Burner Drive, Printing, PDFs

[Mac_Starfish]

Hello out there,

I was given a mac to use at work and I am going crazy :!: Here are my issues and if I can get some help on them I would REALLY appreciate it. The computer techs in here won't even touch the macs and say "Good luck" as they whisper sucker beneath their breath.

Problem #1 - Printing. :cry:

Well, I kind of fixed this. When I first started useing this computer it went from not printing to printing three pages at a time. Very annoying when trying to print 27 or more pages! What I did to get this far is reinstall the driver. Any idea what I should do next?

It also doesn't print web pages. I don't know if this problem is related to the first one or not.

Problem #2 - CD Burner. :evil:

This computer is equiped with a CD-R. It is build right in. The problem is, it is not recognizing blank cds whne you put them in. I opened up "About this Mac" and it doesn't even recognize a CD or CDR burner at all. I've went to utilities and gone into the disk utility and gone into drive set up and it has one there but won't let me do anything with it. I thought it was funny that it says "Connection Type: Uknown" instead of unknown. Does Uknown mean something.

Problem #3 - sending folders :-|

I am used to the window's term of 'zipping' files. I understand Mac uses stuffit, so I downloaded it. Well, that program pops up on the tool bar then dissappears as fast as it came up. Then I found out that it only likes to expand files. So what do I use? What I want to do is send a whole folder instead of individual files. Is this possible on macs? If my burner was working then I wouldn't be needing this.

Problem #3 - pdf files. :eek:

I understand that Mac does not like pdf and prefers to open them in "viewer" (I think that is the program. don't quote me on that) Well, it only works half the time.

I'll start you with these questions. Ultimately I am willing to reformat the thing (can you do that with Macs?) and start over. I still have to back up the files that are already on it.

Help me please!!!

Starfish :o

(Yes, I am calling myself a starfish for all those of you who go to techcomedy.com)

[Puckdropper]

Problem #3 - sending folders

I am used to the window's term of 'zipping' files. I understand Mac uses stuffit, so I downloaded it. Well, that program pops up on the tool bar then dissappears as fast as it came up. Then I found out that it only likes to expand files. So what do I use? What I want to do is send a whole folder instead of individual files. Is this possible on macs? If my burner was working then I wouldn't be needing this.

Aladdin has a full version that's called "Stuffit." What you probably have is "Stuffit Expander." Unfortunately, it's a commercial product and you have to pay for it.Problem #3 - pdf files.

I understand that Mac does not like pdf and prefers to open them in "viewer" (I think that is the program. don't quote me on that) Well, it only works half the time.

Can you get Adobe Acrobat reader for the Mac?

[DMR]

Aladdin has a full version that's called "Stuffit." What you probably have is "Stuffit Expander." Unfortunately, it's a commercial product and you have to pay for it.

Yup.Can you get Adobe Acrobat reader for the Mac?

That would be the thing to do.


In terms of your other problems- what version of Mac OS are you running, and what model of Mac is it?

[kc0arf]

Hello Starfish,

All is not lost. A Mac is a damn good computer, and I have a feeling with a little tender care, you are going to shine, and be quite happy to be using it.

The big thing here is that we need to know your OS Version. OS 9 is very different than OS X.

1) Printing -- need to know your printer type (HP LaserJet, Epson Stylus?) What are you printing to? How is it connected (Network, USB, SCSI?)

2) CD-R -- Are you able to read CD-ROMS with it? What happens if you put in a music CD?

3) Compressing -- Yes, Stuffit is the big compression technology out there, although if you are running OS X, you can use the compress command from the terminal window. Almost all people use Stuffit. If you are running OS 9, you can also use Compact Pro. I have to see if someone ported LHA for Mac OS X.

4) PDF -- The Mac LOVES PDF. If you take a screen capture in OS X, it is in PDF form. You do not need Adobe Acrobat Writer to generate PDF files... the OS will do it for you (granted, you will not have advanced control over them, such as dpi of embedded pictures, but you will generate PDF on the fly). Acrobat Reader 6.x is available for the Mac... go get it! By default, the program called Preview will open .pdf files and print them.

You were considering starting over with a format. If you were handed someone else's problem child, this may be your best bet. Save the data, and let's do an install.

DaniWeb features some excellent people with a lot of muscle power. You won't be abandoned here. I'll be honest to say that when I get a new computer out of the box -- Mac, Windoze, Linux -- I format it and set it up the way I want it. We can even discuss multiple partitions to help save off your data and keep things organized.

Christian

[Mac_Starfish]

Aladdin has a full version that's called "Stuffit." What you probably have is "Stuffit Expander." Unfortunately, it's a commercial product and you have to pay for it.

Can you get Adobe Acrobat reader for the Mac?

I did install adobe for acrobat. If I'm lucky it works. Maybe I'll just keep trying and cross my fingers.

Thanks for the reply!

Starfish :o

[Mac_Starfish]

Yup. That would be the thing to do. In terms of your other problems- what version of Mac OS are you running, and what model of Mac is it?

Oh yeah, I am running Mac OS X on an iMac

[Mac_Starfish]

Hello Starfish, All is not lost. A Mac is a damn good computer, and I have a feeling with a little tender care, you are going to shine, and be quite happy to be using it.

At this point it is lucky I haven't thrown it out the window... :eek:

The big thing here is that we need to know your OS Version. OS 9 is very different than OS X.

I know. I read part of the manual. It said something to the effect that they started over. I am running Mac OS X.

1) Printing -- need to know your printer type (HP LaserJet, Epson Stylus?) What are you printing to? How is it connected (Network, USB, SCSI?)

I am printing to a lexmark E322 and it is connnected through USB. It works for documents, just not Pdf and websites. That's the part that baffels me. It gives an error message something to do with not enough memory. To me that's silly.

2) CD-R -- Are you able to read CD-ROMS with it? What happens if you put in a music CD?

It can read CD ROMS, and Music CDs both burned and normal are displayed on the desk top like they should be. However, if you put in a blank disk it just says that doesn't know how to read it and then you have to do the extraction the way the manual tells you to. "stick a paper clip in it"

3) Compressing -- Yes, Stuffit is the big compression technology out there, although if you are running OS X, you can use the compress command from the terminal window. Almost all people use Stuffit. If you are running OS 9, you can also use Compact Pro. I have to see if someone ported LHA for Mac OS X.

Terminal window eh? I must look into this. I don't really want to buy software since it isn't my computer.

4) PDF -- The Mac LOVES PDF. If you take a screen capture in OS X, it is in PDF form. You do not need Adobe Acrobat Writer to generate PDF files... the OS will do it for you (granted, you will not have advanced control over them, such as dpi of embedded pictures, but you will generate PDF on the fly). Acrobat Reader 6.x is available for the Mac... go get it! By default, the program called Preview will open .pdf files and print them.

Hmm... I guess I"ll look into upgrading. I don't remember which version I put on it. At the moment I've stolen the keyboard from the mac and hooked it up to my lap top. Maybe after lunch.

You were considering starting over with a format. If you were handed someone else's problem child, this may be your best bet. Save the data, and let's do an install.

It is my boss's old computer. That is kind of why I want to get my burner working so that I can just re-do it. But then I have another problem. I am also in the dark on how to re-format. Can you guys and gals help me with that too?

DaniWeb features some excellent people with a lot of muscle power. You won't be abandoned here. I'll be honest to say that when I get a new computer out of the box -- Mac, Windoze, Linux -- I format it and set it up the way I want it. We can even discuss multiple partitions to help save off your data and keep things organized.

That sounds great. Linux, that is something I want to explore. My one friend is really big on that. Would I be able to just install linux on the mac and still have excess to the files that are on the Mac desktop? Would that work?

Thanks for being so helpful!!

Starfish :o

[kc0arf]

Hello,

I think for sanity's sake, we should save the data from the hard drive, and do a re-install. That way, you get a good solid chance to see the OS, and learn about it from the ground up.

You would not be able to install linux on the Mac and preserve the files on the desktop. The installation would format that particular partition, and you would lose the files. You could format everything and put YellowDogLinux on the Mac, and that would work, but you will find that OS X has a very nice interface and works so well with what a Mac is meant to be.

YellowDogLinux is a fine product; it is great for older machines that cannot run OS X well (such as this Powerbook G3 333 Mhz that I have here!) but as a Desktop OS, it isn't completely finished as the Mac OS X is.

When you are ready, plan a day to rebuild this machine. Get the data off, and then come see us. :) If you want me personally around, I am usually around during the day - central daylight time. I am between jobs.

Christian

[DMR]

"It gives an error message something to do with not enough memory. To me that's silly."

Although a bit of a long shot, and I haven't done extensive Mac work in a while- I do recall instances of "out of memory" issues which were not caused by applications themselves, but rather by the extenstions the apps used.

[kc0arf]

Hello,

Memory issues under the Mac 9 model are different than OS X. Mac 9 applications had a place to define how much memory an Application would use. This is changed under OS X... now the system allocates memory, just as you would expect from any other OS to do. OS X is a port of Unix, right along the lines of FreeBSD.

Mac 9 extensions have been replaced by Unix-like daemons. As they are programs, of course they consume memory.

OS X also uses the system drive (default) to store a swapfile. I have not tried to define a specific swap partition -- perhaps on my next installation I will try that out.

Christian

[Mac_Starfish]

"It gives an error message something to do with not enough memory. To me that's silly." Although a bit of a long shot, and I haven't done extensive Mac work in a while- I do recall instances of "out of memory" issues which were not caused by applications themselves, but rather by the extenstions the apps used.

I think you are right. When I look at the pages that it prints and gives me that message there is usually an image or frame that printed incorrectly. But how do I fix that? :-|

[Mac_Starfish]

Hello, I think for sanity's sake, we should save the data from the hard drive, and do a re-install. That way, you get a good solid chance to see the OS, and learn about it from the ground up. You would not be able to install linux on the Mac and preserve the files on the desktop. The installation would format that particular partition, and you would lose the files. You could format everything and put YellowDogLinux on the Mac, and that would work, but you will find that OS X has a very nice interface and works so well with what a Mac is meant to be. YellowDogLinux is a fine product; it is great for older machines that cannot run OS X well (such as this Powerbook G3 333 Mhz that I have here!) but as a Desktop OS, it isn't completely finished as the Mac OS X is. When you are ready, plan a day to rebuild this machine. Get the data off, and then come see us. :) If you want me personally around, I am usually around during the day - central daylight time. I am between jobs. Christian

So, first things first. And this is where my mac abilites are lacking. Where can I save this information since I can't burn and there are too many files for my webspace.

And come see you? Where are you, who are you? etc...

[DMR]

And come see you? Where are you, who are you? etc...

Christian meant a "virtual" visit- the "here" being this site. :)

[kc0arf]

Hello,

I was gone today. My apologies to the thread.

Yes, I meant a come here to the website, and let's talk.

Where to save the files off... do you have a server that this computer is connected to? If so, move the data files to the server. If not, is there someone at your workplace that has an external cd-rom burner, such as an iOmega Zip burner thing? Or an external tape drive and run with Retrospect?

Personally, I am in Wisconsin. A Cheesehead. If I wanted to doctor my Apple Logo in the avatar, I would put a cheesehat on that. But that could look too weird. :)

Yeah. Network is the easiest solution to the backup problem. If you are low on diskspace, talk to the computer guy there to see if you can "borrow" for a temp timeframe some space. give yourself 2 weeks to do this, and get the data out of there, so that he can reclaim it in the short term, and you will remain in good favor with him.

Christian

[Mac_Starfish]

Thanks guys for all the help.

I finally got talking to my boss and she wants me to just take it to her guy in Toronto. She didn't even know that someone had put Mac OS X on it and she wasn't too pleased.

You guys are great!!

If I have any other problems, this will be on the top of my list of places to go!

Hugs,

Starfish :o

[DMR]

Well now there's a twist we weren't expecting :mrgreen:

[kc0arf]

Hello,

I wonder if Starfish is a gal? :)

Hope all goes well with the computer.

Christian

[Mac_Starfish]

I FIXED IT!!! I FIXED IT!!!! :mrgreen: Just by simply installing 10.1 and adding in all the updates to 10.1.3

Thanks again guys!!!

[Mac_Starfish]

Hello, I wonder if Starfish is a gal? :) Hope all goes well with the computer. Christian

Hey, I might be a gal but I now know how to fix this mac without taking everything off of it. hehe.

I even know what to do now when you get the screen of death. Ever get the screen where everything is grey with a small disk in the center with a question mark as the computer appears to be struggling to read it's own hard drive?

And hey, You've never seen me with a PC. :o

haha.

Later guys.

Starfish

[kc0arf]

HEllo Starfish,

I am glad to hear that by insalling 10.1.3, that your computer is a happier computer, and things are going well for you. Yes, a lot of the older programs are going to still run, but they will run in what is called "classic" mode, and you will find yourself doing some dual setups to get classic to work properly.

For example, let's say you have Photoshop 5 on the computer. The program is a OS 9 program. Now that you are running 10.1, you have setup a printer to use in 10.1 IN order for Photoshop 5 to print, you will need to also setup a printer within the classic environment using the classic chooser.

Only when you upgrade your old programs to their OS X counterparts will you eliminate the need for classic.

Christian