Troubleshooting

Apple recently released OS X 10.8.3 along with security updates for past versions of OS X, and while the updates have worked properly for the vast majority of users, a few have reported having the problem that certain programs like Preview and TextEdit now will not run. When the program is opened, in some cases the system prompts users to authenticate and repair the user Library, but after this is done the program simply quits after bouncing in the OS X Dock for a few seconds. In other cases the program may simply crash and generate an error … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which I answer Mac-related questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week, readers wrote in with questions about battery care, where to get Mac-specific training, what to do about guest accounts deleting user data, and the limitations of using an iMac as an external display for other systems. I welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Common battery care guidelines MacFixIt reader Thomas asks:

With the latest round of OS X updates Apple has addressed a number of bugs in its Mac operating systems; however, in addition one update is particularly pertinent for those who wish to maintain security with their Java installations.

Java has received some hard knocks recently with a number of security vulnerabilities that could potentially lead to malware execution on exploited systems, and as such, while uninstalling Java has been a preferred recommendation, one common recommendation for those who do need it is to just disable the Java Web plug-in; however, recent developments suggest doing this may not always render … Read more

Apple has just released the OS X 10.8.3 update for Mountain Lion users, and while the update has gone smoothly for most people, as with any update there are a few who have run into a couple of hurdles when installing.

The most prominent issue so far is a small number of users have run into an issue where the update appears to install but then gives a message that simply states "Update Failed" with an option to restart the system. Upon doing so, the system reports it is still running OS X 10.8.2; … Read more

New findings show the recent malware attack that affected employees of Facebook, Apple, and Twitter was able to do so in part by bypassing Apple's GateKeeper security system in OS X.

Gatekeeper is a new technology in OS X Mountain Lion that allows programs to only execute if they are properly signed or if they only come from the Mac App Store. This works by the system blocking all execution and then settings up group-based rules to allow specific program types to run. For example, the default rule sets are for signed applications and those from the Mac App … Read more

When you shut down OS X, the system will first attempt to quit all open applications smoothly and then proceed with the shutdown; however, if a program takes too long to quit, then it may halt the shutdown process and issue a warning that the program has prevented the system from shutting down. While this usually just requires you to quit the program manually and save your data, at times it can be frustrating to deal with, especially if some programs simply take a while to quit.

MacFixIt reader Frida recently wrote in with such a problem:

If your Mac is experiencing problems running, one step for determining the problem is to boot the system into Safe Mode, which is a limited environment that only loads Apple-provided software for basic functionality. To get into Safe Mode you simply restart your Mac with the Shift key held; however, in some cases this will not work and the computer may simply boot normally or experience a problem and hang without booting at all.

The inability to boot into Safe Mode may happen because the system is configured with encryption or other security settings that prevent booting to such modes, … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which I answer Mac-related questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week, readers wrote in with questions about completely wiping a Mac back to factory settings similar to what can be done with an iPod or iPhone, restoring a lost administrative account, removing the account of someone who no longer uses the system, and restoring lost programs that were included with OS X. I welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Completely wiping a Mac back to factory … Read more

The default configuration for printers in OS X is relatively basic and offers you options to essentially add or remove a printer and then set some driver-specific features such as the amount of RAM or duplexing details; however, you may wish to have more options for managing access to your printer, such as limiting access to one printer and not another, or requiring a password to print.

The easiest way to administer these options for printers is via network access, where if you share the printer you can limit which users will have access to it over the network. Doing … Read more