What is recommended as virus protection for Mac?, What is recommended as virus protection for Mac?
What is recommended as its protection for MacBook pro.
See my Mac Malware Guide. Although you certainly can do without anti-virus software, there is malware out there, so you do need to be aware of how to stay safe online.
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What is the best app for Maintenance/Cleanup for my mac? Do I need Virus Protection?
What is the best app for Maintenance/Cleanup for my Mac? Do I need Virus protection?
How to maintain a Mac
Make two or more backups of all your files
One backup is not enough to be safe. A copy of a backup doesn't count as another backup; all backups must be made directly from the original data.
Keep at least one backup off site at all times in case of disaster. Backing up to a cloud-data service is one way to accomplish this, but don't rely exclusively on such backups.
In fact, don’t rely exclusively on any single backup method, such as Time Machine.
If you get an indication that a backup has failed, don't ignore it.
Keep your software up to date
In the App Store or Software Update preference pane (depending on the OS version), you can configure automatic notifications of updates to OS X and other Mac App Store products. Some third-party applications from other sources have a similar feature, if you don’t mind letting them phone home. Otherwise you have to check yourself on a regular basis.
Keeping up to date is especially important for complex software that modifies the operating system, such as device drivers. Don't install such modifications unless they're absolutely necessary. Remove them when they are no longer needed. Before installing any Apple update, you must check that all system modifications that you use are compatible. Incompatibility with third-party software is by far the most common cause of difficulties with system updates.
Don't install crapware
...such as “themes,” "haxies," “add-ons,” “toolbars,” “enhancers," “optimizers,” “accelerators,” "boosters," “extenders,” “cleaners,” "doctors," "tune-ups," “defragmenters,” “firewalls,” "barriers," “guardians,” “defenders,” “protectors,” most “plugins,” commercial "virus scanners,” "disk tools," or "utilities." With very few exceptions, such stuff is useless or worse than useless. Above all, avoid any software that purports to change the look and feel of the user interface.
It's not much of an exaggeration to say that the whole "utility" software industry for the Mac is a fraud on consumers. The most extreme examples are the "CleanMyMac," "TuneUpMyMac," and “MacKeeper” scams, but there are many others.
As a rule, you should avoid software that changes the way other software works. Plugins for Photoshop and similar programs are an obvious exception to this rule. Safari extensions, and perhaps the equivalent for other web browsers, are a partial exception. Most are safe, and they're easy to get rid of if they don't work. Some may cause the browser to crash or otherwise malfunction. Some are malicious. Use with caution, and install only well-known extensions from relatively trustworthy sources, such as the Safari Extensions Gallery.
Only install software that is useful to you, not (as you imagine) to the computer. For example, a word processor is useful for writing. A video editor is useful for making movies. A game is useful for fun. But a "cache cleaner" isn't useful for anything. You didn't buy a computer so you could clean caches.
Never install any third-party software unless you know how to uninstall it. Otherwise you may create problems that are very hard to solve. Do not rely on "utilities" such as "AppCleaner" and the like that purport to remove software.
Don't install bad, conflicting, or unnecessary fonts
Whenever you install new fonts, use the validation feature of the built-in Font Book application to make sure the fonts aren't defective and don't conflict with each other or with others that you already have. See the built-in help and this support article for instructions.
Deactivate or remove fonts that you don't really need to speed up application launching.
Avoid malware
"Malware" is malicious software that circulates on the Internet. This kind of attack on OS X was once so rare that it was hardly a concern, but it's now increasingly common and dangerous.
There is some built-in protection against malware, but you can’t rely on it—the attackers are always at least one day ahead of the defense. You can’t rely on third-party "anti-virus" products for protection either. What you can rely on is common-sense awareness—not paranoia, which only makes you more vulnerable.
Never install software from an untrustworthy or unknown source. If in doubt, do some research. Any website that prompts you to install a “codec” or “plugin” that comes from the same site, or an unknown site, is untrustworthy. Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must come directly from the developer's website. No intermediary is acceptable, and don’t trust links unless you know how to parse them. Any file that is automatically downloaded from the web, without your having requested it, should go straight into the Trash. A web page that tells you that your computer has a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with it, is a scam.
In OS X 10.7.5 or later, downloaded applications and Installer packages that have not been digitally signed by a developer registered with Apple are blocked from loading by default. The block can be overridden, but think carefully before you do so.
Because of recurring security issues in Java, it’s best to disable it in your web browsers, if it’s installed. Few websites have Java content nowadays, so you won’t be missing much. This action is mandatory if you’re running any version of OS X older than 10.6.8 with the latest Java update. Note: Java has nothing to do with JavaScript, despite the similar names. Don't install Java unless you're sure you need it. Most people don't.
Don't fill up your disk or SSD
A common mistake is adding more and more large files to your home folder until you start to get warnings that you're out of space, which may be followed in short order by a startup failure. This is more prone to happen on the newer Macs that come with an internal SSD instead of the traditional hard drive. The drive can be very nearly full before you become aware of the problem.
While it's not true that you should or must keep any particular percentage of space free, you should monitor your storage use and make sure you're not in immediate danger of using it up. According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of free space on the startup volume for normal operation.
If storage space is running low, use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper to explore the volume and find out what's taking up the most space. Move seldom-used large files to secondary storage.
Relax, don’t do it
Besides the above, no routine maintenance is necessary or beneficial for the vast majority of users; specifically not “cleaning caches,” “zapping the PRAM,” "resetting the SMC," “rebuilding the directory,” "defragmenting the drive," “running periodic scripts,” “dumping logs,” "deleting temp files," “scanning for viruses,” "purging memory," "checking for bad blocks," "testing the hardware," or “repairing permissions.” Such measures are either completely pointless or are useful only for solving problems, not for prevention.
To use a Mac effectively, you have to free yourself from the Windows mindset that every computer needs regular downtime for maintenance such as "defragging" and "registry cleaning." Those concepts do not apply to the Mac platform.
A well-designed computing device is not something you should have to think about much. It should be an almost transparent medium through which you communicate, work, and play. If you want a machine that needs a lot of attention just to keep going, use a PC, or collect antique cars.
The very height of futility is running an expensive third-party application called “Disk Warrior” when nothing is wrong, or even when something is wrong and you have backups, which you must have. Disk Warrior is a data-salvage tool, not a maintenance tool, and you will never need it if your backups are adequate. Don’t waste money on it or anything like it. -
Just installed adobe iplayer for the umpteeth time.
Then decided to have a software update immediately on my mac.
Then a small screen appeared afterwards stating maleware virus removed.
What do I do now? Was not aware that I had a virus in the first place.That latest update is a removal tool for the Flashback trojan.
One of the ways the earlier versions of that trojan were distributed was through fake Adobe Flash downloaders.
Why are you repeatedly installing Adobe Flash Player? (not iPlayer - that's a BBC thing.)
The only place from which to get the Flash Player plug-in is directly from Adobe themselves - Never Trust a Pop Up that says you have a missing plugin!
Also be aware that the Flash Player is not a standalone player; it's a plug-in which installs in the Library and is available for all the browsers to use.
As for what you do now?
Nothing for the moment - you should be clear.
But to be on the safe side, go to the Prefences for each of your browsers and disable Java (not JavaScript - that's a whole different animal). As Java is the vector used by the most recent versions, that should ensure you don't get reinfected. -
I just purchased a Macbook pro laptop. I want to be able to backup and restore as I did in windows with Acronis. In Acronis I take an image of the hard drive, I can then wipe it clean, (format, Dban, etc) and boot off the acronis boot cd, go to my backup and crestore it. After the restore Windows comes up and everything from my pc before I wiped it is now there again, no reinstalling or configuring anything. And it takes about 10 mins or less.
I am looking for a package that will do the same for the MacBook. Any suggestions please?
Thank youThere is no system like Acronis for the Mac platform. You can try using the buiilt in Disk Utility to create an Image of the complete Mac drive but I have found that this does not work very well as on tryiing to restore it gives errors sometimes.
You can use SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner to create a bootable Clone of your system partition. But that is only for the System partition and not the complete drive.
If you use Boot Camp to install Windows on your Mac neither of those two programs will clone the Windows side.
Neither will Disk utility as Mac's can not create or write to a NTFS partition. So some other program is need for that. -
I want to clean my mac. what is best mac keeper or mac booster or is there any recommended by Apple?
I want to clean my mac. what is best mac keeper or mac booster or is there any recommended by Apple?
Neither. I would stay away from any such software. Apple does not make recommendations for any software except their own.
Kappy's Personal Suggestions About Mac Maintenance
For disk repairs use Disk Utility. For situations DU cannot handle the best third-party utility is: Disk Warrior; DW only fixes problems with the disk directory, but most disk problems are caused by directory corruption. Drive Genius provides additional tools not found in Disk Warrior for defragmentation of older drives, disk repair, disk scans, formatting, partitioning, disk copy, and benchmarking.
Four outstanding sources of information on Mac maintenance are:
1. OS X Maintenance - MacAttorney.
2. Mac maintenance Quick Assist
3. Maintaining Mac OS X
4. Mac Maintenance Guide
Periodic Maintenance
OS X performs certain maintenance functions that are scheduled to occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly period. The maintenance scripts run in the early AM only if the computer is turned on 24/7 (no sleep.) See Mac OS X- About background maintenance tasks. If you are running Leopard or later these tasks are run automatically, so there is no need to use any third-party software to force running these tasks.
If you are using a pre-Leopard version of OS X, then an excellent solution is to download and install a shareware utility such as Macaroni, JAW PseudoAnacron, or Anacron that will automate the maintenance activity regardless of whether the computer is turned off or asleep. Dependence upon third-party utilities to run the periodic maintenance scripts was significantly reduced after Tiger. (These utilities have limited or no functionality with Snow Leopard, Lion, or Mountain Lion and should not be installed.)
Defragmentation
OS X automatically defragments files less than 20 MBs in size, so unless you have a disk full of very large files there's little need for defragmenting the hard drive except when trying to install Boot Camp on a fragmented drive. Malware Protection
As for malware protection there are few if any such animals affecting OS X. Starting with Lion, Apple has included built-in malware protection that is automatically updated as necessary. To assure proper protection, update your system software when Apple releases new OS X updates for your computer.
Helpful Links Regarding Malware Protection:
1. Mac Malware Guide.
2. Detecting and avoiding malware and spyware
3. Macintosh Virus Guide
For general anti-virus protection I recommend only using ClamXav, but it is not necessary if you are keeping your computer's operating system software up to date. You should avoid any other third-party software advertised as providing anti-malware/virus protection. They are not required and could cause the performance of your computer to drop.
Cache Clearing
I recommend downloading a utility such as TinkerTool System, OnyX 2.4.3, Mountain Lion Cache Cleaner 7.0.9, Maintenance 1.6.8, or Cocktail 5.1.1 that you can use for periodic maintenance such as removing old log files and archives, clearing caches, etc. Corrupted cache files can cause slowness, kernel panics, and other issues. Although this is not a frequent nor a recurring problem, when it does happen there are tools such as those above to fix the problem.
If you are using Snow Leopard or earlier, then for emergency cleaning install the freeware utility Applejack. If you cannot start up in OS X, you may be able to start in single-user mode from which you can run Applejack to do a whole set of repair and maintenance routines from the command line. Note that AppleJack 1.5 is required for Leopard. AppleJack 1.6 is compatible with Snow Leopard. (AppleJack works with Snow Leopard or earlier.)
Installing System Updates or Upgrades
Repair the hard drive and permissions beforehand.
Update your backups in case an update goes bad.
Backup and Restore
Having a backup and restore strategy is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your computer. Get an external Firewire drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. You can never have too many backups. Don't rely on just one. Make several using different backup utilities. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
1. Carbon Copy Cloner
2. Get Backup
3. Deja Vu
4. SuperDuper!
5. Synk Pro
6. Tri-Backup
Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on maintenance and backup and restore.
Always have a current backup before performing any system updates or upgrades.
Final Suggestions
Be sure you have an adequate amount of RAM installed for the number of applications you run concurrently. Be sure you leave a minimum of 10% of the hard drive's capacity or 20 GBs, whichever is greater, as free space. Avoid installing utilities that rely on Haxies, SIMBL, or that alter the OS appearance, add features you will rarely if ever need, etc. The more extras you install the greater the probability of having problems. If you install software be sure you know how to uninstall it. Avoid installing multiple new software at the same time. Install one at a time and use it for a while to be sure it's compatible.
Additional reading may be found in:
1. Mac OS X speed FAQ
2. Speeding up Macs
3. Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
4. Essential Mac Maintenance: Get set up
5. Essential Mac Maintenance: Rev up your routines
6. Five Mac maintenance myths
7. How to Speed up Macs
8. Myths of required versus not required maintenance for Mac OS X
Referenced software can be found at CNet Downloads or MacUpdate.
Most if not all maintenance is for troubleshooting problems. If your computer is running OK, then there isn't really a thing you need to do except repair the hard drive and permissions before installing any new system updates. -
I just heard on NPR that Macs are now vulnerable to viruses. What should I do?
I switched to a Mac from a PC because I was told Macs don't get viruses. I just heard on NPR's Morning Edition that Macs are no longer immune, and that in fact Apple's attitude that "We don't get viruses," makes Mac users perhaps more vulnerable than PC users, because Apple is not as vigilant. The link below gives worrisome details.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/new-mac-malware-epidemic-exploits-weaknesses-in-a pple-ecosystem/4726
What do we do now?I just got off the phone with Applecare senior advisers, and here is what they say:
- Mac can get viruses, just like PCs, they just don't get them as often. The threat is still small, but it is real. Make sure you download all security updates religiously. The advisers also suggested that if I "felt like I needed more protection" there are third party virus protection programs for the Mac. They named McAffee and Symantec. At that point I started getting ugly flashbacks to my PC days of molasses-slow performance and virus scans gumming up the works. I told them I wasn't looking for something to make me feel better, I needed Apple's official recommendation to users. There doesn't seem to be one, but here is additional info I got:
- For a virus to install itself on your Mac, you will have to invite it in, i.e., a little window will pop up asking you to download or install something. Many legitimate sites ask you to do that sort of thing, so the advice from Apple is make sure you know and trust the site before clicking OK. If you are not sure, open another tab and research the site you were thinking of allowing in.
- One major reason Macs have not been vulnerable to viruses until now is that they did not present a large enough target for evildoers. The other reason is that the Mac OS is harder to get into than Windows. Smaller target + more work means smaller returns, so crooks have mostly left Macs alone. Now that Apple is the new 800 pound gorilla, it presents a juicier target, and the risk is increasing.
- As for disabling Java, I don't want to do that, I need it for streaming stock quotes. Besides, that only addresses the current Trojan, and there is no guarantee that the next virus will use the same platform.
I made a specific request that corporate address the information in the NPR segment. Apple should not ignore this. They need to elaborate and advise users on whether this was legitimate information or an ill-researched scare piece. The "virus-free" environment has been a big selling point for Apple computers, and if it no longer applies, we need to know. -
This is my first mac - what is the anti virus protocol with a mac?
this is my first mac - what is the anti virus protocol with a mac
Try using ClamXav 2.2.4. If you are not now using a hardware router I highly recommend you do so. Preferably use Ethernet for your local network. If you use wireless be sure it's protected by using WPA2 security.
Use your head and don't download something when you don't know what it is, what it does, or where it's from. Stay off of unknown websites and don't click links if you think you're not sure what will happen. -
Once and for all: Do I need anti-virus software for my Mac?
I've always heard that you don't really need anti-virus or anti-spyware software for Macs - but I do wonder that there has to be viruses about that would affect Macs?
I do alot of creative and professional work on my Mac. The data on it, means a **** of a lot to me, and I'd hate for my Mac to be infected with something horrible.
Could anybody please tell me if I really do need anti-virus or anti-spyware software for my iMac? And if I do, which one do you recommend? (Ideally I would want it to be cheap and not hog lots of system resources)...
Thank you!Hi
I can only give you my personal experience on this one.
The short answer is "no". I've been using macs for the past 4 years, my partner for many more. Neither I nor she have an anti virus program installed.
We both use firewall on both the os x setup and via our router. I tend to install the security updates posted by apple after they are released and check the forums to be aware of any potential problems.
A much better idea is to back up your important projects etc on a regular basis to dvd and external hard disk.
I have one experience of anti-virus software on the mac:
About 2.5 years ago i thought i had a virus - my diskspace was being eaten up at a very very fast rate - and i was worried. Found out that the os update from 10.3.2 to 10.3.5 had an incompatability issue with the mcafee shock game controller driver (obscure eh!)
Anyway, after this experience and deleting the driver which i no longer needed, i decided to err on the side of caution and tried out both mcafee and norton. Both of which slowed down my system and norton especially caused problems when i was running logic pro etc. really really annoying.
Once i'd got over my "insecure" stage and having spoken to other mac users i realised anti-virus software was causing many many more issues than resolving any - and besides since then i have still had no problems and have never come across any viruses on mac os x.
It all depends on what makes you feel safer. Personally i wouldn't recommend ant-virus programs... i wonder if anyone has any positive experiences of anti-virus software on the mac?
that's my 0.02 pence -
I received a phishing email from what I thought was my bank. Do I need to do anything to my MAC for security? I have no anti-virus software.
Evelyn, there is nothing that can prevent you or anyone from falling victim to those attempts to defraud you – other than you.
"Phishing" scams are the most common way of getting people to voluntarily supply information that should be kept as secure as any other personal possession. "Anti-virus" solutions can't possibly prevent that sort of fraud, and if anything can only lull you into falsely believing you're being protected from threats, be they real or perceived.
Do you have any further advice so that I don't fear my Mac?
There is no reason to fear your Mac; it's a tool to be used for your sole benefit. Like any tool though, it can be misused. If there is any explanation for fear, it's a lack of education. Knowledge conquers fear and renders it inert. Learn what real threats actually exist, how to defend yourself from them, and how to distinguish them from those propagated by fear mongering psychopaths that justify their existence by keeping others misinformed. There are an abundance of the latter.
There will always be threats to your information security associated with using any Internet - connected communications tool:
You can mitigate those threats by following commonsense practices
Delegating that responsibility to software is an ineffective defense
Assuming that any product will protect you from those threats is a hazardous attitude that is likely to result in neglecting point #1 above.
OS X already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. Keep it that way with software updates from Apple.
A much better question is "how should I protect my Mac":
Never install any product that claims to "clean up", "speed up", "optimize", "boost" or "accelerate" your Mac; to "wash" it, "tune" it, or to make it "shiny". Those claims are absurd.Such products are very aggressively marketed. They are all scams.
Never install pirated or "cracked" software, software obtained from dubious websites, or other questionable sources.
Illegally obtained software is almost certain to contain malware.
"Questionable sources" include but are not limited to spontaneously appearing web pages or popups, download hosting sites such as C net dot com, Softonic dot com, Soft pedia dot com, Download dot com, Mac Update dot com, or any other site whose revenue is primarily derived from junk product advertisements
If you need to install software that isn't available from the Mac App Store, obtain it only from legitimate sources authorized by the software's developer.
Don’t supply your password in response to a popup window requesting it, unless you know what it is and the reason your credentials are required.
Don’t open email attachments from email addresses that you do not recognize, or click links contained in an email:
Most of these are scams that direct you to fraudulent sites that attempt to convince you to disclose personal information.
Such "phishing" attempts are the 21st century equivalent of a social exploit that has existed since the dawn of civilization. Don’t fall for it.
Apple will never ask you to reveal personal information in an email. If you receive an unexpected email from Apple saying your account will be closed unless you take immediate action, just ignore it. If your iCloud, iTunes, or App Store account becomes disabled for valid reasons, you will know when you try to buy something or log in to this support site, and are unable to.
Don’t install browser extensions unless you understand their purpose. Go to the Safari menu > Preferences > Extensions. If you see any extensions that you do not recognize or understand, simply click the Uninstall button and they will be gone.
Don’t install Java unless you are certain that you need it:
Java, a non-Apple product, is a potential vector for malware. If you are required to use Java, be mindful of that possibility.
Java can be disabled in System Preferences.
Despite its name JavaScript is unrelated to Java. No malware can infect your Mac through JavaScript. It’s OK to leave it enabled.
Beware spontaneous popups: Safari menu > Preferences > Security > check "Block popup windows".
Popup windows are useful and required for some websites, but unsolicited popups are commonly used to deceive people into installing unwanted software they would never intentionally install.
Popups themselves cannot infect your Mac, but many contain resource-hungry code that will slow down Internet browsing.
If you ever receive a popup window indicating that your Mac is infected with some ick or that you won some prize, it is 100% fraudulent. Ignore it. The more insistent it is that you upgrade or install something, the more likely it is to be a scam. Close the window or tab and forget it.
Ignore hyperventilating popular media outlets that thrive by promoting fear and discord with entertainment products arrogantly presented as "news". Learn what real threats actually exist and how to arm yourself against them:
The most serious threat to your data security is phishing. Most of these attempts are pathetic and are easily recognized, but that hasn't stopped prominent public figures from recently succumbing to this age-old scam.
OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.
Never install something without first knowing what it is, what it does, how it works, and how to get rid of it when you don’t want it any more.
If you elect to use "anti-virus" software, familiarize yourself with its limitations and potential to cause adverse effects, and apply the principle immediately preceding this one.
Most such utilities will only slow down and destabilize your Mac while they look for viruses that do not exist, conveying no benefit whatsoever - other than to make you "feel good" about security, when you should actually be exercising sound judgment, derived from accurate knowledge, based on verifiable facts.
Do install updates from Apple as they become available. No one knows more about Macs and how to protect them than the company that builds them.
Summary: Use common sense and caution when you use your Mac, just like you would in any social context. There is no product, utility, or magic talisman that can protect you from all the evils of mankind. -
Do I have a virus on my Mac Air because I keep getting ads for MacBooster and MacKeeper?
Do I have a virus on my Mac Air because I keep getting ads for MacBooster and MacKeeper?
You may have installed the "VSearch" trojan. Remove it as follows.
Malware is always changing to get around the defenses against it. These instructions are valid as of now, as far as I know. They won't necessarily be valid in the future. Anyone finding this comment a few days or more after it was posted should look for more recent discussions or start a new one.
Back up all data before proceeding.
Step 1
From the Safari menu bar, select
Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Extensions
Uninstall any extensions you don't know you need, including any that have the word "Spigot," "Trovi," or "Conduit" in the description. If in doubt, uninstall all extensions. Do the equivalent for the Firefox and Chrome browsers, if you use either of those.
Reset the home page and default search engine in all the browsers, if it was changed.
Step 2
Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.vsearch.agent.plist
Right-click or control-click the line and select
Services ▹ Reveal in Finder (or just Reveal)
from the contextual menu.* A folder should open with an item named "com.vsearch.agent.plist" selected. Drag the selected item to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator login password.
Repeat with each of these lines:
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.vsearch.daemon.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.vsearch.helper.plist
Restart the computer and empty the Trash. Then delete the following items in the same way:
/Library/Application Support/VSearch
/System/Library/Frameworks/VSearch.framework
~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ConduitNPAPIPlugin.plugin
Some of these items may be absent, in which case you'll get a message that the file can't be found. Skip that item and go on to the next one.
The problem may have started when you downloaded and ran an application called "MPlayerX." That's the name of a legitimate free movie player, but the name is also used fraudulently to distribute VSearch. If there is an item with that name in the Applications folder, delete it, and if you wish, replace it with the genuine article from mplayerx.org.
This trojan is often found on illegal websites that traffic in pirated content such as movies. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow.
You may be wondering why you didn't get a warning from Gatekeeper about installing software from an unknown developer, as you should have. The reason is that the Internet criminal behind VSearch has a codesigning certificate issued by Apple, which causes Gatekeeper to give the installer a pass. Apple could revoke the certificate, but as of this writing has not done so, even though it's aware of the problem. This failure of oversight has compromised both Gatekeeper and the Developer ID program. You can't rely on Gatekeeper alone to protect you from harmful software.
*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return. -
I downloaded Carbonite software to periodically back-up my data. But my Mac cannot contact the Carbonite server. I think this is because of my firewall or virus protection. How can I temporarily turn off my firewall and/or virus protection so Carbonite can upload all the data on my Mac? How will Carbonite be able to periodically upload my data when my firewall and virus protection are back on?
ZevWatch out with Carbonite!
I found that it is not able to return many of the database for Apple products are not returned in a usable format.
I highly recommend that if you are going to use Carbonite that you test everything before commiting to it as your backup solution.
Allan -
My iPad is not being scanned by my iTunes software on my mac. My iPad has been disabled for a long time and i need to any how open it up. What should i do?
Hello, j2isgr8.
Thank you for visiting Apple Support Communities.
It sounds like your iPad is disabled and not recognized in iTunes. Here are the troubleshooting steps that I would recommend going through when experiencing this scenario.
Forgot passcode for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or your device is disabled
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT1212
Cheers,
Jason H. -
what are peoples opinions about streaming videos on website i.e. justintv for example. is there are hight risk fr a mac? I have just purchased my first mac and am tempted but don't want to compromise my new mac
There are no known viruses for OS X. If you have to worry about a website putting some malware on your computer, then you should not visit it any longer. Find a legitimate site.
-
Both Chrome and Safari interrupt online streaming to request/demand an update for a PC program that doesn't work on Macs. What is going on?
The update alerts are fake, and are intended to dupe you into installing malware or disclosing private information so that your identity can be stolen.
You might get the alerts when visiting a website that has been hacked. Don't visit the site again. If applicable, notify the site administrator of the problem, but don't send email to an unknown party.
If you get the alerts when visiting more than one well-known website, such as Google, YouTube, or Facebook, then they're almost certainly the result of an attack on your router that has caused you to get false results from looking up the addresses of Internet servers. Requests sent to those sites are redirected to a server controlled by the attacker. It's possible, but less likely, that the DNS server used by your ISP has been attacked, but you should assume that the router is at fault until proven otherwise.
The router's documentation should tell you how to reset it to the factory default state. Usually there's a pinhole switch somewhere in the back. It may be labeled "RESET." Insert the end of a straightened paper clip or a similar tool and press the button inside for perhaps 15 seconds, or as long as the instructions specify.
After resetting the router, quit the web browser and relaunch it while holding down the shift key. From the Safari menu bar, select
Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Privacy ▹ Remove All Website Data
and confirm. Do the equivalent if you use another browser. Open the Downloads folder and delete anything you don't recognize.
Then go through the router's initial setup procedure. I can't be specific, because it's different for every model. The key points are these:
1. Don't allow the router to be administered from the WAN (Internet) port, if it has that option. Most do.
2. Set a strong password to protect the router's settings: at least ten random upper- and lower-case letters and digits. Don't use the default password or any other that could be guessed. Save the password in your keychain. Any password that you can remember is weak.
3. If the router is wireless, or if you have a wireless access point on the network, use "WPA 2 Personal" security and set a different strong password to protect the network. If the router or access point doesn't support WPA 2, it's obsolete and must be replaced.
During the time the router was compromised, you were redirected to bogus websites. If you ever connected to a secure site and got a warning from your browser that the identity of the server could not be verified, and you dismissed that warning in order to log in, assume that your credentials for the site have been stolen and that the attacker has control of the account. This warning also applies to all websites on which you saw the fake update alerts.
Check the router manufacturer's website for a firmware update.
If you downloaded and installed what you thought was a software update, ask for instructions. -
Which Mac Mini Configuration Recommended for Leopard??
I'm about to purchase a new Mini to replace my (beautiful!) G4 Cubes, and would appreciate any comments/recommendations on which configuration to order. I'm planning to get the upgraded 2GB of memory (more is always better!, and my guess would be that the 2.0 GHz processor with a 120 GB HD + SuperDrive should be a nice ticket - or would you recommend a bigger HD? (I don't do intensive graphics or any gaming, but I want to be able to run OS X and MS Windows simultaneously (with Parallels?).
Also... I currently have 2 G4 Cubes networked to run on a single DSL service using a FriendlyNet Ethernet Hub and 2Wire modem. Any problems simply substituting the Mac Mini for one of the Cubes in this network?
Final question, please: With Leopard plus Parallels on the new Mini, what is the minimum Microsoft package I would need to buy in order to open and work with basic Excel, PPS, and Word documents?
With your comments/recommendations, I'm ready to add my contribution to Apple's gross and net income for the current quarter!!..... Thanks!... CaptDennyWelcome to Apple Discussions!
The requirements for Leopard are sufficiently low that even an old Mac mini should run it well, let alone one of the new Core 2 Duo models. As such, the 2.0 model with 2Gb RAM should be more than adequate. Leopard's only notably heavier demand is drive space, now requiring close to 10Gb. Clearly the 120Gb drive standard in the 2.0 model would be adequate to that task, plus allow for use of Windows also. As such, a larger internal drive wouldn't really be recommended, though you may wish to consider adding a good sized external, preferably a firewire connected drive, for extra storage and backup.
Where running Windows is concerned, Leopard comes with BootCamp, so you could use that as opposed to Parallels. The downside is that while BootCamp is free, it doesn't permit the running of MacOS and Windows side by side. At boot, you have to select one or the other. If that meets your needs, then it's a better bet in many ways, since it allows the entire system, memory and processor to be dedicated to whichever OS you need at any given time, rather than shared.
On the other hand, if you need or want to run both MacOS and Windows simultaneously, and switch between them, Parallels is the option that would allow that, though both MacOS and Windows will suffer in terms of absolute performance since RAM and CPU are shared between them.
You should have no problem substituting a new mini into your home network using the same setup as you presently have on the soon to be retired Cube.
To run Excel, PowerPoint and Word, you'll need a copy of MS Office. The current version for Mac is still 2004, which is not Intel native. The updated version to closely match MS Office 2007 for Windows will not be out for Mac until 2008. If you buy a copy of MS Office 2004 for Mac however, you'll get an upgrade to the new version when it is released. Upgrading at that point would be advised since while the current version is not Intel native, the new version due is. If you are a student or teacher, you will qualify for the Academic version at around $150, otherwise it's a little expensive $400 list price. -
Whats better for college/grad school- ipad 3 with keyboard or mac book air? 11 inch
whats better for college/grad school- ipad 3 with keyboard or mac book air? 11 inch
Nobody can tell you which one is best for you, it's a personal preference. However, here are a few factors you might want to take into consideration:
1-They're two different devices that serve different purposes. The way you take notes in an iPad is different than the way you would on a MBA. On the iPad, with apps like Evernote and Notability you can take more complete notes than with a MBA. You have the option to have audio notes, write with a Stylus, make diagrams by hand to explain/relate concepts easily. With the external keyboard (for that I'd recommend using the Apple Wireless Keyboard with the InCase Origami Workstation) you could type just as fast as you would on a MBA and format the text just like you would on the MBA. However, for bigger (possibly partner) papers, the MBA would help you. You could start the paper on the iPad without any issues (using Pages or even Evernote) but you'd need a laptop/computer to finalize the project.
2-Portability wise, they're both incredibly light. The iPad is somewhat smaller = lighter but with the keyboard they're about the same. The fact that with the ipad + keyboard combo you can take out the keyboard only when you need it, for me, is an advantage be ause when I don't want to use it, it's not in the way. For others, it's a disadvantage because you have to carry two items instead of one.
3-The iPad needs a computer to be updated, synced, etc. So if you don't have one, definitely get the MBA. The MBA can work as a standalone computer. The iPad needs to be synced to an iTunes library in a computer.
4-MBA let's you access all websites and most file types. If one of your classes requires you to go to the Browser and see a Flash enabled page, the iPad would not be of much help. Same goes for any programs you might need to install. On the MBA you'll most likely be able to do so. On the iPad, chances are there won't be an app for that.
5-If you already have a MBP or any other laptop, I'd go for the iPad. If/when the iPad falls short(because of the limitations mentioned above) you can use the laptop. And in the mean time, use the iPad for everything else. That way you get the best of both worlds.
6-Studying (reading, highlighting, annotating) is easier and more intuitive on the iPad. The iPad is great for reading, combine that with the fact that you can leave comments/notes just like you would on a physical piece of paper, and you've got the best way to learn IMO.
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