Troubleshooting

If your Mac is experiencing problems running, one step for determining the problem is to boot the system into Safe Mode, which is a limited environment that only loads Apple-provided software for basic functionality. To get into Safe Mode you simply restart your Mac with the Shift key held; however, in some cases this will not work and the computer may simply boot normally or experience a problem and hang without booting at all.

The inability to boot into Safe Mode may happen because the system is configured with encryption or other security settings that prevent booting to such modes, … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which I answer Mac-related questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week, readers wrote in with questions about completely wiping a Mac back to factory settings similar to what can be done with an iPod or iPhone, restoring a lost administrative account, removing the account of someone who no longer uses the system, and restoring lost programs that were included with OS X. I welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Completely wiping a Mac back to factory … Read more

The default configuration for printers in OS X is relatively basic and offers you options to essentially add or remove a printer and then set some driver-specific features such as the amount of RAM or duplexing details; however, you may wish to have more options for managing access to your printer, such as limiting access to one printer and not another, or requiring a password to print.

The easiest way to administer these options for printers is via network access, where if you share the printer you can limit which users will have access to it over the network. Doing … Read more

If you have an iPad and one of Apple's laptops (a not too uncommon pairing), then be aware that, depending on how you arrange them, your iPad may put your Mac to sleep.

Apple has made some creative use of magnets in its systems over the years, with lid latches, MagSafe power connections, and other accessory attachments for its systems.

One notable area where Apple has made use of this technology is in its MacBook laptops, where magnets and magnetic sensors in the chassis and lid bezel activate when in close contact, so the system will automatically go to … Read more

One of the newer features in OS X is the Launchpad interface, which offers an iOS-like approach to application management in which programs are organized in a full-screen grid. While this interface should show the applications you have installed, sometimes you may find it missing a few that you need.

Unfortunately Apple does not offer any options for configuring Launchpad to add programs. If you hold the Option key when Launchpad is open, then, as with iOS, the programs will wiggle and allow you to collect them into folders or delete those you purchased from the Mac App Store; however, … Read more

Without regular use, you'll find that sooner or later you will need to run your printer through a cleaning routine to get rid of smears, stripes, or other artifacts that can sometimes greatly affect the quality of your print jobs. Most printers contain some sort of head-cleaning routine that can help you do this, and while invoking these options can often be done via onboard printer controls, the ability to do so in OS X has been somewhat diminished.

While in the past some printer manufacturers issued drivers and utilities that contained controls for running cleaning routines, many now … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which I answer Mac-related questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week, readers wrote in with questions on how to best manage software updates for many computers on a network, the options for using the right-click in OS X, and concerns about the feasibility of corrupting a system through apparently normal use. I welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Managing software updates for many computers on a network MacFixIt reader Beth asks:

Regardless of whether you purchase it new, refurbished, or used, your Mac is likely a sizable investment that you might wish to keep running for as long as possible, not only because of the cost factor but also because of the time and effort it would take to migrate your data and workflow to a new system (even though Apple has made the latter quite easy if you have proper backups).

There are many ways your Mac can get damaged, become outdated, or otherwise experience greater wear and tear from use that can shorten its lifespan. In most cases these … Read more

An apparent issue in the versions of OS X that are preinstalled on Macs shipping from the factory is causing headaches for some users, where they may run into problems if they try to reinstall OS X or restore from a backup.

As described by MacNN and MacTrast, the issue appears to happen because of a permissions problem that results in a compatibility error when the Mountain Lion installer is downloaded and run on an affected computer. Instead of installing as it should, users see a warning that states the current system is not compatible with Mountain Lion, with the … Read more