Ask Jacob

This is the second apple mouse I have bought for my Mac. The problem with both of them is they will not scroll down, just up using the little scrolling button on top. What gives?

Thanks for any help you might offer. The old one was wireless this newer one is USB – I disconnected it and plugged it back in but nothing helped.

- Nina

How and where is your stolen Mac database maintained? If my Mac were stolen how would I get my serial number to show up in your stolen Mac database?

- Jay

I have a 3rd generation 32GB iPod Touch and a Mac Mini G4 1.5 GHz, the last G4 model produced. It’s currently running the latest version of Leopard, and I’ve been using it with a USB hub. I also have a “3rd generation” iPod Touch 8GB, but I am aware that it’s actually got the same hardware as a 2nd gen model.

The 8GB unit works perfectly with my G4 Mini. But iTunes refuses to recognize my 32GB Touch. If I look in System Profiler, it sees that there’s an iPod connected to the USB port, but nothing else happens.

I don’t get any error messages, either.

I tried bypassing the USB hub and connecting the 32GB unit directly to one of the Mini’s two USB ports, but the exact same thing happened. I was able to successfully sync the 32GB model with a Windows machine, so I don’t believe that the iPod is defective.

Is the 32GB unit simply incompatible with the G4 Mini, or do you have any advice for me?

- Aaron

I have bought one of the original tangerine 300 Clamshells so that my grandchildren can play some of the old Mac programmes I have such as “Grandma and Me”. However, the laptop has OSX installed and will not accept the programme because I cannot turn it on to Classic mode without installing OS9.

Is it possible to install OS9 alongside the current operating system or would I have to do a clean install and thus lose all the programmes which are already on the Clamshell?

Thank you,
Judy

Hey Jacob,

What a great service to answer Mac questions, thanks!

I’m the defacto IT guy at our small private school and we’re thinking about getting a Mac mini server with Snow Leopard to act as our new server and also our school secretary’s main computer.

Would it be able to act as both? Would that be wise?

We don’t have a lot of money to work with, so we thought it’d be nice to kill two birds with one stone. Her Mac is 7 years old and our server is really old. Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Seth

Jacob,

I just got a refurbished iMac G5 from PowerMax which works great. When I tried to transfer files over a firewire connection from my old G4 to my new(ish) G5, however, I got the message that the G4 didn’t have system 10 on it.

I know that’s not true: it has OS 10.5.8 on it, and is set up to start up using that system (so it is not a dual boot problem). It tells me the firewire connection has been made, and I am following the Setup Assistant directions to the letter.

What could be the problem here? Would the fact that the G5 only has 10.4 and the G4 has 10.5.8 be problematic? Or is it something else?

Thanks,
Stephanie

Jacob,
I have a 1GHZ dual processor and the new HD I purchased from your company will not boot! I removed the jumper and there are no other drives attached. The machine sold to me is a PATA/8MB cash WD WD2500AAJB 250 GB drive.

I unpacked it and hooked it up with the case open but I can not seem to mount the drive. I used a OSX 10:3 system disk and tried to reformat the disk with the system software but I just can not see the icon-it does not mount. I am ready to return the HD for another one if we can not resolve this issue promptly.

Thanks, Gary