Tag: mac

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TrueCrypt with NTFS volumes on Mac OS X Lion

At some point I created a backup file on Windows 7 in a TrueCrypt volume container that was formatted with NTFS. I’m not sure why I originally formatted it with NTFS, but I think it was something to do with long filenames or a very deep directory nesting. Whatever. The point is, after upgrading to Lion, TrueCrypt would no longer mount this volume.

I did this several months ago, so I can’t remember what I originally did to get this setup, but apparently there’s something called MacFuse that adds support for additional filesystems, like NTFS on Mac. The version that I originally installed no longer works on Lion, so you need a different version that does – there’s a post here with a link to a version that works.

To get it working again, I uninstalled MacFuse and TrueCrypt, installed the version of MacFuse from above, reinstalled TrueCrypt, and not everything works.

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Installing Java on OS X Lion

I’m sure there’s plenty of posts about this already, but I just upgraded to Mac OS X Lion today and it seems Java is not preinstalled. When you first attempt to launch a Java app though, Software Update launches and downloads a Java 6 JVM for you. Very nice.

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Invaluable tips for restoring a Mac OS X Time Machine backup to a new drive

I recently replaced my hard drive in my 2008 MacBook Pro. After following the excellent step-by-step instructions here, I booted up from my install DVD formatted my new drive, selected the option to restore from backup and was shocked to not see my new drive as an available target drive. I can’t find the post where I found this invaluable tip, but apparently it’s a known issue with the install DVD and the ‘restore from backup’ feature that if you’ve just formatted a new drive, you need to press ‘back’ all the way back to the language display screen before going forward again to get to the restore option. Now you new drive appears as a target drive for the restore. Bizarre. Ok, well it works.

The great thing about Time Machine on the Mac is that it’s effortless to restore your whole machine from a backup. This was the first time I’d tried it to a new hard drive but it worked without any issues. Well, almost…

Not thinking, I booted my machine for the restore from my original Leopard DVD but I had upgraded my machine to Snow Leopard some time back. Restore completed without an issue, rebooted, got a kernel panic! WTF! That’s the first time I’d seen that on my Mac. Quick bit of Googling later, rebooted from the Snow Leopard DVD, redid the restore and now all is ok.

 

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Jobs not keen on MobileMe either

I have a Mac, it’s my main computer at home. I’ve always wondered what the attraction of the MobileMe service is/was. It just doesn’t offer enough to justify the cost – to me it’s way overpriced.

Considering with my Android phone I get automatic email, calendar and contacts sync’ing between the online services, my Mac at home plus my phone FOR FREE I have to wonder why anyone would pay $100 for a year of providing this service is just beyond me.

Apparently Jobs also felt the same way when the service was launched, according to some recent quotes talking about the MobileMe development team: “You’ve tarnished Apple’s reputation…” apparently Jobs said, “You should hate each other for having let each other down”. Wow. Ok. So you don’t like MobileMe? Guess I’m not the only one..

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