Mac OS X Snow Leopard
So overall is it worth the upgrade? I can see myself spending $30 on this upgrade if it's really worth it.
I finally got my Boot Camp working this past weekend. I got the last copy of XP that Best Buy had
. I can't stand Vista.
I finally got my Boot Camp working this past weekend. I got the last copy of XP that Best Buy had
. I can't stand Vista.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
I wouldn't do it for a while. The upgrade seems to be causing trouble with people and all the changes aren't immediate, it'll be a while before you notice a real benefit from the changes anyways. I'd wait a couple months.
Don't know if this was posted or not...
Hold 6 and 4 keys at boot to enable 64-bit Snow Leopard (Updated)
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=4716
There's also directions on how to set it up so that it always boots in 64 bit mode.
Hold 6 and 4 keys at boot to enable 64-bit Snow Leopard (Updated)
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=4716
There's also directions on how to set it up so that it always boots in 64 bit mode.
More info on 64 bit mode ...
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/20...2-bit-mode.ars
The EFI firmware test in the first article I posted checks out on my MBP, it reports back that i can boot in 64 bit mode if I wanted to, but when I tried the pressing 6 and 4 trick at boot, it didn't work. So I think Apple disabled it and if I want to do it, I have to edit one of the plist files to have it always boot into 64 bit kernel, but I don't really need it considering I only have 4GB of RAM. And the 64bit system truly only helps if you have a lot of RAM as the applications are already running in 64 bit mode from what the article says.
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/20...2-bit-mode.ars
The EFI firmware test in the first article I posted checks out on my MBP, it reports back that i can boot in 64 bit mode if I wanted to, but when I tried the pressing 6 and 4 trick at boot, it didn't work. So I think Apple disabled it and if I want to do it, I have to edit one of the plist files to have it always boot into 64 bit kernel, but I don't really need it considering I only have 4GB of RAM. And the 64bit system truly only helps if you have a lot of RAM as the applications are already running in 64 bit mode from what the article says.
Last edited by Sly Raskal; Sep 18, 2009 at 02:30 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,967
Likes: 2,685
From: Jersey
From what I've read there is little to no advantage for running the 64-bit kernel. The 32-bit kernel can launch 64-bit applications and you won't run into driver problems. The upgrade was worth the $25 for me. I had to re-install 3 applications so far that didn't work out of the shoot. Other than that its been fine and faster than Leopard.
From what I've read there is little to no advantage for running the 64-bit kernel. The 32-bit kernel can launch 64-bit applications and you won't run into driver problems. The upgrade was worth the $25 for me. I had to re-install 3 applications so far that didn't work out of the shoot. Other than that its been fine and faster than Leopard.
I've run into one problem with my Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro installation. The Adobe PDF printer functionality was taken out of a recent update to the application because it would not have worked in SL due to increased security by the OS. So they turned that functionality into an automator script called "Save as Adobe PDF". That script just doesn't work for MANY people. As more people upgrade to SL, it's going to become a very bad nightmare for Adobe if they don't fix it soon.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
So apparently the world's most advanced operating system has this new feature that deletes all of the user's data if they log into the guest account and logout again.
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/28388/53/
http://discussions.apple.com/message...ageID=10198726
http://discussions.apple.com/thread....art=0&tstart=0
According to multiple topics on the Apple Support discussion boards, the problem can occur when a user logs into their Mac's Guest account -- whether by accident or on purpose -- and then tries to log back into their regular account.
In some cases, users have reported finding their regular account empty of data, as though it were a brand new account.
Speculation is that something makes Snow Leopard treat the regular account like a Guest account, from which by default all data is deleted upon logout. Further speculation is that the problem occurs when the Guest account was already enabled in Leopard before being upgraded to Snow Leopard.
The problem started being reported within days after Snow Leopard's shipping, but the discussions are all still marked "not answered"
The only solution for getting the deleted data back is to restore it from a backup.
In some cases, users have reported finding their regular account empty of data, as though it were a brand new account.
Speculation is that something makes Snow Leopard treat the regular account like a Guest account, from which by default all data is deleted upon logout. Further speculation is that the problem occurs when the Guest account was already enabled in Leopard before being upgraded to Snow Leopard.
The problem started being reported within days after Snow Leopard's shipping, but the discussions are all still marked "not answered"
The only solution for getting the deleted data back is to restore it from a backup.
http://discussions.apple.com/message...ageID=10198726
http://discussions.apple.com/thread....art=0&tstart=0
dɐɹɔ ǝɥʇ ʇɐɥʍ
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7,522
Likes: 1
From: Lexington, KY
I did the upgrade a week ago and am fairly pleased. I've had no odd problems but my ad blocker doesn't work and that upsets me, apparently I can switch Safari to 32 bit mode and it will work, but I'd rather wait out a solution for 64 bit. When flash is in the foreground it is incredibly slow, not a problem on any other browser besides safari. Overall it is quicker, freed up some space on the HD, and there are some subtle, yet helpful improvements in functionality that are nice.
If they can fix both the problems I mentioned I will be 100% happy with the upgrade, it took just under an hour and was very easy. Presently what I'm experiencing isn't a big deal, but clearly something isn't right with flash on Safari and the ad blocker is only a matter of time before the problem is fixed.
If they can fix both the problems I mentioned I will be 100% happy with the upgrade, it took just under an hour and was very easy. Presently what I'm experiencing isn't a big deal, but clearly something isn't right with flash on Safari and the ad blocker is only a matter of time before the problem is fixed.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,845
Likes: 145
So apparently the world's most advanced operating system has this new feature that deletes all of the user's data if they log into the guest account and logout again.
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/28388/53/
http://discussions.apple.com/message...ageID=10198726
http://discussions.apple.com/thread....art=0&tstart=0
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/28388/53/
http://discussions.apple.com/message...ageID=10198726
http://discussions.apple.com/thread....art=0&tstart=0
I'm wondering if there are any other consistent things about everyone that's gotten hit ... did everyone have the guest account enabled? Could there be some kind of a trojan that everyone got? Everyone using some Microsoft product? I think the problem must lay outside of the OS, although the OS is clearly the thing most affected.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
@ some Microsoft product. But seriously how does this bad of a bug not get noticed in beta testing? oh I know cause they only let like 100 people test it. This is what happens when the keep such a closed secretive beta testing phase, a lot of bugs aren't discovered until the product is released to the general public.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
I'm installing Snow Leopard on my friend's iMac right now. I'm still waiting for the Migration assistant to finish restoring all his stuff from the Time Machine backup. It's been almost two hours but it's way easier than reinstalling everything manually. We're just sittin here playing PS3....
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
So far so good. He's saying iMovie isn't stuttering as bad as it was before. It's still doing it but it's much better. IDK if that's cause of Snow leopard or cause of the clean install or a combination of both. But is it really a clean install if you restore all the data back from time machine? The big reason his siystem is stuttering during iMovie playback is cause he only has 1gb of RAM!! We open activity monitor while iMovie was running and he only had 15mb of free RAM. So I told him he needs to upgrade and we ordered a 4gb kit from newegg that should be here at the end of the week.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 23,451
Likes: 54
Bought Snow Leopard at an Apple store this afternoon and just finished installing about an hour ago. So far I'm liking it. However, after installing, I saw a new "notice" that is part of Snow Leopard that wasn't in standard Leopard.
Question I had though (and didn't feel like starting a whole new thread about) is my battery.
Not to long ago, I noticed a considerable decrease in battery performance, but thought it might just be to getter "older". Seems like something isn't right though compared to what most things I've read.
Computer is a 15" MBP.
It's a year and a half old (so not under warranty anymore; no AppleCare), has 265 cycles, and iStat Pro says it's health is hovering 40-50%. I've read many sources saying that the batteries should hold approx 80% of original capacity at 300 cycles.
If the battery is deemed "defective", would it be replaced despite the computer itself not being under warranty?
EDIT: Reason I noticed this, is because it says "Service Battery" when you click on the battery icon up top
Question I had though (and didn't feel like starting a whole new thread about) is my battery.
Not to long ago, I noticed a considerable decrease in battery performance, but thought it might just be to getter "older". Seems like something isn't right though compared to what most things I've read.
Computer is a 15" MBP.
It's a year and a half old (so not under warranty anymore; no AppleCare), has 265 cycles, and iStat Pro says it's health is hovering 40-50%. I've read many sources saying that the batteries should hold approx 80% of original capacity at 300 cycles.
If the battery is deemed "defective", would it be replaced despite the computer itself not being under warranty?
EDIT: Reason I noticed this, is because it says "Service Battery" when you click on the battery icon up top
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
Do you usually keep your MBP plugged into the wall outlet? I'm hearing mixed info on this, some are saying that leaving the laptop plugged into the wall outlet and the battery 100% charged will kill the battery faster than going through the cycle of charging a battery then using up it's power and then charging again. In my short experience with laptops it seems that leaving it plugged into the outlet does decrease battery life faster but I haven't had a lot of experience with laptops since I don't use one regularly.
BumpTop 3D Physics-Based Desktop Now Available on Mac, With Multitouch
BumpTop's been bumping kicking around for a few months on Windows, and even made a cameo in HP's newest touch tablets. Today, it arrives on what feels like its natural home: OS X.
The BumpTop concept is the same as it is in Windows, which is to say it's a 3D sandbox of a regular desktop. Icons can be placed on the floor—the main desktop surface—or any one of its four walls, which can be viewed from the top down, or head on. Icons can be stacked, literally, into piles which can then be previewed in a variety of ways, and interact with one another as solid objects would. If you throw one, it has momentum. If you throw one into another one, they collide.
Execution on Mac feels a bit smoother than on PC, mainly because the multitouch gestures, first seen in the Windows 7 version, work so well with MacBooks' glass trackpads. The metaphor is fun, if not immediately practical, and the performance penalty is minimal—my install idles at around 1% CPU use and 90MB of RAM after a few minutes of use.
You can try BumpTop for free, while a $30 Pro version adds multitouch support, instant search and a few extra gestures. As an interesting tech demo it's definitely worth a download, and for what it's worth it blends into my computer habits pretty well, to the point that I forget about it until I run into my desktop (which to be honest, doesn't happen a whole lot), only to be pleasantly, if slightly, surprised. But $30? That feels little steep for what amounts to giving a single folder in your OS a makeover.
The BumpTop concept is the same as it is in Windows, which is to say it's a 3D sandbox of a regular desktop. Icons can be placed on the floor—the main desktop surface—or any one of its four walls, which can be viewed from the top down, or head on. Icons can be stacked, literally, into piles which can then be previewed in a variety of ways, and interact with one another as solid objects would. If you throw one, it has momentum. If you throw one into another one, they collide.
Execution on Mac feels a bit smoother than on PC, mainly because the multitouch gestures, first seen in the Windows 7 version, work so well with MacBooks' glass trackpads. The metaphor is fun, if not immediately practical, and the performance penalty is minimal—my install idles at around 1% CPU use and 90MB of RAM after a few minutes of use.
You can try BumpTop for free, while a $30 Pro version adds multitouch support, instant search and a few extra gestures. As an interesting tech demo it's definitely worth a download, and for what it's worth it blends into my computer habits pretty well, to the point that I forget about it until I run into my desktop (which to be honest, doesn't happen a whole lot), only to be pleasantly, if slightly, surprised. But $30? That feels little steep for what amounts to giving a single folder in your OS a makeover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcbym...layer_embedded
http://gizmodo.com/5453028/bumptop-3...+%28Gizmodo%29
Link to bumptop page<------
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 23,451
Likes: 54
Do you usually keep your MBP plugged into the wall outlet? I'm hearing mixed info on this, some are saying that leaving the laptop plugged into the wall outlet and the battery 100% charged will kill the battery faster than going through the cycle of charging a battery then using up it's power and then charging again. In my short experience with laptops it seems that leaving it plugged into the outlet does decrease battery life faster but I haven't had a lot of experience with laptops since I don't use one regularly.
Ended up being bad.
Asked the guy at the store about leaving it plugged in, and he said that you should constantly let it cycle (taking out the power plug once it's fully charged; letting it drain down, etc). He said the laptops in the store are always left plugged in, and after about a year, they can't hold more than about 30 min of charge off the charger if they're lucky.
Apple finally brings official Windows 7 support to Boot Camp (update: 27-inch iMac fix)
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/19/a...-to-boot-camp/
It's about time. Now just gotta keep my fingers crossed that I don't get the black screen of death on my iMac.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/19/a...-to-boot-camp/
It's about time. Now just gotta keep my fingers crossed that I don't get the black screen of death on my iMac.
Personally, I'm scared to run VM's because when I tried to install parallels, it seriously fuxored my entire computer. I had to wipe the entire hard drive and reinstall both os x and windows. It's left a bad taste in my mouth ever since. Maybe i'll try it again someday.
dɐɹɔ ǝɥʇ ʇɐɥʍ
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7,522
Likes: 1
From: Lexington, KY
I've been using Snow Leopard for a while now and have fallen in love with Stacks! I know I tried using it with Leopard but it just wasn't for me, I'm not sure if I've changed or it's just gotten that much better - probably a combination of the two. It may not look as cool as compiz fusion, but it's just as functional and I think it's pretty obvious the next generation will be three dimensional and probably contain at least one more unique desktop, makes dual monitors unnecessary for most users. If you haven't played with stacks at all you owe it to yourself, I bet you'll be shocked at how handy they are.
There are definitely times when using, VMWare, Parallels, or whichever VM you want to use within OSX is useful, but it also requires an extra purchase. For those that don't want to spend more money, it's nice that there is a built-in solution that allows them to run two operating systems out of the box. Maybe not simultaneously, but at least you can still dual boot.
Personally, I'm scared to run VM's because when I tried to install parallels, it seriously fuxored my entire computer. I had to wipe the entire hard drive and reinstall both os x and windows. It's left a bad taste in my mouth ever since. Maybe i'll try it again someday.
Personally, I'm scared to run VM's because when I tried to install parallels, it seriously fuxored my entire computer. I had to wipe the entire hard drive and reinstall both os x and windows. It's left a bad taste in my mouth ever since. Maybe i'll try it again someday.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,967
Likes: 2,685
From: Jersey
Go Giants
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 70,003
Likes: 1,260
From: PA
I have some office stuff that I use a lot that is Windows only, and it runs slow in parallels. Its easy to go into Bootcamp when I need it.
You must have really shit the bed on your install. I was able to install it on an old ipod nano so I wouldn't waste HD space on my macbook. It worked like a charm and I was still able to use it as an ipod. I wouldn't let your experience sour the whole process, it just sounds like you made a few mistakes while installing it.
I know it's good software, and I'm sure I'll try it again someday. When is the question, not if.