Replacing a MacBook HD- some questions

I'm having a few small problems with my MacBook's hard drive , and I'm also running out of space. I plan to replace it soon. How can I replace a hard drive myself? What compartments should I open? What hard drives will be good in a MacBook? After I replace the HD, how can I get my original files back? How can I install Mac OSX on the new HD?
Thanks!

Hi and welcome to the forum.
How can I replace a hard drive myself?
Here you will find a comprehensive guide to change the HD yourself, including what tools you may need.
What hard drives will be good in a MacBook?
It depends on how much space you wanted, and how fast you want it to be. 5400rpm is the speed on the factory HDs, you can get HDs in 7200rpm but it would create more heat and uses more energy.
After I replace the HD, how can I get my original files back? How can I install Mac OSX on the new HD?
There is a couple of ways to do this, I think the easiest way is to firstly buy a 2.5" HD external case, then put your new HD into it, then use programes like SuperDuper(its free) to clone your old HD onto the new HD and make it bootable.
Then you just simply swap the HDs and starting using your MB like you do now with extra space. Oh and put your old HD into the external casing as a backup storage.

Similar Messages

Converting from a PC to a Macbook Pro - some questions

Hey guys. I'm a long-time PC user who has finally given up on PCs and am very seriously considering buying the Macbook Pro 15-inch.
I'm relatively clueless about Mac issues and especially about transferring my data from PC to Macs, so I would appreciate some help on the following:
1) How do I transfer my files from my current hard drive to a Mac? Is there some sort of wizard that can sort my data for me?
I have a hard drive with years of documents, software, old backups; and I understand that I can bascially plug and play via USB. However I have absolutely no clue what files should goes to which locations on a Mac.
2) Should I bother getting the discrete graphics version?
I do some products/marketing graphics design on Adobe CS3 on my PC, and some light gaming (mostly RPGs, no heavy-duter shooters like Crysis etc). I'm wondering if the integrated graphics version is enough for me.
3) Lastly, are there common issues with the Macbook Pro 15" I should know about?
Thanks for the help

Hello, One thing you may want to consider is how to view all your years of documents from your PC. Apple offers iWork and uses apps Pages (word processing) and Numbers (spreadsheet), and Keynote (presentations).
You can open your Office docs with iWork but for me, I found iWork difficult to use.
There is also Open Office (openoffice.org). I do not have much experience with this but have used it a few times to open Word docs. I haven't used it to create any docs though...
Finally there is Office for Mac. I've just recently purchased this and there are some differences from MS Office...I'm still finding them so can't give a lot of detail here..
I switched back to Mac in 06 and have been very happy. You may have already done this but go into an Apple store and play around with one. This will help you understand where to move your PC files. Or as mentioned, the Apple store will do this for you.
Then there is this forum. Lots of friendly and knowledgeable people here.
Good Luck!
Message was edited by: bmushrush

Hard Disk Failure in G5 Power Mac, need to replace it, i have some question

In my G5 Power Mac, the hard disk has totally gone and i need to replace it.. can someone point me to a guide on how to do this? Im usually a PC kinda guy so this is a bit new to me.
1) Will any SATA HDD work? does it have to be a certain brand?
2) When the new drive is in, will it auto detect and automatically run the leopard installer of the disk?
3) Is there anything i should be careful of or is it pretty straight forward?
any links or suggestions would be grand!
thanks in advance!

You would need to hold option key or 'c' to boot from Leopard.
A really badly damaged drive can prevent booting from any disk, whether CD/DVD or hard drive, because the system still tries to see if there are other systems out there when it scans the various buses for bootable devices.
You probably need to unplug or pull the old drive to do anything. But you may be able to zero the drive. Partitioning checks the blocks where the partition tables will go, because those blocks can't be remapped later, and some drives fail at that point, but re-partitioning, not just erasing the user partition, is something I do frequently.
Is the 2nd drive bay filled? definitely want to use both drive bays.
Got a FW or other emergency boot drive handy? or small partition on a media drive that has just minimal OS X.
When swapping drives on G5s, NVRAM doesn't always 'learn' or see the new drive properly, so best to zap PRAM/NVRAM or reset nvram to clear the device tree and force it to rescan and recognize new devices (PCI, memory, and hard drives).
I would definitely want a working clone/backup and keep Alsoft Disk Warrior on it to repair and do maintenance of your drives on a regular basis to prevent problems from getting worse.
If you need to recover data, pull the drive and later see if Data Rescue II can see any files. You may need to repair the drive. And Apple First Aid comes up short on disk repairs and doesn't do as many tests and repairs as Disk Warrior.
I always keep a backup spare on hand that I can use if a drive goes out.
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html

Some Questions before I buy a Macbook

Hi all,
i have some questions - maybe some of you guys may help me.
here we go.
1. here in germany we have three options.
- Core Duo 1,83 GHz with combo drive, white (1079 Euro)
- Core Duo 2GHz with DVD Burner, white (1279 Euro)
- Core Duo 2GHz with 80GB Harddisk and DVD Burner, black (1479 Euro)
Is it worth to buy the middle option? 200 Euro extra for 0,17Ghz and a DVD Burner - sounds a bit expensive?!
2. Is the performance difference betweeen 1,83 Ghz and 2 ghz noticeable?
3. Why is a RAM upgrade to 1GB recommended? and is the performance difference betweeen 512MB and 1GB noticeable?
4. Is it possible to possible to deactivate "cleartype" (the display looks a bit blurred)
5. Is the DVD Burner ok? Does it burn any DVD? Are there some issues?
6. Is it (easy) possible to install +512MB (or 2x 512MB) RAM and a bigger Harddisk by myself? The guys in the shop said that I will loose guarantee if I will do this by myself. Harddisk costs 80GB (+40€), 100GB (+140€), 120GB (+230€) - Sounds more than expensive!!!!
Thanks in advance for your replies,
cheers,
mrcheekz

Hi all,
i have some questions - maybe some of you guys may
help me.
here we go.
1. here in germany we have three options.
- Core Duo 1,83 GHz with combo drive, white (1079
Euro)
- Core Duo 2GHz with DVD Burner, white (1279 Euro)
- Core Duo 2GHz with 80GB Harddisk and DVD Burner,
black (1479 Euro)
Is it worth to buy the middle option? 200 Euro extra
for 0,17Ghz and a DVD Burner - sounds a bit
expensive?!
2. Is the performance difference betweeen 1,83 Ghz
and 2 ghz noticeable?
Barely, but if you're buying a new computer, it's always a good idea to get the fastest that's currently out.... simply because it won't be outdated as fast as if you get the lowest option.
3. Why is a RAM upgrade to 1GB recommended? and is
the performance difference betweeen 512MB and 1GB
noticeable?
It's huge. As much as a 200%-300% difference. MacOS and Windows XP both take quite a bit of ram. I'd go all the way and get 2GB. It's only $150 or so if you buy from Newegg. Get the Gstar RAM.... I've tested it for over 3 hours with diagnostic tools and it's just as good as the crucial memory, which I tested as well. No differences (they both run at the same Mhz with the same timings.) You won't regret it.
4. Is it possible to possible to deactivate
"cleartype" (the display looks a bit blurred)
Yup.
5. Is the DVD Burner ok? Does it burn any DVD? Are
there some issues?
There are some issues with some Superdrives in some Macbooks. Mostly the scratching thing. But, of course, Apple will replace your Superdrive if it has issues, so I wouldn't worry about it.
6. Is it (easy) possible to install +512MB (or 2x
512MB) RAM and a bigger Harddisk by myself? The guys
in the shop said that I will loose guarantee if I
will do this by myself. Harddisk costs 80GB (+40€),
100GB (+140€), 120GB (+230€) - Sounds more than
expensive!!!!
Both the hard drive and the RAM is official 'user serviceable" parts with official Apple Manuals documenting just how to install them. Therefore upgrading them yourself does NOT void your warrenty (unless, of course, you're extremely negligent in how you install the parts, and damage your computer from not following directions.) But as long as you follow directions (and they're incredibly easy), you're good to go.
Thanks in advance for your replies,
cheers,
mrcheekz
Hope this helps! Honestly, if you're worried about the $200, just get the 1.83 model and spend $150 to upgrade to 2GB of RAM (by far the biggest thing in performance.) But if you can afford it, the 2.0Ghz model with both the DVD burner and 20GB extra HD space will come in handy (but the extra RAM should be your priority.)

IMac or MacBook? Have some questions

iMac or MacBook? Have some questions. If I get a MacBook can I plug an existing monitor I have in via a USB? I could then just add a wireless keyboard as we were originally looking for a desktop but the portability of a MacBook is appealing

You can only connect a monitor through the video port of your Mac. It can be Mini-DVI, VGA, Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt, depending on the MacBook model you get. For example, if you get a 2011 or newer MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, you will get it with Thunderbolt, and if you get the most recent white MacBook, you will get it with Mini DisplayPort.
Then, look at the ports of the monitor and get a Mini DisplayPort adapter (it is compatible with Thunderbolt) and the cable to connect the adapter to the monitor, so you can use it with the MacBook.
If you need performance, the iMac would be the best option, and if you prefer a portable computer without having special performance needs, go for the MacBook

Thinking about purchasing a Macbook, but I need some questions answered

Hey everybody,
I got a response to my Craigslist ad, so it's looking like selling my iMac G5 and buying a new Macbook might actually happen. My only problem is that I have some questions about what to do with my money. I'm not a power user, or someone who really plays games (other than my Nintendo emulators) so I already know that a Macbook is the right computer for me.
(1) I don't have external storage, so how should I go about transferring my stuff? Buying the Macbook before selling my iMac is not an option because I just don't have that much money. I've read that some people buy the Macbook and then upgrade the HD, using the 60 Gig that comes with it as their external storage by buying a $20 case for it. I have about 50 GB taken up on my iMac, so I'm going to probably need around 100 GB at least. I know upgrading the memory doesn't, but does upgrading the HD void the warranty? Any brand recommendations for HD's? Heat and noise are very important to me. (7200 RPM is out)
(2) I never really used the Superdrive on my iMac, but it was nice to know it was there. Is the performance difference from 1.83 to 2Ghz noticeable? I hear it's not, but I also read that under Rosetta it matters. Since Office isn't universal yet, I'd like to know. Can anyone verify this?
(3) I read on MacOSRumors that Leopard is probably going to do some nice little graphic effects when it's released, and that the next revision of the Macbook Core Duo will probably still have integrated graphics. Since I don't plan on doing this again for at least another year, do you think the Intel graphics will be enough to keep up for a little while?
(4) Anybody have some experience with selling a computer on Craigslist? I'm smart enough to request cash, local buyers only, and have them meet me at my house to try the computer out. Any advice on how to make sure this runs smoothly? I might end up leaving some things on the computer for the buyer. Anything that I should make sure to delete (i.e. preferences, passwords, etc.?) A checklist of what I should remember to do would really help.
I think that about covers all of it...Thanks in advance.

I sold my computer on Craigslist. No problems. I think it's only really dodgy if you are buying one from there - then you should be very careful!
I'm not sure exactly the best way to go about deleting your stuff, but you have the right idea: get rid of your preferences and passwords, and your internet history as well.
I'm not sure how to look at 'Keychain', but you might want to make sure that this is empty.
In terms of processor speed, I can't help you: I have just got the 2Ghz, but partly because not having a DVD burner isn't an option for me. As file sizes and your storage needs increase, your need for a DVD burner will probably increase as well.
Leopard is not far away now, and I would guess that Apple would make sure that their new OS will work adequately on their new computers. I would be surprised if there is much of a noticeable difference in anything but the most graphics heavy applications. Could be wrong about this, but I think that the basic GUI will perform well on any MacBook.
In terms of moving info from your iMac... the cheapest thing apart from buying the MacBook before you sell is borrowing a HD or iPod from a friend. 50G isn't THAT much info, you could always burn it to DVD-Rs in a pinch.

How to on a MacBook Pro-some switcher questions

I bought my first Mac in March of this year but i am still learning all the time about it.
I have some questions about Mac OSX at the moment i am designing a website for my sister she has bought her own domain with Fasthosts and i have been designing her website mainly in Windows XP via bootcamp because i do not know how to save in html on my Mac. Do i need to buy software so that i can design websites on my Mac so that i can save in html? I want to hand encode and then save in html? Is there a application in Mac that will allow me to do this? In Windows i can encode by hand in notepad and just save in html very simply. Also, Is there a way to edit what i have already done in Windows on my Mac. I tried using Text-edit and that does not bring up a plain text version of the code when i open up what i have already done.
Also, how do i resize a picture using my Mac. I often use Paint to do this because i have not figured how to do this on a Mac yet?
I have been wondering about this for a while also but how do i refresh a page using Mac OS. In windows you press F5 to refresh a page but what do you do with a Mac?
I am finding that the Mac does not cater as well for people who do not want to buy extra software to use it for example to have a Paint programme that is decent you need to buy extra software wheras on Windows XP Paint comes free of charge.

I bought my first Mac in March of this year but i am
still learning all the time about it.
Welcome to Macs!!! I hope you're enjoying them!
I have some questions about Mac OSX at the moment i
am designing a website for my sister she has bought
her own domain with Fasthosts and i have been
designing her website mainly in Windows XP via
bootcamp because i do not know how to save in html on
my Mac. Do i need to buy software so that i can
design websites on my Mac so that i can save in html?
Two sided question - yes and no. I have never purchased any but there are some for purchase... I forget their names and I'm sure another user will chime in with them.
You can use both iWeb or Nvu. iWeb is more drag and drop, but you can publish your site to a folder, and then send that to your ftp server using a program called Cyberduck. Nvu is a free HTML editor... very similar to Microsoft Frontpage. It's decent, i've had it a while ago, but it's a bit slow and has a few bugs still. But what do you expect for free?!?!
I want to hand encode and then save in html? Is there
a application in Mac that will allow me to do this?
As a new web designer, I don't know what you mean by hand encode... But I think NVU will help you out with that.
In Windows i can encode by hand in notepad and just
save in html very simply.
Yes - NVU you can edit the html code inside the program, or you can open the html codes in Text Edit and edit them that way.
Also, Is there a way to
edit what i have already done in Windows on my Mac.
I tried using Text-edit and that does not bring up a
plain text version of the code when i open up what i
have already done.
Again, you can open the html in NVU and do it there.
Also, how do i resize a picture using my Mac. I often
use Paint to do this because i have not figured how
to do this on a Mac yet?
Paint?!?!?!?! Oh boy! In many programs there is the "inspector" button (like iWeb) and you can do it easily.
In iPhoto you can click on File-->Export--> And rescale the image in the size you want.
I have been wondering about this for a while also but
how do i refresh a page using Mac OS. In windows you
press F5 to refresh a page but what do you do with a
Mac?
Refresh? You mean like safari? Apple+R
I am finding that the Mac does not cater as well for
people who do not want to buy extra software to use
it for example to have a Paint programme that is
decent you need to buy extra software wheras on
Windows XP Paint comes free of charge.
Really?? Paint is terrible. Any program that windows gives you for free, apple has a better counterpart available for download on the internet for free as well.
You can also try GraphicConverter. This was previously free on powerbooks but was forgotten on Intel Macs... probably because they didn't have a universal binary at the time. There is a free trial, give it a shot.

Would a Top Case keyboard replacement for Macbook Unibody A1342 (US version), be compatible w/my Macbook if originally it had a Japanese version?

I bought a Macbook Unibody back in 2010, and until now the system is still working perfectly fine, probably because I keep on updating my software version, currently I am on Mac OS X 10.8.2 (Mountain Lion)...I don't have issues with it.
I bought this Macbook in Japan, the keyboard version is on Japanese (with US alphabets) becaue I was studying Kanji back then, and apparently I am now living here in the Philippines and some of my keyboard keys are lost and they were taken off by my naughty niece (LOL, couldn't blame her though... she's just 2 years old)... now I am looking for a replacement. I couldn't find Japanese version of Top Case replacements here in Manila... now I kinda realized I might as well use a US version moving forward.
Now my question is re: Top Case keyboard replacement for Macbook Unibody A1342 (US version), would it be compatible w/my Macbook if originally it had a Japanese version?
Thanks in advance for all the help & informations. I would really appreciate it before I buy a replacement.
Have a good one guys! ^_^)Y

but it has been dropped a bit.
Translation - It has been dropped multiple times.
All the problems are likely related. Better get it to an Apple service rep and be aware that any warranty does not cover abuse of the product.

I have some questions regarding setting up a software RAID 0 on a Mac Pro

I have some questions regarding setting up a software RAID 0 on a Mac pro (early 2009).
These questions might seem stupid to many of you, but, as my last, in fact my one and only, computer before the Mac Pro was a IICX/4/80 running System 7.5, I am a complete novice regarding this particular matter.
A few days ago I installed a WD3000HLFS VelociRaptor 300GB in bay 1, and moved the original 640GB HD to bay 2. I now have 2 bootable internal drives, and currently I am using the VR300 as my startup disk. Instead of cloning from the original drive, I have reinstalled the Mac OS, and all my applications & software onto the VR300. Everything is backed up onto a WD SE II 2TB external drive, using Time Machine. The original 640GB has an eDrive partition, which was created some time ago using TechTool Pro 5.
The system will be used primarily for photo editing, digital imaging, and to produce colour prints up to A2 size. Some of the image files, from scanned imports of film negatives & transparencies, will be 40MB or larger. Next year I hope to buy a high resolution full frame digital SLR, which will also generate large files.
Currently I am using Apple's bundled iPhoto, Aperture 2, Photoshop Elements 8, Silverfast Ai, ColorMunki Photo, EZcolor and other applications/software. I will also be using Photoshop CS5, when it becomes available, and I will probably change over to Lightroom 3, which is currently in Beta, because I have had problems with Aperture, which, until recent upgrades (HD, RAM & graphics card) to my system, would not even load images for print. All I had was a blank preview page, and a constant, frozen "loading" message - the symbol underneath remained static, instead of revolving!
It is now possible to print images from within Aperture 2, but I am not happy with the colour fidelity, whereas it is possible to produce excellent, natural colour prints using its "minnow" sibling, iPhoto!
My intention is to buy another 3 VR300s to form a 4 drive Raid 0 array for optimum performance, and to store the original 640GB drive as an emergency bootable back-up. I would have ordered the additional VR300s already, but for the fact that there appears to have been a run on them, and currently they are out of stock at all, but the more expensive, UK resellers.
I should be most grateful to receive advice regarding the following questions:
QUESTION 1:
I have had a look at the RAID setting up facility in Disk Utility and it states: "To create a RAID set, drag disks or partitions into the list below".
If I install another 3 VR300s, can I drag all 4 of them into the "list below" box, without any risk of losing everything I have already installed on the existing VR300?
Or would I have to reinstall the OS, applications and software again?
I mention this, because one of the applications, Personal accountz, has a label on its CD wallet stating that the Licence Key can only be used once, and I have already used it when I installed it on the existing VR300.
QUESTION 2:
I understand that the failure of just one drive will result in all the data in a Raid 0 array being lost.
Does this mean that I would not be able to boot up from the 4 drive array in that scenario?
Even so, it would be worth the risk to gain the optimum performance provide by Raid 0 over the other RAID setup options, and, in addition to the SE II, I will probably back up all my image files onto a portable drive as an additional precaution.
QUESTION 3:
Is it possible to create an eDrive partition, using TechTool Pro 5, on the VR300 in bay !?
Or would this not be of any use anyway, in the event of a single drive failure?
QUESTION 4:
Would there be a significant increase in performance using a 4 x VR300 drive RAID 0 array, compared to only 2 or 3 drives?
QUESTION 5:
If I used a 3 x VR300 RAID 0 array, and installed either a cloned VR300 or the original 640GB HD in bay 4, and I left the Startup Disk in System Preferences unlocked, would the system boot up automatically from the 4th. drive in the event of a single drive failure in the 3 drive RAID 0 array which had been selected for startup?
Apologies if these seem stupid questions, but I am trying to determine the best option without foregoing optimum performance.

Well said.
Steps to set up RAID
Setting up a RAID array in Mac OS X is part of the installation process. This procedure assumes that you have already installed Mac OS 10.1 and the hard drive subsystem (two hard drives and a PCI controller card, for example) that RAID will be implemented on. Follow these steps:
1. Open Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities).
2. When the disks appear in the pane on the left, select the disks you wish to be in the array and drag them to the disk panel.
3. Choose Stripe or Mirror from the RAID Scheme pop-up menu.
4. Name the RAID set.
5. Choose a volume format. The size of the array will be automatically determined based on what you selected.
6. Click Create.
Recovering from a hard drive failure on a mirrored array
1. Open Disk Utility in (/Applications/Utilities).
2. Click the RAID tab. If an issue has occurred, a dialog box will appear that describes it.
3. If an issue with the disk is indicated, click Rebuild.
4. If Rebuild does not work, shut down the computer and replace the damaged hard disk.
5. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
6. Drag the icon of the new disk on top of that of the removed disk.
7. Click Rebuild.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2559
Drive A + B = VOLUME ONE
Drive C + D = VOLUME TWO
What you put on those volumes is of course up to you and easy to do.
A system really only needs to be backed up "as needed" like before you add or update or install anything.
/Users can be backed up hourly, daily, weekly schedule
Media files as needed.
Things that hurt performance:
Page outs
Spotlight - disable this for boot drive and 'scratch'
SCRATCH: Temporary space; erased between projects and steps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StandardRAIDlevels
(normally I'd link to Wikipedia but I can't load right now)
Disk drives are the slowest component, so tackling that has always made sense. Easy way to make a difference. More RAM only if it will be of value and used. Same with more/faster processors, or graphic card.
To help understand and configure your 2009 Nehalem Mac Pro:
http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2009/04/266ghz-8-core-mac-pro-review.ars/1
http://macperformanceguide.com/
http://www.macgurus.com/guides/storageaccelguide.php
http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/harddrives/index.html
http://macperformanceguide.com/OptimizingPhotoshop-Configuration.html
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/404/kb404440.html

Some questions on whitespace and &

Dear all,
I have some questions on whitespace and & that need you kind help:
1. Except /n /t /r and space, is there any characters that are whiteSpace characters?
2. When parsing XML document, when the ignorableWhitespace() method is called? Will it be called from characters() ?
e.g. Where the white space after <a> is called, and where is the white space between test1 and test 2 indied is called?
<a>
 test1 test2
</a> 3. When the & should be escaped in a well-formed (or validated) XML file by replacing &?
It should be excaped in any element content, such as test1 & test2 - except for <![CDATA[ section?
It should NOT always be used in attributes? e.g. <a b="test1 & test2"/> - has to do escaped by entity & - am I right?
Thanks!
Thanks


Thanks DrClap.
>
2. When parsing XML document, when the
ignorableWhitespace() method is called? Will it be
called from characters() ?It will be called when the document has a DTD and the
parser is a validating one that is actually
validating, when the parser sees whitespace that is
not part of a DTD element. It will not be called from
characters() because that is a method that you write.I wrote a contentHandler and using Xerces parser to parse an XML document. When I set validating feature to false, I found that for:
<a>
 test1 test2</a>The white space between <a> and (including newline) is actually called from characters(), not in ignorableWhitespace(). So does this mean that if validating - white space is always called from ignorableWhitespace(), and if not validating, if it is always called from characters()?
>
3. When the & should be escaped in a well-formed(or
validated) XML file by replacing &? The XML Recommendation says "The ampersand character
(&) and the left angle bracket (<) may appear
in their literal form only when used as markup
delimiters, or within a comment, a processing
instruction, or a CDATA section. If they are needed
elsewhere, they must be escaped using either numeric
character references or the strings "&" and
"<" respectively."So in this sense, both & in test1 & test2 and <a b="test1 & test2"/> is illegal unless replacing them by & - right? What does the markup delimiters mena in above XML Recommendation ? Example?
Thanks!

Can Apple replace my macbook pro (mid 2012) retina's battery if I think that the battery health has gone bad/in need of and renewal?

Can Apple replace my macbook pro (mid 2012) retina's battery if I think that the battery health has gone bad/in need of and renewal???
I've had my Macbook for about 11 months now and i use it every day; its gone though about 420 cycles of charging and using the power, and i noticed the battrey preformance has decreased (as expected). The problem isn't sevear yet but it would comfort me knowing that i could replace the battery in the near future
Please contact me or answer the question if you know anything about this!

Exitio\'s Apple wrote:
Can Apple replace my macbook pro (mid 2012) retina's battery if I think that the battery health has gone bad/in need of and renewal???
No only if they think under warranty/AppleCare, but your likely able to pay for a new battery if they have them, which they might not yet since it's such a new machine still.
BTW, I have a Early 2011 17" MBP, 27 months old, charges to 97% and has only 14 cycles.

Some questions for ressources provisionning.

Hello people.
I'm currently playing around with LDoms on a new brilliant shiny T5520 and I have some questions about.
My actual configuration is the following:
- 1 T5520 Server with 32 Gb RAM and a 8 cores 64 threads Niagara T2
- 4 SAS 143 Gb disks on controller 1.
The disk are mirrored using raidctl in two pairs of raid 1, c1t0d0 and c1t2d0.
The primary OS is installed on c1t0d0 and I plan to use ZFS for creating vdisks LDoms guests on c1t2d0.
I have access to a netapp but only with iscsi and nfs.
So, the questions:
- Does it make sense to use ZFS on hard mirrored disks ?
- Is it best to add the two disks non mirrored to my ZFS pool and backup snapshots on the netapp ?
- Does my LDoms needs more memory that I planned ? Each guest will have between 2 Gb and 4 Gb for the bigger. I will have, at the beginning 4 or 5 guests for testing / integration, LDAP / DNS services, Licences services, Web Portal, and, maybe, if I could convince my boss a little SPARC Gentoo Linux, just for fun :)
Thanks :)
PS: Forgive my poor English, I'm a French bas***d guy :)

You mean T5220, great machine anyway :)
- RAID hardware is supposed to be faster than ZFS, but ZFS offer more functionalities.
- you need both mirroring and backup, even if nice, ZFS snapshot cannot replace a backup software.
- Keep a free memory pool not allocated and ready to increase the RAM size of a LDOM (rebooting the LDOM will be necessary). And hum... use it to play with linux for sparcs :-)
Regards

Potential new T61 user with some questions about product/support/etc.

Hi all!
I've been using Dell Latitude's for last 7+ years and been happy with them thus far, as I was able to stay within the C-series thru 3 systems and reuse some components such as batteries, CD-ROM, etc. but now that I'd have to go to D-series, that gives me the choice of going to new vendor...and IBM/Lenovo was the only other choice due to my OS requirement: XP Pro!
So now I'm here asking some questions that I'm still having issues with:
(I'm comparing the T61 to Dell D530 and/or my C610)
1) Features that I've used on existing Dell that I don't see on T61 :
    a) Infared port --- I've used to transfer stuff from one sys to another
    b) S-Video out --- I've used to display on TV for some situations
    c) Serial port --- can't recall using it but with my luck, I'd need it sometime.
    d) Parallel port (C610) --- for my really old printer used on rare occasions
    e) Floppy drive --- yes, I still use it for some unusual situations
2) On Dell, I can put a 2nd battery or floppy drive in the media bay instead of CD/DVD...what about T61?
3) Support:
    a) Dell forums have 7+ yrs of history and are well used...this forum seems brand new...was there another one before it?
    b) My Dell's have lifetime tech support (ok, so sometimes understanding the folks from India can be an issue) but IBM seems to limit this to life of warranty.
4) Pricing: T61 would be seem to be, at minimum, about $150 more than similar Dell even with current "sales"...I'm having trouble justifying this...
5) Things that I see that T61 has that new Dell D530 doesn't:
   a) built-in mike --- my current Dell has it and I use it now and then so this is a plus!
   b) keyboard light --- nice feature, but couldn't I use a USB one instead if I really needed it?
   c) fingerprint reader --- never used one...how often do people use it?
   d) 2nd card slot for Express cards --- current Dell has two standard slots and I'm using both, though one is wi-fi which C610 didn't have built-in...and other is modem to replace failed built-in...D530 has only one slot, so having 2nd of any type is good.
   e) middle mouse button --- is that what I'm seeing? Or is it something else?
   f) recovery partition --- ok, nice but how much room does it take?
6) Things that D530 has that T61 doesn't:
   a) 4th USB --- I'm used to only 1 now so even 3 would be big step up...
   b) 15" standard screen --- T61 is only a 14.1" screen and that extra bit of size would likely help, but I'm limited on physical dimensions to 13.5" total width (unusual situation) so a 15.4" wide screen isn't possible...I'm looking at SXGA+ in either case to maximize usage.
   c) recovery CD is standard --- so I'm presuming I'd have to create my own here?
That, I think, about does it...so...any users willing to help me decide if a switch is good for me?
Thanks!!!
Update: It seems that phone tech support is only available for warranty period with IBM, whereas with Dell, I can still call for hardware tech help (to diagnose problem at least) for "lifetime" or well past paid period, as I've already done in past...comments?
Update #2: Changed the incorrect "R"s to "T"! Duh!
Message Edited by J_Hallgren on 12-28-2007 07:50 PM
A current Dell Latitute user who was looking to maybe switch...But didn't.

I finally made the switch to Lenovo and the Thinkpad line of notebooks and think this was the best move I have ever made in years! I've spent far too much money maintaining a separate notebook (Dell Latitude L400) several custom built desktops. This December, I sold my desktops, my laptops (I had 2 L400's), and my 20" Aquous LCD TV to finance my Thinkpad T61. It was well worth it! I will try to answer your questions in this checklist, which I found to be quite similar to my own .... frighteningly exactly like my own....:
Hardware Requirements
IR: This is pretty outdated but functional. I used to use a Palm with IR as well as an IR laser printer. I ditched both for a PDA phone with bluetooth. The laser printer is networked now
S-Video: You might be able to get away with a TV tuner cardbus or a expres card. There might also be external converters that convert from your VGA/DVI (DVI via port replicator) into any variety of video outputs.
Serial: My older Palm had a serial port for the docking station - bluetooth is a good replacement
Parallel port: I currently have a USB to parallel adapter in my bag just in case. These are cheap cables and work well.
Floppy: I keep a USB one of these just in case. I find that having fewer input devices on my laptop and leaving them external help keep the machine lighter for my mostly mobile usage (e.g., my L400 with no inputs at all except 1 USB port).
T61 Spare Battery: Uses ultrabay battery - I rarely use the DVDRW drive and leave the ultrabay battery in there while on the go. DVDRW drive stays in the bag until needed. I recommend you upgrade to the 9 cell battery with the advanced ultra bay battery, which will give u something like 9 to 12 hours of operating life. If you are not a fan of the battery pack sticking out like crazy, stick to the letter box format laptop (not widescreen), which will provide the minimum amount of battery pack stick-out with the 9 cell battery. The 6 cell will not stick out with the letterbox laptop but will stick out with the widescreen version.
Support Options: I rarely call support so I have no opinion here.
Pricing: Price was not really a concern for me. I purchased mine for the business look mainly, which Lenovo maintained well. I don't like the shiny/plastic/toy look of Dell and Apple computers these days. If anything, consider the premium an investment in the build quality of these machines (or a premium just for the good looks). I particularly like the roll cage as well as active protection system that stops the hard drive as soon as the system detects excessive motion.
Included Hardware Comparison:
I like the mic, use it often for Skype and the built in 1.3MP webcam as well.
Keyboard light.... kinda cute but not as functional because it simply is too small. It was a cute idea that could have been made better had Lenovo opted for a backlit keyboard instead. That would have been more functional and added to the "cool" factor.
With regards to the Express Card and PCMCIA card slot, I rarely use either because everything is built in. However, if you want that TV tuner, an express card or PCMCIA card slot is good. If you opt for the built in media reader, you will be unable to use the express card as the media reader takes up that slot (I might be wrong, but I think the card reader is large enough that it takes up both slots, so u can't add anything anyway - but you should call pre-sales to answer that question).
Middle mouse button: The three buttons in the middle are used for the trackpoint/joystick mouse controller. I think the middle button is configurable to do various things. I personally hate the joystick and can only use the touchpad. The lack of a touchpad was the only reason I did not stick to the smaller 12.1" X line of laptops, which was really more in tune with my size requirements (too used to using the L400 sized machine).
Recovery Partition: This is a cheap way for manufacturers to make it easy for people to recover their systems in case of crash - without the need for any documentation or disc media. However, it makes it hard for people like me who only use machines after a clean format and customized install of Windows. This partition is about 10GB and can be erased with special disk format or partition tools. Windows itself cannot read or delete this partition. With the minimum size of the hard drives available, this should not be an excessive space killer for most people. I personally need only 7GB total for OS and apps. The remaining data I work with is actually streamed from a 500GB gigabit NAS. I might switch to a 32GB solid state disk one of these days when their performance comes more in par or exceeds traditional drives.
Recovery CD: You can create your own from the recovery partition since Lenovo does not provide any.
4th USB: I only use 1 or 2 as well. 1 for an external micro mouse (I love my touchpad, but it's just hard to use with Photoshop or CAD apps) and a second for a USB memory key. My other devices i.e., scanner, external mouse, keyboard, are plugged in on my desktop through a USB hub that goes to a single port on my docking station. So yes, your docking station will probably remove the need for more than 2 ports. Although, I do find it odd there are only 3 ports... such an odd number.
Screen Size: I personally wish I could have gotten the X series of laptops but the 14.1 was the only other mobile solution. For the larger screen size, docking station to my 24" Dell 2405FP. The compact nature of the T series makes it pretty thin and compact though... it was not too much bigger than my L400 - at least, not uncomfortably bigger.
But yeah, I think if you make the switch, you'll be getting yourself a solid machine that will keep u going for years. The Latitude line of Dell's were really good, but overall, I feel that the nature of Dell's manufacturing process is making it too "cookie cutter" and reducing its overall quality level. Their earlier lines were awesome, like the D lines you mentioned. But unless you get the ATG line, you just won't get the same level of quality they used to offer (in addition, the ATG line is wickedly too expensive - I'd rather get a Durabook for military grade spec at a fraction of the price).
Anyway, have fun shopping! :-)
And moderators or employees of Lenovo, don't you guys get referral bonuses for giving your employee discount code to friends and family? *wink*
T61_Wide | Model No. 7662 - CTO
Core 2 Duo T7250 | 2GB OCZ DDR2-800
82566MM Gigabit | 4965AGN Centrino Pro

Some questions on itunes

Hi all,
I have an iphone and ipod classic. Recently, I had to re-format my HDD due to motherboard failure, and I forgot to retrieve the itunes library backup and iphone backup before I re-format.
Now I have already installed itunes and loaded back my music and I have some questions.
1) What will happen if I connect my iphone to my PC? At the moment, itunes has no apps in it. Do I have to re-download them from the store?
2) What will happen to my contacts? Will they stay in the iphone?
That's all I can think of right now. Will post more questions next time.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks !

1) All of the itunes content will be erased from the iphone and replaced with content from the computer. You will have to re-download Apps if you didn't have them backed up.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519
2) If you have at least one unique contact and calendar entry on your computer, then you should get the option to merge the data with your iphone when you first sync.

Some questions on the Sleek

Hey there. I have some questions regarding the Zen Sleek, since I may get one to replace my Zen Xtra.
First of all, how much does it cost to have the battery replaced? I've heard/read that you cannot do it yourself (which irks me to know end), but I haven't found anywhere what it would cost to have it sent in once the battery is dead.
Second, does the unit scratch easily? I don't want to buy an ugly, bulky case for it (since that's all that seems to be out there for anything that's not a Micro), but if the Sleek scratches as easily as the iPod, I may be forced to.
Thanks in advance for your help.

cera wrote:Thanks SSR, I'll have to look into the battery replacement program. I've read up on the CreativeCare protection plan, and it SEEMS that the battery would be covered under it. I'll have to e-mail or call and check.
I know the battery is covered under warranty, but it certainly shouldn't die ordinarily during that period.
I've left the screen protecting sheet on my Zen Xtra, and it's in great shape, so unless it becomes obnoxious, I think I'll end up leaving it on the Sleek as well. I may look into buying a case, or possibly just making my own.
There are some threads on cases for the Sleek so it's worth searching back. Creative often fail to launch a case as an accessory, or certainly to launch one at the same time as the player is released. This is a great shame, aside from not bundling a good case with the player, as it keeps the player looking good and may well end up making it last longer.
This is completely off topic, but I just realized that you wrote/host that excellent Donnie Darko FAQ. It helped me a lot when I first saw the movie and tried to figure it out.
Glad it helped

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