New MacBook - Frontrow limitations found at first glance...

I received my Macbook yesterday, ordered a mini-DVI to Video adapator to connect it to my TV to use with Frontrow. Within minutes I discovered the following limitations:
G5 needs to have iTunes open to share music
While music outputs to AirTunes, videos play sound through Macbook (this inconcistency makes the software limiting and amateurish)
Video - Macbook screen resolution drops if I mirror (and part of image missing on TV screen)
Video - in extended desktop mode Frontrow appears on Macbook not on TV (I know dragging the menu bar to the second screen resolves this - but every time?)

If you're looking for a more efficient way to throw front row onto the TV, try the utility cscreen, it allows you to set the primary display from the command line. Right now I'm trying to right a script that will make my TV the primary display when I start Front Row and switch it back when it closes. I can't figure out how to trigger it with the apple remote (I've heard you can do it with third party remotes) but you can assign it to a hotkey with something like iKey. My script is still buggy some I'm not going to post it here, but if you have any experience with scripting on a Mac (unfortunately I don't) then it should be simple.
1.8 GHz intel iMac Mac OS X (10.4.3)

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I have a new MacBook Air. When I first got it, I migrated some of my files from my PC to the MacBook Air with no issues. Now, I',m trying to migrate more documents, music, etc. and migration assistant won't get past "Looking for Other Computers." Why?

I have new MacBook Air. When I first got it, I migrated some of my files from my PC to the MacBook Air without any problems. Now I'm trying to migrate more files, music, etc. and I keep getting the continuous spining circle with "Looking for Other Computers." I've tried everything and for some reason it is not finding my PC. What am I doing wrong?

Use the trackpad to scroll, thats what it was designed for. The scroll bars automatically disappear when not being used and will appear if you scroll up or down using the trackpad.
This is a user-to-user forum and most people will post on here if they have problems. You very rarely get people posting to say there update went smooth. The fact is the vast majority of Mountain Lion users will not be experiencing any major problems with the OS, or maybe with apps which are not compatible, but thats hardly Apple's fault if developers don't update their apps.

New MacBook Pro retina 13" arrived - first impressions and questions!

My new MacBook Pro retina 13" arrived today, two weeks earlier than the promised delivery date. My version is the 2.6 GHz i5, 512 GB SSD and I maxed the RAM out to 16 GB, since there is no upgrade later. I also customized the keyboard, since I live in Japan but prefer the US keyboard.
I posted unpacking photos and initial comments to my blog: http://lerner.net/new-macbook-pro-arrived/
I want to talk about some of those points, and ask some more detailed questions here. I hope others find the questions useful.
1. The keyboard is extremely nice. I like it better than the Bluetooth keyboard I have for my iMac right now. It has a nice feel to it.
2. No dead pixels! As some of you might now from old messages, I get really paranoid about new Apple notebook computers. If I find even one dead pixel it gnaws at me and I call Apple and complain until they exchange it for a perfect screen. Well I’m happy to report that I went through thorough pixel tests in white, black, red, blue and green and all the pixels seem 100% perfect. Yay!
4. The speaker seems quite nice. I played some music, and it sounded very beautiful to me, with good volume. I know some reviews of the MacBook Pro criticize the speaker quality, but it sounds as good or better than any of the speakers I currently have. I was quite pleased with that.
5. The retina display is very beautiful of course. I don’t need to have it turned up anywhere near the maximum brightness. There is a very good illumination range.
6. Because of the SSD drive, start up is very quick. Also it makes no noise at all. And it’s very light. I’m glad I went for the 13 inch pro model. It was just a little bit more expensive, and just 200 g heavier. I can see this replacing my iMac with the external monitor I bought.
Some questions:
Q1. Do I need protection pads for the hand rest to prevent discoloration over time? My old MBP 17" would get black-blotchey after a while. Eventually I got the top case replaced under AppleCare and protected it with pads. That was the late 2006 model. Is the construction material the same? Will my nice metal body lose its metallic finish and show dark blotches over time without protection?
Q2. What are the best practices for battery use and sleep? My iMac is on all the time and only the display sleeps. I hear it's not best for the lifetime of the MacBook Pro to leave it connected all the time. Yet I need to run my daily CCC (Carbon Copy Clone) complete bootable backup, which runs at 3:30 am every day. So it seems I need to keep it plugged in all the time. Any suggestions here, regarding both battery charging and also turning it off vs putting it to sleep vs power nap vs leaving it running all the time like I do with my iMac?
Q3. Is the "put hard disk to sleep when possible" meaningful at all for SSD?
Q4. Is there a sleep indicator when the lid is closed? I didn't notice any.
Q5. I notice I can view my iMac's music and TV library and everything plays instantly. That’s just wireless right? Because I have sharing turned on on my iMac I suppose. It seems as fast as if it were on my MacBook Pro though.
Q6. A strategy question: I wonder if I should migrate from Time Machine and carry along years of garbage and wasted disk space, or just install and move things as needed. I'm tempted to do the latter and start afresh. Especially since a lot of stuff is in the cloud already: Evernote, Dropbox, etc. Initial installation of some apps, like Parallels Desktop and Office might take some time, but I bet I would save a huge amount of disk space. Yet the Migration tool which uses Time Machine is supposed to be good.
I guess that's it for now.
Thanks,
Doug

hands4 wrote:
Q6 (Migrate using Time Machine?)
If you don't want to automatically bring over everything, I would use CCC to clone the old system drive and then use that clone to drag the wanted files onto the new machine. I would treat that CCC clone as a read-only archive until you were sure there are no additional files you want to migrate.
I use a combination of CCC and Time Machine to backup my Mac. CCC provides the reliability of simplicity and quick booting should the internal drive fail. Time Machine's incremental backups have saved my bacon several times when a file "disapeared" or I saved a modificaton that I needed to reverse. However the complexity of Time Machine during full restores can be a problem. I have had Time Machine full restores fail at which time I was very happy I had a second backup to fall back on. It is prudent to maintain more than one backup.
I agree completely about using the combination of CCC and Time Machine and it sounds like you and I use it the exact same way, and for the exact same reason. I hae also had Time Machine full restores fail (particularly with Apple Mail) and was very glad to also have the CCC backup.
The only thing I'm concerned about is making sure I grab everything I need for particular applications. For example, I'm not quite sure what all needs to be copied over from CCC to the new computer for Office 2008, which I am still running. It might be easier in that case to re-install certain software.
Thanks,
Doug

Brand new macbook air wont power up first time

Just got my first Mac ever - Macbook Air 13.3. It's been plugged in & charging for almost 4 hours. Upon first plug-in, the light was green for maybe 2 to 3 seconds - then went amber. No matter how many different outlets I used - same result. I figured the unit needed to charge but it's been almost 4 hours and I'm anxious. The light stays amber I just spent 1400 bucks on a unit that I though would start up/be charged or at the very least somewhat charged upon opening. Even my cheapo $750 Dell started up immediately out of the box.
I've tried 4 different outlets - same results (green to amber). Tried with and without the AC adapter - same results (green to amber) - currently it is hooked up with the AC adapter. It just wont start.
Are my expectations too high? I've had this for less than 6 hours and I'm curious if I'm wasting my time continuing to wait. NO where does it say "You will need to charge your new laptop for such and such hours" or "Your new laptop will not come charged" or "Your new laptop - when plugged in for the first time - will go from green to amber within a few seconds - this is normal." Just shows me a pic of the parts with no further information. The instructions are so minimal, but that was okay - I figured I'd get all I needed once I booted up. But it won't boot up! <laughing!>
Please help.

The light changing from green to amber just indicates that it is charging. Tap the power button in the top right of the keyboard one time. If it still doesn't power up, try this procedure.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

Waiting for my new macbook air - doing some research first

Do i have to buy Microsoft Office for Mac in order to transfer my windows files?

What type of files? If you want to use Office files on your MacBook Air, you can purchase Office for Mac, but you can also use iWork or LibreOffice.
If you want to transfer other files, you don't need anything. Just download Windows Migration Assistant on the PC and follow the steps > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4796

I want to retain my itunes 'date added' information when transferring to my new macbook pro

Hello There
I think even before I ask this, that I know what the answer will be, so please don't laugh at me, just sympathise..
I have a lot of music. A lot. So much I need to use the date added to keep it all organised and know where I am. Previously I used a computer from work for everything, but just got a shiny new macbook pro - woo hoo!
First thing I did was transfer my itunes library. I use a HD so pretty easy, simply hold down the option key whilst starting itunes, select the library on my HD and wallop, off we go. After a few minutes of chugging all my music is there and my playlists. Fantastic I thought, but then hold on - date added says today. This can't be right I say to myself, some of these files were added in 2008...
Being slightly paranoid about doing this I created a copy of my old itunes library - better safe than sorry. I open the old back up of itune library (an xml file) and sure enough, all the correct dates are there. I open up the new one and it says everything was imported today. Weird. So I try reimporting -doesn't work, overwriting the new xml file with the old info, saving and opening itunes again - no sir. Nothing works. It appears that whilst I can interact with the xml file, itunes uses another file (itunes document) which checks consistency, and won't allow the xml file info to overwrite, simply rehashes to the dates it thinks are right.
Done a fair bit of research and I think the answer is there is not an answer. Being the wise old owl that apple is, it has decided that users will not want this information if they ever move or buy new computers, so while it will keep your playlists, it won't have this bit of info. My only option has been to create spreadsheets of old list for reference.
I'm hoping out there someone will tell me that apple have realised this is rubbish and have fixed, or will say fret no longer, here is the magic workaround, but I haven't found anyone who can yet. Does anyone have the answer?
Until then, I will continue to perform this awkward workaround and stick pins into the apple voodoo doll.
Cheers
Mr Sherlock

weird very weird. today i did this again today after already being unsuccessful earlier. exactly the same thing as i have done before, exactly. didn't try to import. didn't say damaged library, copied everything in including date. have tried it about 10 times no luck. today it just worked.
how weird is that?
oh well JG - maybe you mixed a magic potion for me?
anyway, thank you for all the help.
to anyone else reading this all i can say is keep trying, you never know. follow the above advice. you may feel exasperated and think you have done it already, but keep trying.
cheers
P

Idvd how do I get it to my new MacBook Pro

Just bought my new MacBook pro and found out that IDVD is not included any longer - what to do???
I can not find it in App store, and my MacBook was not delivered with any Installation CD's.
Please help my someone - alternatively I would like you recommendations for another programme to make Videos burned to DVD's
Thanks in advanced.
Emma

Just bought my new MacBook pro
Call Apple they will sent out iDVD at no charge. (There are no realistic substitutes for iDVD.)
408-996-1010
800-692-7753
If you are still within your 15 day return period, nicely explain that you may return the computer without iDVD. That usually does the trick. You MUST speak to a senior advisor to get a free copy. The first tier people cannot do it.

New macbook with pixel problem

I purchased a new macbook and this was my first. I switched from PC to Mac . I have to say I am a little disappointed. I got one burned pixel that doesn't work, warranty doesn't cover this (since it's only one) and there is no compensation for that. It's not a biggy, but it is annoying sometimes when you notice it. Especially that it is in the Dock bar.
Just wanted to share this with others. In case you are thinking of buying a Macbook be aware of this issue.
Cheers!

Welcome to Apple Discussions, klassikgirl
Having tried all the suggestions on the boards, I think you should take it back to the retailer and exchange it for one that works. The problem cannot get better with time, and a same day exchange for a non-functional Mac should be no problem.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.1) External iSight

Having trouble with Boot Camp/Parallels on new macbook

I just recently purchased a new macbook last week.
I first tried installing Windows via bootcamp, Everything worked fine until I inserted the XP disk and it started the installtion, after loading all the files it would tell me _.sys (different file every time) was missing or corrupt and I never got anywhere.
I then tried parallels and it got through 40% of the first install no problem, then stopped several times telling me a certain file was missing or something with options to retry or skip, retried everytime to finish installation, but after that after I get windows xp loading screen just got the Blue Screen of death and it crashed.
I don't think the problem is the disk since last week my HD crashed and I installed XP on my PC no problem. Disk is Windows XP Media Center OEM, 2 setup disks and one for SP2

I had similar problems with Win XP intallation. If you got extra RAM, remove it before installing Win XP.

Just bought a new macbook

i need help i just did migration assistant and moved all of my files to my new macbook and i found them but they are under my old admin from my old mac, how do i make them work on my new mac with out logging into the old admin. thank you for the reply

roadblock1969 wrote:
i need help i just did migration assistant and moved all of my files to my new macbook and i found them but they are under my old admin from my old mac, how do i make them work on my new mac with out logging into the old admin.
you don't. just log out of your current account and log into the migrated account. work from there from now on.
thank you for the reply

Battery Calibrated Wrong On New Macbook Pro?

Hey all,
I purchased a new Macbook Pro 13" yesterday, the first thing i did is calibrate the battery using Apple's method, Apple instructions is to give the macbook a full charge on it's first charge, i accidently unplugged the power adaptor when the battery reached 95% so technically the macbook did not receive a full charge on it's first charge.
Also in Apple's instructions is to let the macbook sleep, i did not do that i let the battery reach 1% then i shutdown the computer, waited for 5-hours and did a full charge, when the full charge completed i turned on the macbook and the battery said 98% not 100%
Did i stuff up? should i go ahead and do the calibrate/steps again?
or should i wait till the next month? as Apple's instructions is to calibrate every month.
hope someone can help, just trying to get the battery right =)

Welcome to Apple Discussions
It will generally stop charging at around 95%, if you leave it plugged in it can trickle back up toward 100% sometimes. It's normal for this (and the battery readings) to vary slightly over time/use.
You should only re-calibrate every couple of months not more frequently as that will shorten the life of the battery - what matter more is to use the battery a little every day "just to keep the electrons flowing"

Why I am buying a new MacBook Pro now, but, first, any major issues?

With the delay of Ivy Bridge, and with my personal view that the next generation of MacBook Pro notebooks will be dropping FireWire 800 to service a better design, I have decided to purchase a new MacBook Pro now.
I just cannot imagine the new notebooks having a FireWire or Ethernet port, as they add too much thickness.
While I keep MacBook Pros for up to 4-years, I think this new purchase will have to be a transition computer, as the next model will probably be too irresitable. Having the option of then moving my data via Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt (Tarket Disk Mode) is very appealing too.
So, any issues with the current line?
Specifically, has anyone had a screen flicker issue or anything else major?
Would anyone dare say Thunderbolt is unreliable?
I really appreciate any thoughts on this - Thank you!

Shootist007 wrote:
What you think Apple is infallible? They aren't. Just look at this and all the other Mac forums on the net.
I am so sorry, but you are dead wrong.
First, people get their problems resolved here quickly. A majority of the issues here are "Newbie" issues.
I have been a Mac user since 2007, and I have been on these forums since that time too. I have never once seen a horror story like the ones found on the Dell, Lenovo, and HP support forums that pop up on an hourly basis.
Read those forums, and you will get tears in your eyes.
Anytime I have called Apple or visited an Apple Store, they have treated me like a God.
Apple hardware is bullet proof made of the best materials on the planet. A MacBook Pro is far stronger and more durable than any ThinkPad, Dell Precision, or HP Elitebook.
Just open up a MacBook Pro to look at the insides as compared to the disaster zones of the aforementioned PCs.
Oh.... and no bloody stickers on MY notebook.
Everything just works.
Little things come up, but they are always solved.
Now, add programs like Joint Venture, and heaven is a place on earth.
No PC company comes close to treating their customers the way Apple has treated me since 07.
Apple has earned my business for life.
Right now, I can schedule a call with Apple - What PC company does that?
Apple = Unequaled products, service, and support. No PC company can come close to any of those three traits.
PS
And none of those PC forums have people like Kappy, Eww, Bee, Niel, iVmichael, sig, Etresoft, (yourself), and all the other fine members of this community that make it such a pleasure...

Please read my question carefully, this is, I think, a question for the experts. It's not the usual name change question. When I setup my new MacBook Pro, something slipped by me and my computer was named First-Lasts-MacBook-Pro (using my real first and

Please read my question carefully, this is, I think, a question for the experts. It's not the usual name change question.
When I setup my new MacBook Pro, something slipped by me and my computer was named First-Lasts-MacBook-Pro (using my real first and last name).
I changed the computer name in Preferences/Sharing to a new name and Preferences/Accounts to just be Mike. I can right click on my account name, choose advanced, and see that everything looks right.
However, If I do a scan of my network with my iPhone using the free version of IP Scanner, it lists my computer as First-Lasts-MacBook-Pro! And it lists the user as First-Last.
So even though another Mac just sees my new computer name, and my home folder is Mike, somewhere in the system the original setup with my full name is still stored. And it's available on a network scan. So my full name might show up at a coffee shop.
Can I fully change the name without doing a complete re-install of Lion and all my apps?

One thought... you said the iPhone displayed your computer's old name? I think that you must have used the iPhone with this computer before you changed the name. So no one else's iPhone should display your full name unless that iPhone had previously connected to your Mac. For example, I did this exact same change, and I use the Keynote Remote app to connect with my MacBook Pro. It would no longer link with my MacBook Pro under the old name, and I found that I had to unlink and then create a new link under the new name. So the answer to your question is, there is nothing you need to do on the Mac, but rather the phone, and no other phone will display your full name.

Mac App Store not working - first day with new MacBook Pro

Hi guys,
I received a new MacBook Pro 13 inch with retina display today and have been working on it this evening but I have a problem: My app store won't open.
It was fine earlier - I downloaded both textwrangler and notepad - but now, whenever I click on the icon in the dock it bounces for a few seconds before simply showing a blank screen.
I have uninstalled my downloads from the day in the hope that it would prove to be a fix but nothing has happened. I live in the UK so it's too late for me to ring the store - it's past 10pm here - but I was hoping somebody could help me out!
Also - My iTunes doesn't work - whenever I try to purchase an album or listen to any music an error message pops up reading 'an unknown error occurred.' I'm not sure if the two problems are linked...
Any help will be greatly, and gladly, appreciated!

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
Step 1
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account.
Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. Don't use the Safari-only “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac.”
While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your documents or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this behavior; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.
Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem?
After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.
*Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac” is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.
Step 2
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.
Please take this step regardless of the results of Step 1.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you turn on the computer, and again when you log in.
Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem?
After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of Steps 1 and 2.

I clicked on iMessage on my Macbook Pro today for the first time, and now NOTES keeps opening up every 5 seconds, with a new note. I cannot stop it from opening. If I close it or force close, it opens again in 5 seconds. I can't get rid of it. I have

I clicked on iMessage on my Macbook Pro today for the first time, and now NOTES keeps opening up every 5 seconds, with a new note. I cannot stop it from opening. If I close it or force close, it opens again in 5 seconds. I can't get rid of it. I have tried to clear out the iMessage settings I had put in, and I've tried to adjust the Accounts to not include notes to synch. But, Notes will not stop. It opens a new note, and even if you ignore it, it assumes preference every 5 seconds, and the Mac is impossible to use.

Do you have any Boot Camp or other secondary partitions set up on your system? If so then try running a disk verification routine (chkdsk, etc.) in Windows to repair the disk. While I've not heard of it happening recently, in the past errors in these partitions have resulted in stubborn ghost files appearing in OS X.

New MacBook - Frontrow limitations found at first glance...

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