FixoMac
Blue DotTroubleshooting
Blue DotUpgrades & Repairs

Services Offered
Blue DotWeb Hosting
Blue DotWeb Site Design
Blue DotPre-Purchase
Blue DotTraining
Blue DotMac Networks
Blue DotGraphics & Printing

Database Design
Blue DotFilemaker Pro™

Fun Stuff
Blue DotMacs Everywhere
Blue DotEnhancements

About Us
Blue DotHome

 

Local Sites

Handyman Services
SandpointMovers.com

The Garden Company

POVN

Priest Lake Chamber
Of Commerce

Grandview Resort
on Priest Lake

Blue Diamond Marina
on Priest Lake

Computor Companion

R&L Property Management

 

 

 

 
  Sandpoint Macs Location  
 

Mac OS X Tips and Troubleshooting
OSX Tip: Saving installer files when using Software Update: When the OS 10.0.1 update is completed via Software Update, the installer files are moved to a folder called 501 in the /tmp directory. Anything in the /tmp directory is erased upon restarting. However, you may recover the files before restarting by using Terminal to move (and rename) the directory to your user directory. To do so, type:

1. From within Terminal, type: cd / <return>
2. Type: cd tmp ls (to make sure the folder is there) <return>
("501" may actually be found in a folder called "Temporary Items")
3. Type: mv 501 ~/(new foldername) <return>
4. Restart.

Optimizing/Defragmenting OS X hard drive improves speed

I was disappointed in the overall speed of Mac OS X on my Powerbook. So I rebooted from my Norton SystemWorks CD and checked the drive with Speed Disk. It reported that the Mac OS X partition had "severe" fragmentation. So I optimized the partition. When I rebooted in Mac OS X, speed was "much faster." [Note: only the latest versions, 6.x, of Norton Utilities can be used to optimize a Mac OS X volume.]

Norton reported disk errors that we had to fix before we could even optimize the severely fragmented partition. But when all was done and I rebooted in Mac OS X, performance (especially launching applications) was noticeably quicker and required less disk access.

Bad OS 9.1 font prevents OS X startup
Mac OS X appears to check OS 9.1 Fonts folders at startup, even if Classic is not launched. Gordon Wright found that this could prevent OS X startup from completing if the folder contains an incompatible font (even though the font will not affect booting in Mac OS 9.1). You get stuck with an endlessly spinning beachball cursor. The solution is to boot from 9.1, and then identify and remove the offending font.
Using OS 9 modem scripts
You can use your old modem scripts in Mac OS X. Indeed they use the same format. To do this, just move your modem script to the </Library/Modem Scripts> folder. It now should be available in the list of modems of the Network System Preferences.

OS X Basics: Installing Mac OS X

Mac OS X can be installed on the same volume as Mac OS 9, allowing you to have both installed even if your drive has only one partition. You can then use Startup Disk utilities to select which one you want to boot. However, we believe that it is best two have two partitions, one for OS 9.1 and one for OS X. Among other things, this offers protection against OS X causing a problem with the partition, such that neither OS 9 or OS X will boot from that partition. Additionally, by also installing a second OS 9 System Folder on the OS X partition, it allows you to use Classic without causing any (potentially undesired) modifications to your main OS 9 System Folder - nor conversely requiring that you make changes (e.g., disabling extensions) to the OS 9 System Folder to accommodate Classic. Here's how to do all this:
  1. Make sure your hardware meets the requirements for Mac OS X.
  2. A. If have not partitioned your hard drive as yet, do so. Make sure one partition is large enough to hold all your current data while the other is large enough for an install of Mac OS X [If your hard drive is not large enough to do this, you'll have to discard data, get a larger drive, or give up on this procedure.] Typically, you will use Drive Setup to reformat and partition the drive. Sad Macs is one of several sources that provide details on how to do this. You will have to first back up all your data and then, after the drive has been partitioned, restore the data to one of the partitions. The second partition is then ready for Mac OS X.
    B. If you already have two partitions, simply erase the secondary partition to get ready to install Mac OS X. [Note: if you are upgrading from the Public Beta, you may not want to erase the partition. You can simply upgrade instead. However, for simplicity, we are assuming a new install here.]
  3. Install a clean copy of Mac OS 9.1 on the second partition. This will be used when starting up in Classic. After the Install is over, delete everything that was installed except for the System Folder itself (as you presumably already have copies of all the other stuff on your other partition). You can also delete any files from the System Folder that you do not want accessed from Classic mode. Finally, if there are some files in your original 9.1 System Folder (on the other partition) that you want available in Classic, you will need to copy them over. [Obviously, the details here can get more involved than this brief note may imply.]
  4. Restart from the Mac OS X CD and follow the instructions to install Mac OS X on the second partition. We have done this a few times on several different machines, and it has always gone smoothly. So hopefully, you will have no trouble here. After installing the software, and going through the setup procedure (where you will select an initial user name and password), you will restart from Mac O X.
  5. Open Classic System Preferences. From the Start/Stop pane, select the Mac OS 9 System Folder on the same partition as Mac OS X to be your Classic System Folder. If that option is dimmed, you will need to go to the Startup Disk System Preference and select the Mac OS 9 System Folder on the Mac OS X partition to be your Startup Disk. Restart. Now, using the Mac OS 9 Startup Disk control panel, select to restart again in Mac OS X. Now return to the Classic System Preference. You should now be able to select the desired partition.
  6. You may now wish to go to the Login System Preference and setup whether or not you want to autromatically login (only use this option if you are the only person using the computer).

You are now set and ready to go.
Files added to Mac OS 9.1 when Classic is launched
This is a list of all the items that are installed in the Mac OS 9.1 System Folder when Classic is first launched from Mac OS X.

In the root of the System Folder:

    ProxyApp 1.0
    Classic Support UI 1.3.1
    Classic 9.1
    Classic Support 1.3.1
    Control Panels:
    General Controls 8.0.1
    Startup Disk 9.2
    Scripting Additions:
    Standard Addition 1.6

In Extensions folder:

    Apple Guide 2.5.2
    AppleShare 3.8.9
    AppleScript 1.6
    Classic RAVE 1.7
    File Sharing Extension 7.6.8
    LaserWriter 8 8.7.1
    Open Transport 2.7.5
    Open Transport ASLM Modules 2.7.5
    OpenTpt Remote Access 4.0.1
    PrintingLib 8.7.1
    QuickDraw™ 3D RAVE 1.7

[Home] [Fixomac] [Web Hosting] [Services] [Database Design] [Fun Stuff] [News] [About Us]

©2000-2005 Walden Orchards and Laura Bry.
All other trademarks are property of their respective holders.

Disclaimer: This site is intended as a promotional vehicle for Walden Orchards.
We are neither affiliated with nor authorized by Apple Computer Inc. But we do love their products!

[Previous Page]


Site Contents

Apple OS 9.x Updates

Apple OS X Updates

All System Updates

Tips and Tricks
Web Browser Tips

Key Commands

More Key Commands

A Healthy Mac

Basic Maintainance

Mac OS 9.1 Tips

Mac OS 9.2.1 Tips

How to create a
Web Photo Album

Apple Spec Online


Mac OSX Tips Page