If you wish to have a user account on your Mac that is discrete so others using your Mac cannot see that user, then you can do so by the classic methods of changing the user ID for the account and then adjusting some hidden system settings to manage those accounts at the login window. While these approaches are the most compatible across different OS X versions and still work for the latest ones, if you have OS X Yosemite or later on your Mac, then there is an easy two-step approach for hiding user accounts. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Yosemite
How to quickly combine multiple Photos libraries in OS X
As of OS X Yosemite, Apple is encouraging everyone to use its new Photos program for managing pictures in OS X. While Photos has a number of pros and cons, it does share a limitation of its “iPhoto” predecessor, in that while it uses a library system for managing photos and offers an option to create multiple libraries, it can only have one open at a time. This means that if you wish to consolidate libraries, you might find yourself jumping through hoops; however, there is a relatively simple way to get this done. Continue reading
Fix missing ‘New Message’ sound in Mail after upgrading to OS X 10.10.3
When you receive messages in Mail, you have the option of sounding an audio alert so you know new messages have arrived. However, after upgrading to OS X 10.10.3, you might find yourself in a situation where despite Mail otherwise operating normally, the alert sound you choose will not play, or may not play at all times. While not a problem that will affect the use of your Mac, it does put you at a slight inconvenience if you have grown accustomed to this sound for checking your mail. Continue reading
Two fixes for Yosemite Recovery Update 1.0 always being available
Along with the OS X 10.10.3 update, Apple issued Yosemite Recovery Update 1.0 to fix a few bugs and enhance the Recovery process for systems running OS X Yosemite. The update is available only through the App Store’s software update service, and while this service should only show software that has not been installed, for some people their systems are constantly showing this update as being available. This continues even after attempting to install the update multiple times. Continue reading
Enable a power charging indicator sound on your MacBook when plugged in
For Mac systems with Magsafe adapters, wall power status has mostly been identifiable by simply looking at your power adapter connector. In doing so, an indicator light of orange or green will tell you both that you are receiving power, and that you are either charging or are fully charged. There is no default sound to indicate attachment to wall power; however, if you have OS X Yosemite installed and are keeping your system up to date, then you have the option to enable one. Continue reading
Fix OS X hanging at bootup after installing 10.10.3
After installing OS X 10.10.3, you will find your Mac undergo the standard restart that is part of the update process, but then see it hang up as OS X loads, leaving you with a gray screen. This is likely happening because because of some changes made to Apple’s FileVault full disk encryption routine.
Along with the 10.10.3 update, Apple issued an update for the OS X Recovery system in Yosemite, which will adjust some of the contents of the hidden recovery partition. This partition is used for unlocking your boot drive at startup, and it appears a problem with the update for some people has caused the drive to improperly unlock the drive. Continue reading
Fix OS X 10.10.3 failing to install
A few people who have attempted to install the latest OS X 10.10.3 update have found an issue where the update will take a while to install, and then restart only to stall at boot, followed by loading back to OS X 10.10.2. In some cases this may happen repeatedly, suggesting a fault with your Mac’s current setup that is preventing the installation. If you are stuck in this situation, you can overcome the issue through a couple of quick troubleshooting steps. Continue reading
A few mindful notes before installing Apple’s 10.10.3 update
Apple has released its 10.10.3 update today, which can be installed on any Mac running Yosemite and which brings a number of security and stability fixes. However, in addition, Apple has made the change to use the new Photos app as a replacement for iPhoto.
This new software is a blend of the offering in Apple’s iOS platform, which unifies the experience, but which also Continue reading
Are you ready for the Yosemite 10.10.3 public beta?
Apple has released the second developer build of OS X 10.10.3 as a public beta available for download today. This update is much anticipated, because in addition to the standard bug fixes and security patches, Apple is including an all new app called Photos. This app, which is slated to replace both iPhoto and Apple’s pro photo manager Aperture, will bring a streamlined interface for managing photos and allow you to do so with local libraries or those stored on iCloud, from your iOS and Mac OS devices. The program in essence unifies the photo management experience across Apple’s platforms. Continue reading
Fix ‘Folder Actions Dispatcher’ using high CPU in Yosemite
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