Hi Eleni, Yes, you can use your the first of your Leopard Startup disks to book up your system if you hold down the "c" key when it starts up. I thought that was what you were trying to do when you said you inserted the Leopard installation disk and the machine made a strange sound like a buzzing, but didn't do anything else. That will let you boot up from the CD or DVD instead of your hard drive. You can also use disk utility to repair permissions. I think that after you boot from the install disk, you listen until the disk stops spinning and then use VO-F5 (or VO-Fn-F5) to start up speech. Then you VO-M to the menu bar and arrow over to Disk Utilities and press enter. Then you can select your hard drive and repair permissions, in case things were left in an odd state by your shutdown. Somebody else may be able to walk you through this because it's been a long time since I did a boot from startup disks. See whether your machine boots up normally after your repair permissions. You may have to select your startup disk as your hard drive before you reboot.
Anne gave some nice instructions about how to reset the PRAM in the archives that give more details than my description: http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries%40googlegroups.com/msg08901.html You still might have to reset the PRAM if you get no sound whatsoever (from speakers or headphones). Target disk mode should work even in some circumstances where you can't manage to boot your MacBook up -- it can still get recognized as a temporary hard drive of the other Mac to which you connect via Firewire. Make sure you eject the drive (Command-E) from the other Computer before you power your MacBook down again. That's most of what I can think of, since I may be off for a bit. On the extension cords to the power adapters, the idea is to give you the flexibility to either carry the brick with the shorter cable (for compactness) or the combination with longer (and thicker therefore heavier) extension cable. At home, I leave the extension cord plugged in to the power adapter. I don't think that Apple sells the extension cable separately, although they include it with every power adapter you buy. I know they include it in the AirPort Express Stereo Connection Kit along with the cables that can connect to your stereo system, but that's still something like $40. Here's a site that sells the extension cords separately for $14.77 (from a Google search): http://www.mac-pro.com/Extension-Cord-PB-G4-iBook-AC-Adapter Although it's listed as for a G4 PowerBook, they not that it will work for a MacBook. (And I use the extension cords for my old PowerBook and my MacBook interchangeably). HTH Cheers, Esther Tiffany D wrote: > My external hard drive stopped working and nothing at all was done to > it to cause it to break. I'm getting a compact flash card or two with > a usb reader for the desktops, netbook etc. and a pcmcia > adapter/reader for the laptops and Braille Note. I feel alot more > secure with those. I just want to make sure that it's DOS and > Windows-compatible first. I only use about 20gb on any given machine > and that's giving myself several gigs of extra space, so I don't need > a huge drive/card. The other Mac is also a Macbook, so it does have > the port. Opa! I like this idea. I'll try it if nothing else works. > In the meantime, I've also heard that I can insert the first Leopard > disk and hit c or d and that might get it to work. I'll have to see. > Assuming that I can get VoiceOver working, I know I can get some usb > sticks to use temporarily so I can retrieve my info and put it on my > XP machine. I'll have to check my Mac bag now. I no longer have the > original box, so hopefully, I put it in the bag. I never even > realised it came with an extention cord. I'm used to the cords on > laptops being a decent length so one of these isn't necessary, but > it'll certainly make my life easier. > > Esther wrote: >> Hi Elen and Chris, >> >> Did you check whether you can hear VoiceOver through your headphones? >> One possibility is that you damaged the speaker connection and can >> still get VoiceOver if you plug in headphones. If it's simply a case >> of not hearing sound, you can try resetting the PRAM, since this >> module contains information about initial volume settings and also >> the >> startup disk selection. You'll have to reboot your computer and hold >> down the Control, Option, P, and R keys simultaneously as outlined in >> this Apple Support document about resetting your Mac's PRAM: >> http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379 >> >> Chris, I'm not sure that she has a fully working system to back up, >> since she's talking about connecting the MacBook to another Mac to >> get >> the files off. Eleni, here's what I think may work: get a firewire >> cable and plug it in between your MacBook and the other Mac. (I'm >> assuming that the Desktop Mac has a Firewire port.) Then, power up >> your MacBook while holding down the "T" key. This lets you boot up >> into target disk mode. What happens is that the laptop's hard drive >> shows up as a second drive of the desktop Mac (but probably also >> named >> "Macintosh HD") under the devices in the sidebar of Finder. The >> first >> "Macintosh HD" will be the hard drive for the desktop Mac. The >> second >> one (VO-Down arrow) in the sidebar will be the drive of your MacBook. >> You should be able to access the files you want in Finder and copy >> them over to the Desktop Mac or to other hard drives or peripherals >> attached to the Desktop Mac. I've never had to do this kind of file >> recovery -- usually I have a cloned drive of my laptop to recover >> files from -- but I just tried booting my 5+some years old Powerbook >> up in target disk mode connected to my MacBook. Basically, you >> should >> be able to boot your machine in target disk mode to another machine >> under circumstances where you can't get your system to fully boot up >> by itself. However, I would first try resetting the PRAM since it's >> possible that might fix the boot up and/or VoiceOver speaking >> problem. >> >> Here's the Apple support document on how to use Target Disk mode: >> http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661 >> >> You should have your MacBook connected to AC power if you're going to >> be using it in this mode for any extended period (e.g. for copying >> files). >> >> Finally, I'm puzzled by something you mentioned in one of your >> earlier >> posts (on converting movies -- something I'm not familiar with) >> >> Tiffany D wrote: >>> It's bad enough that this is a large machine and that >>> the charger cord is so short it's laughable, but when I can't do my >>> work and ordinary things, it really gets on my nerves. >> It sounds as though you're not using the extension cord that came >> with >> your computer. Each Mac comes with a power adapter whose corner >> has a >> plug attachment whose prongs (for U.S. power plugs) can simply flip >> down and be plugged into an AC outlet. That corner piece can also be >> unplugged and the power plug for a different country inserted. >> However, for all the U.S. Macs, there's also an extension plug that >> comes with the power adapter. That's a heavier cable that ends in a >> three-prong plug and whose other end can be plugged into the corner >> of >> the power adapter when you pull off the plug attachment. Aren't you >> using this? I normally keep this cord plus my Mac power adapter >> unless I want to carry less, or if I don't have any outlets available >> that can accept the third prong. The extension cord is usually >> packed >> in with the cables that come with the MacBook. Assuming that you had >> the same box that I did, this was in the rectangular bay in the foam >> at the front of the box. You shouldn't have any problems with the >> cord length if you're using the extension cord. >> >> HTH >> >> Cheers, >> >> Esther >> >> >> Chris Blouch wrote: >> >>> Sounds like you got a dud, which happens on all computers of all >>> brands >>> from time to time. Still doesn't make it a pleasant experience. My >>> wife's MacBook has been shipped to AppleCare twice now with a dead >>> motherboad (the first time) and a dead hard drive (the second time). >>> Since I convinced her to switch from her Dell I got to hear about >>> it. Of >>> course the Dell had already had its share of failures hardware and >>> otherwise so it wasn't a huge armtwist. She does like it when it >>> works. >>> >>> That said, as far as a backup goes, you could just plug in an >>> external >>> hard drive and copy to it anything you care about. Time machine also >>> works well and will do an incremental backup every 60 minutes. The >>> UI >>> isn't very accessible but if you had to reinstall things there is a >>> step >>> in the setup where you can restore from a timeMachine backup, so if >>> things really went pear shaped you could at least get your files >>> back. >>> The time machine backup is organized so you could go to >>> DriveName/ComputerName/Latest/YourDriveName and find everything that >>> it >>> backed up from your drive, so you don't have to use their GUI at all >>> once it's turned on. I'd get an external drive roughly 2x the size >>> of >>> the drive you want to back up. That way you'll have room for a full >>> backup and lots of incrementals. >>> >>> Hope this helps. >>> >>> CB >>> >>> Eleni Vamvakari wrote: >>>> So the Mac quit on me again, no more than two weeks after I got it >>>> back from Apple. I was trying to use that converter program and it >>>> just sat there and did nothing, as I've said in another post. >>>> Then, >>>> it just disappeared. One minute it was open and the next it was >>>> gone. >>>> When I reloaded it, I couldn't get into it's menus. I could only >>>> get >>>> into the Apple and other menus by hitting VO-m twice. Now I was >>>> really annoyed, so I did two bad things. First, I pounded my >>>> hand on >>>> the computer and second, I shut it off with the power button >>>> instead >>>> of going through the normal shut-down process. As a result, the >>>> hyphin key came up a little (don't ask how, since I wasn't anywhere >>>> near it) and when I turned it back on, I got no speech. No matter >>>> what I did, I couldn't get VoiceOver to start. >>>> >>>> Two days ago, Mom came up to try to help me but with no success. >>>> When she turned it on, she only saw an apple going around and >>>> around >>>> and then a blank screen. We tried the tech tool cd but when we put >>>> it >>>> in, nothing happened. So we tried the Leopard installation disk. >>>> This time, the cd drive made a bit of a strange sound (sort of >>>> like a >>>> buzzing) but did nothing else either good or bad. I heard the >>>> drive >>>> sound getting louder, as it usually does and then it went quiet. >>>> Yesterday, I hooked up the external keyboard but that didn't work >>>> either. The machine turns on, makes the start-up sound and I know >>>> the >>>> hard disk is doing something, But I can't get it to talk. If >>>> anyone >>>> can offer me a suggestion as to what I can do, I'd sincerely >>>> appreciate it. >>>> >>>> In the meantime, we called Apple. They said they'd give us a >>>> refirbished model, but now I have to wait for someone to bring me >>>> and/or it to the store. I know that I misused the Mac but it still >>>> shouldn't be acting like this. It's not like I spilled a whole cup >>>> of >>>> coffee in the keyboard and threw it out the window. I seriously >>>> can't >>>> take this anymore. Yes, Leopard does have some advantages over >>>> Windows. But what is the advantage of having a $2,000 machine when >>>> it >>>> always breaks down and when a cheaper one works just as well? My >>>> AppleCare is about to expire, and when it does, I can't keep >>>> shelling >>>> out money every time this thing decides to break down. >>>> >>>> Anyway, I asked a friend about how I can save my files and get them >>>> off of there and he suggested I hook up my Mac and the household >>>> Mac >>>> via a fire wire connection and use Migration Assistant. How does >>>> that >>>> work? I can't ask Joanie, cause she barely uses it and only for >>>> very >>>> basic things, and Mom's just learning how to use a computer. >>>> Please, >>>> can anyone help me so that I don't mess up the other machine? >>>> Can I >>>> transfer files to a cd or usb stick with this program and is it >>>> possible for me to delete the ones off of my machine with it? Btw, >>>> I've never used Time Machine, if that's required to use Migration >>>> Assistant. >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> Eleni >>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
