OT: Apple Mac computers

[dennis]

The 7.10 live cd only requires 256M too, it says that. However it needs more than that if you start the installer. Maybe it should say it needs more than 256M to run all its features rather than letting the user find out that it hangs while partitioning the disks?

Have they fixed the bug I found in the installer messages?

7.10 puts out exactly the same warning message just before it partitions the disk whether it is going to destroy your windows partition or isn't going to destroy it. Not the most useful message.

[dennis]

Its based on the freeBSD kernel and has nothing to do with linux. Like linux it uses a lot of OSS to make an OS on top of the kernel. Its surprising how many people don't know that linux is only the kernel and

*none* of the software you see is linux.

Fix it then, its probably a driver up the creak.

You have a problem with your use of windows. two months is easy on XP or vista.

[Neil]

Perhaps a few more details will help diagnose the underlying problem... How old is the machine ? How much RAM does it have ? Is it just time for a new one - business consumable... I've seen a few machines become erratic after the stream of Windows Updates which seem to require more memory. The RAM might be going a bit duff - can cause obscure errors and messages. Are there many games installed ? Some games are less well programmed than others, and may interact in a non-optimal manner. Are the air vents clogged with a few years of dust and fluff ? The machine may overheat and freeze. The few Apples I've seen seem to be OK,but I'm not sure there us much difference to Windows (cue flame war). Might be worth having a browse of Dell, Misco, CCLComputers etc to see how much and what's on offer these days. The laptop shop opposite PC World / Toys R Us is fairly friendly & helpful - I'm a satisfied customer - in case a laptop would be a suitable replacement. hth Neil

[Andy Hall]

I didn't say that it would last for three years. I said that that is the typical lifetime used for a laptop (any laptop) in a business environment. Actually it's often two.

[dennis]

I agree, most people can get along with a £300 laptop with ease. No need to spend any more for word processing and internet use. Maybe a bit more for games. If they don't need a laptop then a sub £200 PC will do.

[Andy Hall]

It was end of life on 30th June until low end users found that Vista wouldn't work on their hardware and entry level PC manufacturers complained.

Nothing like forcing crap on people by the use of OEM deals.

... and boy does it need them. Compare the length of the CERT list for Windows.

Which is a Good Thing.

[Andy Hall]

It's based on the Mach kernel.

It's Windows that creaks. The driver is up the creek.

Provided that you are lucky with the hardware and drivers for it. If they are broken, the only sources of a fix are the vendor and MS.

[Andy Hall]

I that they were called nee-naws.

[dennis]

WLM as well.

They do what most people want.

Is that the free version or the £55 version?

Using hard drives is not a good idea. You really do need something robust, that is only there when doing the backup, and is at least duplicated. Anything else will fail.

Recovering old deleted files is not a backup.

Oh yes! "I need to get support on my Mac, Oh they don't do it anymore, I will buy a new one." Really is driven by the market.

Except that you can't secure your computer anymore.

[dennis]

That's your fault for installing an application that doesn't follow the programming rules. If you didn't run as administrator you wouldn't end up with such a screw up. You need vista, you would have to try hard to get the application to write anything to the system registry. It can be done as some idiots have shown when they turn of all the extra security because they don't like an extra prompt when they install stuff.

I have. Would you like to allow me remote access so I can demonstrate to you?

Neither have I, well not on windows. I have screwed up rather a lot of OSes in the past, it was a specialty of mine.

Looks like *you* got it wrong again! A quote from you " You do not pay extra for upgrades." You do keep changing your minds.

Free on windows and has been for a decade or two.

Shame really, there isn't anything to fix. As I said user error.

[dennis]

Irrelevant to the point.

[dennis]

That isn't surprising.

[Derek Geldard]

Prompted by Neil ...

He should get memtest86 from

(Free to download !)

And let it run for 36+ hours. Any errors and it's E.O.S. for the ram.

Yes, piss the games off.

Check also the cpu fan, running up to speed and not groaning as the impeller oscilates on it's shaft. Re-make the themal connection between cpu - heatsink. I've seen so called "Thermal" double sided tape used here, which has turned to a sliver of biscuit over 2-3 years.

Get a copy of "Speedfan" which wil report and track fan speeds and CPU temperatures from the CPU's own on chip sensor.

also completely free.

There's lfe in it yet. It's worth a fix. What memory does it take MH ? Some of it is dirt cheap nowadays (surprisingly some old stuff isn't)

[Andy Hall]

Live messaging.

Apple Mail is a much better email environment. It handles IMAP properly and caches correctly. OE does neother

I think you lost the plot some way back.

It's a very good idea as long as decent ones are used. Alternatively a basic RAID box can be used.

Which is why I said that more than one device should be used..

Who said anything about deleted?

More likely is that the user wants to run newer, larger and more functional software.

It was already noted that Apple provides bug fixes for several releases back.

Yes you can.

[John Rumm]

In which case you sound like the ideal mac customer ;-)

[Rod]

Partly because so many patches and software updates require it.

My experience of using an up to date, high end HP laptop (Vista pre-installed) was that it took at least ten minutes to boot - and was still slow (services starting up, etc.) for another ten minutes.

[dennis]

I had one of those. Very nice until I dropped it, the optical drive, MB HDD and display went a bit wonky after that. Try and avoid dropping yours down three flights as it may well break. Mine hibernated perfectly too. My Sony Vaio hibernated perfectly, and my Samsung R70 and my Toshiba P300, even my shuttle desktop hibernates perfectly. In fact I have never seen a PC that it didn't work on.

[Andy Hall]

A goodly proportion of Windows software breaks the programming rules in order to get at least some degree of performance out of the environment. In their frustration, software authors end up mandating installation in admin mode.

I agree. However, then a lot of Windows SW won't install at all.

I need vista like a hole in the head. The issues of applications have not changed.

Describing it will be fine.

Please explain how this is done natively on Windows NT and 2K.

If "user error" means installing Windows in the first place, then I agree.

[Andy Hall]

OI!

[dennis]

When did Apple start selling macs without OSX?

Please do. I have and know the answer.

But its OK for Apple?