When managing files and folders in the Finder, you will undoubtedly need to trash a few here and there; however, when you drag files to the trash you may run into an error where OS X refuses to move them and claims “The item can’t be moved to the Trash because it can’t be deleted,” which is a pretty vague description of the problem at hand, and essentially offers no useful solution. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: August 2015
How to prepare your Mac for OS X 10.11 ‘El Capitan’
Apple’s OS X El Capitan is slated for release in fall, and with this season right around the corner, the OS will soon be available for those who wish to install it. While it is largely similar to OS X Yosemite, El Capitan does include a number of improvements that should enhance both your workflow and the overall snappiness of the OS. These alone may be good reasons to upgrade, but as with any upgrade or update, there is always a chance that something may go wrong when you install it, so it is good to take a few steps to help prevent this. Continue reading
What can you do with Apple’s new Force-Touch trackpad?
If you recently purchased a MacBook that has Apple’s new Force-Touch trackpad, then as with any new system you might have played around with the trackpad’s features for a little while, and then settled into only using more generic functions like pointing and clicking. This may be especially true if you are a long-standing Mac user and have become accustomed to the previous multi-touch trackpad’s features. However, by keeping a couple of ideas in mind, you can make the best use of your Mac’s new trackpad. Continue reading
Latest Safari versions address browser hijacking
One of the more notorious problems you might run into when using a computer is a browser hijacking attack, where stumbling upon a maliciously crafted Web site will result in an alert being repeatedly displayed, regardless of how many times you try to close it. While you might resort to force-quitting Safari to overcome this problem, with Apple’s “Resume” feature in OS X, when you re-launch the browser your Web pages will load again, resulting in the same frustrating behavior. Continue reading
How to manage iNode files in the “lost+found” directory
If you open your Mac’s boot drive, you may find a folder called “lost+found” next to the System, Applications, Users, and other system directories at the top level of the drive. If not, then this folder may still be present, but could just be hidden, so check for its presence by pressing Shift-Command-G in the Finder, and then entering “/lost+found” (minus the quotes) in the drop-down panel. If this reveals the folder, you may find a number of files in it that begin with the name “iNode” and end with a series of numbers. Continue reading
How to edit files in TextEdit from the OS X Terminal
If you are a Terminal user, then you very likely spend a fair amount of time editing various text files, be they configuration files, scripts, or data files you might use for your work. For a seasoned Terminal veteran, the various text editors like vi, emacs, and nano, may offer all the tools needed for getting the job done, but for those less familiar, managing these tools can be cumbersome. Luckily, in OS X there is a quick way to make use of GUI-based programs for handling pretty much any document you might encounter in the Terminal. Continue reading
New Zero-Day memory injection vulnerability discovered in OS X
PCWorld is reporting that a new zero-day vulnerability has been found for OS X, which affects versions of OS X from 10.9.5 through to the recently-released 10.10.5. The problem comes from how NULL pointers in programs are handled, where malicious programs may use a special condition to bypass the default location where NULL code is directed to, and allow the program to bypass OS X’s security. Continue reading
Quick fixes for icons missing from your desktop
The desktop on your Mac serves multiple purposes, as both a representation of the Desktop folder contents in your home directory, and as a location to access computer resources, such as hard drives and mounted network shares. These make the desktop a convenient place to store temporary work, and organize commonly-accessed files; however, there may be times when items you know should be on the desktop are missing. Continue reading
Apple recalling some Apple TVs
If you recently purchased an AppleTV, then its possible you may receive an e-mail from Apple requesting you ship the system back to Apple for a replacement. For unknown reasons besides mention of a faulty component, Apple has initiated the recall, and is offering affected users an iTunes gift card for the inconvenience. Continue reading
Malware developers targeting MacKeeper settlement Web page
Following the recent announcement of the MacKeeper legal settlement, malware developers are creating routines that redirect people from the settlement site to nefarious Web pages that use javascript hacks to “lock” a browser. When this happens, you will see an alert window that has an OK button, but clicking the button just pops open another alert. Continue reading