PC compatability - How To?

After searching thru the discussions trying to learn if I can / how to run windows apps on my mac; I'll just ask.
Can anyone just tell me the best software / compatibility card set-up to run windows apps on my mac?
Thank you all in advance

With a PowerBook your only option is Virtual PC from Microsoft.

Similar Messages

Photoshop cs6 crashes with "appcrash - module ig75icd64.dll; no problem for a local admin user however. i've tried giving specified user full access to photoshop.exe and set it to Win XP compatibility. how do i fix this without giving user local admin acc

photoshop cs6 crashes with "appcrash - module ig75icd64.dll; no problem for a local admin user however. i've tried giving specified user full access to photoshop.exe and set it to Win XP compatibility. how do i fix this without giving user local admin access?

Danny,
Topic or subject titles should be clear, pertinent and concise so that individual users can tell at a glance if they can help or not.
That field is not for attempting to fit your entire question in there.
Please keep this in mind next time you post. Thank you.

Firefox won't start, but possible to troubleshoot as compatibility. how can I fix this without running compatibility?

2014 April 29, Firefox works fine but April 30 it won't start, the possible to work is running compatibility (troubleshoot). Is there any solution for this without running compatibility or without formatting computer? And works during 2014 April 29.
I've already uninstall anti virus
I try also restore and repair windows
I've also uninstall and reinstall firefox.
still doesn't work :(

If you had an update of Firefox, the firewall may be the problem. 
This problem occurs when your Internet security program was set to trust the
previous version of Firefox, but no longer recognizes your updated version as
trusted. Now how to fix the problem: To allow Firefox to connect to the Internet
again: 
* Make sure your Internet security software is up-to-date (i.e. you are running the latest version) 
* Remove Firefox from your program's list of trusted or recognized programs, then add it back. For detailed instructions, see Configure firewalls so that Firefox can access the Internet.

HT201210 i tried to update my iphone 4 but it tells me firmware file not compatable, how do i update?

i tried to update my iphone to the 5.1.1 bbut once it was all done downloading it told me firmware file is not compatable. so how do i fix this proble and update my phone?

Update iTunes to the latest version.

Pluggo 3.6.1 compatibility; how high can i go?

i' ve stuck with os X 10.7 (Lion) because Cycling74's (discontinued, outside of Live) Pluggo 3.6 works fine on that platform; if there are any others still using this wonderful and sometimes frustrating weirdness, could you let me know how up to date i can bring my MBPro? it's vintage means i'm not falling over myself to go to the very latest, but if 10.8 or 10.9 (er, mountain lion and, well, is that mavericks?) are allowing pluggo to work OK, then i might at least drag myself into this decade… replies appreciated!

Since cycling74 and Max are not compatible in anything higher you must stick to Lion.
Find an alternative or stop using this software.

I have an ipod touch second gen, how can i download the facebook app if it says its not compatable with my current iOS?

i have an ipod touch second gen, how can i download the facebook app if it says its not compatable with my current iOS?
i had the facebook app but i could never upgrade it and i was ok with using the outdated version but when i reset the ipod so i could gift it to a friend it obviously got rid of the app and now i cant downloaded because it says its not compatable, how can i download the version i had before i reset it?

Your only way is if you have the version that was compatible on your computer such as in the recycle bin/trash or in a computer file backup. In that case delete the current version that is in your iTunes App library and replace it with the older version. Then sync.
Also see:
Recover Older Versions of iPhone Apps After Updating — Apple News, Tips and Reviews

How the **** do I get my old 6.something MAIL app back

I just 'upgraded' from 6.something can't remember it was maybe 6.8, whatever came on my Mac Air 3 years ago. I only upgrades because there is a piece of design software I want to use that won't run on 6. What ever happened to their vaunted backward compatability, how can folks be writing software that won't work on an operating system that is 3 years old? I'm still using my G4 desktop with 4.11. That probably goes back 8 years if I'm guessing right, and I understand it may be a bridge too far but working with software developers to orphan 3 year old machines is not the Mac I once knew.
But I digress .
I had no idea this 'upgrade' was going to screw with Mail and my Address Book. They have ruined the search function in Mail by bringing it under spotlight.
The new appearance is useless. It looks like Gmail which I hate.
All I want is a succinct list view of messages and a dedicated robust search function that easily sets criteria for which fields to look in.
The new version is hopeless. How do I go back. I didn't sign up for new Mail . I DONT WANT IT. I was so happy with my Mac experience, even though the air card on my Air won't connect I've been using it as a desktop machine. And after seeing this new operating system, I don't even want a new Mac computer if I can't get the old MAIL back.
MAybe late to the party here and sorry to fill the question up with observations, but these suppport communities are equally useless to search, have a lousy interface, I can never figure out how to find my own threads nevermind ones where the issue might already have been discussed. Now they have just made the MAIL application as bad as their support forum.
Thanks,
Brian

Bee,
thanks for that. I never have a clue when 'preferences' will be useful anymore. I went to the spotlight preferences to try to fix the case sensitivity problem or figure out where you can now chose which field to restrict the search to in mail, and instead the only preferences they offer is how much gobbledy gook to search at once as if the default is likely to be every kind of file and its content in the computer. That is the least likely search and their dogged adherence to the idea that this is what people want put me off spotlight from the moment they introduced it.
And, silly me, my intuition when I didn't like the View was to look under the View menu. And then go to the help menu and put in "view" in the search which, for reasons only apple knows does not bring up matches for "viewing" which would have lead me to the correct answer - not only available in the preferences route but also located under Window>Viewing. I don't get it, I don't know whay they would restrict a search in the help field to exclude the same word with a different ending, but when I search in my address book they have started adding snippets so if I search for "Rose" I'll get the name "Ambrose" and they put Ambrose and anything else they find that is alphabetically in front of Rose first, pushing what I really want hopelessly down the list. This is as bad as phone searches when I search for Rose and get a bunch of florists. That's fine, but give me anything that begins with Rose first instead of hopelessly buried hundreds of results down because of "AAA florist" and the like.
Good search isn't about this unlimited access to your whole computer and treating everything the same. Rather its about restriction. Searches with the most subtle and effective restrictions are where its at and apple seems to moving the wrong direction. This is why MAILs old search function worked so much better in my opinion, because all the stupid cellphone style searches for these that to search your mail (and the internet at the same time half the time) but offer no restrictions are a waste of my effort trying to use useless touch screens to put in search indecies.
In this vein, and most unfortunately, changing to classic view did not bring up the classic search restrictors. I get the search restriction bar, but it only offers choices amongst my mail boxeswhich simply duplices the choices I can make in the vertical pane on the left. This bar used to be where you would get your field restrictions, i.e. entire message, subject, from , to.
And then case sensitivity setting used to show up in a bar at the bottom.
None of that stuff shows up. The so called "help" delivered with these apps says you can click an arrow to get those choices, but it doesn't say where the arrow is. I ca't find it. Why do I have to click an arrow. What happened to the restrictor bar.
It is hard to calm down after I had a three month nightmare to get this 'upgrade' in the first place and the only thing it tells you about itself is you can used two fingers to scroll which is the least important feature Mac has ever developed for me. If, instead, a dialogue box pops up telling you how to revert if you don't like it, or if they think that telegraphs lack of belief in their new product, how about a dialogue box asking whether you are conservative user who doesn't like interface changes, etc. and then deliver settings accordingly instead of forcing you into their horrible google like regime and you having to pick your way through the minefields to get as much of your old useful interface back.
It is of course great that folks like you will take the time to reply and that is the least exasperating and most hopeful part of this, although I would think that this is a place where apple would value feedback and mine is emphatically, go backwards. The old MAIL and most importantly the old MAIL search distinguished Mac for me. It was the most useful, fastest, functional mail reader and they should leave it alone.
Yeah, I have a couple ideas like you ought to be able to set defaults for the inbox and the outbox so that it always searches the from field in the inbox and the to field in the outbox as the default and then you can change from there. but I never even bothered to voice that thought because, whenever they mess with something decent, they usually make it worse. And having to click the field restriction was a small penalty to pay for their lack of foresight in that area.
I search those from and to fields, respectively to inbox and outbox, more than any other and then subject is my next most searched field. Instead they deliver a search engine whose default is entire message and no way to restrict it. I've got 60,000 messages that I regularly search and they have just torpedoed a big advantage. But what's worse, they did it because they have created some kind of incompatability between 6 and 7 that caused me to have to 'upgrade' in the first place.
I think this attitude, that whatever apple comes up with will be the next great thing has overtaken their support of earlier apple platforms and backward compatability that assured you that when you decided to buy apple products you weren't going to be orphaned. The mindset is more forcing you into their newer lines and designs. We already pay a premium to buy mac products and I justfiy that because I'm going to get twice or three times the life out of the computer that I will out of an IBM. But if they aren't supporting and encouraging software support to continue for their line long enough for me to get those extra years and they keep diminishing my operating experience, then paying the premium doesn't make any sense. I'm grossly disappointed because I've been Mac since 1984 and they are trying their level best to alienate me -- and succeeding.
Calm folks like you are their best weapon to keep folks like me on this platform and I do appreciate your response, but it is hard to calm down.
Brian
Brian

HELP: itunes could not restore because the backup is corrupt or not compatable

I back up my iphone to icloud via itunes but when i want to restore the iphone from back up this error messege appeared:
itunes could not restore because the backup is corrupt or not compatable
how to solve this problem?
Thanks,,

I have this problem too can somebody please help where are all the apple helpers? This is ridiculous!!!!

How do i switch from head phone to mic? I know there is a internal mic, but when i go to system preferences then sound doesn't give me the input option.

I know there is an internal mic but i need to switch the head phone to mic. but in system preference then sound folder it does not give me the option to make the mic an imput. but when i goto about this computer it says it is compatable how do i make this happen?

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
You have a MacBook, so your Mac hasn't got a HDMI port and you are using a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter.
There are some Macs which do not support sound over HDMI, and it seems that your MacBook does not support it. Read > About Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters

How do I install the Windows 7 trial on my Mac?

I am trial-running VMware Fusion so I can use Windows on my Mac. Now i need a Windows OS to make this work. I have found the trail download for Windows 7 but am being suspended at the page where is says it is installing but actually isn't.
Can you help me?
- Jennifer

Windows 7 RC will expire today.
Description of Windows 7 Beta and Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) expiration dates and functionality
If you would like to continue using Windows 7, I suggest you purchase an Official version.
You can consider installing Windows 7 with Bootcamp on MAC computers.
Apple - Mac OS X - Windows Compatibility - How Mac works with PCs
For more information regarding Bootcamp, please contact Apple support.
Contact Apple Support
Important Note: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.
Arthur Xie - MSFT

How do I install the Gamepad Xbox 360 on my Mac?

I downloaded a file so I can use a Xbox 360 gamepad on my mac (http://tattiebogle.net/index.php/ProjectRoot/Xbox360Controller/OsxDriver), and it seems to work fine, but the Gamepad I bought (wich is connected by an USB cable) isn't recognizing the Gamepad. It's written : No Device Found.
Do you know where is the problem ?

Windows 7 RC will expire today.
Description of Windows 7 Beta and Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) expiration dates and functionality
If you would like to continue using Windows 7, I suggest you purchase an Official version.
You can consider installing Windows 7 with Bootcamp on MAC computers.
Apple - Mac OS X - Windows Compatibility - How Mac works with PCs
For more information regarding Bootcamp, please contact Apple support.
Contact Apple Support
Important Note: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.
Arthur Xie - MSFT

Help Please - on a VC that works out of the box with MAC before I sellup

I have to declare that I’m somewhat frustrated at the moment and I could do with some good advise please bare with me while I explain.
I have recently converted from all types of PC systems and MS OS to Apple. The conversion was based on a few drivers.
1, My wife finally has decided to “learn” how to do her own web work instead of asking me to look up this or that for her. So as she was starting from scratch I thought MAC.
2, At the same time I had a play with Vista at work and disliked it. I was using XP & W2K at the time.
3, I wanted to update my home hardware, which was 3 years old.
4, The accountant said I hadn’t spent enough on IT last year.
5, New project work in the planning that required video/audio work to upload onto the web and everyone said MAC was the best.
So having looked around and done what I thought was enough research I started investing. To date I’ve invested £4500 plus.
Started by buying
iMAC 24” 2.8 Gz Intel with 4GB ram (for the home office)
MacBook Pro 2.4 with 4GB ram (for out and about working)
iPHONE 16GB (which is great)
VMware Fusion was installed for those things that I couldn’t live without until I found a suitable replacement like MS Money, Paint Shop Pro, MS Office etc. Installed XP.
Tried Open Office found it to clunky and hard work working off files for MS Office that others sent/required. Ended up buying Office 2008 only to find VB macros don’t work in Excel and all my company spreadsheets still need PC MS Excel to run so back into XP via Fusion.
Then to MAIL which is great on the iPHONE as I can easily monitor my 5 email accounts, what a result. But now I come to attach JPG files as I would in outlook and they open into the content of text in the mail and will not stay closed but disrupt the message. Wholly unacceptable to my way of working with no cure.
Scanning next, so I down loaded GIMP to replace PSP which I find useless so back to PSP I go again via XP & Fusion.
Next and finally the VC project, Now please bare in mind that all I want to do is shoot film, upload it to edit it and then mount it on the web page. I have no desire to become any form of expert in the field just get the job done.
So reviewed iMovie to understand the spec. Realise it has limitation and reviewed FCE which seems to plug the gaps and boarders on being more professional.
At this point I must say I’m not totally new to this subject as I have used Studio8 and a JVC GR-DVL166EK video cam a couple of years ago and got on ok without any issues simple plug and play with great results.
Having reviewed the standards that the software is reported to work too without any publicly declared exclusions or exceptions by Apple I went shopping for the VC. (I didn’t know of the forum at the time and to the best of my knowledge Apple don’t advise of its existence in any product information on anything I have bought.)
I buy a Panasonic HDC-HS9 for £700 which doesn’t flaming work despite the fact that it should based on all the standards quoted by both manufactures and there are no disclaimers from either party that it won’t work.
I have reviewed the compatibility list on the support page (now I know its there) and find that the Panasonic HDC-SD5 does work. I reviewed the comprehensive detailed model spec on the Panasonic web site and there is no differences between the to models at all accept the HDD.
So why don’t it work?
*At the end of the day can anyone please recommend a VC that will produce high quality results without the need of a 3rd party software to connect and upload files convert and muck about instead of getting on with the job.*
And if all the publicised specs don’t allow you to conclude compatibility how can you protect your investment? Where do we legally stand and where is the accountability to the consumer.
<edited by host>
I am that fed up with the last 3 months of mucking about Bill Gat*es may just get me back.
Thanking anyone in anticipation for some meaning advise and help.
Regards
Alan

Hi, and thanks for you interest. The problems is that whether I'm using iMovie or FCE I get to a stage where the thumbnail image is present but if you try to play, import or any other action in either app it closes down and a message comes up " The Application Final Cut Express/iMovie quit unexpectedly - Mac OS X and other application are not affected" then asks if I wish to relaunch. I then hit the report to Apple button and afterwards relaunch. I was recommended to use Voltaic which I have tried, it worked but is to much mucking about for something that should work out of the box.
This problem happens on both the iMAC and the MacBook so quite sure it's not a OS software issue. All software update are up to date also.
Any ideas?

Windows 8 Quick Solutions

Windows 8 was released on October 26th for all to enjoy! Check out the below Frequently Asked Questions for more information and quick troubleshooting.
1. I've just upgraded to Windows 8 but I'm having a few problems. What's going on?
When upgrading to the latest system Microsoft has done their due diligence to ensure that most hardware components will be compatible; but with all of the thousands of variables out there, it's next to impossible to predict which configurations will have issues. Find your Computer Manufacturer on the list below and check for the latest Windows 8 updates to resolve most issues.
HP Windows 8 Upgrade Information - HP's guide to making sure your Windows 8 goes smoothly.
HP Support & Drivers - Enter your model number to find the latest software and support for your upgrade to Windows 8.
Dell Support - Enter your service tag number located generally on the top for desktops and on the bottom for laptops. If you can't locate it, don't sweat, just use the option to "Automatically detect my Service Tag for me" and Dell will attempt to get your information from there.
Acer Windows 8 Upgrade Offer - For Acer computers purchased between June 2nd 2012 & January 31st 2013.
Acer - Use the list to determine if your model made before June 2nd 2012 requires various updates to get you up and running on Windows 8.
Gateway Windows 8 Upgrade Offer - For Gateway computers purchased between June 2nd 2012 & January 31st 2013.
Gateway - Use the list to determine if your model made before June 2nd 2012 requires various updates to get you up and running on Windows 8.
eMachines Windows 8 Upgrade Offer - For eMachine computers purchased between June 2nd 2012 and January 31st 2013.
eMachines - Use the list to determine if your model made before June 2nd 2012 requires various updates to get you up and running on Windows 8.
Samsung - Follow this link and check for a compatible model in order to upgrade to Windows 8. If compatible, use the website for up to date drivers and software.
Sony - Scroll down and follow the instructions to see if your computer is supported for Windows 8. If compatible, use the website for up to date drivers and software.
Lenovo - Choose your product for available driver downloads for Windows 8.
Asus - Select either Notebooks & Eee PC's, All-in-one PC's, Tablets, or Desktops & EeeBox PC's. Use this list to determine if your model is compatible with Windows 8.
2. I've lost the internet after upgrading to Windows 8 using an AMD processor. How can I get my internet back up and running?
Losing the internet is akin to losing the keys to your Porsche. You have all that power but can't go anywhere. The most common reason for this is missing the necessary drivers needed to run your Wired or Wireless Internet card. Follow the links above to check with your computer's manufacturer for the latest updates. They will be listed typically under Networking and labeled as "LAN" for wired connections and "WLAN" for wireless ones.
If after updating you still cannot access the internet, it's possible your card may not be supported. Check in with your local Best Buy to speak with a Geek Squad Agent about the best solution possible.
3. My screen got smaller after an upgrade to Windows 8 and I'm using an AMD video card. How can I fix it?
The first step to getting back out that glorious visual real estate is to check for the latest updates on your video card. You can do so by following the links below.
AMD Video Card Updates Windows 32 Bit
AMD Video Card Updates Windows 64 Bit
Not sure if your using a 32-Bit or 64-Bit system? Press the Windows Key (Between Ctrl & Alt at the bottom of your keyboard) and the R-Key (Between E & T) to bring up the run menu. Then type "MSinfo32.exe" without quotes and press enter. A new window will come up called System Information. Under System Type on the right you will see either on of the following:
x86-based PC (You have a 32-Bit version)
x64-based PC (You have a 64-Bit version)
Updating the software should allow you to see more information on the screen. If it doesn't work, you will need to increase your screen resolution. You can do this by following these steps:
Press the Windows Key & R key at the same time. Then type "desk.cpl" without quotes and press enter. The Screen Resolution will show up. Navigate to the Resolution and move the slider all the way to the top from 800 x600 (You may have a different number at the bottom than 800 x 600). Once done, click Apply. DO NOT click Ok first for any reason. After a few seconds, your screen will adjust and ask you if it looks ok. If it does, click on yes. If it doesn't, move the slider to a lower position and press Apply again to repeat.
Once everything looks alright (and only then) press the ok button to save the changes. If it's still not looking right, contact Microsoft, the Manufacturer, or Geek Squad for additional troubleshooting.
4. When trying to upgrade or install Windows 8 I'm receiving an error code that states "HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED". What's going on?
Don't panic, you're not reliving 2001: A Space Odyssey. The reason you are encountering this error is because one or more of your components inside the PC may not be compatible with Windows 8, so to prevent any possible harm Windows 8 is stopping the installation. Click here to download the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant directly from Microsoft to check your computer to make sure it can be upgraded.
If the upgrade assistant informs you that you can't upgrade, there is an option that you can try to attempt to get past this. You will need to update your Motherboard's BIOS with the latest firmware. You can find the links to do so in the first section. If you don't know how to upgrade your BIOS, the best option is to have one of our Geek Squad Agents take a look at your system to see what can be done to get you upgraded.
5. How can I take advantage of the Windows 8 upgrade offer for $14.99?
If you purchased a computer between June 2nd 2012 & January 31st, 2012 you may be eligible to receive Windows 8 upgrade for $14.99. For more information, click on this link.
6. I can't seem to find the control panel or the option to shut down. Where are these located?
With the introduction of the new Windows Metro Desktop comes an easier way to access some of most commonly used features. The first thing you want to do is access the Charms bar. You can do this in one of two ways.
With a mouse: Move your mouse to the top right corner of the screen, then move it down.
With a Touchscreen: Swipe in from the right edge of the screen.
Once there, you're given the options of Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings. Choose Settings and a new list consisting of Desktop, Control Panel, Personalization, PC Info, and Help will appear. You can access the control panel to effortlessly change around system settings. Also, underneath the PC info and Help, there's the Power button. From there, you can shut the computer off, put it to sleep, or set it to hibernate.
7. How do I navigate through all of my Windows 8 applications?
With Windows 8 it's never been more simple to find any application or file. First, go to the Charms Bar (as outlined in section 7 above) and click on Search. Once there, you will see a listing in alphabetical order of all of your installed applications. Just click on any one of them to get them started. You can also use the Search by typing the name of what you are looking for, and Windows will attempt to instantly find it.
8. What can I do to make sure my application or hardware device will work with Windows 8?
Most of your programs and hardware from Windows 7 will run just fine when installed on Windows 8. To check to see if you application or hardware is compatible, follow the link below and type in the program's or hardware's name to see if it should work after upgrading.
Windows 8 Compatibility Checker
For more information on Windows 8, check out our Visual Guide to Windows 8
For additional resources, use the following links!
Microsoft / Windows / Office
-Windows 8 Compatibility Center (Microsoft)
-Windows 8 32-Bit Updates
-Windows 8 64-Bit Updates
-Office 2003 Compatibility
-How to restore Windows 7 after Windows 8 Upgrade
Dell
-Dell Computer Support for Windows 8 Upgrade
-Dell-Installed Software Support for Windows 8
-Windows 8 Compatibility with Dell Printers
HP
-HP Windows 8 Upgrade Information
-HP Support & Drivers
-Supported Printers for Windows 8
-Scanners Supported in Windows 8
-Scanners Not Supported in Windows 8
Acer
-Windows 8 Upgrade Offer & Supported Models List
-Windows 8 Automated Upgrade Process for Acer PC's
-Windows 8 Manual Upgrade Process for Acer PC's
-Acer PC's that require BUIS, Video, AHCI, WLAN, and /or LAN Driver Updates to Support Windows 8
-Acer PC's Driver Support Site
Gateway
-Windows 8 Upgrade Offer & Supported Models
-Windows 8 Automated Upgrade Process for Gateway PC's
-Windows 8 Manual Upgrade Process for Gateway PC's
-Gateway PC's that require BUIS, Video, AHCI, WLAN, and /or LAN Driver Updates to Support Windows 8
-Gateway PC's Driver Support Site
eMachine
-Windows 8 Upgrade Offer & Supported Models List
-Windows 8 Automated Upgrade Process for Emachines PC's
-Windows 8 Manual Upgrade Process for eMachines PC's
-eMachines PCs that require BUIS, Video, AHCI, WLAN, and/or LAN Driver Updates to Support Windows 8
-eMachines PC's Driver Support Site
Samsung
-Samsung PC Windows 8 Support
Sony
-Sony Windows 8 Support
Lenovo
-Lenovo Windows 8 Support
Asus
-Asus Windows 8 Support
Intel
-Intel Support on Intel products with Windows 8
Netgear
-Netgear Product Support for Windows 8
More to come!
Contact Kevin at [email protected] if there are problems on the webpage
Agent Kevin|Retired Community Connector | Best Buy® Corporate
While I'm a current employee of Best Buy, my views, opinions, and advice do not reflect those of Best Buy or its affiliates.

Hi @Ray_831
Welcome to the HP Support Forums!
I am happy to help you with your sound problems. It seems like the problem is localized to your internal speakers, as the output audio does work. It could be a problem with a physical connection, and I would like to send you the service and maintenance guide, but I will need the full product number to find the correct one for you.
How Do I Find My Model Number or Product Number?
From what you wrote it looks like you have already done most of the common fixes, but you can look at these, just in case something was missed.
No Sound from Speakers (Windows 8)
From Microsoft's support website:
Automatically diagnose and fix Windows audio playback problems
If none of those helped, then you can either post the model number so I can get you the maintenance manual, or you can try calling into the technical support line at 800-474-6836. If you live outside the US/Canada Region, please click the link below to get the support number for your region.
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/ww-phone-assist.html
Malygris1
I work on behalf of HP
Please click Accept as Solution if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.
Click Kudos Thumbs Up on the right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Recommendations please - now or wait??

hi,
I see a few people already have Snow Leopard installed.
Is Safari and Mail crashing for everyone with SL?
would those who have it recommend waiting at least the first update/fix?
cheers

Here's a couple of lists of 3rd-party apps, with info about compatibility (how reliable they are is unknown):
http://snowleopard.wikidot.com/
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=772853

What do people think about the different Generic Java approaches?

I have seen a lot of different approaches for Generic Java, and when people find problems with each approach the normal response has been: the other approach is worse with such and such a problem, do you have a better way?
The different approaches I have seen are: (in no particular order)
Please correct me if I am wrong and add other approaches if they are worthy of mention.
1) PolyJ - by MIT
This is a completely different approach than the others, that introduces a new where clause for bounding the types, and involves changing java byte codes in order to meet it's goals.
Main comments were not a java way of doing things and far too greater risk making such big changes.
2) Pizza - by Odersky & Wadler
This aims at extending java in more ways than just adding Generics. The generic part of this was replaced by GJ, but with Pizza's ability to use primitives as generic types removed, and much bigger changes allowing GJ to interface with java.
Main comments were that Pizza doesn't work well with java, and many things in Pizza were done in parallel with java, hence were no longer applicable.
3) GJ - by Bracha, Odersky, Stoutamire & Wadler
This creates classes with erased types and bridging methods, and inserts casts when required when going back to normal java code.
Main comments are that type dependent operations such as new, instanceof, casting etc can't be done with parametric types, also it is not a very intuitive approach and it is difficult to work out what code should do.
4) Runtime Generic Information - by Natali & Viroli
Each instance holds information about its Runtime Type.
Main comments from people were that this consumes way too much memory as each instance holds extra information about its type, and the performance would be bad due to checking Type information at runtime that would have been known at compile.
5) NextGen - by Cartwright & Steele
For each parameterized class an abstract base class with types erased is made and then for each new type a lightweight wrapper class and interface are created re-using code from the base class to keep the code small.
Main comments from people were that this approach isn't as backwards compatible as GJ due to replacing the legacy classes with abstract base classes which can't be instantiated.
6) .NET common runtime - by Kennedy & Syme
This was written for adding Generics to C#, however the spec is also targeted at other languages such as VB.
Main comments from people were that this approach isn't java, hence it is not subject to the restrictions of changing the JVM like java is.
7) Fully Generated Generic Classes - by Agesen, Freund & Mitchell
For each new type a new class is generated by a custom class loader, with all the code duplicated for each different type.
Main comments from people were that the generated code size gets too big, and that it is lacking a base class for integration with legacy code.
8) JSR-14 - by Sun
This is meant to come up with a solution Generic Solution to be used in java. Currently it is heavily based on GJ and suffering from all the same problems as GJ, along with the fact that it is constantly undergoing change and so no one knows what to expect.
See this forum for comments about it.
As if we didn't have enough approaches already, here is yet another one that hopefully has all of the benefits, and none of the problems of the other approaches. It uses information learnt while experimenting with the other approaches. Now when people ask me if I think I have a better approach, I will have somewhere to point them to.
(I will be happy to answer questions concerning this approach).
9) Approach #x - by Phillips
At compile time 1 type is made per generic type with the same name.
e.g.class HashSet<TypeA> extends AbstractSet<TypeA> implements Cloneable, Serializable will be translated to a type: class HashSet extends AbstractSet implements Cloneable, SerializableAn instance of the class using Object as TypeA can now be created in 2 different ways.
e.g.Set a = new HashSet();
Set<Object> b = new HashSet<Object>();
//a.getClass().equals(b.getClass()) is trueThis means that legacy class files don't even need to be re-compiled in order to work with the new classes. This approach is completely backwards compatible.
Inside each type that was created from a generic type there is also some synthetic information.
Information about each of the bounding types is stored in a synthetic field.
Note that each bounding type may be bounded by a class and any number of interfaces, hence a ';' is used to separate bounding types. If there is no class Object is implied.
e.g.class MyClass<TypeA extends Button implements Comparable, Runnable; TypeB> will be translated to a type: class MyClass {
public static final Class[][] $GENERIC_DESCRIPTOR = {{Button.class, Comparable.class, Runnable.class}, {Object.class}};This information is used by a Custom Class Loader before generating a new class in order to ensure that the generic types are bounded correctly. It also gets used to establish if this class can be returned instead of a generated class (occurs when the generic types are the same as the bounding types, like for new HashSet<Object> above).
There is another synthetic field of type byte[] that stores bytes in order for the Custom Class Loader to generate the new Type.
There are also static methods corresponding to each method that contain the implementation for each method. These methods take parameters as required to gain access to fields, contructors, other methods, the calling object, the calling object class etc. Fields are passed to get and set values in the calling object. Constructors are passed to create new instances of the calling object. Other methods are passed when super methods are called from within the class. The calling object is almost always passed for non static methods, in order to do things with it. The class is passed when things like instanceof the generated type need to be done.
Also in this class are any non private methods that were there before, using the Base Bounded Types, in order that the class can be used exactly as it was before Generics.
Notes: the time consuming reflection stuff is only done once per class (not per instance) and stored in static fields. The other reflection stuff getting done is very quick in JDK1.4.1 (some earlier JDKs the same can not be said).
Also these static methods can call each other in many circumstances (for example when the method getting called is private, final or static).
As well as the ClassLoader and other classes required by it there is a Reflection class. This class is used to do things that are known to be safe (assuming the compiler generated the classes correctly) without throwing any exceptions.
Here is a cut down version of the Reflection class: public final class Reflection {
public static final Field getDeclaredField(Class aClass, String aName) {
 try {
 Field field = aClass.getDeclaredField(aName);
 field.setAccessible(true);
 return field;
 catch (Exception ex) {
 throw new Error(ex);
public static final Object get(Field aField, Object anObject) {
 try {
 return aField.get(anObject);
 catch (Exception ex) {
 throw new Error(ex);
public static final void set(Field aField, Object anObject, Object aValue) {
 try {
 aField.set(anObject, aValue);
 catch (Exception ex) {
 throw new Error(ex);
public static final int getInt(Field aField, Object anObject) {
 try {
 return aField.getInt(anObject);
 catch (Exception ex) {
 throw new Error(ex);
public static final void setInt(Field aField, Object anObject, int aValue) {
 try {
 aField.setInt(anObject, aValue);
 catch (Exception ex) {
 throw new Error(ex);
}Last but not least, at Runtime one very lightweight wrapper class per type is created as required by the custom class loader. Basically the class loader uses the Generic Bytes as the template replacing the erased types with the new types. This can be even faster than loading a normal class file from disk, and creating it.
Each of these classes has any non private methods that were there before, making calls to the generating class to perform their work. The reason they don't have any real code themselves is because that would lead to code bloat, however for very small methods they can keep their code inside their wrapper without effecting functionality.
My final example assumes the following class name mangling convention:
* A<component type> - Array
* b - byte
* c - char
* C<class name length><class name> - Class
* d - double
* f - float
* i - int
* l - long
* z - boolean
Final Example: (very cut down version of Vector)public class Vector<TypeA> extends AbstractList<TypeA> implements RandomAccess, Cloneable, Serializable {
protected Object[] elementData;
protected int elementCount;
protected int capacityIncrement;
public Vector<TypeA>(int anInitialCapacity, int aCapacityIncrement) {
 if (anInitialCapacity < 0) {
 throw new IllegalArgumentException("Illegal Capacity: " + anInitialCapacity);
 elementData = new Object[initialCapacity];
 capacityIncrement = capacityIncrement;
public synchronized void setElementAt(TypeA anObject, int anIndex) {
 if (anIndex >= elementCount) {
 throw new ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException(anIndex + " >= " + elementCount);
 elementData[anIndex] = anObject;
}would get translated as:public class Vector extends AbstractList implements RandomAccess, Cloneable, Serializable {
public static final Class[][] $GENERIC_DESCRIPTOR = {{Object.class}};
public static final byte[] $GENERIC_BYTES = {/*Generic Bytes Go Here*/};
protected Object[] elementData;
protected int elementCount;
protected int capacityIncrement;
private static final Field $0 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(Vector.class, "elementData"),
 $1 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(Vector.class, "elementCount"),
 $2 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(Vector.class, "capacityIncrement");
static void $3(int _0, Field _1, Object _2, Field _3, int _4) {
 if (_0 < 0) {
 throw new IllegalArgumentException("Illegal Capacity: " + _0);
 Reflection.set(_1, _2, new Object[_0]);
 Reflection.setInt(_3, _2, _4);
static void $4(int _0, Field _1, Object _2, Field _3, Object _4) {
 if (_0 >= Reflection.getInt(_1, _2)) {
 throw new ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException(_0 + " >= " + Reflection.getInt(_1, _2));
 ((Object[])Reflection.get(_3, _2))[_0] = _4;
public Vector(int anInitialCapacity, int aCapacityIncrement) {
 $3(anInitialCapacity, $0, this, $2, aCapacityIncrement);
public synchronized void setElementAt(Object anObject, int anIndex) {
 $4(anIndex, $1, this, $0, anObject);
} and new Vector<String> would get generated as:public class Vector$$C16java_lang_String extends AbstractList$$C16java_lang_String implements RandomAccess, Cloneable, Serializable {
protected Object[] elementData;
protected int elementCount;
protected int capacityIncrement;
private static final Field $0 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(Vector$$C16java_lang_String.class, "elementData"),
 $1 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(Vector$$C16java_lang_String.class, "elementCount"),
 $2 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(Vector$$C16java_lang_String.class, "capacityIncrement");
public Vector$$C16java_lang_String(int anInitialCapacity, int aCapacityIncrement) {
 Vector.$3(anInitialCapacity, $0, this, $2, aCapacityIncrement);
public synchronized void setElementAt(String anObject, int anIndex) {
 Vector.$4(anIndex, $1, this, $0, anObject);
}Comparisons with other approaches:
Compared with PolyJ this is a very java way of doing things, and further more it requires no changes to the JVM or the byte codes.
Compared with Pizza this works very well with java and has been designed using the latest java technologies.
Compared with GJ all type dependent operations can be done, and it is very intuitive, code does exactly the same thing it would have done if it was written by hand.
Compared with Runtime Generic Information no extra information is stored in each instance and hence no extra runtime checks need to get done.
Compared with NextGen this approach is completely backwards compatible. NextGen looks like it was trying to achieve the same goals, but aside from non backwards compatibility also suffered from the fact that Vector<String> didn't extend AbstractList<String> causing other minor problems. Also this approach doesn't create 2 types per new types like NextGen does (although this wasn't a big deal anyway). All that said NextGen was in my opinion a much better approach than GJ and most of the others.
Compared to .NET common runtime this is java and doesn't require changes to the JVM.
Compared to Fully Generated Generic Classes the classes generated by this approach are very lightweight wrappers, not full blown classes and also it does have a base class making integration with legacy code simple. It should be noted that the functionality of the Fully Generated Generic Classes is the same as this approach, that can't be said for the other approaches.
Compared with JSR-14, this approach doesn't suffer from GJ's problems, also it should be clear what to expect from this approach. Hopefully JSR-14 can be changed before it is too late.

(a) How you intend generic methods to be translated.
Given that Vector and Vector<Object> are unrelated types,
what would that type be represented as in the byte code of
the method? In my approach Vector and Vector<Object> are related types. In fact the byte code signature of the existing method is exactly the same as it was in the legacy code using Vector.
To re-emphasize what I had said when explaining my approach:
System.out.println(Vector.class == Vector<Object>.class); // displays true
System.out.println(Vector.class == Vector<String>.class); // displays false
Vector vector1 = new Vector<Object>(); // legal
Vector<Object> vector2 = new Vector(); // legal
// Vector vector3 = new Vector<String>(); // illegal
// Vector<String> vector4 = new Vector(); // illegal
Vector<String> vector5 = new Vector<String>(); // legal
You must also handle the case where the type
parameter is itself a parameterized type in which the type
parameter is not statically bound to a ground instantiation.This is also very straightforward: (let me know if I have misunderstood you)
(translation of Vector given in my initial description)
public class SampleClass<TypeA> {
public static void main(String[] args) {
 System.out.println(new Vector<Vector<TypeA>>(10, 10));
}would get translated as:public class SampleClass {
public static final Class[][] $GENERIC_DESCRIPTOR = {{Object.class}};
public static final byte[] $GENERIC_BYTES = {/*Generic Bytes Go Here*/};
private static final Constructor $0 = Reflection.getDeclaredConstructor(Vector$$C16java_util_Vector.class, new Class[] {int.class, int.class});
static void $1(Constructor _0, int _1, int _2) {
 try {
 System.out.println(Reflection.newInstance(_0, new Object[] {new Integer(_1), new Integer(_2)}));
 catch (Exception ex) {
 throw (RuntimeException)ex;
public static void main(String[] args) {
 $1($0, 10, 10);
}and SampleClass<String> would get generated as:public class SampleClass$$C16java_lang_String {
private static final Constructor $0 = Reflection.getConstructor(Vector$$C37java_util_Vector$$C16java_lang_String.class, new Class[] {int.class, int.class});
public static void main(String[] args) {
 SampleClass.$1($0, 10, 10);
Also describe the implementation strategy for when these
methods are public or protected (i.e. virtual).As I said in my initial description that for non final, non static, non private method invocations a Method may be passed into the implementing synthetic method as a parameter.
Note: the following main method will display 'in B'.
class A {
public void foo() {
 System.out.println("in A");
class B extends A {
public void foo() {
 System.out.println("in B");
public class QuickTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
 try {
 A.class.getMethod("foo", null).invoke(new B(), null);
 catch (Exception ex) {}
}This is very important as foo() may be overwritten by a subclass as it is here. By passing a Method to the synthetic implementation this guarantees that covariance, invariance and contra variance all work exactly the same way as in java. This is a fundamental problem with many other approaches.
(b) The runtime overhead associated with your translationAs we don't have a working solution to compare this to, performance comments are hard to state, but I hope this helps anyway.
The Class Load time is affected in 4 ways. i) All the Generic Bytes exist in the Base Class, hence they don't need to be read from storage. ii) The custom class loader, time to parse the name and failed finds before it finally gets to define the class. iii) The generation of the generic bytes to parametric bytes (basically involves changing bytes from the Constant Pool worked out from a new Parametric type, Utf8, Class and the new Parametric Constant types may all be effected) iv) time to do the static Reflection stuff (this is the main source of the overhead). Basically this 1 time per class overhead is nothing to be concerned with, and Sun could always optimize this part further.
The normal Runtime overhead (once Classes have been loaded) is affected mainly by reflection: On older JDKs the reflection was a lot slower, and so might have made a noticeable impact. On newer JDKs (since 1.4 I think), the reflection performance has been significantly improved. All the time consuming reflection is done once per class (stored in static fields). The normal reflection is very quick (almost identical to what is getting done without reflection). As the wrappers simply include a single method call to another method, these can be in-lined and hence made irrelevant. Furthermore it is not too difficult to make a parameter that would include small methods in the wrapper classes, as this does not affect functionality in the slightest, however in my testing I have found this to be unnecessary.
(c) The space overhead (per instantiation)There are very small wrapper classes (one per new Type) that simply contain all non private methods, with single method calls to the implementing synthetic method. They also include any fields that were in the original class along with other synthetic fields used to store reflected information, so that the slow reflection only gets done once per new Type.
(d) The per-instance space overheadNone.
(e) Evidence that the proposed translation is sound and well-defined for all relevant cases (see below)Hope this is enough, if not let me know what extra proof you need.
(f) Evidence for backward compatibility
(For example, how does an old class file that passes a Vector
to some method handle the case when the method receives a Vector<T>
where T is a type parameter? In your translation these types are unrelated.)As explained above, in my approach these are only unrelated for T != Object, in the legacy case T == Object, hence legacy code passing in Vector is exactly the same as passing in Vector<Object>.
(g) Evidence for forward compatibility
(How, exactly, do class files that are compiled with a generics compiler run on an old VM)They run exactly the same way, the byte codes from this approach are all legal java, and all legal java is also legal in this approach. In order to take advantage of the Generics the Custom Class Loader would need to be used or else one would get ClassNotFoundExceptons, the same way they would if they tried using Collections on an old VM without the Collections there. The Custom Class Loader even works on older VMs (note it may run somewhat slower on older VMs).
(h) A viable implementation strategyType specific instantiations are at Class Load time, when the Custom Class Loader gets asked for a new Class, it then generates it.
The type specific instantiations are never shipped as they never get persisted. If you really wanted to save them all you need to do is save them with the same name (with the $$ and _'s etc), then the class loader would find them instead of generating them. There is little to be gained by doing this and the only reason I can think of for doing such a thing would be if there was some reason why the target VM couldn't use the Custom Class Loader (the Reflection class would still need to be sent as well, but that is nothing special). Basically they are always generated at Runtime unless a Class with the same name already exists in which case it would be used.
The $GENERIC_DESCRIPTOR and $GENERIC_BYTES from the base class along with the new Type name are all that is required to generate the classes at runtime. However many other approaches can achieve the same thing for the generation, and approaches such as NextGen's template approach may be better. As this generation is only done once per class I didn't put much research into this area. The way it currently works is that the $GENERIC_DESCRIPTOR are basically used to verify that a malicious class files is not trying to create a non Type Safe Type, ie new Sample<Object>() when the class definition said class Sample<TypeA extends Button>. The $GENERIC_BYTES basically correspond to the normal bytes of a wrapper class file, except that in the constant pool it has some constants of a new Parametric Constant type that get replaced at class load time. These parametric constants (along with possibly Utf8 and Class constants) are replaced by the Classes at the end of the new type name, a little more complex than that but you probably get the general idea.
These fine implementation details don't affect the approach so much anyway, as they basically come down to class load time performance. Much of the information in the $GENERIC_BYTES could have been worked out by reflection on the base type, however at least for now simply storing the bytes is a lot easier.
Note: I have made a small syntax change to the requested class:
public T(X datum) --> public T<X>(X datum)
class T<X> {
private X datum;
public T<X>(X datum) {
 this.datum = datum;
public T<T<X>> box() {
 return new T<T<X>>(this);
public String toString() {
 return datum.toString();
public static void main(String[] args) {
 T<String> t = new T<String>("boo!");
 System.out.println(t.box().box());
}would get translated as:
class T {
public static final Class[][] $GENERIC_DESCRIPTOR = {{Object.class}};
public static final byte[] $GENERIC_BYTES = {/*Generic Bytes Go Here*/};
private Object datum;
private static final Field $0 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(T.class, "datum");
private static final Constructor $1 = Reflection.getDeclaredConstructor(T$$C1T.class, new Class[] {T.class});
static void $2(Field _0, Object _1, Object _2) {
 Reflection.set(_0, _1, _2);
static Object $3(Constructor _0, Object _1) {
 try {
 return Reflection.newInstance(_0, new Object[] {_1});
 catch (Exception ex) {
 throw (RuntimeException)ex;
static String $4(Field _0, Object _1) {
 return Reflection.get(_0, _1).toString();
static void $5() {
 T$$C16java_lang_String t = new T$$C16java_lang_String("boo!");
 System.out.println(t.box().box());
public T(Object datum) {
 $2($0, this, datum);
public T$$C1T box() {
 return (T$$C1T)$3($1, this);
public String toString() {
 return $4($0, this);
public static void main(String[] args) {
 $5();
}as the generic bytes aren't very meaningful and by no means a requirement to this approach (NextGen's template method for generation may work just as well), here are the generated classes with some unused code commented out instead:
class T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String {
private T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String datum;
private static final Field $0 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String.class, "datum");
// private static final Constructor $1 = Reflection.getDeclaredConstructor(T$$C34T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String.class, new Class[] {T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String.class});
public T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String(T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String datum) {
 T.$2($0, this, datum);
// public T$$C34T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String box() {
// return (T$$C34T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String)T.$3($1, this);
public String toString() {
 return T.$4($0, this);
public static void main(String[] args) {
 T.$5();
class T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String {
private T$$C16java_lang_String datum;
private static final Field $0 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String.class, "datum");
private static final Constructor $1 = Reflection.getDeclaredConstructor(T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String.class, new Class[] {T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String.class});
public T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String(T$$C16java_lang_String datum) {
 T.$2($0, this, datum);
public T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String box() {
 return (T$$C28T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String)T.$3($1, this);
public String toString() {
 return T.$4($0, this);
public static void main(String[] args) {
 T.$5();
class T$$C1T {
private T datum;
private static final Field $0 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(T$$C1T.class, "datum");
// private static final Constructor $1 = Reflection.getDeclaredConstructor(T$$C6T$$C1T.class, new Class[] {T$$C1T.class});
public T$$C1T(T datum) {
 T.$2($0, this, datum);
// public T$$C6T$$C1T box() {
// return (T$$C6T$$C1T)T.$3($1, this);
public String toString() {
 return T.$4($0, this);
public static void main(String[] args) {
 T.$5();
class T$$C16java_lang_String {
private String datum;
private static final Field $0 = Reflection.getDeclaredField(T$$C16java_lang_String.class, "datum");
private static final Constructor $1 = Reflection.getDeclaredConstructor(T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String.class, new Class[] {T$$C16java_lang_String.class});
public T$$C16java_lang_String(String datum) {
 T.$2($0, this, datum);
public T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String box() {
 return (T$$C22T$$C16java_lang_String)T.$3($1, this);
public String toString() {
 return T.$4($0, this);
public static void main(String[] args) {
 T.$5();
}the methods from the Reflection class used in these answers not given in my initial description are:
public static final Object newInstance(Constructor aConstructor, Object[] anArgsArray) throws Exception {
 try {
 return aConstructor.newInstance(anArgsArray);
 catch (InvocationTargetException ex) {
 Throwable cause = ex.getCause();
 if (ex instanceof Exception) {
 throw (Exception)ex;
 throw new Error(ex.getCause());
 catch (Exception ex) {
 throw new Error(ex);
public static final Constructor getDeclaredConstructor(Class aClass, Class[] aParameterTypesArray) {
 try {
 Constructor constructor = aClass.getDeclaredConstructor(aParameterTypesArray);
 constructor.setAccessible(true);
 return constructor;
 catch (Exception ex) {
 throw new Error(ex);
}

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