Odds & Ends: Reset PMU on an iMac; FAXstf X feedback;

Fixing Windows Server connect issue; much more

iMac (Flat Panel): Resetting the PMU Apple KB article 95165describes how to reset the PMU chip on the iMac (Flat Panel). The PMU (Power Management Unit) is a microcontroller chip that controls all power functions for the computer. Resetting the PMU on the logic board can resolve many system problems. You have to open the base of the iMac to do this.

FAXstf X update: reader feedback Initial feedback to yesterday's release of FAXstf X 10.0.3 has been positive. The update successfully addresses many of the complaints users had of the original version (see previous coverage). However, a few users still report problems. For example: (1) Ron Roszkiewicz keeps getting crashes when trying to send a fax from within Word. The Console log attributes it to PrintJobMgr; (2) Stephen Reiss still cannot get FAXstf to work except when logged in as a root user.

Delete prefs file fixes connect to Windows Server problem Rod Yager offers this tip: "I had been unable to connect to a Windows 2000 server on our LAN using Connect to Server. Every attempt at connection was met with a dialog asserting that there were no file services at the Windows machine. I deleted the com.apple.AppleShareClientCore.plist file in the Preferences folder within the Library folder in my Home directory of the current user. This fixed the problem."

Initio and new G4 conflict Andrew Glennie found that an Initio 9090U SCSI card would not work in his new 2002 Power Mac G4. It appears in Apple System Profiler, but nothing on the bus shows up. He has confirmed this with two cards.

Viking Intelliflash USB: No support for OS X coming Ronald Thisted received the following note from Viking Components Online Support: "As of this writing, there are no drivers for the Intelliflash for OS X. Additionally, there is no time table or release date projected."

Hide Previous Login redux Regarding Apple KB article 106691 on using the HideOrShowPreviousLogin application (previously note here on MacFixIt): Noam Birmbaum informs us that Mac OS X Hints describes another way to prevent login window from defaulting to the last used name: Add the following two lines /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow.plist: <key>AlwaysClearUserField</key> <true/>. When you log out, the user name field in the login window will be blank the next time you go to log in."

Timbuktu "Answer Dial Direct Calls" glitch? David Fucigna writes: "If Timbuktu's Answer Dial Direct Calls is activated, you may be unable to dial into the Internet with Apple's Internet Connect application. Simply unchecking the option in Timbuktu fixes this. I have called Netopia and they are looking into the problem."

QuickTime movie stuttering David Schloss alerted us to an Apple Discussions Board thread that discusses a stuttering when playing QuickTime movies on the Web. It appears to be limited to dual processor Macs, as has been noted previously.

Unstoppable Sherlock A MacFixIt Forums thread (Sherlock will not stop) describes a problem where, after starting an Internet Search, users cannot stop the application. A hard restart is required. We doubt this affects all users.

Explorer cache tip from OS 9 still applies to OS X Jeff Stearns notes that if you enable the cache in Internet Explorer's Advanced Preferences, it stores the cache in ~/Library/Caches/MS Internet Cache/. However, there is separate from the Download Cache that Explorer uses, stored in ~/Library/Preferences/Explorer/Temporary Files/. As we have noted before for this same file in Mac OS 9, the file can get to be very very large. Thus, it pays to check it from time to time and delete it if you want to recover the drive space.

Update: Scott Boettcher notes that if you select to "Immediately remove items after they have been downloaded" from Explorer's Preferences/Download Options, your Temporary Files folder should always be 0 Kb.

DriveSavers: How much? Regarding our item on DriveSavers yesterday, several readers queried as to what it cost to have our data recovered. There is not set price. The cost varies depending on the amount of data that needs to be recovered, the type of operating system (Mac OS is at the first price level unless you have a RAID setup), and how fast you need it back. DriveSavers will give you an estimate over the phone. The average cost of a job is $700. That's why it's almost always cheaper to make sure your data is backed up.

Having DriveSavers attempt to recover data will not void the Apple warranty on the drive (see Apple KB document 31077).