Ask Jacob

The 27″ iMac can use the Apple Mini-Displayport to VGA video adapter for use with VGA compatible projectors. You will also need a VGA display cable (see image below). Now, VGA may not always pass through plug-and-play information from the projector, so you might have to go through some configuration manually.

To do that, go to System Preferences > Displays > Detect Displays.

I hope this has been helpful for you.

Dennis Beaman
PowerMax Support

Well most Apple Authorized service centers can help you. You can find the nearest location here.

You can also try and repair the drive with Disk Utility, found in the OS X Utilities folder which, is in the Applications folder. If Disk Utility fails to see the drive, you can try removing the internal drive from the external drive case. It could be that your external hard drive is OK but the drive enclosure has failed. To test this, you can connect the raw drive to your computer with a Newer Universal Drive USB 3.0 Adaptor.

As a side note, you said “I’m afraid I’ve lost all of my backed-up files forever” which would indicate this drive was your backup drive. In a good backup process you need to have at least two copies of every important file. It is not backing up if you move a file to an external hard drive and then delete it off of your internal hard drive. That is not backing up, just changing locations. Any hard drive will fail eventually. So to be backed up, please make sure you have at least two copies and preferably three copies with one being at a different location than your computer.

You may also view this Ask Jacob post for my recommendation on a back up drive.

- Jacob

With the G4/1.67, there were two different models. One has a standard analog audio port (headphone jack), and one has the Combination Analog/Digital Optical port. It’s possible that the the sensor that detects a headphone connection may be tripped. This would cause the notebook’s speakers to be silent. One way to determine this, is to plug in headphones, and see if you get sound through those. Also, if you go into System Preferences, then to Sound, and check “Output”. It should list which devices are providing sound output. Does it list “Line out/headphones” or internal speakers? Let me know what the results of these are, and we can go to the next step of restoring sound for you.

Dennis Beaman
PowerMax Support

The G3 and G4 notebook computers have several cables that pass through the hinge mechanism. Repeated opening and closing of the hinge may have worn one of the cables that passes power through to the backlight of the display. Depending on what model of notebook, the cables may be considered as part of the display unit, and should be replaced.

I hope this information has been helpful for you.

Dennis Beaman
PowerMax Support

What a nice gift! 10.4.11 has been a really good system, but is beginning to lose some support from newer software. 10.5 shouldn’t be much slower, unless there are underlying issues. How much RAM do you have? Do you have one, or two internal drives? What kinds of software do you plan on using with this G5? These are all questions that must be considered when it comes to performance and compatibility.

- Dennis

If you have a Mirrored Drive Door G4 PowerMac, all drives in the Mac need to be pinned as “Cable Select.” Also, see if the drive can be viewed in the Finder window as it’s possible in OS X to have drives mounted but not visible on your desktop. That setting is adjustable in the Finder preferences.

If you continue to have problems you can certainly contact your sales person for direct customer support.

- Jacob

It is a good purchase for $100 because you can use it with an external display and keyboard if you do not get the screen fixed. It is like buying a $100 Mac Mini. Repairing the display will be pricy if you work though Apple Service, but if you are good with your hands you can get parts from PowerBookMedic.com or use their mail-in repair service.

You can move your data off of your G5, to this MacBook, using Migration Assistant, which is located in modern Mac’s Utilities folder.

There are not any third party MageSafe Power Adapters, you will have to get an Apple branded unit.

Hope this helps,
- Jacob

Yes, the G4 iMacs can take an Airport card. Depending on the generation you can get an 802.11B card or an 802.11B/G card.

• If you have a 700 MHz or 800MHz processor you need a FastMac APP-0968 Wireless AirPort 802.11b Card.

• If you have a 1GHz to 1.25GHz processor you can get an Apple M8881LL/A AirPort Extreme Card.

It will install under the metal plate on the bottom of the iMac and is easy to do, just make sure to attache the built-in antenna cable after you slide it in the slot.

- Jacob

Mac Pros are due for an update but Apple has been slowing down Mac development on the Pro side. We will often get indications of a future update via long delivery times or short supply in the channel. We have not see any of those signs of change with the Mac Pro. If you need a Mac Pro in the next 60 days, I would get the one you want now but that is just a educated guess.

Hope that helps
- Jacob

I often recommend the MCE replacement drives, like this MCE Internal 8x SuperDrive Upgrade for MacBook and MacBook Pro 15-inch.

Hope this helps
- Jacob

Most likely it will not fit. Many of the G5 PowerMac systems had PCI or PCI-X slots and your Mac Pro will have PCI Express slots. Some of the very last generation of G5 used PCI Express, so if you had that model it may work. The PCI expansion cards are keyed so they will only fit in compatible slots, so you can check to see if it fits. Just be carful to not force the card in if it does not fit exactly.

Hope that helps
Jacob

I would assume it is not a hardware issue because of the replacement of the keyboard and most times all buttons stop working with hardware failure. It could be a settings issue that is set to ignore special function values by default. In the Macbook Pro System Preferences, Select the “Keyboard” option. Under the Keyboard Tab look to see if there is a checkmark in the checkbox for “Use all F1, F2 etc. keys as standard function keys.” Remove the Checkmark if it is in that checkbox.

In that same Preference window is a [Modifier Keys..] button, click on that button. Then check to make sure that your [Option] key was not remapped to another function.

Hope this helps,
- Jacob

The simple solution is to select the update listed and choose ignore update from the “Update” menu. Assuming your drivers are updated and working for you then it should not cause any problems to skip the update. This sometimes can happen when you download drivers from the manufactures site (in this case HP) and Apple tries to overwrite them with different versions that are not newer or older, just different software builds. This deference prevents the update from fully installing and does not record the newer version in Software Updates records.

I hope skipping it works for you.

- Jacob

Any SATA 3.5″ internal desktop hard drive will work fine. There is often a thermal sensor on the side of the old drive that will need to be pealed off and moved to the new drive.

You may also want to consider just getting an external FireWire base drive and use that to boot your Mac until you decide to upgrade. The Mac OS will run well off of an external drive, like this LaCie d2 Quadra.

If you’d like to replace that G5 iMac hard drive yourself, I’ve included Apple’s instructions below:

Hard Drive,17-inch Replacement Instructions

Tools Required
Use the screwdriver provided, or a Phillips #2 screwdriver, preferably with a magnetized tip Flat-blade screwdriver Screw tray or something equivalent to hold the screws.

Important Things to Know

1. All customer removable screws are brass colored. Do not remove screws unless they are brass colored, or you will void your warranty.
2. A magnetized “L”-shaped Phillips screwdriver is included with the replacement part.
3. Ground yourself when working on the computer. The procedure will show you how to ground yourself.
4. Do not pull on individual wires when disconnecting a part; pull on the connector.
5. Keep drinks and other liquids away from the area you are working on the iMac.
6. A screw chart is attached at the end of this document. Use the chart to identify screw type and screw locations.

Opening the Computer

1. Note: These instructions cover the iMac G5 (17-inch) models. The models may look slightly different from one shown in the illustration; however, the following procedure applies to both models.
2. Turn your computer off by choosing Shut down from the Apple (K) menu. Disconnect all cables, and unplug the power cord from your computer.
3. Place a soft, clean towel or cloth on the desk or surface. Hold the sides of the computer and slowly lay the computer face down as shown.
4. Locate the three silver case screws circled below. You may have to lift the stand to locate the middle case screw. Note: These screws are captive; they are part of the display/bezel assembly and cannot be removed.
5. Using the tool provided, or a Phillips #2 screwdriver, loosen the three captive screws. Turn the screws to the left until they stop turning. Don’t force the screws once they stop turning.
6. Holding the back cover by the metal stand, tilt the cover up and lift it off the computer. Set the back cover aside.

Removing the Hard Drive

1. To access the hard drive you must first remove other service modules. This procedure will show you how to remove and replace these modules. Note: As you remove each module, set it aside, along with the screws for that module.
2. Ground yourself. Touch the metal surface (as shown below) on the inside of the computer to discharge any static electricity.

Warning: Always discharge static electricity before you touch any parts or install any components inside the computer. To avoid generating static electricity, do not walk around the room until you have finished installing the part and closed the computer.

3. Locate the fan cover near the top of the computer.
4. Using the tool provided, or a Phillips #2 screwdriver, remove the two fan cover screws. Lift the fan cover off the computer and set the fan cover aside.
5. Move the black video cable (located to the left of the hard drive) out of the way to access a hard drive screw.
6. Remove the three hard drive screws. Set the screws aside.
7. Carefully lift the hard drive up, about one inch. Disconnect the three cables from the hard drive. Note: Leave the cables attached to the logic board.
8. Lift the hard drive out of the computer. Important: Return the hard drive to Apple in the packaging provided.

Installing the Replacement Hard Drive

1. Remove the replacement hard drive from its packaging. Connect the three cables (circled) to the hard drive.
2. Lower the hard drive into place and replace the three screws.
3. Tuck the black video cable into the area indicated by the arrows.
4. Press the video cable into the notch on the midplane chassis.
5. Replace the two fan cover screws. The larger screw attaches on the left. Note: Make sure the pull tab is sticking up as shown.

Closing the Computer

1. Replace the cover so that the slots on the top edge of the back cover mate with the tabs on the display housing.
2. Lower and press the cover into place until it fits snugly on the computer.
3. Tighten the three captive case screws by turning them to the right. Don’t overtighten the screws.
4. Reconnect the power cord while the computer is face down and then position the computer in the upright position. Proceed to the next topic, “Installing Software That Came With Your Computer.”

Reinstalling the Software That Came with Your Computer
Use the software install discs that came with your computer to install Mac OS X, the applications that came with your computer, and to install Mac OS 9.

Installing Mac OS X and Applications
To install Mac OS X and the applications that came with your computer, follow these steps:

1. Back up your essential files, if possible.
2. Insert the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 that came with your computer.
3. Double-click “Install Mac OS X and Bundled Software.”
4. Follow the onscreen instructions.
5. After selecting the destination disk for installation, continue following the onscreen instructions.Your computer may restart and ask you to insert the next Mac OS X Install disc 2.
   Note: If you want to restore Mac OS X on your computer to the original factory settings, click Options in the “Select a Destination” pane of the Installer, and then select “Erase and Install”.

Installing Applications
To install just the applications that came with your computer, follow the steps below. Your computer must have Mac OS X already installed.

1. Back up your essential files, if possible
2. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc 1 that came with your computer.
3. Double-click “Install Bundled Software Only.”
4. Follow the onscreen instructions.
5. After selecting the destination disk for installation, continue following the onscreen instructions.Your computer may restart and ask you to insert the next Mac OS X Install disc 2.
   Note: To install iCal, iChat AV, iMovie, iPhoto, iSync, iTunes, and Safari, follow the “Installing Mac OS X and Applications” instructions above.

Installing Mac OS 9
If you want to use Mac OS 9 applications with your computer, use the “Additional Software & Apple Hardware Test” disc to install Mac OS 9.
Follow these steps to install Mac OS 9:

1. Back up your essential files, if possible.
2. Insert the “Additional Software & Apple Hardware Test” disc.
3. Double-click “Install Additional Software.”
4. Follow the onscreen instructions.
5. After selecting the destination disk for installation, continue following the onscreen instructions.

Hope that helps!
- Jacob

What version of the Mac OS are you running on this system? Perhaps you need to run an update to support those drives. Also, If your System is a Mirrored Drive Door G4 tower, your optical drives have to be set with the Jumper pin to Cable Select. In the MDD G4 you also need to have the Super Drive on the topmost drive slot and Combo drives (or lesser optical drive) bellow the Super drive.

If that does not help, could you send me the serial number and OS version so I can dig deeper into the issue.

Also, if you want to replace that G4 optical drive, I’ve included Apple’s guidelines on how to do accomplish that:

Replacing G4 optical drive involves five simple steps:

- Turn off the G4 computer.
- Open the computer.
- Remove the installed CD/DVD drive.
- Install the replacement CD/DVD drive.
- Close the computer.

All you’ll need to replace the G4 optical drive is a #2 Phillips screwdriver.

A Note About Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

Static electricity can build up on your body as you walk around – you’ve probably experienced the shocking sensation after dragging your feet along the carpet in your home. An electrostatic discharge occurs when you touch an object generate a small electrical spark. ESD can damage to the internal components of your computer, so avoid walking around while replacing the optical drive in your G4.

Opening the G4 Computer

Warning: Always turn off your computer before opening it to avoid damaging internal components.

1. Place your computer on a clean, flat surface.
2. If your G4 has not shut down, but is in sleep mode, press the power button on the front of the computer to wake it.
3. Shut down your computer by opening the Special menu and choosing Shut Down. Then wait five minutes for the computer’s internal components to cool down.
4. Remove any security cables you may have installed in the G4′s lockable cover latch.
5. Except the power cord, remove all other cables from the computer.
6. On the back of the computer, touch the metal PCI access covers . Important: To avoid electrostatic discharge, before you touch any parts or install any components inside the computer – always ground yourself by touching the port access covers. From this point forward – to avoid static electricity building back up in your body – do not walk around the room until you have completed your installation and closed the computer. No dragging your feet around the house!
7. Unplug the power cord.
8. Carefully lift the latch on the right side access panel (these can break off)
9. Gently lower the access panel onto a clean towel or cloth until it lies flat.

Warning: Close the side access panel and shut down the computer if you see any lights glowing on the main logic board. Lights indicate the computer has not been shut down.

Removing the Installed CD/DVD Drive

1. Press the clips behind the drive faceplate assembly, rotate the assembly forward until the clips are free of the front panel, and carefully continue rotating the assembly forward to remove the faceplate.
2. Remove the two screws that hold the drive carrier in place and push the carrier forward far enough that you can reach the cables behind it. Note: You will feel some resistance as you push on the carrier.
3. Disconnect the power and ribbon cables from the back of the CD/DVD drive.
4. If a Zip drive is installed, disconnect the ribbon and power cables from the back of the Zip drive.
5. Slide the drive carrier assembly the rest of the way out of the computer.
6. Remove the shield from the back of the CD/DVD drive.
7. Remove the four screws that mount the CD/DVD drive to the carrier and remove the drive from the carrier.

Installing the Replacement CD/DVD Drive

1. Position the drive in the upper bay of the drive carrier, lifting the back of the drive slightly so that it is flush against the carrier. Insert the screws from the old drive through the holes in the carrier and tighten to secure the drive to the carrier.
2. Replace the shield on the back of the replacement CD/DVD drive.
3. Partially insert the drive carrier into the computer. Leave room behind the assembly so you can reach the connectors.
4. Connect the cables to the Zip drive and CD/DVD drive:
1. Connect the middle connector on the power cord bundle to the Zip drive.
2. Connect the middle connector on the ribbon cable to the Zip drive.
3. Connect the end of the power cord bundle to the CD/DVD drive.
4. Connect the end of the ribbon cable to the CD/DVD drive.
5. Push the drive carrier the rest of the way into the computer.
6. Reinsert the two carrier mounting screws you removed earlier.
7. Replace the faceplate assembly by aligning its left edge on the computer case, reinserting the clips into their slots on the right side, and pressing the plate until it snaps into place.

Closing the Computer

1. Raise the side access panel, lift the latch, and press the panel against the case until it snaps securely into place.
2. Reconnect all cables and restart your computer. Warning: Never turn on your computer unless all of its internal and external parts are in place and it is closed. Operating the computer when it is open or missing parts can damage your computer or cause injury.

Thanks,
- Jacob

A LCD TV could work as a digital display, but I would make it only one, of at least two displays. A 1080p TV will display a resolution of 1920 × 1080. Where an Apple 24″ LED displays 1920 x 1200. The difference is that the 24″ display basically displays the same info in 24 inches that the HDTV will display in 32 inches.

The TV will have to be set further back for you so that the image the image does not look pixelated. That may work in your studio, but having a high-density display close to you can be better for long term detail work.

This Acer 24″ display could be an interesting mix of a TV and display for you. It has a HDMI and DVI input, to support a video device and computer.

There is not any 3 display video cards for a G5, but you can get a PCI video card to support another display, after you fill up the first two ports that you get with the Apple supplied card.

- Jacob

The ADC video port on your Quicksilver G4 Mac is actually DVI with power and USB connections bundled in with it. So a simple adapter should let you hook up your Dell display via DVI. This Apple ADC to DVI video adapter should do the trick.

As for the buzzing noise, open up you computer and make sure that there are no cables resting on the various fans in the computer. You can have a G4 running when the case is open, just make sure not to touch any of the circuitry. Look to see if there is a fan on the video card. Those little fans can make extra noise as they age. There could also be some loose drive sleds on the bottom of the case making a metal on metal noise.

I was not able to see where we listed the ports on this G4 PowerMac, but these Macs have two USB ports and two FireWire ports on the back of the units. I think you might have confused USB and FireWire, as most printers and scanners use USB and not FireWire. Apple often lists the computers as having additional USB ports because the Apple keyboard comes with two USB ports built in. So the one USB port that the keyboard uses, is replaced by two extra on the keyboard. That would give you a listing of three USB ports. Perhaps that was the discrepancy you saw in the description.

A good option to get extra USB connections at a higher speed than the internal USB 1.1 ports, is with a Sonnet USB 2.0 PCI card.

- Jacob

In general Repair Extensions from Apple only last three years from the date of purchase.

It is possible that that it is just a failed power supply and those can be replaced. It would be best to have an Apple Authorized repair center look over the G5 iMac before swapping out parts though.

- Jacob

It, almost certainly, wont work at USB 2.0 speeds. You will need to buy a new USB 2.0 compliant hub. Consider this D-Link USB hub. You can still use the old USB hub for USB 1.1 devices like your mouse and keyboard.

- Jacob

The problem you are having probably has to do with how the FireWire drive was formatted. Often new external Firewire hard drives come formatted in a universal format but that is not compatible for booting the drive. Any time you get a new drive, it is best to Erase it and reformat the drive from the OS you plan to use it with.

In OS 9 you use Drive Setup (inside the Utilities folder on your hard disk) to initialize a hard disk. You will loose all information on the drive but you will then be able to boot off of it. You need the drive to be an Mac OS Extended (HFS+) format.

After that you can clone your boot drive over to the external drive and it should work as your boot volume. You can use the Startup Disk control panel or hold down the [option] key on startup and select the external drive.

- Jacob

Water damage is one of those “total loss” situations. We would never use a part from that kind of damaged computer for a repair because they will fail prematurely, if they have not failed already. You could try selling it on eBay for parts. Perhaps the LCD would fetch you something, as the display on those are more often the part damage in a drop.

- Jacob

The “flashing three times with a pause in between” is indication that the RAM may have failed. You can try reseating the RMA but if that fails, you can try to replace your existing G5 Power Mac RAM with two new sticks.

- Jacob

The interesting thing is that all G4 PowerBooks had just a single screen latch in the 15″ models. 17″ PowerBooks had two latches and later the 15″ MacBook Pros had two latches in both the 15″ and 17″ models. The 15″ MacBook Pros have an iSight camera placed where the single PowerBook latch was located. That is why they switched to using a 2 screen latches on the MacBook Pros. Now they have no latches at all.

- Jacob

Many of the Everio JVC camcorders had 4 Pin FireWire, sometimes called iLink, on them in addition to USB. Make sure that you really only have USB. FireWire is the best method for you to use and often you just need a firewire cable for your Mac.

If you need to connect via USB, you will need to have a USB 2.0 port, which the Titanium G4 did not have. You can add USB 2.0 via this IOGEAR USB 2.0 card. With a USB 2.0 connection you can install the software that came with the camera and import your video files via iMovie or Final Cut.

- Jacob

If compatible, I would recommend you look at this eSATA extender cable. It will take SATA connections available on the Mac Pro logic board and let you convert them into eSATA connections.

- Jacob

I am happy you asked before trying it. Mini sized CDs or DVD s should never be used in any slot-loading drive. This is true for Apple computers and car stereos. Really they are a terrible idea and should have never been produced. Currently only tray based drives will accept them, and the tray has to have a special indent to keep the small disc centered.

This idea came out of the initial high cost of creating a full sized CD. Now that cost is pennies so making it smaller does not reduce the cost appreciably. The best way to get data off those disc, is to find a tray loading drive and transfer the data to a USB thumb drive or full sized CD-R.

Many service techs has had to extract those little discs from a drive, at great expense.

- Jacob

I mostly recommend the MCE drives for do-it-yourself drive upgrades. If you have a none-Sony branded drive in there now, you will just need this G5 MCE internal drive upgrade.

But if you have a Sony drive, the drive standoffs will not fit the new MCE drive and you will need to buy replacement standoffs. Part number 922-6305, Screw M3x3, Hex, Pkg. of 4, will need to be ordered for the drive. Call into the sales line if you have a Sony Super Drive and need the new standoffs.

- Jacob

The best two drive option is to replace your optical drive with a 2nd hard drive. MCE Tech makes an optical drive replacement bay, called an OptiBay that can house a second hard drive. You would need to use a external optical drive but USB is a fine connection for an optical drive.

We can order and install any MCE parts but this is a special order item so call in to talk to a sales person if you are interested. Otherwise a this Caldigit eSATA card combined with a good eSATA drive is the next best thing.

Hope that helps
- Jacob

Well you only have a few upgrade options with an eMac. You can easily upgrade the RAM to 1GB or 2BG, depending on the model. With a little technical help you can also upgrade the hard drive, but it may be beyond the average users skill level to open up that computer. Consider taking the eMac into an Apple Authorized service center.

Your best upgrade option would be to trade-in that eMac and look at getting a new or used Intel iMac. The performance boost to dollar ratio will be much more favorable to you by trading it in.

Hope that helps,
- Jacob

The white plastic Intel iMacs can accept 3GBs of RAM via one 1GB chip and one 2GB RAM chip.
And in case you just want to max out the RAM, here is the link to a 1 GB chip.

- Jacob

The 466MHz Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) was technically very close to the 1st generation of Quicksilver G4, so you should have no issues moving your older drives over. The RAM and hard drive bus are the same between the two models.

Jumping computers should work well for you, except for the drop in processor speed and the reduction of overall processors.

- Jacob

The original Bondi Blue G3 iMac was a revolutionary computer and set Apple back on the proper track. Unfortunately this computer is limited in how expandable it is. The later iMacs with FireWire ports make them much more expandable via external hard drives and external DVD burners. This is not to say that your iMac will not do more, it just means that you are limited to USB 1.1 compatible devices for your upgrades or replacing internal parts.

CD burning will be your limit to optical drive upgrades because an average DVD is larger than your 4 GB hard drive. You could not even store enough data on your drive to burn a DVD. You can easily burn CD-R discs by replacing your internal drive. MCE Tech used to make a replacement G3 iMac CD drive and they may still have them in stock.

Here is the installation guide for that G3 CD drive, not tough but make sure you are OK with the process.

Beyond that the people over at Low End Mac can be a great resource on learning about you beloved “piece of history.” Of course any time you have a upgrade question just give us a call, we would love to help.

- Jacob

The Canon camera is probably the most Apple computer friendly camera of the three you are looking at. This could be because Canon does not make any competing computers with the Mac. Check out this Canon VIXHA.

Like many of these HD camcorders, the VIXIA has a decent still camera included in it, and comes with Mac specific software tools to get good images off the camera. It is also a full HD camera with the trusted optics from Canon. I own an Canon Digital SLR camera and am fairly impressed with the optical performance of their lenses. Most user reviews are positive on this camera and it seems to be built off some solid standards. It is often a good idea to avoid cutting edge sensors or recording formats. Otherwise you end up acting as a beta tester for the new technology.

This should be a solid HD camera for you ad your Mac computer.
- Jacob

The lower wattage of the MacBook Air power adapter will let your Unibody MacBookrun. It will not recharge the battery with the MacBook running though.

Your MacBook has a 45-watt battery and that 45 watt MacBook Air adapter will just provide enough power replace the power that would have come from the battery, but that is it. To charge the battery you will need to have the proper 60 watt adapter or, completely shut down the system so all power can be used to charge the battery.

- Jacob

You should be able to swap that SATA hard drive between MacBooks. Make sure that you have the latest OS installed on the MacBook’s hard drive before you install it on the MacBook Pro, and be prepared to use the OS X install disk that came with the MBP. You probably will not need them but you can always do an Archive and Install if you experience any issues. Both the MacBooks, and the Unibody MacBook Pros, make it a trivial job to swap out hard drives.

Do not be too surprised if Windows needs some driver updates after the swap though. The Mac OS is portable but Windows often chokes on a hardware transplant. Have the Mac Boot Camp drivers handy.

- Jacob

You may need to repartition it through the Partition tab in Disk Utility.

To repatriation a drive, select the drive (not the indented Volume) that you want to erase and click on the Partition tab. Change the Volume Scheme popup menu from “Current” to “1 Partition.” Click the [Options...] button and set it to use the “Apple Partition Map.” Then give it a name and click on the [Apply] button. One more click to say that you understand all data will be lost on that drive and then it should work fine for your Mac computer.

It will not work on PCs after that though, it will be a Mac drive.

- Jacob

There is the chance that it is a Software related issue. If you boot up off the Mac OS Install DVD, you can reinstall the OS via an Archive and Install. Then run Software update to get your MacBook to the most recent version. Also make sure that your MacBook does not need a Firmware or SMC update.

If after that, you still have trouble, it may bee that the Bluetooth module needs to be replaced. If that is the case, any Apple Authorized service center can do that for you as part of the Apple warranty on your product. Use Apple’s Service Location Tool to find your nearest provider.

- Jacob

I am happy you asked before trying it. Mini sized CDs or DVDs should never be used in any slot-loading drive. This is true for Apple computers and car stereos. Really they are a terrible idea and should have never been produced. Currently only tray-based drives will accept them, and the tray has to have a special indent to keep the small disc centered.

This idea came out of the initial high cost of creating a full sized CD. Now that cost is pennies so making it smaller does not reduce the cost appreciably. The best way to get data off those disc, is to find a tray loading drive and transfer the data to a USB thumb drive or full sized CD-R.

Many service techs has had to extract those little discs from a drive, at great expense.

- Jacob

It is possible for the USB system to not allow devices to connect but still fail to register a problem on the AHT logic-board test. Here are two things to try.

– First turn off your Power Mac G5 and then hold the Power button down until you hear a long tone. Then let go and wait for the computer to reboot and test the USB.

– If that fails to fix the USB operation, then you should insert the OS X install DVD and set it as the startup device. Power down the computer and remove all extra PCI cards from the machine. With only a USB mouse connected, start it up and see if the USB ports now allow the mouse to function. Try all the ports, including the front port. If the mouse works from the Install DVD, then it could be a software issue and an Archive and Install of the Mac OS should work to repair the damaged system files.

- Jacob

Well you have many input device options with a Mac. Most USB keyboards will work with a Mac, in fact I have yet to find one that does not. So you should buy they keyboard that works well for you. If the Dell functions perfectly, I would recommend getting two of those. I am not kidding about getting two. Over the years I have seen how fast a good keyboard design is replaced. If you find something that works, just as you want it to, get its replacement now. Otherwise you will send your evenings trolling eBay looking for a exact replacement after the first one dies.

If you do not want to hassle with running Parallels, consider MacSpeech. It is built on the Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition engine.

I have yet to see a good mouse solution that is voice activated. Also, most mice or joysticks are difficult to use during hand tremors. Luckily the Mac OS comes with a feature in the Universal Access settings that could help. Under the Mouse & Trackpad tab is the ability to turn on the “Mouse Keys” feature. This turns the numeric ten-key into a mouse controller. There are sensitivity and speed settings that you can set to your specific needs. It works fairly well and gives you more precise movement than what you get from a standard input device.

- Jacob

Unfortunately Apple has done it again. They jumped into a new connector format without a thought about the Mac user who has older Mac equipment. The 24″ Apple LED display is a truly great companion to the new Mac laptops. Although they work on all new Macs, the 24″ display is a docking station for laptops. They provide power and a host of desktop features to give you two macs from one. A Mac Laptop tied to a 24″ Apple display is a perfect package, and I would like you to have that experience. Sadly that the new display will not work on your G4 tower. It may be better to just get a low end LCD display for the G4 and then use the 24″ LED display as your MacBook’s docking station.

Here is a nice one but there are many good sub $150 displays.

- Jacob

The FIrewire port is part of your logic-board, so replacing the logic-board would be the standard way to fix that problem. At this point the repair would cost more than your Apple computer is worth. You still have a USB port on your iBook and USB 2.0 is a fine way to connect external drives. Many drives are available with USB 2.0 connections. Lacie USB drives are very popular and would fit the bill.

- Jacob

You may be facing a issue that has more to do with software version you have, verses the limit of the drive format. If you are trying to just reinstall the OS, you will need to do an Archive and Install of the OS.

If you are trying to reformat the drive and remove all data from it, you will need to repartition it with the Disk Utility that is on the OS X install media. You will have to boot up the disc and then open Disk Utility and use the Partition tab to create one new partition on your Apple computer hard drive..

- Jacob

You can have any size 3.5″ SATA hard drive installed in the Intel iMacs. Your only limit it in what size drives are being made. You are limited to just one drive installed inside the iMacs. Apple computers can support many more drives externally via USB 2.0, FireWire 800, and Gigabit ethernet.

- Jacob

What you need is a KVM switch and there are two you should look at. The IOGear KVM switch is particularly nice for this kind of device switching. Many KVMs do not have audio switching or us DVI, but this IOGear Micro View KVM Switch will do.

Which ever unit you get should help with the monitor an speakers. The wireless keyboard mouse combo should work as long as it is the kind that uses the USB dongle attached to your current Mac computer. Otherwise you will have trouble pairing those devices with two computers. You may need to use the Keyboard and mouse that come with the Mac Pro until you retire the PC. After that a PC bluetooth keyboard/mouse will work well on the Mac.

- Jacob

There is no physical way to connect the screen of an eMac or iMac to another computer. They are hardware locked to the logic board of Apple computers. You can, however, use the built-in screen sharing feature of 10.5 Leopard to view and control the Mac Mini remotely. They both need to be connected to the same network and the Mini would need to be configured to allow remote connections. So it would need to be connected to a monitor and keyboard-mouse for the initial setup. You would also need to upgrade the eMac to Leopard to control the Mac Mini. After that it the eMac should be able to see the new Mac Mini as available for screen sharing in the sidebar of any Finder window. If this is just a matter of saving money, you can get an LCD display that will work on your Mac Mini cheaply. It will work two times better than Screen Sharing, perhaps ten times better.

- Jacob

There is no problem using your US bought Mac laptop’s power adapter overseas. All the Mac power adapters cover voltages ranging from 100 to 240 Volts at 50 or 60 Hz. You may want to buy the Apple World Traveler Adapter Kit though, to fit the wall plugs you have locally.
- Jacob

With any Mac computer, the boot up time depends greatly on hard drive speed. Most Intel Macs will boot the Leopard OS in under 40 Seconds of an internal drive. Solid state drives can speed that up some, and faster RAM can help too. You can slow that time down as well by connecting to a Wireless network on startup and other boot up add-ons. For the most part the Mac Pro will boot quickly, but I still leave most of my Macs running all the time. I hate waiting for the screen’s backlight to kick on, a personal flaw I have to admit to.

The RAM and video card will be easy for you to upgrade in the near future but the processor will not upgrade with exactly the same ease. It is a socketed processor and you can replace it, although wait until the Apple warranty period is over before you attempt it. You will not be able to convert the Mac Pro single processor, four core system, into a dual processor, eight core system. So make sure you get a configuration that will meet you upgrade needs. I have know people who upgrade their Mac Pros regularly with the latest processors, but most of those people are Intel employees. It should be fine for an experienced PC tech.

- Jacob

Most every AC to DC adapter I have seen from Canon has an input voltage range of 100-240 volts at 50/60 cycles. The CA-590 that comes with that camera should be no different. I would however suggest that
you use a 240 Volt to 110 volt converter if you travel often. That conversion cleans up the sometimes spotty power you find in other countries.

- Jacob

You will not only need a Blu-Ray burner to make HD video discs, but you will need some additional software. Here is a good article on the HD editing workflow. Toast 10 Titanium is great Blu-Ray burning software.

I only have one recommendation for an external Blu-Ray burner, the LaCie d2 Blu-ray drive. For internal use, I like the MCE Blu-ray kit.

- Jacob

It all depends on the application you are using. If the primary application you are running is multi-threaded then the 8 Core model is the best choice. It is also the right choice for any RAM hungry applications because you have twice the RAM controllers and slots. However, for older software that just needs clock cycles the 2.93 Ghz will help you more than extra cores and RAM in your Mac Pro.

- Jacob

You can upgrade your memory and hard drive yourself. Here is a link to Apple’s MacBook Pro RAM installation page.

The hard drive is just as easy, as you can see by Apple’s instructions on how to install a replacement hard drive.

If you use a none Apple drive in the computer, you will have to deal directly with the maker of the hard drive for drive warranty issues and most Apple service centers will want you to have a Apple hard drive installed for testing. For that reason it may be a good idea to keep the pulled Apple hard drive safely stored in a static bag, until you are out of the Apple warranty period.

- Jacob

My daughter has one of these G4 iBook. The only computer display port that you can use is VGA, an analog connection. You will need a Mini-VGA to VGA adapter cable to connect a VGA display.

The good news is that many LCD displays support both DVI and VGA connections, or have only VGA ports. Take a look at the 17″ LCD displays with VGA. You will be limited to a 1024 X 768 image, no mater how big the display, the iBook is set to only Mirror what is on the laptop display. That limit on your iBook is 1024 X 768 pixels, so do not over spend on a display.

- Jacob

Here is a handy little list of user recorded Mac system temperatures assembled to help others determine what is normal temperature for their Mac.

From the list, it looks like your iMac is in the proper range. As for RAM upgrades, you can go up to 3 GBs if you have a white plastic iMac or 4 GB if you have an Aluminum iMac released before 2009. Depending on what iMac you have, you can buy one or two of these 2GB stick. You only have 2 RAM slots so you will have to remove one stick of 1GB RAM for each 2GB stick of RAM you add.

The newest iMac introduced in 2009 can take up to 8GB of RAM using a 4GB RAM stick, but I would guess you do not have this version of the iMac.

- Jacob

I think a basic iMac would be a good choice for you. That is the kind of Mac my wife and I share and it makes a good home computer. This 20″ iMac model is excellent, it was recently replaced with a slightly different version of the same computer, so it is on sale. Any of the newer iMacs will give you power and performance to last many years. You can look at all the 24″ iMac as well.

The nice feature of the iMac is that it has the display and computer combined together in a single unit. So you really only need to worry about connecting the Keyboard/mouse and Power to get it running. If you have a high-speed internet connection at home, the iMac will have no trouble connecting. If you use dial-up internet, then you need to buy USB modem, like this Apple external modem.

- Jacob

Panasonic and Cannon do a great job in producing Mac computer compatible HD camcorders. Take a look at the Canon VIXIA HF11 Camcorder or the VIXIA HG20 60GB HDD Camcorder. Both could be good choices for you.

One thing to consider though, still image cameras are quickly adding HD video capture to their feature set. If you are also interested in picking up a good still camera, one of those hybrid cameras may be your best choice. The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH1 was recently announced and it has video people and photographers equally excited.

- Jacob

Other than making sure you are using a retail copy of the Mac OS released after the PowerBook was produced, 10.3 or higher, it would probably be a hardware issue. The problem is most likely with the cable or logic board. A replacement PowerBook hard drive cable will be cheap enough for you to test with it. I think this is the right cable for your computer but double check.

If that fails to work for you, then it probably is a logic board issue and you will need to weigh the cost of the repair against just upgrading your Mac.

Please let me know what the outcome is.
- Jacob

I would have to say that if you edit HD footage, that yes you want the 8-Core Mac Pro. Not only will the multithreading features of Final Cut Pro run faster on the Octal Mac Pro, but you will be able to install more RAM. As you probably know, the new Mac Pro likes its RAM installed in threes per processor. The forth RAM slot shares its channel with the third slot. So for peak performance in the Quad-Core Mac Pro you will be effectively limited to 6GB. In the 8-Core Mac Pro you can get 24 GB of highly efficient RAM. Although 12GB will probably do just nicely for most of your HD projects.

- Jacob

It has been some time since I bought a none Apple battery but when I did buy one last it was from BTI. They have long had a good reputation for making OEM replacements. This 15″ MacBook battery should work for you. But you can always go with the Apple 15″ MacBook original battery, which is not a bad idea. Both are going to perform about the same on your Mac computer.

As for identifying your laptop the proper name of it is MacBook Pro 15″ Core 2 Duo. The terms titanium, aluminum, G3, and G4 all refer to much older Mac laptops.

- Jacob

Although that machine is not of value for a work Mac computer, there may be collectors or other fans interested in buying it. You could post it on eBay or craigslist.org and see who is interested in it. I do not know of a good price though, so eBay without a reserve and a padded shipping charge would be a good idea.

- Jacob

USB base PC keyboards and Mice work perfectly both new Mac Minis and used Mac minis, although some special media buttons may not work. Getting a small 2-port KVM will make switching back and forth easy.

Look at this IOGEAR MiniView Micro Plus KVM switch if you have a VGA display or this IOGEAR MiniView DVI if you have a DVI display.

- Jacob

I would steer you towards the MacBook Pro for professional video work. This is mainly due to the advanced Graphics system that is used in the MacBook Pro. Final Cut Studio is not compatible with integrated Intel graphics processors, like the ones found in older MacBooks or MacBook Airs. Even the newer MacBook Airs, with the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, will feel a little under powered. Also the drive size and speed will be an issue for you, unless you bought the Solid State Drive (SSD). With the SSD option you will be set for speed but not space. The MacBook Pro is currently the only contemporary Apple laptop with FireWire. FireWire connectivity is probably a part of your workflow now and it could be
difficult to work without it.

Now if you want to use Final Cut Express on a MacBook Air, that would probably work fine. This is because you could transfer the the projects to Final Cut Pro later form heavier editing. Hope that gives you enough information to make a good choice based on your work.

- Jacob

I am sure that most people from NASA should not have a problem installing a new hard drive in a new or used Mac mini, so that would be the cleanest upgrade path. You will need a 2.5″ PATA hard drive. Any size drive should work so look at the 160GB model.

Here is a link to some detailed instructions on changing the internal hard drive on a Mac mini.

You can use the 10.5 migration assistant to recover your files from the last Time Machine backup. With a full backup, you should have no problem recovering your settings after the initial install of drive and the OS.

Jacob

Many reports I have seen say that you can go over 4GB of RAM in your Mac Pro but not to 8GB. People who have attempted putting 8 GBs in their MacBook Pros have had stability problems. 6GB seems to be stable. I would perhaps wait and see if there is an Apple firmware update for the Unibody 15″ MacBook Pro, allowing it to support a full 8 GB of RAM like the 17″ Macbook Pros can.

Jacob

There is no way to convert a PowerMac G5 into an Intel-based Mac Pro. Although the cases look similar, the internals are radically different. Fortunately PowerMax has a trade-in program that will let you convert your PowerMac G5 into credit towards a Mac Pro, or other Intel Mac.

Submit a Mac trade-in request and find out how close you are to upgrading to an Intel Mac.

I hope this helps
Jacob

For the best boot times and fastest game loads, I would recommend that you make your primary drive a 300GB 15k rpm SAS drive. That should make data and applications zip on that system, the hard drive is often the bottleneck of a computer. Your second and third drives can be 1TB in size. Make them a RAID 1 to protect your data if you have no other backup strategy. Remember Time Machine only backs up the primary boot drive.

Hope that helps,
Jacob

If you cannot get a CD or DVD to eject by the regular methods, PowerPC-based Mac users can use an Open Firmware emergency eject command. Here is a link to Apple’s instructions on how to eject a disc when other options don’t work. The important steps are below:

– Restart the computer.
– Immediately after the startup sound, press and hold the key combination Command-Option-O-F. Note: The Command key has the Apple and () icons on it.
– Release the keys when you see a white screen that says “Welcome to Open Firmware.”
– At the prompt, type: eject cd
– Press Return, then wait a few seconds. The disc drive should eject any disc that is present, and “ok” appears behind your command when the action is complete.
– Type: Mac-boot
– Press Return

If this fails to eject, you will have to open the case of the G4 iMac to gain access to the manual eject pinhole on the face of the optical drive. You may want to seek the help of a professional for that process.

Hope this helps,
Jacob

A new or used Mac mini will not be an overly compelling upgrade to your used G5 tower. It should be fast in terms of processor power, but it will be a little wimpy on graphics power. The Intel Mac Mini uses an integrated graphics processor, which is OK in most applications, but can be short on power for games and some design programs. The G5 has dedicated graphics card that will outperform the integrated graphics of the Mac Mini.

The included Rosetta emulator in OS X works well, and you will likely not even notice it is active. It works seamlessly in the background. The Rosetta emulation does have a performance hit but it will not be visible to you due to the speed improvements of the Intel Processor. Just do not be surprised if it is not significantly faster at running your application.

Also the 2.5″ hard drive in the Mac Mini is slower than the 3.5″ drive in the G5, which will cause some latency writing large files. For your work you probably will not notice the difference but it could be an issue for video work.

All the negatives in mind you will still probably want to go for the Mac Mini. It is small, portable, and your performance will improve as you upgrade your software to Intel native applications.

I hope this helps with the buying process.
Jacob

I would be interested in seeing that article, because to my knowledge there is no way to have two processors on an Apple laptop. Apple solders their processor directly to the logic board of the MacBook (Pro)s, which prevent replacement or exchange. I know some brave souls have removed soldered-on processors and reattached faster processors in the past, but it takes specialized soldering equipment. Modern Mac portables do not contain a socketed processor that a home tech could work on.

Perhaps the article was not about an Apple laptop but upgrading the processors on a Mac Pro. I once corresponded with a Intel employee who upgraded his Mac Pro with Quad Core processors before Apple offered the option.

Please send me the link to the article if I am completely wrong. Thanks!
Jacob

Well this is a new one for me, but I suspect that it has something to do with how OS X identified your keyboard. You can try to reset your keyboard’s identification by deleting the file that stores information about your keyboard. The file is called “com.apple.keyboardtype.plist” and it is located in the Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences/ Folder. Find the file and drag it to the trash. Restart your computer and see if that fixes your “H” problem. If the keyboard assistant opens, just close it with the little red button on the upper left hand corner of the window.

If you are still having issues typing “H,” then try switching fonts. It could be a problem with the default font you are using. Open the Text Edit Application and use the [Command] + [T] key combination to open the Fonts window and try typing H in different fonts. If you find H to be working in other Fonts, then you may need to reinstall your default System fonts.

If the “H” is persistently displayed incorrectly regardless of font, I would next recommend you try using a different USB keyboard. It does not need to be a Mac keyboard, you can use a Windows USB keyboard to test with. See if the problem is identical on the other keyboard, if it isn’t, you may want a new keyboard.

I hope one of these things will work for you.
Jacob

Despite Apple’s most recent cut of FireWire as an included port in the Unibody MacBook line, FireWire is still considered a standard port on iMacs. The new iMacs even have a FireWire 800 port in addition to the FireWire 400 port. Currently it is only the MacBook and MacBook Air that are missing FireWire ports of any speed.

The ports look like this:

Hope that helps,
Jacob

When you are in Apple warranty it is probably a bad idea to upgrade the internal hard drive in an Apple laptop because you will have to put the original Apple drive back into it before you can mail it in for service. Swapping out the drive in MacBooks and new 15″ MacBook Pros are fairly fast, so warranty is less of an issue there. It takes a considerable amount of work to swap out your drive in the 17″ MacBook Pro.

Outside of warranty, replacing the drive is a great upgrade option. Often you can get better speed out of a new drive, in addition to the increased storage space. The 320GB drive will cost you about $200, and a 250GB should be around $50 less. Both of those should be 5400RPM drives, the same drive speed as you already have from the Apple drive. Priced in between the two drives is the faster, and smaller, 200GB 7200RPM drive. The faster drives are better for reading and writing large files but there is a concern with heat. A 7200RPM drive can generate more heat than the 17″ MacBook Pro was designed to handle. If you go to the faster drive you will get better system performance, but you will constantly need to monitor the heat of the unit and not let it overheat.

If increased drive space is what you are after, I think the 250GB drive should be a good fit for you. I was born and raised in Seattle, so consequently I know those Seattle Mac Store people well and send my family there for service. They should treat you well.

Hope that helps,

Jacob

There are a few surfaces that can cause this kind of pointer-jump effect with optical mice on any Apple computer. This happens because the light that illuminates the surface under the mouse refracts the light beam and confuses the optical sensor. The sensor needs to have a steady image change to track the mouse movements. The main surfaces to avoid are, glass, fake wood, and glossy plastic. All these surfaces can bend the light and trick the mouse into thinking you are moving it around. Found in practically every office, the best neutral surface that is a white piece of paper. You can use the paper as a mouse pad to test whether it is surface substance alone that is causing your mouse issues. If it is a surface issue, try using a dark colored cloth-topped mouse pad.

If it continues to jump on the paper, it is probably a dirty optical lens on the bottom of the mouse. Use some compressed air to blow out any dust or debris from the sensor hole on the bottom of the mouse. This will often do the trick.

Hope this helps,

Jacob

Last year I reviewed just such a negative/slide scanner and I still consider the PrimeFilm Scanner a great product.

Take a look at it and see is it will work for you.

Jacob

There are a few drive adapter cases out there that will probably work well for you but I would suggest just getting a Universal Drive Adapter cable. This will not only work on your used iBooks hard drive but also let you use it on almost any other raw drive you come across.

I have one in my tool box and it is invaluable. If, however, you would rather have a full hard drive enclosure then look at this nice budget unit that will create a permanent home for your old Apple computer hard drive.

Hope that helps,
Jacob

In this case it may be easier to get a Floppy Drive for your G5 iMac, opposed to trying to connect your used Mac to this newer one. Fortunately Floppy drives are relatively cheap and will work for transferring files from the old system, in addition to allowing you to install this older application. I have been fond of the LaCie USB floppy drive and think you will like it as well.

Hope this helps
Jacob

A Mac Pro of nearly any generation should last you a considerable amount of time. Very few of them have made there way to service, which is a pretty good indicator of the quality of this generation of Mac. I also like to mention that an iMac can handle some of the pro photography tasks you are going to use your computer for. It may seem under powered for you, but I have had a good deal of success with a iMac as the workhorse of my office. It is essential that you get a color accurate external display for your iMac to, not only extend the screen real-estate, but to counter the color distortion of the glossy display.

Not many people have traded in a Mac Pro and few are returned as Open Box units, so deals are hard to come by. For expandability and overall performance, an entry 2.8GHZ Quad-Core Mac Pro should treat you well for many years.

I hope this helps but I am sure that you many need to spend some time on the phone with a PowerMax sales person to find the best value Mac Pro.

Jacob

Some of these off brand cameras are hard to deal with because they were never designed to work with Mac computers and they are so obscure that Apple did not build specific support for them into the Mac OS, as they do with more popular cameras. This is not to say that your camera will never work again, it is just not going to be easy to find specific info on your camera’s Mac connectivity.

This Emprex camera you are using charges from the USB connection. It could be this charging operation that is causing the problem. Not all G4 Macs had USB 2.0 ports on them and and that is likely going to be the requirement of this camera. Not that this camera needs the extra speed but a USB 2.0 port provides more power than the older USB 1.1 port. A good test would be to fully charge this camera from another computer that has USB 2.0, or a well powered USB port, and then check to see whether it properly mounts on the Apple Mac.

The other option would be to try removing the SD memory card from the camera and use a universal card reader to transfer the photos over to the Mac.

Hope this helps
Jacob

There was only one Repair Extension program for the G5 iMac that I know of and that covered the logic board and power supply. That program is over now but it would not have required the replacement of the LCD. You may be able to convince Apple that this is an unacceptable product lifespan for your iMac and would like them to consider other options, I just do not know how successful that will be. If the LCD work was done by an Apple Authorized service center you should have enough justification to a least start a conversation with Apple Support.

Sorry to hear about your problems and I hope it works out for you.
Jacob

You can absolutely use your old keyboard with your new Apple iMac. Some people even use the extra-compact G3 iMac keyboards with newer Apple computers, just for the convenience of the smaller size while retaining a 10-key. I understand the value of a good keyboard, though I have the opposite preference. I have replaced all my keyboards with the Aluminum Apple Keyboards because I type more accurately with the added key spacing. It is all about what works for the individual, so keep using the white Apple keyboard.

Hope that helps,
Jacob

There could be a few things potentially at the root of this problem but my first guess is that it is a RAM issue. A bad RAM chip would only trigger a crash when the system tries to write and read form that damaged part of the RAM stick. Depending on how many applications you open and what you are doing, your RAM will become fully occupied at different times. That is why it unpredictably locks up on you. If your eMac has two RAM sticks installed, I would recommend that you try to remove one and see if it still locks up. If it does, then put the pulled stick back in and then remove the other stick. Each time only starting up the Apple computer with one RAM stick Installed. Here is a link to the RAM removal and installation Procedures.

If you only have one RAM stick in the eMac, Start by removing that stick and then move it to the other, unused, slot. Start up the computer and see how it behaves. If the problem is still occurring then consider purchasing a new RAM stick. Even if it turns out to be a non- RAM related issue, you will still benefit from an extra stick of RAM installed.

If after all this you have eliminated the RAM as the culprit, I would next suggest that you look at doing an Archive and Install of the Mac OS from the Discs that came with your computer or the most recent Retail Install CDs you have.

Hope this helps,
Jacob

The answer is a yes and no answer. The eMac does support an external display via an Apple Mini-VGA to VGA adapter.

The Apple driver only lets you mirror what is displayed on the built-in screen of the eMac, you will not be able to extend your desktop as most would want to do. That being said, a clever fellow created an application that will allow you to unlock the Extended Desktop mode in some iMac, eMacs, and iBooks.

But check the list of supported Apple machines before you install and remember this is unsupported by anyone, especially Apple.

Hope this helps,
Jacob

In my experience that is probably a dead or low voltage PRAM battery issue. You
can test the battery on a Volt Meter to see if it is putting out 3.6 volts, if not you should replace it. If you replace the PowerPC PRAM battery on the logic board with a new one, I bet it will return to normal operation.

After replacing the Apple computers battery you should also reset the PMU on your Power Mac to make sure no corrupt settings are saved from your failed PRAM battery.

Hope that helps,
Jacob

Modern Apple computers do not come with built-in modems these days. This has a lot to do with the availability of broadband throughout the country. Most people are not using dial-up anymore so putting a modem in every Mac just adds needless expense to the majority of the Mac users. Modems are still available but as USB dongles that are purchased separately.

We still list the modem as not installed because some of our older systems will include internal modems and a few of our customers are looking for that feature.

Hope that clears things up,
Jacob

The best solution for Apple computers that can’t use an internal modem, like your Intel iMac, is to use the Apple V.92 Data/Fax USB Modem.

The only requirement is that you have Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later, and a free USB port. As the name implies, this will work for faxing as well as Dial-up internet access.

Hope that helps,

Jacob

It is best to use Mac-specific PCI hard drive controllers, although some generic PC cards will work. These days I recommend that you but a PCI SATA controller card for drive expansion. Not only are these available with Mac support, but your investment in hard drives will be transferable to your future Apple computers. I am fond of Sonnet Tech adapter cards for older Macs and I think this SATA card would work well for you.

When ordering a hard drive for this configuration, make sure it has both Legacy and Serial ATA power. Otherwise consider getting the Sonnet Serial ATA Cable Kit.

Low End Mac has a great G4 Power Mac Upgrade Guide with loads of information specs relating to G4 Power Mac Upgrades.

That G4 iMac should be able to take any PATA (AKA ATA or IDE) hard drive even this 750GB Seagate hard drive.

Here is a take apart for that G4 iMac.

Consider also replacing the optical drive with a newer MCE Internal Super drive, if you have it taken apart it is a natural upgrade in addition to the hard drive.

There are relatively few choices for upgrading your video card on a first generation used Mac Pro but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a great card. The NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT is a spectacular upgrade card and quite the improvement over the 7300 GT card. There is also the ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT card, but users complain of noise and relatively low performance on high-end applications compared to the 8800GT card.

The cheapest fix is to get a USB Ethernet adapter and use that for your network connection.

This Belkin Gigabit network adapter is for people with USB 2.0 and 10/100 USB 1.1 computers.

Drivers for OS 10.2 and up are found at the Belkin gigabit USB product support page.

The LCII came with a 40MB or 80MB hard drive and many of those older drives just do not hold up well over time. Fifteen years is a long time to keep spinning the same steel platter. You could be lucky and just need to reinstall the Mac OS. It will take Mac OS 7.0.1 to 7.5.5 and you can find system updates for that computer at Apple’s Older Software Downloads page.

If you do not have a copy of the Mac OS for your system, you can download system 7.5.3 from Apple’s Index Of Older Systems and put them on Floppy disks. Here are some good instructions on making boot floppies from OS X.

Hope this helps, If the drive is dead you will have some issues finding a suitable replacement, but it can be done.

You can replace the MacBook’s drive yourself but it would be better to have an Apple Authorized Service center do it for you. The replacement part will likely cost you $200 to $300 but should only take a half of an hour to replace it. Using a Service center will also give the tech a chance to see if the drop did more damage than just the Optical Drive.

If price is overly concerning to you, Searching Google by the drive model number will bring up some budget options. You can also go with an external USB Super drive until you want to fully replace the drive you have. Eventually there could be a Blu-Ray drive upgrade for your MacBook. That way you will get more for your upgrade dollars.

The alternating “?” and Folder Icon indicates that your computer cannot find a bootable Operating system. Not all B&W G3 towers could handle bigger drives, so that may be what is causing the problem. The Rev A G3 Logic board couldn’t handle large drives but the Rev B logic boards can take up to 120 GB drives. Look for the Apple copyright information printed on the logic board and below it will be a string of characters in one of the following two configurations XXX-09XX-A or XXX-10XX-A. The “X” is used in place of unimportant information. 09 indicates that it is a rev A logic board and the 10 means that it is a rev B.

If you have a Rev B Blue and White G3 logic board, then you need to make sure that the drive is set to Master and is the only drive in the computer. It may also be that a more advanced version of the Mac OS is on the drive than what the G3 can handle. You should also download any G3 Firmware updates needed to run OS X.

If you have a Beige G3, and not a Blue & White one, then you are running into the 7 GB boot volume limit. OS X has to be installed on a partition of less than 7.4 GB and that partition must also be on the Master drive on the IDE cable.

Your best option would be to reformat the drive and then reinstall a copy of the Mac OS. To move over your old data you will need to put that 6 GB drive into an external enclosure, like this Macally Storage Cabinet, and use Firewire to bring it over to the B&W G3 or put the 6 GB drive into the Beige G3 as a second drive to copy over the data.

These Wi-Fi to ethernet adapters, like the Belkin unit you have, are great for connecting older Apple laptops and Apple computers to a wireless network. Because you have both PCs and Macs you have two options. You can program this Belkin Wireless Ethernet Bridge via your Dell with the setup wizard included on the CD that came with in the box. Connect the device to your Dell with an ethernet cable and use the setup wizard as if you were going to use it to get your Dell on the network with the adapter. Once you have the Dell online via the Wireless Ethernet Bridge, disconnect it from the Dell and plug the ethernet cable into the G3 Apple computers ethernet jack.

Then it is just a matter of setting the G3′s TCP/IP settings to use DHCP.

If you do not want to use the Dell for this or you have problems, you can use a web browser. First you have to set your G3 computer’s TCP/IP settings to Manual, and set the following settings.

IP address: 192.168.2.200
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Router: 192.168.2.199

Save those settings and then open a browser and type this IP address into the browsers address bar: 192.168.2.225

That should get you to the router’s web interface to finish the setup based on the users manual. After you configure your adapter you will have to change the TCP/IP settings on your G3 back to DHCP.

Here’s a link to your Belkin G Gaming Adapter downloadable user manual.

The best way to charge your laptop battery is inside of your laptop, so what you really need is an outlet in your car. To get a house-style 115-120V AC plug into your 12V DC car, you’ll need a DC to AC inverter.

This 375 Watt Tripp Lite PowerVerter would be a great choice to charge your laptop and other devices.

As a used of G4 apple laptops“>Apple laptops you could also make due with this smaller Tripp Lite PowerVerter 150-Watt Ultra-Compact as well.

The 0.2 GHz difference between the 1.8 and 2.0 GHz Mac computer Intel processors is not overly significant for Audio tools. The more important consideration is with regards to whether it is a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor. The newer Core 2 processors support 64-bit processing and have better efficiencies.

If you are thinking about a used Apple G5 system, then either the 1.8 or 2.0 GHz processor would be good choices. The main thing to do is make sure that Pro Tools supports the hardware on the Operating System you are looking at.

The problem with side mounting a Mac Pro is that it is a little too tall to fit in a 19″ rack on it s side. The feet make it over 20″ tall. Most racks have more than enough room horizontally for the Mac Pro once you are past the mounting rails, so it is possible. In order to sideways-mount the system you will have to have side access to the rack. Then you just need a 19″ wide shelf.

It is not as convenient as having front removal/installation access to the Mac Pro but it will fit in just 6Us of rack space.

I would certainly not call the loss of FireWire a common issue, but I have seen it before. The B&W G3 had many FireWire issues because it used an add-on card that suffered power surges. Throughout the years I have seen FireWire fail on the logic board, and there is little that can be done to revive it. Before you write off the FireWire ports, check Apple’s Support pages and see if there is a Firmware update for your system. This is the software on the logic board and it can often resolve these issues. You should also test whether it is a software issue by trying to use some of the FireWire features that do not rely on the operating system on your hard drive. If you have another Mac computer, boot up your problem Mac holding down the [ T ] key. This will boot it into Target Disk mode – which makes your Mac into a FireWire hard drive. Connect the two Mac computers with a FireWire cable and see if it shows up on the other computers Desktop. If it does not work, then it is probably dead FireWire, but if it does, then you may need to reinstall your OS on the problem Mac.

If your FireWire ports are in fact dead, then you can buy a LaCie 107355 FireWire 400 PCI Card to replace the internal ports.

Both are great questions. It is my recommendation to spread your RAM configuration out to fill as many slots as possible without restricting your future upgrade needs. Filling the first four RAM slots evenly is a good idea. If your budget is geared to 4GB of total RAM, then four 1GB sticks is the way to go. Later you can put four 2GB sticks in the system and move the 1GB sticks to the higher slots. Here is a link to Apple’s Mac Pro RAM compatibility chart.

A Mac computers RAM setup is a lesser issue than the Graphics card. You need that bigger card for Motion. In some tests of the 2600 XT vs. the 8800 GT card, the 8800 GT card is nearly twice as fast. It will be the best $150.00 upgrade you could buy and a necessity for your graphics work.

Practically any FireWire or USB drive would work for you. You could go with a stackable drive and hub combo that looks like it is part of your Mini, like this NewerTech 160 GB MiniStack Hub. Or you could get a slickly styled one (I own this one) like this LaCie 500GB Hi Speed USB 2.0 Drive.

I would also recommend that you upgrade to Leopard, if you have not done so already. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard’s Time Machine feature is the perfect background backup utility for you. Every hour your Book will be backed up and you could go back to a previous version to recover deleted chapters.