Using External Drives with MacBook Pro - General - Freezing

I keep my music on an external drive and also have a drive hooked up for Time Machine. My macbook pro frequently crashes... especially when I first open the computer. I then have to reboot. In general, what are the best type of drives and best type of connections to use when there will always be two external drives hooked to this machine. Would increasing RAM help? I have 2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 2 gigs of RAM.

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Trouble using external iSight with MacBook Pro (which has built in camera)

Hey Jim,
Have a question for you. I have a new MacBook Pro 17". I also have a 23" Cinema Display, and a left over Firewire external iSight camera (which I used to love).
Frequently I "dock" my MBP with my 23". I either use the dual-screen between the two, or I close the lid on the MBP, let it go to sleep, then wake it back up with a BT keyboard or mouse, letting it go to a single-screen mode on only the 23" Cinema Display.
So, I'm trying to use my external Firewire iSight with my MBP, and I'm getting mixed results -- the best of which is where I am getting some video with regular, occasional freezes with the picture being split (like a v-hold problem on an old TV). After a pause it goes back to smooth video.
I guess primarily, I'm wanting to know what the world of two iSights (FW and built-in) look like, and can they work together? I cannot for the life of me get this FW iSight to work consistently, but I know it works perfectly in another G5 tower (which has no built-in camera).
Any suggestions or guidance?

Hello Exivus
... two iSights (FW and built-in) ... can they work together?
You can have two iSights connected at one time, but, as explained in Apple's iSight "Your camera is in use by another application" message, iSight can be used by only one application at a time. (my emphasis)
Different apps select between multiple connected cameras in different ways. For instance, iChat > Preferences... > Video settings can select which camera to use with the iChat app, but iMovie 6 uses a drop-down menu as shown in this picture:
The suggestions in How to Troubleshoot iSight should help you determine whether one of your iSights is causing trouble. I suggest you test each one separately and without your external display or other peripherals to rule out possible conflicts.
After you are certain that your iSights are working individually, test them when both are connected. After your system successfully passes these tests, you can add your external devices back one-by-one to be sure one of them is not causing the problem.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.1) External iSight

Using external mouse with Macbook Pro

Hi,
I'm using an external Dell USB keyboard and mouse with my Macbook Pro. They work ok, but there seems to be a bit of 'drag' when I use the mouse. It's difficult to describe, but when I move the mouse slowly the pointer seems to drag, or slip...it's not matching the movement I'm making with the actual mouse. It's not so bad when I make bigger or faster movements, just when I'm using it slowly or precisely.
It's very distracting, and is even making my wrists ache.
Any idea how I can stop this happening - do I need to find a driver to fix the issue?
Thanks for reading.

Are you using an external monitor? The 24" LED Cinema Display?
I saw a post in one of the other forums where several people were having this issue -- they all had external monitors attached, and mostly all 24" LED Apple Displays. The type and make of the mouse seemed to have no relevance, and the issues seem to impact the trackpad as well. It is hard to describe the "feel" and "lagging" effect of this problem.
Nearly all people in the post had the monitor and laptop power adapter plugged into the same outlet/powerstrip. After moving one of the cords to a different outlet, this seemed to solve the problem for nearly everyone. Odd, I know.
I'm gonna try it and I'll keep you posted.

Using External iSight with MacBook Pro / iMac.

Posted in both forums.
Internal iSight is great, but the external iSight offers so much more flexability, and been able to position the camera where you want it is much better than tilting the screen and moving the computer.
So can you use external camera's with the MacBook Pro's and iMac's?
*nathan

Great! Thats awesome.
Have you tried it? If so, does the Mac automaticlly switch to the external iSight, or do you get an option to choose between internal and external.
Thanks,
*nathan

Using external iSight with MacBook Pro crashes iChat

I use my Macbook Pro in clamshell mode with an external display. I bought an external iSight so that I could use iChat AV. I have the appropriate adapter to convert the Firewire 400 cable to Firewire 800 which is compatible with my '09 MBP 17" (2.8GHz).
Every time I connect the iSight, iChat will launch, and then will crash (SPWoD). I can not recover unless I disconnect the iSight, at which point iChat is able to fully launch.
I tired changing both iChat and Photobooth to 32-bit mode (hint from another thread), but that did not help.
As a test, I connected the iSight to an iMac with both FW400 and FW800 and the iSight works perfectly with either connection. iChat AV then allows me to then select which camera I want to use in its preferences.
Both my Macbook Pro and the iMac are on OS X 10.6.2. iChat crashes regardless of if I am using the MacBook Pro in clamshell mode or not.
TIA.

bryanus wrote:
Sorry, I answered with my iPod tough. I guess it didn't translate the way I wanted it to.
Here are my answers ...
Thanks for that info, bryanus
Between this info and your latest response to Ralph, there are so many possibilities that I cannot yet identify the source of your problem. More troubleshooting is needed to identify the cause so we know what to fix.
Your used iSight may be causing the problem. Because it is easiest to troubleshoot, I suggest you test the external iSight next. The following will either eliminate your external iSight as the cause of your problem or let you know whether it will require professional service.
If the testing I suggest below shows that the problem is related to iChat ONLY, stop the testing I suggest and follow Ralph's expert suggestions for troubleshooting and correcting iChat.
Don't worry about the "clamshell mode" issues at this time. Until you get your external iSight working reliably with your MBP, keep the external display disconnected.
Additionally, to eliminate possible network problems as a contributor to your problem, when testing (internet) connected apps like iChat, use the same ethernet connection when you test both Macs. Even use the same ethernet cable (no wireless) connection to all Macs.
Also, to test problems with launching iChat, _disconnect both Macs from the network_ to see if iChat will launch properly with a connected external iSight but no internet or network connection.
You have already done some excellent testing, but you can use the additional suggestions from the following link (including other subject links on that page) to test the remaining user-correctable possibilities:
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html
Pay particular attention to *possible conflicts*, testing with more than one cable and/or adapter, and testing the external iSight on more than one Mac. If possible, it would be also good to use your same cable and FW Adapter to test your MBP's function with a different and known-good external iSight. If you have no other access to a working external iSight, your local Apple-Authorized Service Provider may be have one that he can use to check your MBP connection.
If your external iSight can connect reliably to other Macs, or if a different, known-working, external iSight also gives trouble on your MBP, the problem must be either in your MBP's physical Firewire connection port or in the software on your MBP.
Unless you find a fix while trying the above, we can offer suggestions for the particular problem(s) you identify based on your troubleshooting, so give as much detail as you can about your findings when you post back.
EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.2) MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.2)
LED Cinema Display G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

Trouble using external iSight with MacBook Pro

So I bought a macbook pro and 23inch external display, decided to go on ebay and get an isight camera, found one brand new in the box....the problem Im having now is it will not work for audio, video works just fine but no audio, I have set up the proper resources but no dice, is this an issue or is it the isight?

Hello Russell Wittmann
So external iSight can give both audio and video if the application you are using to operate the iSight supports both functions. Many applications have preferences or menu items that can effect iSight operation, so check your settings.
Connect your iSight directly to your Mac and use the suggestions in How to test your (external) iSight to ensure it is functional. If you continue to have problems, the suggestions on that page will help you troubleshoot to find the source of your problem and fix anything that is user-correctable.
There are no user-serviceable parts in iSight, so if everything you can do fails, your iSight will need professional service unless you can exchange it for one that works. If the external iSight you bought on eBay is not covered by warranty from either Apple or the seller, see your local Apple Service Provider for service.
If your iSight needs parts that you or your Service Technician cannot locate, http://www.synaptech.com may be able to help you obtain those that are still available.
If your iSight needs service but you do not have access to an Apple Service Provider, see Apple's iSight Service: Frequently Asked Questions to request service directly from Apple.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2) External iSight

Cannot use external Display with MacBook Pro 13

i bought new mac pro 13 , i bought new macbook pro 13 & tried to connect to external Samsung screen (Sync Master SA300) but failed ihave VGA adapter & VGA cable
please can any body help me with detailed steps how i can solve this problem

Using external monitor with macbook pro?

Can someone tell me how to get my Dell desktop monitor to work with my MBPro? I connected with usb/vga cable; i have a pic on the external monitor and the mouse pointer will move about the screen, but that's it; no funcitonality. I don't know what do do next? Settings?

It sounds like it's working perfectly, you have a functioning image and pointer. But you may be expecting to see some of your windows. It sounds like the monitor is connected in Extended Desktop mode, which means it's working as an additional area to your existing desktop, like sliding another table next to yours. So, if you want to see some windows and programs over on the new monitor, you should drag them there. Also, open your Displays system preference to see this and change settings.
If you expected to see the same image on both your monitors, you need to switch to Mirrored display. If there is a Displays icon on your menu bar, you can switch it there.

Using external mouse with MacBook Pro - how to right-click in Mac OS X?

using windows at work led me to become dependent on right-clicking
can i do this on my Mac? I use a mighty mouse with my laptop.
thanks.

Hi Pubikars,
To have right-click functionality enabled in Mac OS X, open “System Preferences”.
Select “Keyboard and Mouse”, then select “Mouse”.
Set the right side button to “Secondary Button”.
I hope that this helps.

What is the best external hard drive with MacBook Pro

What is the best external hard drive with MacBook Pro?

I agree with Allan, and that link is also called OWC, their hard drives are great. Have three of their Mercury Pro Elite 2 TB quad interface drives. They will connect eSATA, Firewire 800 & 400, USB2, so broad reange of options. Drives seem to come Mac HFS formatted, but I always reformat and partition the drives. Service and quarantees are top notch.
They offer a wide range of drives/drive systems so like Allan said, spend some time seeing what the have.

I have just used air display with macbook pro. i have disconnected now from apple tv. but my laptop screen is still very small like its connected to the tv. this means all the tabs and writing is very small, how do i full disconnect my laptop?

i have just used air display with macbook pro. i have disconnected now from apple tv. but my laptop screen is still very small like its connected to the tv. this means all the tabs and writing is very small. like the display down the bottom where al the applications are, is n the middle of the page and not spread down the bottom. this is seriously annoying! all the writing is every small and the tabs are small and its hard to read. the air display link has disappeared from my computer. but the laptop screen is still very small. i want to know how do i get rid of this and return my macbook screen to its normal size. thank you

Hello chrispyw,
If your content is still being displayed incorrectly, I would check the resolution setting for the built in display with this article:
OS X Yosemite: Adjust your display’s resolution
If it keeps happening whenever you use AirPlay then I would use this section of the following article to reset the display system:
Apple computers: Troubleshooting issues with video on internal or external displays
Reset the system
You can reset the Mac's parameter RAM and SMC.Reset the resolution
Start by resetting the Mac's parameter RAM. If the display does not come up, was previously set to an unsupported resolution, and still results in no video:
Start up in Safe Mode.
From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences.
Choose Displays from the View menu to open the preferences pane.
Select any resolution and refresh rate that your display supports.
Restart your computer.
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Regards,
Sterling

How to view windows Xp formatted hard drive with Macbook pro without losing data

How to view Windows Xp programed Hard drive with Macbook pro with out losing data on hardrive

Go to the First Aid tab in Disk Utility, select the external drive partition and read the format from the lower left, at the bottom.

HT3986 when i use windows 7 with macbook pro ,the fan work hardly,how do i fix it?

when i use windows 7 with macbook pro ,the fan work hardly,how do i fix it?

Use InputRemapper
This is one or only utility I know, there are I am sure one or two others.
And the weakest link in running Windows on Mac: lack of thermal/SMC fan control to manage air flow and heat!

Can we use external drive with ipad air

can we use external drive with ipad air?

There are some wifi-enabled drives that allow you to stream content (music, films, tv programmes) to an iPad, but you can't directly connect one to an iPad.

Fast External Drive Options Macbook Pro 15"

Hello.
I own a 15" Macbook pro 15" core i5 processor in it etc.. I have a dock style enclosure for 2 SATA hard drives that has USB connect and also eSATA. The USB is INCREDIBLY SLOW. I am waiting sometimes 2-3 minutes just to have a song start playing in iTunes... I am looking for a way to use eSATA on this laptop. I bought an Expresscard/34 with eSATA on it because I read that would work with Macbook pros but I was dissapointed when I found out that this generation of them does not support it!! I am running ProTools M-Powered 8, which requires me to use my only Firewire port to hook up my audio interface.
I love my Macbook and the MacOS, everything about it is better but this small problem is a large hindrance to my workflow. I guess I should add that the hard drive dock is plugged into a Hub. Perhaps If I plug the dock into the second USB port which I hope has it's own separate bus I should see SOME improvement. =(
Perhaps somebody here has something that might help.

I knew it wasn't going to cut it, I just don't know much about all these small revisions to the macbook pro. Having never seen an expresscard before I assumed that the SD card slot doubled as the expresscard slot. The people at my apple store said nothing about the expresscard not being on the 15" model when I bought it and asked questions about it. In fact they went looking for expresscards for eSATA at the apple store and ended up recommending Newegg to purchase one. I've just been really mis-informed about this whole expresscard thing.
I guess I can sell this eSATA/USB dock and look for a firewire hub and enclosure. are there any docks that are reasonable priced?
By the way, My internal drive works fine for playing back audio that has already been recorded. Mixing is actually faster than on my desktop! The mac screams compared to it. I have sessions in excess of 5gb of audio that play back fine off the system drive, but I will need a decently fast external drive in order to record audio. No Digital Audio workstations respond well when recording to the system drive. =/

Using External Drives with MacBook Pro - General - Freezing

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