Apple :: Macbook Pro 13"Great Unix Developers Machine
Jul 5, 2009
my expensive massive desktop replacement PC recently died after only 16 months - and I was sick of lugging this monster around.
I'm a software consultant - so I need to be able to run both MS .NET environments, and J2EE depending where I'm working.
Having never really looked at the Mac OS X, before - I thought what the hell, after being thoroughly enthralled by the build quality and price of the new 13" pro. It was a nice contrast from the 7kg beast I was lugging about before.
Well! What an eye opening revelation, seconds after opening my first bash shell and realizing the whole damn thing is sitting on top of Unix.
No need for linux as I was intending. I setup bootcamp but haven't needed to use it yet - for now being able to use a VM - but it's nice to know it's there if need be.
I'm completely recommending this to any Unix or Linux developers out there.
The more I dig, the more I find various Mac OSX binary builds of my favorite Linux packages.
My only minor complaint is I find Finder a little quirky in it's behavior, but no worse than half a dozen X windows file managers.
I have XP on my macbook pro via bootcamp/vmware. I tried putting 7 on it, but then XP stopped working. So I deleted the partition that 7 was installed on and XP worked again.
Is there a way I can have both XP and 7 working via bootcamp? As far as I know I can't, so I was thinking about running 7 with bootcamp and XP via vmware. Also ever since deleting the partition that 7 was installed on XP doesn't seem to be able to boot via vmware. It was says I have to remove the physical disk from the virtual machine then add it again. How do I do this?
I just accepted an offer on my MBP and I'll be purchasing a new unibody MBP in the following week.
I have a lot of personal data and applications that are backed up right now in the form of a Time Machine backup.
The old MBP is a SR (sig below) and the new one will be the unibody; different specs, GPU, HD etc...
Can I just plug in my external HD that has my Time Machine backup into the new machine and restore it? Would the fact that there are different hardware complicate matters? And if so, since I still have my old machine for now, what would be the best solution to do what I'm trying to do here?
I have two laptops. One is a macbook and the other is a Toshiba that has Vista. The Toshiba works pretty well, but I want to be able to back it up like I can with the mac and time machine.
Is there any Windows software out there that can come close? I know there is backup software that comes with some external hard drives, but I think they just save your files and not your settings.
I upgraded to Windows 7 today on my Fusion Virtual Machine on my Macbook today. I preceded it with a Time Machine backup, and it copied a few gigabytes, which I expected since I installed CS4 the other day.
Two hours later... I installed the Windows 7 upgrade, and then did another Time Machine backup. This time it copied 36 gigabytes (the amount of my virtual machine file).
This got me thinking... Does Time Machine backup the entire virtual machine file each time there is a slight change? If so, then merely launching Windows in Fusion would be enough for Time Machine to backup the virtual machine file, using almost 40 gig on my backup drive most every time I launch time machine backup, even though the change is minor (a few bytes)
The consequence is that for a Fusion user, the backup device is going to fill awfully fast because of the relatively minor changes to the VM file, thus making for paltry space for history on all the Mac files.
I figure that a 320 Gig backup device is effectively extremely tiny for a 250 Gig HDD with only 90 Gig of files. My backup drive is already full after only ~8 backup sessions, hence deleting old history, which is hardly a few months old!
I noticed that there were new updates so I went ahead and installed them. On restart, the gray screen came up and just sat there. I shut down and started up a few times and same thing. I restarted and held the option key down and it gave me the OS menu and I'm able to boot Mac OSX from there.
I'm going to try to set the default OS using Boot Camp to see if that fixes the problem.
I use my boot camp partition in Vmware. How do I make a bootable copy of that? I want to know because in Boot camp I'm gonna install Windows 7, but I might still need XP so I was thinking about using Vmware for that.
Which folder can I delete to conserve disk space? I only need one back up. Also how iomega in general? Is GTECH worth the extra money? What about this one: [url] Thats two 1tb drives mirrored right?
If I want to replace my HD in my MBP, and I use time machine to backup my hard drive.
I don't want to lose any content or reformat, so I think time machine would be my best bet.
The thing is, I have a lot of purchased music/movies from itunes. Would time machine preserve the authorizations etc..to play this stuff on the new hard drive?
If I have a subsequent failure, or just want to upgrade my HDD that then requires me to restore my drive from scratch (with a good recent Time Machine backup avaialble), what process would I follow?
1) Install Leopard from my original disk, then upgrade to Snow Leopard, then use the time machine backup to restore?
-or-
2) Install Snow Leopard straight from the upgrade disk (if it even possible), then use the Time machine backup to restore?
I guess I am asking whether the "Upgrade Disk" a full install disk, or is it just for an incremental upgrade?. Do I even need my old Leopard disk anymore?
Using a mid-2009 MBP -- have grown to really like this notebook. Given that it gets carried around often, I'd like to have everything on it protected by something more than just a simple login password.
I use Time Machine in conjunction with a Time Capsule to keep things backed up, but my understanding is that if I were to enable FileVault to encrypt the disk, I would have to log out of my user account for any backup to actually run. This is pretty inconvenient and a ridiculous issue in general.
What are my other options, folks? Should I just look into using TrueCrypt? (ETA: apparently TrueCrypt doesn't play nice with Time Machine either...)
I just installed a clean copy of Snow Leopard but now I don't have permission to access my Time Machine backups, the drive itself shows all the dates of the backups like this:[url]
But say when I try to open any given folders inside the backup it says I don't have permission to do so: [url]
When I enter Time Machine it shows the folders as empty with the red no access icon on desired folders.
My understanding is that FileVault's shortcomings are such:
- Documented vulnerabilities - Requires that user be logged off to backup with Time Machine
I have a few things on my notebook that I would like to be kept safe in the event of a loss or theft. I used to use AxCrypt on Windows for this, but there are no OSX builds for it, so what I'm wondering is this:
- If I create an encrypted image and use it like a TrueCrypt/Cryptainer partition, will Time Machine back the image up as it changes over time like any other file? - Is there any reason I shouldn't do that over some other way of keeping things safe?
To start I should remind everyone that i'm not a mac user. I have never owned a mac or used OSX properly before today. As such, my opinions should be taken as coming from someone who has much knowledge and experience as far as PC's are concerned, but who is a total mac n00b.
First Impressions
When I first walked over to the Macbooks I was quite taken aback. The build quality is out of this world. In fact, I immediately walked over to the latest PC laptops to compare and immediately thought "manufacturing FAIL". Really, the Macbooks are italian sports cars, and PC's are 30 year old farm tractors to use the typical "car analogy".
The Macbook
I really only had any interest in the Macbook when I first went to the Apple stand, but came away with the intention of buying a MacBook Pro. Let me explain:
The MacBook's build quality is awesome. It's solid, no creaking plastic or flexable build, completely and utterly solid. Awesome.............
I have been speculating over this prospect giving the direction that Apple took with the starting price of the 24" iMac (upgrade everything else and downgrade the VRAM).
I mean, this is something I would like to see, but I wonder if it is a smart move on Apple's part given how much they make off the current MBP's with the so called Apple Tax.
And, if they made this move, one has to wonder if it still would be considered a Pro.
This is going to be my very first Mac. I'm really excited about it, but I don't know which one I should go for... I narrowed it down to these two models. Which one should I go for and why?
I bought a black macbook this summer and every night when I'm in bed trying to do work I can barely see which keys is which. Obviously this wouldn't be a cheap fix but is there a way or is it possible to install the new light up keys of the new macbooks onto a pre-remodel macbook?
Back in my Windows days and for my servers at work (just a few), I always did the following to do backup:
1) DATA Use SyncToy or copy the data folders (My Documents, etc.) to an external hard drive
2) OS and APPLICATIONS Create an image using Acronis's TrueImage, so I don't have to re-install the applications or re-configure the OS
With Time Machine, I know it backups my User folder (Documents, Music, etc.), but does it also backup the computer settings, such that in the case of re-install, I just pop-in the original OSX Installation CD and restore from Time Machine without reconfiguring the OS AND re-installing the application again?
I noticed in the Time Machine hard drive there is also an Applications folder that contains the list of the same applications as installed in my MBP.
I downloaded this updated for my unibody Macbook Pro, and I think it's pretty vital. However, it gave me this error when I tried to install it: "You cannot install Macbook, Macbook Pro software update on this volume. This update requires Mac OS X 10.5.5 or newer." Now don't tell me that I have selected the wrong partition to install the update, or that I need to update my OS to 10.5.5 because I already have 10.5.6 and I chose the Macintosh HD partition to install the update.
So I'm definitely getting a 13" Macbook or Macbook Pro. Apple has some great prices on refurbs so that's probably the route I'll be going however I'm having trouble discerning the difference between the 13" Aluminum Unibody standard macbook and the 13" Unibody Macbook Pro. From what I've read they both have the upgraded screen, they're obviously both unibody, both have the large button-less trackpad, and both have the 9400m. They even have the same dimensions and the only difference I can see between the images is a slightly different case bevel (also the firewire and sd card ports, both are useless to me).
Unfortunately, none of the Apple stores or BestBuys in the area have a non-pro unibody 13" Macbook for me to actually handle and compare. So, basically, what makes the pro version with the slower cpu and smaller hard drive at the same price point worth it?
If I make an image of my hdd from my white macbook with disk utility onto a hard drive I take out of a unibody macbook pro will it work and boot properly?
I will do this by taking the 250gb hdd out of the unibody macbook pro and putting it into a sata external usb hdd enclosure, then making an image of my current 120gb white macbook and writing the image onto the 250gb. After, I plan to put the 250gb hdd back into the macbook pro and boot it up normally as if everything from my white macbook was just copied onto the macbook pro.
She has a white macbook with leopard I think, and has a separate partition in which she has boot camp, she uses specialized software that can only run in windows (doesnt run in vm). She got a new macbook air but wants to keep everything intact.
Do programs like duper clone drives with all files intact, including partitions? Keep in mind that the windows side is more important, installation of this software can only be done remotely from Russia, so it's a bit of a hassle if we screw up, we have to contact IT at a specific time and get them to do it.
Would I have to take the drive of the macbook air out? Or can i just clone to an external hard drive and then move that to the mba hard drive, in target disc mode or something.
I really love the black color of MB404, but is it good? does it crack easily?(is it plastic?)
Hows screen quality?
What do you think? which one should i buy?
I really wanted to buy Alu one before i hear about slanted keys and loose battery covers(i know %99 of them don't have that, but it's hard to risk when there's no way to fix it in here), because there's no Mac center in my country and i'm SO picky.
I've been looking at basicly two models, both got almost the exact same price tag here in Norway, so I'm not sure which one to go for.
The first ones is a MacBook Pro 15" with High-resolution 1650x1080 glossy screen, featuring the top of the line Intel Core i7-620M CPU the other is a MacBook Pro 17" with even higher resolution (1920x1200) glossy screen, featuring the slightly slower Intel Core i5-540M.
I don't list the other specifications as I don't really care about them, I already got a pair of 4GB 1600MHz CL7 (2x2GB) DIM's and a Intel X25-M 80GB SSD that I'll be using anyway.
There will be lots of movies and series played on my MacBook Pro, that's why I don't really considering paying a premium for the anti-glare screen, even though I love anti-glare and tend to struggle with glossy screens I don't see the point in actually paying more for it. And when watching movies and series, in often very dark rooms the glossy screen actually have some advantages.
The hard thing to decide here is slicker and lighter, with smaller screen and lower resolution, but better CPU versus the bigger, more heavy but featuring bigger screen and Full-HD+ resolution but slower CPU.....................
