Meeting Notes - Jul 21, 2004

What's New by Mikio Moriyasu

New Apple Software
Apple Remote Desktop 2.0 - This is a tool to remote control to manage Macs.

DVCProHD Components 1.1 - All users of Panasonic AJ-HD1200A VTRs should install the latest revision of the DVCPROHD components (1.1).

iPod Software 3.0.1 Updater 2004-07-15 - Includes updates for iPods with a Click Wheel, iPod mini and the third generation iPod.

RAID Admin Tools 1.3.1 - Simplifies setup and monitoring of storage volumes.

Verizon Broadband Access Support 1.0 - This software supports the Express Network PC Card (PC 5220) in Mac OS X, for use on the Verizon Wireless network.

Software Notes
Detour 1.5 is a tool that allows you to send iTunes music and DVD Player sound to an external set of speakers or headphones while keeping noises from iChat and other programs coming out of the computer's smaller built-in speaker.

Ear Mail 1.0.3 is a utility that lets you listen to email through your iPod

GraphicConverter 5.2.1 is a tool to view, edit, convert most image formats. In the new release, slideshow supports zoom and move and a browser autorefresh option has been added

IT Enquirer has an interview with an ATI representative who addresses some issues with the company's graphics cards and their positioning in the Mac market. Among the issues addressed is that the Radeon 9800 does not deliver hardware rendering from within Maya. ATI has just hired additional staff to work on developer relations with Pro applications like Maya. Read More.

In response to a customer complaint, Quark Customer Service indicates that they no longer charge anything for their Mobile Licensing Program. This program allows users to run QuarkXPress 6.0 on two computers for non concurrent use.

If you have already purchased the mobile licensing program, you can get $75 coupon good for purchasing Quark products, including printed user manuals or technical support calls. For more information contact Quark Customer Service at 1-800-676-4575 Monday to Friday from 7:00am to 5:00pm MST and choose option 2 from the IVR menu.

Amid a recent dip in the popularity of Microsoft's Internet Explorer attributed to heightened security concerns, the lauded Mozilla Firefox browser is set for its first final, non-beta release in September. The good news: a Mac OS X version will likely be on tap. Read More.

Hardware News
New Apple Cinema Displays

• 20" Maximum resolution of 1680 x 1050 pixels; $1299
• 23" Maximum resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels; $1999
• 30" Requires NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL Card; Maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600; $3299

New Apple iPods

• 20GB model for $299 (Available Now)
• 40GB model for $399 (Available Now)

Both features: touch-sensitive wheel with five push buttons; Up to 12 hours battery life; Shuffle Songs (a new command in the main menu which provides mixed track playing)

Apple has announced that rechargeable batteries in the new iPod have a limited number of charge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced. They add that battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. Read More.

Apple has stopped taking orders for the current iMac as they begin the transition from the current iMac line to an all-new iMac line which will be announced and available in September.

There are still a number of flat-panel iMacs available through eBay, and various mail-order and retail outlets. Supplies are running low however -- Small Dog Electronics, for instance, has only 34 20-inch screen iMacs left and marginal quantities of other models.

During its third quarter fiscal results call, incoming Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer admitted that the next-generation iMac -- due in September -- will sport a G5 processor. Read More.

Connect with music like never before behind the wheel of a BMW 3 Series, and X3 and X5 SAV or Z4 Roadster. With the installation of an integrated adapter developed by Apple and BMW, you can now control your iPod or iPod mini through the existing audio system and multi-function steering wheel. Read More.

Apple has posted a developer note for the revised PowerMac G5 models introduced in June, 2004. Among the highlights of the developer note is a description of the new liquid cooling system. There is also a note that the new 1.25 GHz frontside bus on the dual 2.5 GHz model supports up to 8 GBps of data throughput per processor. The new note is available in HTML and PDF formats.

Apple has extended its iBook Logic Board Repair Program. It now covers replacement of the logic board in iBook models manufactured between May 2001 and October 2003 that are experiencing specific component failures including:

• Scrambled or distorted video
• Appearance of unexpected lines on the screen
• Intermittent video image
• Video freeze
• Computer starts up to blank screen
  

Mac OS X / Issues
MacFixIt reports that there is a conflict between the Adaptec 2930CU SCSI card and both the Giga Designs 1.2 GHz and the Sonnet 1.2 GHz upgrade cards. The most commonly reported issue was kernel panicking. Simply removing the SCSI card temporarily resolved the issue.

Some have reported problems with reading CDs and DVDs after applying the iMac SuperDrive update. In most instances, inserted media will spin up but not mount on the desktop. Possible solutions include:

• Boot into Open Firmware and type the following lines: reset-nvram <enter> set-defaults <enter> reset-all. To restart when you are done, type: mac-boot.
• Boot into Open Firmware and eject the CD/DVD by typing the following lines: eject cd <enter>. To restart when you are done, type: mac-boot.
• Reset the PRAM restarting and holding down Command -Option-P-R until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
• Boot into Safe Mode by holding down the shift key when you startup. Check if media can be properly read and inserted/ejected. If so, there is likely a problem with a file in the /System/Library/Extensions, /Library/StartupItems or /System/Library/StartupItems. Check these areas for recently added files and remove them from the folder (keeping a copy of each) until the issue is resolved.
  

For those with accounts, MacFixIt has posted a Special Report that talks about "Troubleshooting Mac OS X 10.3.4". Read More.

eWeek notes that with the public preview of Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" everyone is raring to pit Tiger against 'Longhorn.' Both Apple and Microsoft products showcase new search systems, built-in RSS readers, new scripting shells, and 64-bit support in their next-gen operating systems. Read More.

Energy Saver fails to remember sleep or wake-up settings for some users after upgrading to Mac OS X 10.3.4. Others report experiencing system freezes when attempting to open Energy Saver. Some have discovered that some USB devices - particularly optical mice - prevent proper automatic sleep or wake-up.

On a related note, Apple has a Knowledge Base Article describing a few techniques for resolving Energy Saver problems, including deleting Energy Saver Preference and Finder Preference files, as well resetting the PRAM.

For some users, Mac OS X 10.3.4 does not properly mount some disk images, CDs, FireWire drives, network volumes, and other devices. The disk image mounts but is not viewable in the Finder sidebar nor on the desktop. The one common factor seems appears to be the ATI Radeon 9800 graphics card although the problem has been reported with other graphics cards, from ATI and other manufacturers. Possible solutions include:

• Remove the graphics card.
• Using the "df" command in Terminal.
• Open and manipulate files on the problematic volumes/images using Terminal.app.
  

This issue may be fixed in Mac OS X 10.3.5.

General News
AIDG News Service reports that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will not immediately start a national do-not-e-mail list, despite a law passed last year that calls for the agency to develop a plan for such a list. Read More.

IDG News also reports that MasterCard is partnering with NameProtect, Inc. to combat card fraud. NameProtect will use its Internet detection technology and systems to monitor a variety of online information sources to identify new fraud campaigns. Read More.

The New York Times reports that last week a federal appeals court in Boston ruled that federal wiretap laws do not apply to e-mail messages if they are stored, even for a millisecond, on the computers of the Internet providers that process them - meaning that it can be legal for the government or others to read such messages without a court order. Read More.

Mikio's entire presentation including a complete list of new Apple and third-party software since June, new Apple hardware releases, Apple retail news, and other Apple related topics can be found in the "Mac Managers Meetings - Previous Notes " section at: http://www.macos.utah.edu or select from the options listed below:

WWDC 2004 Overview by Scott Doenges

The largest, most well attended World Wide Developers Conference to date began with an extensive preview of “Tiger,” the next release of Mac OS X. It was followed by a week's worth of rich technical content and diverse conference features.

Scott attended this year's Worldwide Developers Conference. His presentation is based on information he gathered while attending the Keynote address, various sessions, and a few of the gatherings. His complete report is available for viewing on the Mac Managers web site at: http://www.macos.utah.edu. You can also select from the options listed below:

Apple Remote Desktop 2.0 Overview by Mike Yocom

Delivering over 50 new features and countless enhancements, Apple Remote Desktop 2 is a complete desktop management solution for Mac OS X. You can distribute software, configure systems, offer real-time online help and create detailed hardware and software reports — for all of your Mac systems in your organization, all from your own Mac.

Mike's presentation is based on research he conducted for the Student Computing Labs Mac Support Group. His complete overview and demonstration is available for viewing on the Mac Managers web site at: http://www.macos.utah.edu. You can also select from the options listed below:

Apple Warranty Repair Overview by Joe Parsons

Joe previously worked for the University of Utah Bookstore - Computer Services so he has first-hand knowledge of service procedures involving Apple and Apple hardware. His presentation covered four main topics:

• Apple Technician Training & Certification
• Global Service Exchange (GSX)
• AppleCare Service Source
• Working with Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs)
  

Apple Technician Training & Certification
All technicians in order to be "certified" must past two tests, one for Desktop models and one for Portables.

Given the regular and frequent hardware changes & upgrades, they must be re-certified annually.

In addition, all Authorized Service Centers (like the University of Utah Bookstore) must pay annual fees for Global Service Exchange subscription and to maintain their "Authorized" status.

Certified technician are paid by Apple. They control the technicians pay rate. If Apple feels that a certain tech is sending back too many good parts as bad, they can change the pay rate for that technician.

Global Service Exchange (GSX)
The Global Service Exchange is a web-based service resource available only to Authorized Service Centers. It is a subscription service accessed from the main Apple site. With it, certified technicians can:

• Check warranty coverages
• Set up carry-in and/or mail-in repairs
• Order service parts
• Purchase AppleCare products
• Check mail-in repair status
  

AppleCare Service Source
Is another web-based resource that is accessed from the Global Service Exchange. The interface is available only to Authorized Service Providers. With it technicians can obtain:

• Service Manuals - The technical manuals are cool! They provide detailed take-apart instructions, exploded views, and detailed troubleshooting and symptom charts (This is the issue you are having, here is what you need to do)
• Diagnostic Software (Apple Service Diagnostic CDs) - These are bootable CDs that are similar to the consumer-grade Apple Hardware Tests (AHT) that are shipped with each computer. The ASDs have a more extensive & comprehensive suite of tests with greater operator controls. Specific tests can be turned on or off, looped for a specified number of times, or looped for a certain number of hours. It runs in Open Firmware. Model specific versions of the CDs are available as CD images obtained through the AppleCare Service Source. They replaced Mac Test Pro series.
• The latest technical news
• Access to AppleCare Knowledge Base and Discussions
  

Working with AASPs - A few troubleshooting tips
Before you go:

• Call ahead
• Attempt various reset procedures on your own - these can rectify certain issues. For example: PRAM, NVRAM, PMU, Firmware.
• The Firmware is not as widely known as the other. Basically, you hold power button in for 10 seconds on a cold restart until the computer emits a tone and the the led flashes. This resets the firmware.
• Swap parts with same model if available to help narrow down where the issue might be.
• Make backups of your system.
  

Dual Processor G5s Issues
These are the most common issues that have been encountered with the dual processor Power Mac G5s.

• Fans/ Thermal Calibration - Some or all of the Fans running full speed on start-up. This needs to be reset using the Diagnostic software.
• Processors - When a process needs to be replaced, the replacement occasionally doesn't play nice with existing one. In the end, you have to order two new processors. A quick fix for processor issues is simply swap the processors around.
• Power Supply - The power supply in the dual processors machines make a chirping noise. Unfortunately, replacement power supplies do not necessarily fix the problem.
• Video Cards - On some machines, the ATI 9600 Pro video card does not work resulting in no video. Replacing the cards has been effective.
  

Other Issues

Upcoming Events
macosxlabs.org Webcast - July

• Subject: Apple Remote Desktop 2
• Presenters: Nader Nafissi, Apple Computer
  Jason Prell, University of Iowa
• Moderator: Fred Reynolds, Apple Computer
• Click here for viewing instructions

What's New with Final Cut Pro HD

• Location: CompUSA #264-Salt Lake City
  1830 South 389 West, Market Place Shopping Center,
  Salt Lake City, UT 84115
• Date: July 22, 2004
• Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM US Mountain
• Registration Information: Click here
  

Advanced Developers Hands On Conference

• Location: Dearborn, Michigan
• Date: July 21-24, 2004
• Registration Information: Click here
• Sessions Information: Click here

If there is a topic you would like to see discussed at a future Mac Managers Meeting, please let us know here.