Your data is the most important aspect of your computer, and unfortunately we often don’t realize this until we’re faced with the possibility of having lost exceptionally valuable (if not priceless) work. This can happen as easily as a computer suddenly shutting off on you and no longer booting, or when you attach an external hard drive containing all of your files, only to find it will not mount and cannot be repaired. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Thunderbolt
Flaw in Thunderbolt ROM may allow overtaking of a Mac’s hardware
A long-standing but recently revealed security hole in the EFI boot ROM in OS X system may allow attackers to take over Apple hardware that shipped with a Thunderbolt port.
In the upcoming Chaos Communications Congress in Germany, the attack, which was found by researcher Trammell Hudson, will allow a compromised Thunderbolt device to modify the ROM of a vulnerable Mac, which then could compromise the ROM Continue reading
Belkin continues docking options with Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock for Mac
Belkin has announced an update to its Thunderbolt Express Dock for Mac, which takes advantage of the common Thunderbolt interface found on most Mac systems to offer a number of additional USB and audio inputs, as well as LAN and HDMI output for various connectivity options; however, if you own the original Thunderbolt Dock, then this new iteration offers nothing special. Continue reading
USB Type-C connector with DisplayPort challenges Thunderbolt
The next version of USB connectivity (Type C) was announced by VESA today, and offers capabilities that rival those of Thunderbolt. Unlike prior USB connectivity, Type-C is a new approach that, similar to Apple’s lightning connector for iOS devices, is both bidirectional and reversible, meaning you do not have to worry what end of the USB cable to use, and do not have to worry about flipping it upside-down to connect it. Continue reading
Troubleshooting iMac Target Display mode
When Apple introduced its late-2009 iMac systems, it was clear the large built-in display on these systems could not only be used for the accompanying computer, but similar to the functions of Target Disk mode for hard drives, the display could be used for another Mac.
While Target Disk Mode requires you to restart the system into a special mode, the use of Target Display simply Continue reading
Test related settings when troubleshooting
Sometimes we get fixated on specific settings and possibilities when troubleshooting problems with our Macs, and in doing so might overlook other seemingly unrelated settings that might end up being the root of the problem at hand.
Recently, MacIssues reader Graham wrote in, asking about a problem with his Thunderbolt drives unmounting at random intervals: Continue reading
Intel outlines Thunderbolt networking
Intel has announced Thunderbolt Networking as part of its push for Thunderbolt 2 expansion in the PC market.
Thunderbolt is one of the latest expansion technologies for PCs, developed by Intel under the code name “Light Peak” as a fiber-based connection technology, Thunderbolt debuted in Apple’s 2011 MacBook Pro and was soon implemented through Apple’s Mac lineup. Continue reading
Troubleshooting daisy-chained peripherals in OS X
While most Mac systems come with multiple USB, Thunderbolt, and firewire ports (for older systems), you may find yourself needing to daisy-chain your devices to get them all connected to your Mac. This may be simply because you are out of ports and need to use a hub or similar setup to give yourself more ports, or you may simply find it convenient to connect all devices to one port.
This may especially be the case with portable systems, where you have perhaps one or two USB ports, or maybe have used Continue reading