After upgrading to OS X Yosemite, you might find your system running rather slowly, even when there are no obvious reasons for it, such as a program you have open that is performing some computationally intensive task. Upon investigating this, you might resort to opening Apple’s Activity Monitor program to see what is running in the background, and find a process called Folder Actions Dispatcher running and using between 80 to 100 percent of your CPU. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: January 2015
Having Wi-Fi issues after updating to 10.10.2? Try these fixes
One of Apple’s focuses with the recent 10.10.2 update was for Wi-Fi reliability; however, given that in doing so Apple adjusted the code for its Wi-Fi services, some systems that had stable Wi-Fi connections before the update might now experience problems. In addition, as with any update, sometimes those with ongoing problems may see them persist. If you are experiencing Wi-Fi problems after updating to OS X 10.10.2, then there are some things you can try to stabilize your connection. Continue reading
How to use iTunes 12.1’s Notification Center widget
Earlier today Apple released iTunes 12.1, which brings a few fixes for some known stability issues, and also improves syncing with various iOS devices. In addition, Apple has included a Notification Center widget that will allow you to control iTunes from the Notification Center sidebar. This option gives you similar convenience to Apple’s iTunes Dashboard widget, and adds to the numerous options Apple already includes for controlling iTunes from small window. However, upon installing iTunes 12.1 you might not see the widget available right away. Continue reading
Printers not behaving? Reset them and start from scratch
While printing has somewhat taken a back seat to the use of PDFs and other electronic forms of communication, there are still plenty of times when printers are regularly used; however, along with this there may be times when your printers will not behave correctly and refuse to print. Sometimes you might get an error specifying a problem with your printer setup, but at other times the print job may sit in your print queue and not move. Continue reading
How to force OS X 10.10.2 to install on your Mac
An error may exist in Apple’s latest 10.10.2 updates, where the update will not install on some systems running OS X 10.10.0 or 10.10.1. When the update is applied, either from the App Store or from manual downloads of Apple’s updaters, the installer will claim “This volume does not meet the requirements for this update” and then quit without allowing you to install the update. This will happen even when booted to Safe Mode, suggesting it is not a problem with interference from third-party software. Continue reading
Which Macs were affected by Thunderstrike?
The Thunderstrike exploit that affected a number of Mac systems with Thunderbolt ports, and gave an attacker with physical access to the system the ability to overtake the system’s ROM with a maliciously crafted Thunderbolt device. This attack was outlined by security researcher Trammell Hudson, and has been fixed in OS X 10.10.2, so for those who are concerned about their systems being vulnerable, this update should address the problem. Continue reading
Apple releases iOS 8.1.3 update
Along with today’s 10.10.2 update for Yosemite, Apple has issued an update for iOS 8. The latest version (8.1.3) fixes problems with the management of Apple IDs in FaceTime, storage requirement calculations for applying software updates, problems with multitasking gestures working on iPads, and adds some new options for standardized testing in education environments. Continue reading
Apple issues 10.10.2 update and security updates
Apple has released the awaited 10.10.2 update for OS X Yosemite, bringing a number of fixes for outstanding stability bugs and security issues, including some long-standing problems with Thunderbolt (aka “Thunderstrike”) that could allow an attacker with physical access to a machine the ability to overtake the system’s through a firmware hack. Continue reading
Fix inaccessible and grayed out folders in the OS X Finder
All files and folders that you encounter when browsing the Finder in OS X should be displayed in regular font and icon color; however, there may be times when this is not the case, and one or more folders may appear grayed out and otherwise faded. When this happens, you will not be able to open the folder, and unlike other folders that may show a small entry triangle next to them in list view, these will not have options for viewing what is inside. Continue reading
Prevent iPads and Macs from picking up your iPhone calls
In the latest versions of iOS and OS X, Apple implemented a few ways to share content and services between your devices, so you can quickly pick up on one where you left off on another. One of these features is the ability to answer and make cell phone on your Mac that you receive on your iPhone, provided the phone and your other devices are on the same network. Even though this has its conveniences, there are times when this can be somewhat annoying, where when you receive a call you will find all of your devices lighting up and making alert noises. Continue reading