Category: Mac

Dropbox

So, another tool I'd like to present, Dropbox.
Dropbox is an online file synchronisation service which does take place on Amazon Servers.
The files are encrypted and stored securely, also with quite high performance.
Nice part? 2 GB of space are free.
You get 250 MB for doing the Tour,
and another 250 MB if you followed the invitation of another person.
( Oh, and yes the other person does get 250 MB as well.. )
Just in terms, heres my invitation link, would be nice if you would consider using it: http://db.tt/tIYzeey

So, how does it work?
In a nutshell: You create your account, download and install the client, enter the data and you're done.
You got an "Dropbox" Folder now on your Win / Mac / Linux Machine which is synchronized.
As soon as you move files to this folder, Dropbox starts to upload the data.
If you change data, these changes are also commited directly.
So far, so good.

The magic starts happening as soon as you install the client onto another pc:
From the moment you start copying files into the folder on one pc, these are also synchronized to the Dropbox Folder on the other one.

And to make the thing perfect:
There are also clients for Android and iPhone as well as an "GUI-less" Version:
Thats right, you're able to install Dropbox as "Backupmedium" to an Headless, Commandline only Linux Server.
( http://wiki.dropbox.com/TipsAndTricks/TextBasedLinuxInstall )

So - I really can recommend it after using it for some months already, so I would suggest you to test it.

Repair Mac G4 Powersupply

Most old G4s PowerPCs have Problems with the Elkos of their Powersupply.
If you're a bit into Soldering, you can quite easily exchange these and get it working again.
Sadly, it didn't work out for me, maybe something different wrong...

BUT - for the sake of helping you out, I made a Picture with the Specs of the Elkos that normally "fail".
Red are the ones which actually were really dead as I measured the old ones (i.e. the 25V 100microF had only 68microF left),
Green were the ones that "still worked" / were in quite good condition.

But thats only from one Powersupply, on yours it might look different.

But anyway, good luck!

Mac OS X Install Problems

Last time I wanted to install Mac OS X Leopard on an Mac and had the problem of an DVD that was always reported as "defect" - It could boot but not install.
So, I came around an quite easy solution:
Installing Mac OS X Tiger - and then Updating!
Seemd that my DVD is somehow only scratched where the "Complete Reinstall" Files are.

Ah, and by the way:
I had for ages the Problem of Warcraft 3 etc which didn't wanted to run under Mac OS X (both Tiger and Leopard) in the latest Version.
It always crashed as I choose "Option" in Game.
Solution is quite easy:
Go to ~/Library/Preferences and erase the com.blizzard.WarcraftIII.24 and Warcraft III Preferences Files.
Thats it!

UnStuck CD and the Blessing called Firewire Mode

Hi there.
So know that I started to life in the more recent Mac World (through an donated G4, thanks a lot! ^.^), I also feel the need to get a bit more to grips with this little fella.
The most basic stuff I did need in recent time:

Eject CD / DVD if "stuck":
1. Through Open Firmware
Press ALT + Apple + O + F after the beep as you turned the Mac on.
A white command line will apear. Enter eject cd and press enter.
You can do this again to close the drive.
( And mac-boot if you want to boot or shutdown )

2. Through Comamnd Line \ Terminal
drutil list shows the installed CD Drives.
drutil eject NUMBER does eject the CD from the numbered drive.

Target Disk Mode \ Firewire:
If you got two Macs, the most impressive thing is the Target Mode.
In Target Mode, you connect two Macs via Firewire Cable, start your Target Mac and press T as long as some nice Firewire Logo appears, and start the second One, with, for example, ALT Key pressed. This will give you an possibility to choose your Bootvolume. So, as Target Mode is active and the Macs are connected, also the DVD Drive and Harddisk from the Target Mac does show up! You can even boot his Mac OS! Cool. Ain't it? Thats useful in cases of Harddrive Crash or for example, If you want to use the other Macs DVD Drive if your other Macs is dead or not existing (Mac Book Air?).
Also you could set the "to be installed" Mac in Target Mode, boot into Mac OS install and install on the Target Macs Harddrive. So, you got some options, use them! ^^

Ah.. by the way, as this site figures out ( http://lowendmac.com/osx/leopard/unsupported.html ) you can also install Mac OS X 10.5.1 Leopard on an old 400 MhZ G4 by starting it in Target Mode and install Mac OS X onto its Harddrive! Cool!