While enterprise-level backup options may offer robust solutions for workgroups, Apple’s Time Machine service is a great backup option to use for a single machine since it preserves the OS configuration along with all user data and applications. However, if you have used several Time Machine drives over time, you may find OS X suddenly showing Notification Center warnings that there have been no backups for a given number of days. Continue reading
Category Archives: Troubleshooting
Using the OS X crash reporter to diagnose a program failure
Whenever a program crashes in OS X, you are presented with a small window that indicates the program quit unexpectedly (Apple’s vernacular for “it crashed”). Whenever this happens, first choose the default option in this window to ignore the issue, and then try relaunching your program. However, if it occurs again then you may find some quick answers in the crash report that can be opened by clicking the “Report” button. Continue reading
How to address ‘Battery Not Charging’ errors for your Mac
When you plug your MacBook’s power adapter in and its light turns amber, your system’s battery should charge; however, there may be times when this does not occur, and upon clicking the Battery menu you will see a notice that says “Battery Not Charging.” Despite this, the system will work fine as long as the power is plugged in, but if you disconnect power then the battery will progressively drain. Continue reading
How to manage file ‘in use’ or ‘locked’ errors in OS X
When a file is opened by a program, a filesystem lock is placed that prevents it from being accessed by another program. However, most programs in OS X will only truly “open” a file as a brief step in order to read its contents into memory. The file is then technically closed so it may be accessed elsewhere. Further interaction with the file will result in another quick “open” followed by the instructed manipulation right before the file is closed again, and computing goes on. Continue reading
Four easy steps to a faster Mac
Keeping your computer running at the speeds it ran at when you bought it may seem like a futile task, and often people just accept the fact that their computers will eventually become laggy and pause. However, your Mac’s hardware is functionally no different than it was when you purchased it. This means unless your Mac is over 5 years old and is missing capability required by the software you run, then it should perform reasonably similar to when you purchased it. Continue reading
How to address input device freezes on your Mac
Your keyboard and mouse are the gateway to your computer, so if these stop working then you will find yourself somewhat hard-pressed to properly control your system. While for the most part an unresponsive input device is indicative of an issue with the device itself, there are times when a conflict with your Mac may be the reason for the problem. Either way, there are several steps you can take to overcome input problems and regain control of your Mac. Continue reading
Certificate expiration breaks older OS X installers
Replacement developer certificates Apple issued to fix security issues have caused signed packages created using the older replaced certificates to no longer be verifiable. This results in OS X assuming corruption in these files, and will not process them by default. One unfortunate side-effect of this is that older installers you may have collected for past versions of OS X will likely have been signed using older certificates, and may no longer install. Continue reading
Fix VIP mailboxes not showing all messages in Mail
The VIP mailbox in Apple’s Mail program should show messages from contacts that you flag as VIP; however, there are instances where messages from your designated VIPs will not show up, leaving this feature somewhat unreliable. This may happen after upgrading or updating OS X to anew version, and if its happening then the fix should be relatively straightforward. Continue reading
Overcome the OS X Dock getting stuck on a second monitor
If you have multiple monitors and are using OS X Yosemite or later, you will have Apple’s latest multi-screen implementations available for use, where unlike classic extended desktop setups, each screen can be treated as a separate space, or “virtual desktop”, upon which you are doing work and organizing your windows. Continue reading
How to manage lost passwords in OS X
There are several ways to lock down your Mac, in order to prevent third-parties from either accessing your data, or using your system for purposes you do not intend. Since your Mac consists of several layers of hardware and software, each can be secured with a password; however, there are times when you may have forgotten your password. In these instances, you will likely be locked out; however, in most cases you should be able to recover your system. Continue reading