:

refurbished-apple-20-aluminum-cinema-display-screen-m9177b-a-grade-b-934-p.jpg


I've used one before and I'm impressed with the image quality and resolution, having used nothing but 1440 x 900 as my biggest screen resolution, but just wondering if there's really any point and if I'm better off with say, a 30" Dell for example?

Cheers dudes.
 

LCfiner

Member
I'm considering buying a decent refurb 20" aluminium cinema display for cheap, the ones with a 1680 x 1050 resolution and smexy body. These ones:

refurbished-apple-20-aluminum-cinema-display-screen-m9177b-a-grade-b-934-p.jpg


I've used one before and I'm impressed with the image quality and resolution, having used nothing but 1440 x 900 as my biggest screen resolution, but just wondering if there's really any point and if I'm better off with say, a 30" Dell for example?

Cheers dudes.

As I recall, those older Apple displays do not use IPS displays. If you were to get a new 30” display from Dell’s ultrasharp line (which would be rather expensive), it would be IPS. and IPS makes a big difference with improved viewing angles and contrast.

Plus the Dell has a wider variety of inputs.

having used a few non IPS displays, I would rather get a smaller IPS display (from Dell or another vendor) than any non IPS display, regardless of size (and cost).
 
I'm spending more time on my MacBook Pro than my iPad while at home. Is this normal? I feel strange for some reason. Having twitter, Safari, Mail, etc. all open right there (plus this keyboard...love the Mac keyboard). I wonder if my iPad will slowly fall by the wayside or if this is just a case of new car smell.
 

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
I'm spending more time on my MacBook Pro than my iPad while at home. Is this normal? I feel strange for some reason. Having twitter, Safari, Mail, etc. all open right there (plus this keyboard...love the Mac keyboard). I wonder if my iPad will slowly fall by the wayside or if this is just a case of new car smell.
New car smell. I use both of mine. Sometimes I just like to grab my iPad because it's simple. I've had it for 2 years.
 

sc0la

Unconfirmed Member
Thanks for the monitor link I have been debating picking up a cinema display or going dual monitors in vertical mode.

FWIW they have cheaper monitors and ones that accept HDMI natively if that is what you are looking for. The ultrasharp monitors are awesome at that price though.
 

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
On my new Air now!

Question 1.
How do I zoom on web pages a bit? Like control + scroll on PC?

Question 2.
Is there a better place I should be asking these questions?

:p
 

LCfiner

Member
On my new Air now!

Question 1.
How do I zoom on web pages a bit? Like control + scroll on PC?

Question 2.
Is there a better place I should be asking these questions?

:p

q2. you can always ask in the mac os x noob thread. or maybe in the new mountain lion thread.

q1 anyway, to zoom in with safari, you can pinch with two fingers on the trackpad. or you can double tap with two fingers to zoom in on a section. this works just like in iOS.

I don’t know about other browsers. check the menu bar for zoom option commands (usually cmd + or cmd -).
 

Tabris

Member
Is it normal for the bottom left of the Thunderbolt Display to get pretty hot to the touch? That's where the power supply is I assume and I have it powering my macbook. If I leave it on for a couple hours playing a game or just surfing the entire time, I can feel the heat from the display.

May have been lost on last page. Anyone have a thunderbolt display hooked up to a macbook? If so, is your monitor hot in the left hand corner after a while?
 
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