MacMousecalls
We show you how . . .
About Me:
Name - Pat Fauquet
Location - Fairfax Station VA
I work with Bob LeVitus in his Dr. Mac consulting business. I am an active member of the Macintosh user group community. I have been solving Mac problems and teaching Mac users for over 20 years.
Bob LeVitus Consulting
About this Blog:
This blog is written for the beginning to intermediate Macintosh user. While there are many technical information sites, my purpose is to write clear solutions to common Macintosh problems with lots of illustrations to make it easy to follow along.
In my work as a consultant, I must keep my computer up-to-date, so illustrations and directions will be made from the latest version of the Mac OS X operating system.
Cool Links:
Your Mac Life
Washington Apple Pi
Recent Comments:
This site is a proud member of the MacLevelTen Media Group
DesignTools Monthly
DesignTools Weekly
MacMouseCalls
MacNotables
Movable Beast
MacProductivity
MacVoices
The MUG Center
The Pourhadi Perspective
ScreenCastsOnline
Talking WordPress
Name - Pat Fauquet
Location - Fairfax Station VA
I work with Bob LeVitus in his Dr. Mac consulting business. I am an active member of the Macintosh user group community. I have been solving Mac problems and teaching Mac users for over 20 years.
Bob LeVitus Consulting
About this Blog:
This blog is written for the beginning to intermediate Macintosh user. While there are many technical information sites, my purpose is to write clear solutions to common Macintosh problems with lots of illustrations to make it easy to follow along.
In my work as a consultant, I must keep my computer up-to-date, so illustrations and directions will be made from the latest version of the Mac OS X operating system.
Cool Links:
Your Mac Life
Washington Apple Pi
Recent Comments:
This site is a proud member of the MacLevelTen Media Group
DesignTools Monthly
DesignTools Weekly
MacMouseCalls
MacNotables
Movable Beast
MacProductivity
MacVoices
The MUG Center
The Pourhadi Perspective
ScreenCastsOnline
Talking WordPress
Troubleshooting
Is your Internet connection down? Part 2
2009-05-28 06:58 AM
Did you read Part 1?
There can be lots of other problems with Internet connections besides those listed in Part 1. While that article dealt with problems that affect both wired and wireless connections, today we will focus on wireless problems.
Years ago when I bought my first Apple AirPort, no one else around me had a wireless Internet connection. My PC neighbors were amazed that I was able to be on the Internet without having a cable connected. Some of them eventually bought wireless set-ups of their own and they were stunned by the difficulties in setting up their new routers while my AirPort made the task so easy.
After a time things began to get ugly. Instead of being able to “see” one wireless network, I had several to choose from in my AirPort menu item. Soon I began having problems with drops in my AirPort signal strength and sometimes I could not even “see” my own network! Click here to read more...
There can be lots of other problems with Internet connections besides those listed in Part 1. While that article dealt with problems that affect both wired and wireless connections, today we will focus on wireless problems.
Years ago when I bought my first Apple AirPort, no one else around me had a wireless Internet connection. My PC neighbors were amazed that I was able to be on the Internet without having a cable connected. Some of them eventually bought wireless set-ups of their own and they were stunned by the difficulties in setting up their new routers while my AirPort made the task so easy.
After a time things began to get ugly. Instead of being able to “see” one wireless network, I had several to choose from in my AirPort menu item. Soon I began having problems with drops in my AirPort signal strength and sometimes I could not even “see” my own network! Click here to read more...
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Is your Internet connection down? Part 1
2009-05-25 07:53 AM
You know the drill.
You launch Safari and all you see is a spinning beach ball. Or you’ve been away from your computer and then you come back to go to a web page. All that you get is a spinning beach ball.
So what is going on?
Why can’t you get that web page?
Did your computer mess up--again? Click here to read more...
You launch Safari and all you see is a spinning beach ball. Or you’ve been away from your computer and then you come back to go to a web page. All that you get is a spinning beach ball.
So what is going on?
Why can’t you get that web page?
Did your computer mess up--again? Click here to read more...
Is Your Mac Slow? - Old Programs?
2009-02-12 09:29 AM
While there are many things that can cause your Mac
to run slowly, this blog entry is aimed at users who
have migrated from earlier Macs.
At Bob LeVitus Consulting, we work with many customers. More than a few have been using Macintosh computers for many years. They may have owned four or even more earlier Macs. When they purchase a new computer, they use the Migration Assistant that appears as a part of the set-up process to move their older files and applications to their new computer. Click here to read more...
At Bob LeVitus Consulting, we work with many customers. More than a few have been using Macintosh computers for many years. They may have owned four or even more earlier Macs. When they purchase a new computer, they use the Migration Assistant that appears as a part of the set-up process to move their older files and applications to their new computer. Click here to read more...
When is it time to reformat a hard drive?
2009-01-30 01:28 PM
I was listening to a recent episode of a
friend’s podcast earlier this morning. He was
discussing Macworld and his experiences there.
Unfortunately he had a bit of trouble with his hard
drive. I still have not finished listening to the
podcast, but I just had to stop to write this blog
post. Click here to read
more...
What do you keep under your MacBook?
2008-09-22 08:15 PM
Recently I have taken part in several online
discussions about MacBooks and MacBook Pros and just
what to set them on.
In each discussion, various objects and surfaces have been suggested as the perfect thing to keep under a portable computer. Notice I did not call them laptops. These days Apple and most other manufacturers call them portables. They get to hot to comfortably rest them on your lap!
There were lots of suggestions for different articles to place under the computer. One gentleman suggested placing the computer directly on a wooden desk and rationalized that the desktop would act as a heat sink. Another woman said she uses her MacBook sleeve, made out of wetsuit material, to protect her legs from the heat. Another person said they use a thick coffee table book. All of these suggestions are BAD ones!…
Click here to read more...
In each discussion, various objects and surfaces have been suggested as the perfect thing to keep under a portable computer. Notice I did not call them laptops. These days Apple and most other manufacturers call them portables. They get to hot to comfortably rest them on your lap!
There were lots of suggestions for different articles to place under the computer. One gentleman suggested placing the computer directly on a wooden desk and rationalized that the desktop would act as a heat sink. Another woman said she uses her MacBook sleeve, made out of wetsuit material, to protect her legs from the heat. Another person said they use a thick coffee table book. All of these suggestions are BAD ones!…
Click here to read more...
Computer Troubles or Power Problems?
2008-06-19 07:55 AM
Just what is the problem? You’d think Apple
Inc. could make a program for the Mac without any
bugs! What are those coders up to! Yeah, yeah, yeah
– its all Apple’s fault!
Now, wait just a darn minute! Are you sure some of the blame isn’t yours?
I have been getting lots of calls about Macs not working as they should. These are the same kinds of problems that I saw at about the same time last year – and the year before – and the year before.
I am hearing about Time Machine backups that fail, computers that are having hard drive catalog errors, and programs that suddenly quit. When I run Disk Utility First Aid on the drives, I am seeing lots of errors. I haven’t seen this many hard drive errors since early last fall. In fact, I have even had trouble with my own computers.
Click here to read more...
Now, wait just a darn minute! Are you sure some of the blame isn’t yours?
I have been getting lots of calls about Macs not working as they should. These are the same kinds of problems that I saw at about the same time last year – and the year before – and the year before.
I am hearing about Time Machine backups that fail, computers that are having hard drive catalog errors, and programs that suddenly quit. When I run Disk Utility First Aid on the drives, I am seeing lots of errors. I haven’t seen this many hard drive errors since early last fall. In fact, I have even had trouble with my own computers.
Click here to read more...
Rethinking Periodic Maintenance.
2008-06-11 08:25 AM
There are lot of good sources of Mac information and
there are some people who you come to trust and
respect. The crew over at Macworld produce an outstanding
web site and magazine and Dan Frakes, who joined
the staff in recent years, is one of the people
I regard as a true Mac expert.
The July issue of Macworld magazine has a series of very good troubleshooting articles. Much of the content has also been made available on the web site. Dan Frake’s article, Five Mac maintenance myths has brought quite a few comments. In reading them, I was compelled to add my own. This is what I wrote: Click here to read more...
The July issue of Macworld magazine has a series of very good troubleshooting articles. Much of the content has also been made available on the web site. Dan Frake’s article, Five Mac maintenance myths has brought quite a few comments. In reading them, I was compelled to add my own. This is what I wrote: Click here to read more...
Does your computer do strange things?
2008-05-17 11:03 AM
One of the listservs that I read each day is the
MacRogues On-Line Mac User Group
and OS X DISCUSSION LIST. I while
occasionally provide an answer, I am often
frustrated that the all-text listserv format
does not make it easy to "show" someone how to
fix a problem. The topic that caused me to want
to "show" the answer this time is the problem of
screen flashing on Macs.
The message writer said "The screen will freeze before flashing a solid blue and then return to normal." Several people responded, most suggesting a hardware problem. Click here to read more...
The message writer said "The screen will freeze before flashing a solid blue and then return to normal." Several people responded, most suggesting a hardware problem. Click here to read more...
Know when to fold 'em!
2008-04-22 11:31 AM
Running a consulting business with my friend, Bob
"Dr. Mac" LeVitus, can lead to a few strange nights!
Since I live in the eastern time zone, our friends in
the Pacific time zone are just getting to their
personal computers about the time that I am getting
ready for bed! Of course, since our Skype telephone
number has a 408 area code, it can really confuse
everyone!
The truth is that I may head up the stairs around 10 in the evening, but that does not mean that I put away my computer till a few hours later. I just love the convenience of a MacBook Pro, a good wireless network and Skype! I do some of my best reading and writing curled up in my bed. Of course, my husband is totally tied to paper, but who needs to hold paper to read and write these days! Click here to read more...
The truth is that I may head up the stairs around 10 in the evening, but that does not mean that I put away my computer till a few hours later. I just love the convenience of a MacBook Pro, a good wireless network and Skype! I do some of my best reading and writing curled up in my bed. Of course, my husband is totally tied to paper, but who needs to hold paper to read and write these days! Click here to read more...
Fragmentation - Do I need to De-frag my Mac?
2008-03-06 10:37 AM
There is nothing that causes more debate in a roomful
of Macintosh geeks that the topic of hard drive
defragmentation!
The most interesting part is that you can almost divide the room into the anti-defragging group vs. the "you must defrag" group based on the color of their hair!
Now just wait a minute--before you begin thinking age discrimination, you need to know that not all of us gray-haired people people are in the defrag camp, it is just that there are way too many of us there. Click here to read more...
The most interesting part is that you can almost divide the room into the anti-defragging group vs. the "you must defrag" group based on the color of their hair!
Now just wait a minute--before you begin thinking age discrimination, you need to know that not all of us gray-haired people people are in the defrag camp, it is just that there are way too many of us there. Click here to read more...
What is this SUID thing?
2008-01-04 11:12 AM
We get questions – lots and lots of questions
over at Bob LeVitus Consulting. While
many people really need help (and that's why we
exist), there are some questions for which the
answer is so simple, that I put up an entry here
on my MacMousecalls blog.
In the case of SUID warnings, just what they are and how to fix them would require a LOOOONNNNGGGG explanation, but Apple Inc. provides an easy answer in its Technical Information Library article #306935 – just ignore them!
Click here to read more...
In the case of SUID warnings, just what they are and how to fix them would require a LOOOONNNNGGGG explanation, but Apple Inc. provides an easy answer in its Technical Information Library article #306935 – just ignore them!
Click here to read more...