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  1. Uninstall MacOSX Applications (MA 08/01)
    • Locate the folder that holds the application and drag to the trash. It will be in the Applications folder in the root level of your startup volume if you installed it in the default location.
    • Open the Library folder at the same root level and find the folder called Application Support. In the Application Support folder trash anything that is identifyable as being directly related to the application being tossed. Be careful not to toss items that other apps might share. These may end in suffixes like .cfm, .dyld, or .lib. If in doubt, don't toss.
    • In your Home Directory, open your Library folder and find the Preferences folder. Open it and toss any files are folders directly related to the application being tossed.
    • Empty the trash.
  2. Reinstall OSX (MA 08/01, MA 08/02,p19))
    • Corrupt files in the OSX Library folders can cause a start-up crash. Although you can spend time trying to track them down and remove them, it's often easier to reinstall OSX .
    • 1st choice- Start up from the OSX Install CD and install OSX, being carefull, not to select the option that erases the disk. This will keep your custom settings. Important!- Be advised that if you have updated the OS to a version that is newer than that on the CD, proceed to 2nd Choice below. This is because updates have been applied to the OSX System. A reinstall of the original OSX System may break it.
    • 2nd Choice- If choice number 1 does not work, or is not an option, reboot in OS9 and remove the entire OSX System folder. Reboot from the OSX install CD and reinstall the OSX System. Then run Software Update (System Preferences) to bring OSX up to date.
  3. Start UP-Choose an OS-On most OSX supported machines hold down the Option key on start to bring up a window to select which OS to start from.
  4. Unfinished Startup (MA 08/02) If the Startup sequence quits before the computer gets to the MacOSX screen there are several possibilities:
    • Peripheral Problem- It may be having trouble with a peripheral. Unplug all of them and restart. If OSX starts ok, then plug them in one at a time and restart each time to figure out which peripheral is causing the problem.
    • Bad Startup Item- Restart in OS9 (use the OS9 CD if necessary. Hold "C" while starting). Navigate to the the OSX harddrive>Library>StartupItems folder and remove any startup item. Restart and see if the problem goes away.
    • Bad Log-in Item- After logging in, your Mac auto launches a program that causes a crash. After logging in, hold the Shift key immediately after you see MacOSX's status bar, until the Finder appears.
  5. Crash on Login (MA 08/02) If a crash occurs between login and the time the Desktop appears, it could be that a Login Item is causing the crash. After typing the Login password and pressing the Return button, hold the Shift key until the Desktop appears. Shift prevents Login items from launching. Open the System Preferences>Login Window and note Login items before removing them. Troubleshoot by reinstating the Login items one at a time.
  6. Quit OSX Apps that refuse to shut down(MW-10/01)
    • Force Quit- Apple/Option/Escape- starts Force Quit Application.
    • Force Quit from Dock
      • Click and hold application's Dock Icon
      • When the pop-up menu with a Quit option appears, hold down the Option key and Quit will change into Force Quit.
    • Apple Menu/Force Quit- starts Force Quit Application.
    • Process Viewer- Located in the Utilities Folder. Some applications, like the Dock, run behind the scenes. And they are not listed in the Force Quit Application.
      • Launch the Process Viewer
      • Select the Dock Process from the Process Menu
      • The Dock will vanish and reappear in about 10 seconds.
    • Log Out then Log back in.
    • Restart
      • If you can't log out, let your Mac sit for a few minutes. This gives it a chance to write cached data from RAM to the hard disk (something it may still be able to do) possible preventing data corruption.
      • Force Restart your Mac (Apple/Control+ Power button on laptops; Reset button on desktop Macs)
      • Reboot into OS9
        • On most OSX supported Macs, holding Option key on start brings up a window that where the OS can be selected.
        • After Restarted in OS9. Note: After started in OS9, you may be able to select the Startup Disk CP, select the OSX System and get a good restart.
  7. Wrong Application Launches (MA 08/02,p23) Let's say Graphic Converter sits on your hard drive. But when you click on a JPEG graphic document, Preview Launches. Fix this by doing a Show Info (Command I) on the JPEG file. Select Open with Application and choose Graphic Converter. In addition a selection in the Show Info window allows all files of this type to be opened with Graphic Converter.
  8. Using Carbon Copy Cloner to Backup and Restore a Drive
    By Kevin Diffily (Small Dog Electronics Dec03)
    I am going to outline the procedure to completely back up your hard drive, format (i.e. erase) the drive, and then restore the information to your drive.
    The first thing that you will need is an external FireWire Hard Drive that is at least as large as the amount of space you are currently using, plus 10%. Next you need to partition the drive into two partitions. This is done by opening /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility. In the left hand pane, select your external hard drive and then select the partition option. I would recommend a 3 GB partition, and the remainder for your backup. Name one Bootup and one Backup.
    You now need to insert your 10.2.x install disk #1 and restart holding down the C key. Run the installer, and when it asks where you want to install to, select Bootup. When you are done with the install, reboot and hold down the option key. You will be presented with multiple boot disks. Select Bootup and proceed.
    You have now booted off of the external drive. Once you have completed the setup process, go to http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html and download Carbon Copy Cloner. Once you have CCC, simply run it. To copy data from the computer's hard drive, select it in the source and in the destination select Backup. In preferences, make sure you select the "Make bootable option."
    After you have cloned your information from the source disk to the backup disk, restart the machine again holding down the option key. This time select Backup as the boot disk. We are doing this to make certain that the drive was correctly backed up. If you can boot and use the disk again, restart and this time select Bootup as the start disk. Now erase your desktop disk with Disk Utility. It is best to select the full erase in the options section. After erasing, simply CCC from backup to your computer's boot disk.Reprinted from TECH TAILS #191, November 11, 2003 .

     

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