Need advice on Mac file security

1. I use Office For Mac, Excel version 14.3.0 I can save an Excel file with a password, but I do not know what type of encrption Excel uses to encrypt the file. Maybe AES 128?
2. I know I can use Disk Utility to create an encrypted disk image, and then store the Excel file in the encrypted disk image.
3. I also know that I can use FileVault to encrypt the entire drive.
When it comes to encrypting and protecting an individual Excel file, does one of the three options provide a higher level of security protection? If so, which one and why? Should I use a combination of the above options to "double encrypt" sensitive Excel files?
Advice welcome!

first of all please review this article and related posts....also do an assessment of how time machine will play into the equation in the advent of a restore
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4790
as for excel proper
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/password-protect-worksheet-or-workb ook-elements-HP010078580.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/overview-of-security-and-protection -in-excel-HP005238854.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/help-secure-and-protect-data-in-exc el-RZ001123531.aspx?section=5

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Need advice about Mac Pro and Windows networking

I currently have 2 machines at work: One HP Windows PC (high configuration) and a PowerMac G5 2GHz dual. I'm basically close to purchasing a new Mac Pro to replace both machines but need some advice. I do the majority of design work on the Mac. However I need the Windows PC to also do some design work but mainly use it to connect into the windows network at work. Basically I need to be able to access the network drives (which are set up with Novell Netware, with IPX turned off), Novell GroupWise email system and connect to the internet through the LAN. Can I do this with a Mac Pro, with either Bootcamp or Parallels? Is there any sacrifice in terms of performance in using Bootcamp or Parallels? The end result I want is similar to what I am doing at the moment - at the moment I use a PC to network and the Mac to design, side by side with each other. What I want is to do this from one machine, not two. (I also need the PC side of things as I need to use some software that isn't available on the Mac, eg. bespoke databases that run on PC). Is it easy to network under Bootcamp/Parallels? What pitfalls are there that I need to be aware of?

When your running Windows via bootcamp, you are essentially Running windows on a PC architecture. You will have all the same capabilities that you have now.
When you use Parallels to run Windows, you are running Windows as a virtual machine running within the confines of the Mac OS. The advantage is that you can run multiple OS's at the same time, and easily share files and data between them. The disadvantage is that the OS running within Parallels has a slightly performance hit, meaning you are not running as fast as the bootcamp version, but the performance hit is very slight. The only place that Parallels is lacking at the moment is in support of 3D or accelerated graphics. That is Parallels currently cannot make use of a graphics card 3D capabilities or advance GPU options. Parallels has stated their intent is to provide better graphic card support in the near future.
With all this in mind, I don;t see any reason why you cannot use Parallels for your Windows networking needs, and the Mac for your design needs, all at the same time. You will need of course to ensure you have enough RAM to support both OS's if you intend to run them at the same time.
Tom N.

HELP: New to Mavericks. Need advice on setting up secure user accounts

Hi,
I need advice on how to best set up user accounts on Mavericks.
I must set up an Administrative account...Any suggestion for best settings here to protect against targeted malicious exploits?
I would also like to set up two user accounts for everyday work with applications and Internet browsing done in such a way that the machine would be protected from malicious attacks but with a minimum of inconvience for the users ( myself and my wife ).
Thanks

Hi hassiman, any exploits will come in the form of users downloading suspect pieces of software like browser add-ons and extensions, device drivers and non-trusted apps.
Make sure that you do not use the admin account for any day to day use
Create two normal user accounts, one for each of you and use them day to day
When using the admin account to set up your system, pay very careful attention to the System Preferences > Privacy & Security area. There are various things to set up properly here:
There are three settings for how people can download software, 1) From Mac App Store only, 2) From App Store and registered developers and 3) from anyone. It defaults to 2) but check it and if you feel uncomfortable with that, set it to 1). This might prevent you from downloading and installing software you think you might need; but think carefully about wether you really need it and therefore wether you should temporarily allow it via a lower setting.
For the firewall, if you dont have a firewalled internet gateway device (a wireless router or similar), make sure the firewall is turned on. Most internet connection equipment does have such a firewall; make sure it is blocking any incoming connections by using its admin tool (usually a web browser interface). Consult its documentation for details.
Whenever OS X asks for a password to complete a task of any kind, look carefully at what is making it ask and if you aren't sure, don't go through with it; it is usually wanting the admin account name and ppassword to complete some kind of system modification (install, config etc.).
Make sure that you are both aware of the danger of installing any software that wants to add itself to your system or web browser. Things like custom search bars, extensions etc. If you are viewing a web page and it says you need "x" to see it or use it properly, make sure you really need to use that web site; otherwise don't do it.
It really all comes down to common sense; the worst security breaches and damage come from users who don't know what to do, but they still click "OK" when they should be clicking "cancel" or "close". Make sure you and your wife are fully aware that responsibility lies with yourselves. It is better to take a minute to decide wether to install something (even if it's 20 times a week) than spend days fixing a compromised system.

Need advice on what antivirus/security measures are recommended for Macs

Between us my husband and I have a MacBook Pro and a MacBook Air.
I'm looking for guidance on what might or might not be useful, beyond what is standard on a Mac, to protect against viruses and improve security on our system.
Thanks in advance!

Linc Davis wrote:
(1) Don't install any commercial anti-virus software. It's all useless garbage.
Not true, at least if you email or send files to Windows users. It won't do you much good if your Mac isn't compromised but theirs is by something you pass along to them. Any info about you on their computers is put at risk of exploitation. We live in a connected world, & like it or not we are all in this together.
(2) Use your administrator account (the first one you created) only for administrative tasks such as installing software.
This offers reasonable protection but some malware is potentially capable of exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities that allow privileges to be escalated to admin or even root level without a user's knowledge. And even if an exploit is confined to the domain of a regular user account it can still do damage or compromise information.
NEVER enter your administrator password when prompted to do so by an application UNLESS it's a built-in application, such as the Installer.
That would preclude the use of a great deal of commercial software that doesn't use Apple's Installer.app, including most Adobe products.
NEVER install any third-party software except by drag-and-drop into your Applications folder, or by download from the App Store.
Same as above: not everything users want or need uses Apple's installer or can be installed by a simple drag & drop. And obviously, if the system is already infected all bets are off: you can no longer trust Installer.app to be what it says it is.
NEVER run any program you receive as an unsolicited email attachment, even if you know and trust the apparent sender.
This does not apply only to attachments containing executable code, or even just to email. Apple has provided security updates to patch vulnerabilities that can be exploited just by clicking on links to maliciously formed web pages. This kind of attack is becoming more popular, in part because browsers send info about the client computer to the server that can be used to tailor the attack to the specific vulnerabilities of the platform, & in part because browsers increasingly rely on executing scripts & other instructions provided by web pages to render them.

Need advice about transfering files

Hello. I just got a new mac through an education deal at school. I hate this process of transferring files from one computer to the next but have never done it from one Mac to another before so thought it would be pretty smooth. Im new to the whole Migration Assistant and so need some advice about what to do next.
I tried using migration assistance upon first turning on my new mac but was using wireless and it just wasnt working. My computer kept saying my new mac wasnt responding and I kept having to select ok or cancel every minute and with 15 hours to go, i thought f^*# it. So I decided to just start the computer up and manually transfer files. Then I found an ethernet cable, turned file sharing on and am using my public folder to transfer but its turning into The Most Tedious task and things arent transferring properly (like certain folders arent copying contents, just the folder itself).
Now Im wishing I could have used migration assistant from the start but what can you do. I cant just re-install the mac os software and try again because before we got our new macs they installed some programs for us, like Logic, and I dont really wanna mess with that.
Whats my best option at this stage? Ive transferred about a gig of pictures and documents over so far (and I think my old hard drive is about 60 gig full) but theres a bunch of other little things like iphoto, imovie, garageband, stickies, as well as big folders of music (and itunes - playlists etc) that I wanna make sure get copied in entirety. Will migration assistant handle that? Is it best to delete the stuff Ive transferred so far and let it start fresh? What would you do?
Sorry my post is so long
Message was edited by: girrrl

Also, now that I have an ethernet cable, if I go ahead and use migration assistant to transfer the account from my old computer, will Logic only be available through the new account I have set up on my new computer? Would I have to log out of one account and into the other and back and forth to access the different files/programs? Any help would be much appreciated

Need advice on Page file settings in Windows 7 x64

Hi Guys
I just opgraded my main CS6 rig to a total of 32 GB RAM. This means, that the system has added allocated space for the page file on my system drive, a 128 GB Corsair Pro SSD disc, and I therefor only have 23 GB free.
I was wondering if I could put some or all of it on another, 240 GB SSD I have in my system that I use for PPRO previews, media cache etc. or I should simply upgrade my system drive to the 240 GB version?
I have 2 600 GB WD Raptor 10K rpm drives too, one for media and one for render, could maybe put it there too?
I am a bid unsure how to do this rigth, so any advice would be appreciated
Thanks in advance.
Ulf

....I am sure soon you will hear from others on this forum more knowledgeable than me....but, from what I've read hear before, to produce the fastest performance with your current equipment would be to keep your OS and programs only on your current "C" drive. Assuming these SSDs are SATA III for best performance, you would then place a static pagefile at least 1.5x your installed system memory,(at least 48 GB), on the 240GB SSD, along with the previews, cache, and media cache files.
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    Then , for fastest performance, you would create a 2 disk onboard RAID 0 with the two Raptors to place your media on for fastest editing performance. However, you must use an additional disk as the primary location of your important, original media files.....then, you would copy those onto the RAID for editing speed.
   Then, you may either : export to the 240GB SSD for faster export.....then copy those to that new additional 7200 RPM you must buy,or, just export to that new drive directly,( may take a little longer).
   Newer Marvell controlled, ( not Sandforce), SSDs are supposedly able to handle "incompressible data", (like digital video files), well, without slowing down during writes. Storage Review and other sites have tested these.....Plextor and Corsair Pro series SSDs look to be the best,but, expensive. I have NOT had any trouble so far with my SATA II Corsair F120 SSDs....at the time, 2 years ago, that drive was rated as having read and write speeds of over 200MB/sec. My tests showed that to be true. A large,cheap Marvell controlled SSD is the Crucial M4,( just issued new firmware)......it was as low as $339 for a 512GB recently.
    In general, you will hear criticism here on using SSDs for video editing. Without using a huge RAID array and expensive controller card....the standard recommendation for a system like yours is to have a five drive setup.....plus backup. One drive for OS and programs, plus two -2 drive onboard RAID 0 arrays.
    Use of a single 7200rpm disk,( at 100-130MB/sec.) can slow you while editing.....hence the fast RAID arrays. Speed of OS drive is not that critical, once the program is up and running....it is your "project" disk speed that is important.
   Once re-configured, you should visit the PPBM5 website, and see how your rig does with the benchmark test compared to other setups.

Need advice on Mac-based work setup

Hi, hoping for some advice on the best Mac-based system to purchase for our 6 design workstations. We are jumping from CS5 to CC. We do GFX for multiple tv stations, motion GFX, compositing, 3D, editing, print design. SPEED is important and we only buy new computers every 4 years or so. Typical workflow has the following open simultaneously: AE, PR or FCP, PS, ID, AI, Firefox, Outlook, and maybe also Word or Text Edit or Quicktime. We do short but complex stuff, 60 seconds tops.
We’ve got one test system set up so far. These are the specs of our test system; putting all projects and assets on the thunderbolt RAID:
Mac Pro 10.9.2      3.7 Ghz Quad-Core    Intel Xeon E5      12 Gig DDR3
30 Inch Apple Cinema Display Display 2560 X 1600    AMD FirePro 2048 MB Graphics
HDMI to DVI converter for 2008 Apple Studio Display
Drive: Areca 5026 RAID-ed RAID 5    each slot has a 1TB    Toshiba 7200 RPM 32MB cache SATA 6.0GB/s drive, connected by thunderbolt 2.0
Blackmagic card: UltraStudio 3D thunderbolt device running the 9.6.7 Black magic drivers, connected thunderbolt 2.0
Panasonic HD pro tv monitor
PROBLEM: with this setup we’re disappointed in both rendering and render to RAM speed, and RAM preview at full res is dropping frames on some projects. Turning on multiprocessing does not make it any faster, and won’t render at all in certain codecs (like DV50). I have 12GB of RAM, and reserved 3GB for other applications. With multiprocessing on I have 8 CPUs, leaving 2 for other applications, reserving 2GB per CPU.
Designers render locally on their own Macs while multi-tasking on print projects, run web browsers, outlook etc.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the best fastest system AE can take advantage of? If we get 6 or 8 or 12 core Mac Pros (instead of the quad core) with more RAM, would AE be able to access that speed, and if so up to how many GB can it use, only up to 2GB per core or can it use more?
2. Should we replace the graphics card with an Nvidia CUDA? Is the ray-tracing engine something we’ll need with Cinema 4D work?
Thank you!

> 1. What is the best fastest system AE can take advantage of? If we get 6 or 8 or 12 core Mac Pros (instead of the quad core) with more RAM, would AE be able to access that speed, and if so up to how many GB can it use, only up to 2GB per core or can it use more?
Yes, After Effects will take advantage of multiple fast CPUs and all of the RAM that you can install.
You also want to have a decent-sized SSD connected over a fast bus for the disk cache. The new Mac Pro does very well in that regard.
2. Should we replace the graphics card with an Nvidia CUDA? Is the ray-tracing engine something we’ll need with Cinema 4D work?
The After Effects ray-traced 3D renderer has nothing whatsoever to do with Cinema 4D.
Do not make any buying decisions based on the After Effects ray-traced 3D renderer unless you already know for certain that you have a need for it. Since you're asking, it seems that the answer is that you don't.
See this page for information about hardware for Premiere Pro and After Effects: http://adobe.ly/pRYOuk

How to keep Mac files secure during repair at Apple Store

I will be taking my MacBook Pro into an Apple Store to have a Genius diagnose a persistent hardware problem. I am very concerned about my files and info being stolen or tampered with if a I have to leave it there for repairs. I am especially concerned about Keychain. What is the recommended way to keep the contents of my Mac secure in this situation, since I assume I will have to give them my Administrator info? Thanks

I'd recommend against FileVault if you have a lot of data, especially media files that are one singular file in excess of several hundred MBs (or more). Someone got a client of mine to configure FileVault (first time) on her MacBook Pro that had about 180GB of movies, music, pictures, etc. While it enabled FileVault in about 25-30 minutes on the initial sparsebundle image creation it took over 37 hours to remove the sparsebundle image when she turned FileVault. It wasn't even corrupted... I couldn't imagine how long it would have taken if it was.
I vote the temporary relocation of files, it's quicker and easier.
Also, while I can't speak for all Mac Genii that do repairs, having served as one for a while I honestly say that I never "snooped" around a user's machine. Unless they explicitly asked me to verify something, I never clicked anywhere that wasn't System Profiler, Activity Monitor or System Preferences. Honestly, there was just never any "free time" during a repair to be digging through your documents or pictures and the risk of termination or something worse was not worth the "thrill."

New to Mac...Need advice...MBP and My Book external drive

I'm new to Mac. Getting my MBP 2.4GHz/15" in tomorrow and this will be a migration from the Windows world to the Mac world for me. So I need some advice.
I received my My Book Pro 500GB external HDD in today and have a friend's MacBook running the current version of OS X to do any work I need to do to this HDD.
I'm going to have Windows XP Home available via Boot Camp and Parallels (depending on whether I need to run natively or not) in case that matters.
Here's what I have in terms of data:
- about 2GB of data files (Word, Excel, etc.)
- about 6GB worth of photo files
- about 85GB of home movies that are in .avi format at this time
I'm a little overwhelmed with all that I've been trying to digest regarding this move and just found out my laptop will be here tomorrow. I thought I had some extra time but that hasn't turned out to be the case.
What doesn't make sense to me right now is how to get my data over to my new machine, move what isn't critical to have on the laptop's HDD out to external, and how to figure out which file system I'll need on this external drive. My laptop will be partitioned with 30GB available to Windows and the other 130GB for Mac. Do I need to format this external drive with the Mac file system only? Or do I need to leave some space formatted FAT32 in case I need some overflow on the Windows side? Will the Windows environment be able to see any of the Journaled space on either the internal or external drive? I assume not.
I'm so confused right now, I can't even put anything down but these fragmented thoughts. Hopefully somebody knows where I'm at and can give me some advice.
Thanks-
John
MacBook Pro 2.4GHZ Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Start with Switching from Windows to Mac OS X and Basic Tutorials on using a Mac.
Since I don't have an ICBM (Intel-chip-based Mac), I can't help with the external HD stuff. However, you should be aware that file system formats and partition mapping schemes are two different things.
OS X requires the Mac OS Extended (HFS+) file system formatting—applies to both PPCs and ICBMs. Details on file system formats are in http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Performance/Conceptual/FileSystem/Artic les/MacOSXAndFiles.html
ICBMs the GUID Partition Table scheme. Details on partition mapping schemes are in http://developer.apple.com/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/universalbinary/universal_binary_tips/chapter_5_section10.html
Whether or not you can use both the Mac OS Extended and FAT-32 formats on separate volumes, I'll leave to the other experts.

I received a phishing email from what I thought was my bank. Do I need to do anything to my MAC for security?

I received a phishing email from what I thought was my bank. Do I need to do anything to my MAC for security? I have no anti-virus software.

Evelyn, there is nothing that can prevent you or anyone from falling victim to those attempts to defraud you – other than you.
"Phishing" scams are the most common way of getting people to voluntarily supply information that should be kept as secure as any other personal possession. "Anti-virus" solutions can't possibly prevent that sort of fraud, and if anything can only lull you into falsely believing you're being protected from threats, be they real or perceived.
Do you have any further advice so that I don't fear my Mac?
There is no reason to fear your Mac; it's a tool to be used for your sole benefit. Like any tool though, it can be misused. If there is any explanation for fear, it's a lack of education. Knowledge conquers fear and renders it inert. Learn what real threats actually exist, how to defend yourself from them, and how to distinguish them from those propagated by fear mongering psychopaths that justify their existence by keeping others misinformed. There are an abundance of the latter.
There will always be threats to your information security associated with using any Internet - connected communications tool:
You can mitigate those threats by following commonsense practices
Delegating that responsibility to software is an ineffective defense
Assuming that any product will protect you from those threats is a hazardous attitude that is likely to result in neglecting point #1 above.
OS X already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. Keep it that way with software updates from Apple.
A much better question is "how should I protect my Mac":
Never install any product that claims to "clean up", "speed up", "optimize", "boost" or "accelerate" your Mac; to "wash" it, "tune" it, or to make it "shiny". Those claims are absurd.Such products are very aggressively marketed. They are all scams.
Never install pirated or "cracked" software, software obtained from dubious websites, or other questionable sources.
Illegally obtained software is almost certain to contain malware.
"Questionable sources" include but are not limited to spontaneously appearing web pages or popups, download hosting sites such as C net dot com, Softonic dot com, Soft pedia dot com, Download dot com, Mac Update dot com, or any other site whose revenue is primarily derived from junk product advertisements
If you need to install software that isn't available from the Mac App Store, obtain it only from legitimate sources authorized by the software's developer.
Don’t supply your password in response to a popup window requesting it, unless you know what it is and the reason your credentials are required.
Don’t open email attachments from email addresses that you do not recognize, or click links contained in an email:
Most of these are scams that direct you to fraudulent sites that attempt to convince you to disclose personal information.
Such "phishing" attempts are the 21st century equivalent of a social exploit that has existed since the dawn of civilization. Don’t fall for it.
Apple will never ask you to reveal personal information in an email. If you receive an unexpected email from Apple saying your account will be closed unless you take immediate action, just ignore it. If your iCloud, iTunes, or App Store account becomes disabled for valid reasons, you will know when you try to buy something or log in to this support site, and are unable to.
Don’t install browser extensions unless you understand their purpose. Go to the Safari menu > Preferences > Extensions. If you see any extensions that you do not recognize or understand, simply click the Uninstall button and they will be gone.
Don’t install Java unless you are certain that you need it:
Java, a non-Apple product, is a potential vector for malware. If you are required to use Java, be mindful of that possibility.
Java can be disabled in System Preferences.
Despite its name JavaScript is unrelated to Java. No malware can infect your Mac through JavaScript. It’s OK to leave it enabled.
Beware spontaneous popups: Safari menu > Preferences > Security > check "Block popup windows".
Popup windows are useful and required for some websites, but unsolicited popups are commonly used to deceive people into installing unwanted software they would never intentionally install.
Popups themselves cannot infect your Mac, but many contain resource-hungry code that will slow down Internet browsing.
If you ever receive a popup window indicating that your Mac is infected with some ick or that you won some prize, it is 100% fraudulent. Ignore it. The more insistent it is that you upgrade or install something, the more likely it is to be a scam. Close the window or tab and forget it.
Ignore hyperventilating popular media outlets that thrive by promoting fear and discord with entertainment products arrogantly presented as "news". Learn what real threats actually exist and how to arm yourself against them:
The most serious threat to your data security is phishing. Most of these attempts are pathetic and are easily recognized, but that hasn't stopped prominent public figures from recently succumbing to this age-old scam.
OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.
Never install something without first knowing what it is, what it does, how it works, and how to get rid of it when you don’t want it any more.
If you elect to use "anti-virus" software, familiarize yourself with its limitations and potential to cause adverse effects, and apply the principle immediately preceding this one.
Most such utilities will only slow down and destabilize your Mac while they look for viruses that do not exist, conveying no benefit whatsoever - other than to make you "feel good" about security, when you should actually be exercising sound judgment, derived from accurate knowledge, based on verifiable facts.
Do install updates from Apple as they become available. No one knows more about Macs and how to protect them than the company that builds them.
Summary: Use common sense and caution when you use your Mac, just like you would in any social context. There is no product, utility, or magic talisman that can protect you from all the evils of mankind.

Need advice about zip rar files

Here's wishing you all a very happy New Year!! Mr Greenhorn is back again! I have a question about zip and rar files. As some of you may remember, this is my first Mac, so I'm used to using the zip/rar programme on my old Windows O/S. Now I receive zip/rar files and can't open them. What is anyone's advice about downloading the zip/rar programme onto my Mac? Any particular pro's and con's? Any particular site to download from? Now my Mac has a compression programme included which converts files to zip files, but is that compatible to the actual zip/rar programme? And finally, where is the advantage to compressing files? Is it only for uploading or is there some benefit to having files 'compressed' on your actual laptop?

Hi There
Mac OS X has a built in Archive Utility which doesn't support .rar files. To uncompress rar files you will need a utility like RAR Expander or Stuffit Expander both are free. I suggest doing a search on MacUpdate (http://www.macupdate.com) or VersionTracker (http://www.versiontracker.com) to find a programme that you like.
I personally don't see any advantage with keeping compressed files on your laptop (unless the archives being used often for emailing, uploading to websites etc). Compressing files does save disk space but if you get to the point where you need to compress your files to gain disk space then I suggest buying an external HD or a bigger internal HD.
Hope this helps
J.C

Urgent help needed - new to Macs, accidently cut and paste over top of photo folder and now no sign of folder or file, no auto back-up in place, how can I restore photos pls

Urgent help needed - new to Macs, accidently cut and paste over top of photo folder and now no sign of folder or file, no auto back-up in place, how can I restore photos pls

Thanks for prompt reply, yes we have tried that but have now closed down the browser we where the photos were.
We haven't sent up time machine, do you know whether there is any roll-back function on a Mac?
Thanks

Hi, I am using my icloud on my iphone but am unable to find it on my mac book pro. It's not under my system preferences like it shows under the setup. Can I download it again? Or something. I just need to backup some files on my computer and am unable.

Hi, I am using my icloud on my iphone but am unable to find it on my mac book pro. It's not under my system preferences like it shows under the setup. Can I download it again? Or something. I just need to backup some files on my computer and am unable.

The minimum requirement for iCloud is Lion 10.7.5 (Mavericks preferred): the iCloud Preference Pane does not appear on earlier systems - the MobileMe pane appears on Lion and earlier but is now non-functional - you cannot now open or access a MobileMe account.
To make use of iCloud you will have to upgrade your Mac to Lion or Mavericks, provided it meets the requirements.
The requirements for Lion are:
Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon processor
2GB of memory
OS X v10.6.6 or later (v10.6.8 recommended)
7GB of available space
Lion is available in the Online Apple Store ($19.99). Mountain Lion (10.8.x) is also available there at the same price but there seems little point as the system requirements are the same for Mavericks (10.9.x) - which is free - unless you need to run specific software which will run on Mountain Lion only.
The requirements for Mountain Lion and Mavericks are:
OS X v10.6.8 or later
2GB of memory
8GB of available space
and the supported models are:
iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)
MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
Xserve (Early 2009)
MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
It is available from the Mac App Store (in Applications).
You should be aware that PPC programs (such as AppleWorks) will not run on Lion or above; and some other applications may not be compatible - there is a useful compatibility checklist at http://roaringapps.com/apps:table

The circuit of my macbook is dead yet the hard drive is fine. I need to access a file from the hard drive, how can i do this? is there a cable i can connect to another mac that will let me transfer the file?

The circuit of my macbook is dead yet the hard drive is fine. I need to access a file from the hard drive, how can i do this? The mac turns on the screen freezes as bright blue. Is there a cable i can connect to another mac that will let me transfer the file?

There is another option if the Macbook will start up in Target Disk Mode.
Restart the computer while holding down the T key. If you see the firewire symbol moving around on the screen you can connect this one to another one in TDM. You will need a suitable cable to connect the two Macs.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1661
Firewire symbol:

Need advice on on a Mac Pro 1,1 Media Center

I currently have a 2009 Mac Mini running as my home media center, but I recently came by a FREE Mac Pro 1,1 and have decided to repurpose it as my media center so I can migrate my Mac Mini to my bedroom TV where it will live an easy life doing nothing but run Plex Home Theater, Netflix, and EyeTV. This machine falling into my lap was also quite timely because my 4-bay Drobo is running low on available expansion and another Drobo isn't in the budget at the moment.
This vintage mac pro is running Lion 10.7.5, has 1 old and crusty 500GB hardrive, dual x5160 processors, 4GB RAM (one stick i'm pretty sure is toast judging by the red light and the kernel panics), and the standard NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256MB graphics card. It will be used primarily for the following: network storage for iphoto and itunes libraries, streaming video, Plex Media Server & Plex Home Theater, and Handbrake encoding. I also have a goal of safety of data for my movies, photos and music as this machine will supplement my current Drobo storage.
My plans are for a 128GB SSD boot drive installed in one of the PCIe slots and then to load up all 4 of the 3.5" drive bays with WD Green hard drives. I have also ordered 4GB of replacement RAM, so upon removal of the faulty unit I will have 7GB.
Here is where I need advice because I am not very familiar with RAID and the differences between hardware or software raid. Am I better off getting four drives of the same size and setting them up as RAID 5 (I think) using Apple's RAID utility or should I throw in three 1TB drives and then install a fourth 3TB or 4TB drive as a Time Machine backup for the other three?
Should I upgrade the OSX to the technically unsupported latest version? Or is it not worth the trouble for this application?
Also, is there any benefit to upgrading the graphics card to the ATI Radeon 5770? Would this yield an improved image quality? I am outputting to a Denon AV Reciever and subsequently to a 100" projection screen, if that makes a difference. I also noticed the 5770 has an HDMI port, wich would be nice, but not necessary since I can use a DVI converter and woud still need to use the optical audio out anyway.
Much obliged for any input

My plans are for a 128GB SSD boot drive installed in one of the PCIe slots and then to load up all 4 of the 3.5" drive bays with WD Green hard drives. I have also ordered 4GB of replacement RAM, so upon removal of the faulty unit I will have 7GB.
PCIe cards that use or support SSD are not bootable until you get to 2008 (and that is limited too).
Green are not suited for any form of array unless say NAS and WD RED. Better option would be 3 x 2TB WD Blacks in a mirror, and too many people only use two drives, well 3 is much easier safer and works better. Might want to invest in www.SoftRAID.com product even.
Best price and quality, got my 1,1 with 8 x 2GB (ideal is 4 or 8 DIMMs)
2x2GB FBDIMM DDR2 667MHz @ $25
http://www.amazon.com/BUFFERED-PC2-5300-FB-DIMM-APPLE-Memory/dp/B002ORUUAC/
With price of 250GB SSD $155 I'd go with that or stick with $89 for 128GB .

Need advice on Mac file security

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