Choosing the Right Hardrive for A1150

Hello Mac World,
Need to replace the internal hard drive on my daughters Macbook Pro 15' A1150. When it comes to SATA 7200 RPM drives wil any drive work in my computer as long as it's 2.5"?
Thanks in advance.
JK

Pretty much - 2.5" x 9.5mm. Since your daughter's model is a 'vintage' model produced in 2006, I wouldn't worry about the SATA speed, as she's only going to achieve 1.5Gbps negotiated speeds.
A good place to go shopping is OWC -> http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/. If the drive in her machine is the original, it's probably around 120GB? You can get 500, 750 or even 1 terabyte drives now. Pick the one that you think will fit her needs best.
Good luck,
Clinton

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Help with choosing the right specifications for a Macbook Pro Retina?

Opinions needed....
So I'm new to Macs, but I know what I want to achieve and I feel this is the right route to choose. I'm looking at delving into the world of music production, using Logic pro 9 and garageband, but I also enjoy watching High definition Movies and televison so I know that the Retina display is definatley the right choice for me. However, I'm unsure on the amount of RAM & Which processer I should choose. I have read a fair bit on forums and online about the new retina macbooks being 'locked' from upgrading, so the 16GB of RAM is an immediate choice for logetivity.
The choice of processor is when I start to become clouded in my choice. As forementioned, I'm looking at running logic pro, as well as high def movies. There is also a possibilty at looking into photo and video editing, Whether that be in final cut pro or photoshop... But I want to leave my options open.
I think the choice of 16GB of RAM, 2.6Ghz processor, with a 256GB hard drive ( as i have 1.5TB external space) would be a good choice. Once I've added on applecare that comes out at around £2350, Which is a significant investment, but one that I think will help me immensely for the future. I am interested in other peoples opinions on my possible choice because, as I said before, I'm new to the world of Macs and making the right choice is essential. As a side note, the choice of upgrades also ensures a reasonable resale value, which is a bonus.
Regards

Both power adapter I have are different (at the magnet end) from the one in link.
Earlier adapters have T shaped connectors, which Apple later changed to the L shape, presumably to make them more abuse-proof. Either one is fine and the one you are using will not damage your Mac.
Retina MBPs and new MBAs use a completely different MagSafe 2 connector which will not fit (without an adapter).

How do I choose the right HD for my macbook pro 13"?

It has a 250gb SATA 5400rpm drive already. I want something WAAAYY bigger. I just want to make sure it is the right size and can copy over my old hd.

Use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone your present OS X boot partition (no Bootcamp or Filevault) to a blank external drive, you can hold the option key down and boot from this clone.
Make the drive switch
http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/
Boot from the clone and use Disk Utility to Erase the drive with the Zero or (on 10.7) the next to last option on the right to map off any bad sectors on the drive. (takes some time but worth it)
Then use CCC to reverse clone and reboot normally.

Choosing the right technologies for a FEM simulation visualization

Hello,
I have been a Flash dev for over a year now, developing games for kids in pure AS3. I have recently started thinking about my Bachelor's Degree project and I decided to use what I know and develop as a developer - and I chose Flash to be my ground technology for this.
The subject of my project is to visualize a finite-element method simulation (FSI - which is simulation for both fluids and solid objects) of 2D (3D for Master's) flow through the aortic valve in heart. What I have to do, basically, is use some FEM application (I chose an archaic Adina) to generate data about the mesh (FEM nodes and elements) and then use it to visualize the whole thing. I was thinking about parsing the output *.dat files and put it to XMLs or just putting it manually in a database so I wouldn't have to deal with file access. Either way is fine, I guess.
Now, my question is - what do I use to optimize this?
Remember, I'm totally new to Flex, I've made only a couple AIR apps.
One of the questions is - use FlashDevelop, which I have been using ever since I started programming in AS3, or switch to FlashBuilder? I definately want to use Flex to create the interface, Flash of course to visualize the whole thing and the problem is I can't get a grip on the overall image. Should I use AIR to build desktop app, or keep it web app, what's the best option for me as a Flex beginner, which will have better performance (as the problem itself is quite complicated) and generally what do you usually use for things like this.
I was trying not to sound too desperate, but I don't really have any gurus around to ask questions like that - I hope you can help.
Thanks for all the input in advance!

We've just acquired a new manufacturing facility to which we are moving operations in the next month. This facility has 3 buildings:Main Office
Telco room for Time Warner coax, fiber box to Shop B telcoShop A Warehouse
Ethernet run back to main office telco (less than 300 feet)Shop B Office
Fiber box to main office telco, feeds shop B warehouse with ethernet cablingI'm looking at Zyxel managed gigabit switches for the network backbone here (mainly the GS-1900, GS-1910, or GS-1920). I'd have a 48-port Zyxel switch in the main office telco room and a 48-port in the Shop B office telco room. But I need SFPs to connect to those fiber boxes (pre-existing fiber not run by us). I know the fiber run from the main office telco to the Shop B office telco is somewhere between 500 and 100 yards, and I believe it is single-mode fiber (but will have...
This topic first appeared in the Spiceworks Community

Choosing the right version for low-cost server

After a recent bump on my Internet speed, my ISP changed and my old ISP is providing only domain and email hosting (with no change in price). Thus I am entertaining building a simple server to handle these chores in-house. This is mainly for home use, with some small in-home business where we'd want to have web page and email, but limited streaming, etc. As I am trying to do this 'on the cheap' I'm looking at all options from installing up to 10.5.x on my old G4-upgraded B&W to buying a Mac Mini Server with 10.6. I would like to have the ability to spam filter all email coming into the domain before it gets to the users (family). Thoughts on the most economical solution? How far up the version list must I go to get better reliability? Initially we'll only need 6 users for now.
Thanks in advance

digitalblade wrote:Also what Graphical Enviroment will wou recomend me for 1GB Ram machine. Ofc it runs well on LXDE and I run it ot Gnome 3. That is probably the heviest that I could use and not wait for things to happen too long. But when I try XFCE on Virtual machines it does not seems that lighter then the Gnome 3. The only thing that I require is that I need Snapping windows manigment. So I can have 2 windows snaped left and right titled together on the same screen. If you tell me I can configure LXDE to do that I could probably go for it. But since Gnome 3 supports it on the fly I don't mind the excessive use of Ram. This machine is Work/Office /code related.
I would recommend using pure openbox (ie just the window manager); it has pre-set keybindings for snapping (openbox calls it "aerosnap" in the rc.xml config file) & is significantly lighter than LXDE. If you require something even faster, try one of the tiling window managers such as DWM or i3. Tilers are great once you get used to them

Choosing the right language for movies downloadable on the iTunes Store

Hello,
I just wanted to point out, that last night, I almost bought a movie in the non-original version through my iPhone/iPad and Apple TV, and this would have been a first (mistake). I have now noticed at work on iTunes that it does say what language the movie is in - I've also noticed some are multilingual, and some are just synchronized, and the language of the synopsis is not necessarily in the language of the actual movie, although I couldn't find my example from last night (?).
My suggestion would be to either introduce a preferred language option, or to clearly distinguish the languages in which a movie is available, to make sure appointments are avoided!
Thank you!
bisi

Suggestions to Apple will be best submitted through the iTunes feedback page. Your comments will be most likely to get to the proper people within Apple that way.
BTW, this forum is for questions about iTunes U, Apple's service for colleges and universities to post educational material in the iTunes Store. Normally you will get the quickest and most applicable responses if you ask your questions in the general iTunes forums.
Regards.

Help me choose the right black for a background (white text on black BG)!

Hi all!
I am polishing an InDesign document for a magazine. The cover will contain a big black surface with white texts on top (alongside a white surface with black texts/graphics on top and there is also a color bar on top of the black surface.)
I was warned that standard black will not work for the black background and I was advised to produce a 'cyan black' or a '4 colour black' instead.
The cover of the magazine will most likely be like a book cover: fairly thick white cardboard/paper with a coated job.
What exact color choice would you recommend knowing that the text color will be 'paper white'.
I now have this Pantone Black C (from the Pantone solid coated library): would it be good for this job? And what about the other black text and graphic elements on the white surface? Should they be from the same black?
I was hoping for the most straight forward and saff answere to this question as soon as possible.
THANKS IN ADVANCE!
Best.
Nic

I agree with Bob.
Generally, I do ask the printer. But usually I set up a rich black with 50% cyan and 100% black.
Adding more than Cyan to the Black can cause misregisteration issues, usually I stick to a 2 colour build for the Rich Black when knocking out White Text.
If your printer suggests differently then use what they have asked.
A few general rules of thumb:
Don't use thin serif fonts below 10pt - as the serifs have a chance of filling in.
Use a slightly bolder version of the font if one is available.
Increase the kerning slightly.
Point size and and typeface is key to setting reversed out type. A font with thick hairlines will not break up as easily as one with thin hairlines. Italics tend to be problematic as in they can break up more easily than roman faces. Increasing the kerning here is vital as it prevents letters from joining up unintentionally.
When talking with the printers - let them know what type size and what font you're planning to use and if it will cause any issues with the print quality.

Choosing the right format for export

Hi, I've got quite a detailed technical question here, regarding video.
I use a Canon Powershot S95 to make videos. I am quite happy with the video quality and prefer using this camera for video rather than using my micro 4/3 camera.
During a trip i will shoot snippets of video using the S95 which i will then edit into a single movie using iMovie '11 on a Mac. The result is quite nice. So far so good.
The S95 features 720p HD 24fps movie recording (1280x720 is what the file info tells me)
When I am done with my video project iMovie gives me the option of saving in various formats, different quality levels depending on where I intend to watch it. I want to save it in the best quality possible, to 'future-proof' it and to watch it on my 27" mac screen.
iMovie offers me the choice of saving in
mobile
medium
large
HD 720p
HD 1080p
I just put together a 5 min movie.
Having saved it using the best quality, HD1080p, the result is a file which is a whopping 800MB for a 5 min film. I say whopping because i have full movies downloaded that last almost 2 hrs and take up only 1.5GB, and they look fine, if not better on the screen.
Given that the source files are 1270x720, is there any point in saving in HD 1080p? or am i just creating an unnecessarily large file with a resolution that is higher than the source material and hence, adds no improved video quality?
any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

mtl1969b wrote:
… Given that the source files are 1270x720, is there any point in saving in HD 1080p? or am i just creating an unnecessarily large file with a resolution that is higher than the source material and hence, adds no improved video quality?…
exactly.
It can not get any better than the original.
Making it 'bigger' doesn't add any value.
you're not only bloating files-size, but export times dramatically increase either.
btw: iM offers much more options. 'Export using Quicktime' offers you any option you have on a Mac. E.g. you can 'adjust' the max. bit-rate of an export, reducing file-size (and probably quality …)
concenring file size: you can add the free encoder x264 to Quciktime, which offers 'better' quality on small file-sizes. But that is no beginner's task…
Last word:
file size should never be an issue in video-making.
Videos are huge. Full stop

Choosing the right Macbook for me?

Ok, so I'm thinking about buying a Macbook in the next couple of months. I'm a high school student, and I'm going to primarily use it for schoolwork, music, taking photos, and watching movies. I have a lot of music and quite a few movies, plus a good number of pictures. I'm trying to decide whether to get the cheapest one--($1,099) or the second-cheapest one ($1,299.) I'd obviously prefer to get the cheaper one, but do you think that I should invest in the more expensive one? The differences are:
The cheap one has a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, the more expensive has a 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo.
The cheap one has a 80 GB hard drive, the more expensive has a 120 GB hard drive.
The cheap one has a Combo Drive, the more expensive a Super Drive.
Honestly, I'm not exactly sure what some of those statistics mean. But advice would definitely be appreciated.
Thanks so much!

Everything else aside go with the one with the superdrive. I have seen many posts on here a few months after someone bought the Macbook with a Combo drive and they were trying to change it for a superdrive. They never thought they would want to burn a dvd but they realized the limitations of only burning CDs. It is not cheap to install a superdrive after the fact.

Choosing the right RAM for my imac

Hi,
I want to upgrade my imac RAM, but im a little confused, there are 2 sticks of RAM im looking at, both are described as mac compatible, but one of them is "CL9" and the other is "CL7", now comes the question, will the CL7 RAM work with my mid 2011 imac?

You need RAM like this:
Maximum Memory
32 GB (Actual) 16 GB (Apple)
Memory Slots
4 - 204-pin PC3-10600 (1333 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM
Visit OWC to find what they recommend and sell. You can add to the two you now have or buy four new modules depending upon how much RAM you wish to add. OWC will provide the appropriate modules.

How to choose the right Mac Pro Specs?

Hello all,
Below is a question I posted in May along with someone's response. I'm wondering if I should still go with the response I received considering the new release of the mac pro 12 core. Did anything change that I need to note in my purchase or is the below response suitable? THANKS!!!!!
my question:
I need some help in choosing the right specs for my mac pro. I am looking for a computer that will help me in running my small business and keep my art portfolio organized. I'll probably be running several programs at a time (ex. mozilla, itunes, adobe bridge, dreamweaver, illustrator, and photoshop). More specifics below
What i'll be using it for:
building a few websites
managing my small business
large photo file editing
keeping business files, artist receipts, etc
cataloging my art portfolio (large photo files)
storing photos, music, and short videos
graphic design
infrequent film editing
infrequent sound editing
what programs i'll be using:
CS5 (mostly photoshop, illustrator, bridge, dreamweaver)
iphoto
itunes
maybe minimal finalcut/soundtrack pro
maybe minimal aftereffects
Advice?
My concerns are that it needs to run pretty smoothly with multiple programs open, no overheating, plenty of space for file storage and application support.
Hello washleyill,
My advice would be to buy the standard configuration 2.66GHz Quad Core (i.e. 3 x 1GB RAM, 640GB hard drive) from the Apple store, with the exception of the graphics card which you can buy as a CTO option for $200.00. It is well worth the upgrade from the GT120 - I know, because I upgraded myself last November after using a GT120 for 4 months.
With regard to the memory, if you can afford it now, buy 4 x 4GB from OWC now. If not, I would suggest that you buy 2 x 4GB now, and then add another 2 x 4GB in the future. 16GB of RAM is a much better option than 8GB for your requirements. You can sell the 3 x 1GB RAM to OWC in "part exchange", and there would be little difference in price for 2 x 4GB to the CTO option of 4 x 2GB.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1066-memory
Instead of buying 2 x 1TB hard drives as a CTO option, you could purchase 2 x 1.5TB or 2 x 2TB HDDs for less money, and you would still have the 640GB. Spare drives are always useful. I use my original 640GB as a spare emergency system boot drive (OS and applications) in an external enclosure.
Another alternative is to wait a few more weeks, in case the rumours of the introduction of a new Mac Pro range in June have any foundation.
Regards,
Bill

Hello again washleyill,
The defining factor, which you haven't mentioned in either this or your original question, is what your overall budget is.
With the introduction of the new models, it's a new ball game now since I replied to your original question.
Now, if it is within your budget, I would recommend the 2010 Mac Pro 3.33GHz 6-Core "Westmere", with the standard 1TB hard drive, the basic 3 x 1GB RAM, but with the CTO Radeon HD5870 1GB Graphics Card.
This is the same configuration that Lloyd Chambers (of Mac Performance Guide fame) has recently ordered:
http://macperformanceguide.com/index.html
Then buy as much memory as you can afford now from OWC (trade-in the 3 x 1GB of Apple RAM against this):
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1066-memory
(The 1333MHz is now listed on this page as well as the 1066MHZ)
If your budget is large enough, then certainly it is worth considering the 2.93Ghz 12-Core, but the 3.33GHz 6-Core, with maxed out memory and fast hard drives, should be more than adequate for your requirements. The more memory the better for Photoshop CS5!
I have just ordered Photoshop CS5 myself. It is a big step-up from Elements 8, and I was going to wait until next year, by which time, hopefully, any initial problems and bugs should have been resolved.
However, Adobe UK made me an offer I couldn't refuse! The full boxed Photoshop CS5 edition for half price!
Also, the offer included an option to buy Lightroom3 at the same time with a 30% discount off its normal price, and so I have taken the plunge and ordered that as well, because I have never been completely happy with Aperture (II or III). Normally, I would not have purchased both Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3, but at these prices the offer was too tempting.
Best of luck with your purchase,
Regards,
Bill

Need some advice on choosing the right iPad

My wife has been dropping some subtle hints that she'd like an iPad for Christmas. I'm playing dumb for the time being so she'll be surprised when the time comes but I'm forced to admit that I'm a bit ignorant when it comes to choosing the right model for her. She wants one specificaly for pictures,but will probably also use it for downloading audio books, e-mail and web. While I'd like nothing more than to be able to afford the latest and greatest, cost IS a consideration so I'm looking at used & refurbished 2's in the $300-$350 range; maybe a 3 if I can make it fit the budget.
Of the older generations out there, which one has the better camera and would I better off with a 64 gig rather than a 32?

What are all the differences between the iPad 3rd Gen and the iPad 2? Is the iPad 2 worth the cost savings?
http://everymac.com/systems/apple/ipad/ipad-faq/differences-between-ipad-3rd-gen -2012-ipad-2-2011.html
What are all the differences between the iPad 3rd Gen models? Which should I buy?
http://everymac.com/systems/apple/ipad/ipad-faq/differences-between-ipad-3rd-gen -early-2012-models.html
Should I Buy a New iPad? Or an iPad 2?
http://www.maclife.com/article/blogs/should_i_buy_new_ipad_or_ipad_2
iPad 3 vs iPad 2 vs iPad 1- Feature comparisons with iOS 5
http://ipadhelp.com/ipad-help/ipad-3-vs-ipad-2/
iPad Q&A
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ipad/ipad-faq/differences-between-ipad-3rd -gen-early-2012-models.html
A Few Questions (and Answers) About the New iPad
http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/a-few-questions-and-answers-about-the- new-ipad/?ref=personaltechemail&nl=technology&emc=edit_ct_20120315
New iPad: A Polishing of the Old
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/technology/personaltech/the-new-ipad-is-much-t he-same-only-better.html?nl=technology&emc=edit_ct_20120315
iPad 1, 2 and New Specifications
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ipad/index-ipad-specs.html
16GB vs 32GB vs 64GB: Which new iPad storage capacity should you get?
http://www.imore.com/2012/03/08/16gb-32gb-64gb-ipad-capacity/
How much content will fit on my iPod or iPhone?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1867
If you think you may get an iPad 2:
Refurbished iPad Prices
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad
New 16GB iPad 2 Prices
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad/select_ipad2
When iOS 6 comes out in the fall, the iPad 3 will get Siri, but the iPad 2 won't.
 Cheers, Tom

How to choose the right processor speed for application

Hi,
Can any one help me to identify the right cRIO model.
I want to choose the cRIO processor for an application. The cRIO- 9025, has processor of 800 MHz speed. Where as there is another cRIO model which comes with 400 MHz of the processor.
How do I decide which model to choose?
The mathematical calculations will help me to reach at a conclusion. I am not sure how to go ahead with the mathematical calculations.
Can any one advise me on this.
ThanX

I don't think you will get any mathematical calculations telling you witch cRIO you have to use based on the level of information you have given.
I don't think there are any mathematical calculations to decide witch cRIO a user can use.
You need to give a lot more information about what you are going to use cRIO for, before anyone can give you an advice.
What does you setup look like ?
Wwitch modules are going in the cRIO ?
What are they doing ( input/output )?
Are the cRIO interacting witch external systems?
Are the cRIO only collecting data ? How fast ?
What operation are the cRIO going to do ?
Just a fewe of the questions you need to ask yourself.

Choosing the Right Power Supply

First things first. If you've got a poor-quality and/or faulty power supply, nothing else you do will work to solve your problems. Stick to the basics before you go further...The short answer is to buy a hi-powered, brand name supply, like the new ENERMAX line (430 W or higher) or ANTEC True550. Almost nothing else will do with today's computers. In over 30 years of electronic/computer service, I have found that 85% or more of problems were power-related.
If you want to know more, read on...
Choosing The Right Power Supply
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that one of my colleagues or I believe that you could be experiencing problems with your power supply, based upon the symptoms you mentioned in your post, and provided you with this link. Relax, you’re not alone. In 30 years of electronic and computer troubleshooting, I’d say that the majority of the electronic, mainframe, mini, and microcomputer problems I’ve diagnosed and repaired were with the basic power the problematic device was receiving. The symptoms often included random reboots, crashing, the BSOD, lockups, etc.
(As the national support technician for few major computer service companies, working US Defense contracts, I was often the person that had to fly in and correct the problem, or “walk through” the on-site technician as he closely followed my instructions. I achieved success in my career by carefully reading the manuals, knowing where to go for more information that was otherwise unavailable to me, and/or systematically troubleshooting until the problems were discovered and repaired. I never had the option of giving up.)
The most overlooked component when building or upgrading a PC is the power supply unit (PSU). Some people use their old case and PSU when they upgrade. Some use the PSU that came with their new case. Some people even buy a new PSU. And most inexperienced builders all make the same mistake: The PSU that they’re trying to use is simply inadequate for the job.
Suppose you’re upgrading to a new motherboard, CPU, ram, and video card, but still using the old case and PSU. It’s most likely that you’re upgrading in order to build a machine that is more powerful, faster, has a more colorful display, can number-crunch more quickly, play the latest games, etc. These gains in performance all have one thing in common: They require more raw power. However, have you thought about where that power comes from?
Suppose you’re building a new system with a new case and PSU. Has it occurred to you that the company that you bought the case/PSU from might make more money if they skimp on the supply, even if the supply has a large wattage rating? Most bulk power supply manufacturers don’t make good PSU’s. They use older, cheaper technology, and slap on labels that represent the PSU’s peak outputs, and not their continuous output rating. These companies are intentionally misleading you in order to sell you an inferior product. Brands I avoid when building/repairing my friends’ and family’s computers: Allied, Q-Tec, Chieftech, and many others.
For those of you who bought a power supply separately, did you know that you’re only supposed to run a power supply continuously at 30-70% (with 50% being optimal) of its continuous rating for maximum efficiency (which means less heat to you)? Most inexperienced builders either buy PSU’s that are matched to their equipment’s continuous power usage, or ones that are even less powerful than they need. Why? Because they’re trying to save money.
I mean, what’s the fun in a power supply? You don’t get any games with it, there’s no more storage, hardly ever any more bells and whistles, etc. A power supply is boring, and it’s supposed to be, because it’s supposed to provide a stable, reliable platform upon which the rest of the equipment can easily access the amount of power it needs, and when it’s needed. In almost EVERY review of powers supplies, the same point is stressed: Better safe than sorry.
But what does safe vs sorry mean? It can mean that you don’t have to waste money on the wrong PSU in the first place, but it can also mean that you don’t have to replace your expensive ram, CPU, video card, etc. NEEDLESSLY, or because your cheap PSU destroyed them. What? A cheap power supply can wreck your computer? YES IT CAN. A cheap power supply can cause thermal damage, not only from the heat it produces, but also the heat it can create in your components as well. RAM is especially sensitive to heat, and there’s RAM in your CPU, your video cards, and, well, your RAM too. A cheap switching power supply, run at its maximum, or peak, continuously can also destroy components by creating RF (Radio Frequency) signals on your power rails, signals which the components on your peripheral devices were not equipped to handle in the first place.
So this begs the question, how does one choose the right power supply? I’ll illustrate this using my own PC as the example. This is my setup that I use for video processing:
K7N2G-ILSR
Athlon 2500+ Barton @ 2125Mhz
AMD Retail Heatsink/Fan
2 - 512MB DDR333 w/Thermaltake Spreaders (slot 1&3)
MSI TV@nywhere Video Capture
ATI Radeon 9600
120GB Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 SATA
30GB Quantum IDE
TEAC DV-W50E DVD/CD-R/W
BTC DVD-ROM Drive
Artec CD-R/W
Using this Power Supply Calculator link:
http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/
I plug in all my equipment values, but some of this can be a little tricky. For example, since I often run the CPU like an XP 3000, I choose the 3000 as my processor; it’s the same chip run at the faster rate. I also choose the ATI Radeon video card, and I select the RAM wattage for 2 sticks of DDR. I also choose every card I have, like my video capture card, but I also select the boxes for the separate cards that correspond to the functions that my ILSR provides as well (and that I use), like sound, USB, Firewire, NIC, etc. Although I use the onboard SATA controller, I don’t select the SCSI PCI card, because, in truth, I’ve probably made up for it by selecting all the other corresponding devices, including cards that the motherboard replaces. I check the boxes for the fans and drives I use, and I’m done, right?
Not yet.
I just remembered that I plan to upgrade soon, so I go back and change the values to reflect my impending changes. I mean, I want to make sure that I have enough power to begin with so that I don’t have to replace the power supply again, right?
Ok. Done. I look at the bottom and see that it tells me that I need a 468 watt PSU. So a 480 watt supply will do, right? Wrong.
Remember that, for efficiency, long-life, and less heat, you want your actual power consumption to fall between 30-70% of the PSU’s rating, so add 30% (minimum) to the 468, and you get 468 + (468*.30)= 608 Watts! Holy Cow!
However, I’d only need a 608-Watt supply if I was using all the devices at once, and I don’t. But, in truth, with video and audio processing, I often get close when I process, burn, and monitor at the same time. (Hardcore gamers also get close a lot, as they blast the sound and push that video to its limits.) So, let’s take off 10% (maximum) of 608, for a total of 541 Watts.
I need a 550 Watt supply, but not just ANY 550 watt PSU. I need a supply that can give me enough power on the critical 3.3, 5, and 12V rails combined. I also want a supply from a trusted, name-brand manufacturer, so I start hitting the many online reviews. Here are just two from Tom’s Hardware:
http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20030609/index.html
http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20021021/index.html
Read these in their entirety. I didn’t post them because they’re pretty links.
In the end, I chose Antec, because they’ve got the reputation, the recommendation, and because the Antec True550 has better specs than the rest of the 550 Watt competition. I also bought it from a reputable company I found on Pricegrabber.com, for the lowest price I could find, $95.00 shipped to my door. (In truth, I wanted two mini-redundant supplies, like the hospitals and military use, but they were too expensive.)
The result? Not only are the random reboots, crashing, the BSOD, lockups, etc., gone like magic, but I also now have “peace of mind” in that whatever might happen to my equipment in the future, I know almost for certain that the PSU is NOT the problem. I also bought an UPS, because the East Coast Blackout proved to me that even the Antec True550 isn’t going to provide me any power for emergency shutdown if it doesn’t get its power from somewhere.
Even if your problem doesn’t lie in the PSU completely, it gives you a GREAT platform for troubleshooting further. If you’re not reasonably certain that the supply is the cause, borrow one, or buy one that you can return once you’ve solved the problem. But, above all else, BUY THE RIGHT SUPPLY before you do anything else! Otherwise, you could be plugging and unplugging components, buying and blowing up expensive memory, and causing even further damage, until you give up or die.
I mean, I assume you built your own system to enjoy “more bang for your buck,” right? What’s the fun of a random reboot in the middle of Unreal Tournament 2003?
William Hopkins
Former Staff Sergeant, USAF
B.A., B.S., with Honors
The University of California, San Diego
[email protected]
P.S. It should be noted that while Enermax, ThermalTake, Zalman, Fortron, and others make great PSU’s, and I compared and considered them, the Antec still won out overall in my critical evaluation, like it did in so may others’ reviews. You’d probably be ok if you went with another reputable manufacturer as listed above, but pick a supply that gives you at least 230 watts on the 3.3 and 5V lines combined, and still meets the 30% criteria as stated above. Remember, if the manufacturers don’t give you maximum combined specs up front, they’re untrustworthy right off the bat. With power supplies, you definitely end up getting what you pay for. Don’t say nobody warned you.
P.P.S. Update! After recent developments, it looks like Enermax is the leader, but only the latest line of PSU's.

Ok, as an electrical engineer...I have to step in here! LOL
First, these amp rating are for 2 +12 rails. That is why you see a protection of around 15-18A on the +12 rail. That means each Rail is allowed up to 18A lets say for the new Enermax 1.2 version like the one I have.
Now, Lets say 18A for 12V....well as you know the Abit NF7-S uses the 12V for powering the CPU.
Lets say you have a Barton like me and you want it stable at around 2.4-2.5Ghz. You will have to put lets say around 2V to the cpu to get it stable at that kinda speed, specially if you have high FSB like I do. So 12V * 18Amps = 216W ....well the converter on the NFS-7 is really bad, its loss on the step down convertion is probably around 25% along with the PSU lost cuz its not running at 25oC (another 15%)....you will actually only get around 100-120W for the CPU.
Now, if you go into Sandra and see how much a Barton eats up at 2.4Ghz you will see its around 110Watts.
So, if you wanna push more, dont even think about it! Prime Power test fails and your +12 rail will drop as low as 11.60 Volts.
Now, lets say you got yourself a AMD 64 bit chip and you wanna overclock it....I bet it will need more than 110Watts.
So, what im saying is, dont buy nothing less than a 500 Watt PSU!
You really need around 20-22 A on the main +12 along with really really good cooling on the case and PSU so it is running at a 100%.
http://forums.amdmb.com/showindex.php?s=&threadid=287828
i found this quite interesting especially the bit re the power loss turning the 12v into 1.6v or what ever cpu needs

I type in the right password for my ipad but it says its wrong what do i do?

i type in the right password for my iPad but it says its wrong. what do i do?

Locked Out, Forgot Lock or Restrictions Passcode, or Need to Restore Your Device: Several Alternative Solutions
A
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You will need to restore your device as New to remove a Restrictions passcode. Go through the normal process to restore your device, but when you see the options to restore as New or from a backup, be sure to choose New.
You can restore from a backup if you have one from BEFORE you set the restrictions passcode.
Also, see iTunes- Restoring iOS software.

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