Categories
articles How To Video

Intel iMac Hard Drive Replacement Instructions and How To Steps (Video)

20090606sa-apple-imac-desktop-computerEarlier this year, a friend asked for help replacing the failing hard drive in her iMac.

If you’re familiar with Apple’s recent iMac computers, you know that their design makes them difficult to open. With past models, removing two screws provided access to the entire system. The newer design is much more difficult.

There’s only one screw on current iMac models, and that’s on the bottom of the computer holding the RAM cover-plate. To actually open an iMac computer requires suction cups and a set of tools that most people don’t own.

I don’t spend a lot of time fixing Apple hardware. Most Apple computers are new and under warranty, and even the old ones don’t break down. Generally what I see with Apple computers is that the hardware outlives the operating system.

20130312tu-themacdoctor-scott-nelsonSo, for this hard drive replacement, to get some advice, I called The Mac Doctor (Scott Nelson). Scott is really knowledgeable about Apple hardware and software. More importantly, he’s friendly. He’s also able to convey technical instructions and information in a way that meets people’s level of experience. His approach to computer support is that of an educator and trainer. He’s happy to fix things, but wants to also educate in the process — empowering computer users to be more independent. So, for these reasons, I admire his work since it parallels my own approach to consulting.

I planned to talk with Scott on the phone and get a few tips about opening the iMac. Instead, Scott offered to bring the tools and show me first-hand how to open the system and replace the drive. Well, I actually didn’t have the replacement drive yet. So, Scott also offered to pick up a compatible hard drive at Best Buy. The in-home mini-course went well. I had a lot of questions about specific components inside the iMac.

I’m grateful to Scott for his generosity and willingness to reach out and help a fellow computer consultant. This evening I had another iMac that needed a hard drive replacement, and having gone through the process once with Scott, I was much more confident this time in doing it myself.

I wish I’d created a video of the process, but for those interested in learning more, you can watch the YouTube video below which is very similar to what Scott showed me. It helped to have him present to answer some specific questions that aren’t covered in most online videos.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w6E2_XqaBw?rel=0]

Transfer of Data, Programs, and Settings. An additional tool and step that I don’t want to go without mentioning will be needed for transferring the data from the old drive to the new one. An external drive case or USB connection kit will allow you to copy files to the newly rebuilt computer. Or, alternatively, you can perform a fresh complete Time Machine backup, and then when prompted, restore your user account, programs, data, and settings from that.

Categories
articles

Apple Airport Extreme Wireless Router Uses a Beamforming Antenna Array

The new Apple Airport Extreme Wireless Router uses a Beamforming Antenna Array to achieve greater distance, speed, and reliability of wireless networking. By tracking the location of wireless devices, the signal pattern is boosted directionally. [More…]

20130612we-apple-airport-extreme

Categories
articles

Finding and Using the University of Iowa (UIOWA) eBuy Website Login Page for Purchasing

The eBuy purchasing portal for the University of Iowa is available by following these steps:

  1. Visit https://hris.uiowa.edu and login using your HawkID and password.
  2. Click on the Administration tab.
  3. Under Systems click on the link for E-Pro(EVouchers & PReqs).
  4. On the One Stop e-Procurement page, click the eBuy link.
  5. You should be at the eBuy home screen and portal to a variety of vendors.
  6. Click the vendor (CDWG, for example) and choose Punch Out.
  7. It’s easiest to have a sales rep at CDWG create a quote, then at this point click on Iowa Quotes, then find your name/quote, then click the Add to Cart button.
  8. Click Checkout.
  9. On the resulting page, click the Transfer Shopping Cart button.
  10. You can Assign the cart to a designated supervisor.
  11. That person needs to review and approve the cart, adding the appropriate MFK accounting codes, then they release it to workflow.
  12. Once in Workflow, it needs to be approved by multiple individuals.
Categories
articles

Apple Computer Sales Numbers, Data, and Trends Presented at the Word Wide Developers Conference

20130610mo-apple-wwdc-logoEach year at the World Wide Developers Conference, Apple reviews their progress over the previous year by presenting some impressive (and often mind boggling) data about software downloads, music purchases, and store sales.

Here are some of the numbers presented this year:

  • There are over 6 million registered Apple software developers with 1.5 million of those having joined in 2012.
  • The WWDC event sold out in 71 seconds.
  • Over 1 million people per day visit an Apple store.
  • Tens of thousands of school children visit Apple stores on field trips every year.
  • There are 407 Apple stores in 14 countries.
  • Over 50 billion software programs have been downloaded from the App Store is 5 years old.
  • There are 900,000 apps in the App Store.
  • There are 375,000 iPad apps in the App Store.
  • There are 575 million people with store accounts at Apple.
  • Apple has paid $10 billion to software developers, with $5 billion of that paid in just the last year. That’s 300% more than the revenue from Android and all other mobile OS systems combined.
  • There are 72 Million Apple Mac computers in use.
  • The iMac announced last year is the #1 desktop computer in the U.S..
  • The Macbook is the #1 notebook computer in the U.S.
  • Over the past 5 years, Apple has a 15% growth rate versus 3% for Windows. During that time, Mac has grown 100%, but Windows has grown 18% total.
  • Mountain Lion OS sold 28 million copies.
  • Mountain Lion is in use by 35% of users, but Windows 8 is less than 5% of Windows users.
Categories
articles

New Apple Safari Internet Browser is Designed to Block Flash Advertising

Yesterday Apple announced that their new operating system (Mavericks) will come with a new version of their popular Safari Internet Browser. The new browser will include a feature that can block animated Flash advertising. The feature is similar to their Reader feature that extracts all advertising and presents a clean readable version of content.

Many websites display animations using power-hungry plug-ins that can drain precious battery life. But OS X Mavericks is watching out for you. The new Safari Power Saver feature recognizes the difference between what you came to see and the stuff you probably didn’t. If the content is front and center it plays as usual. But if it’s off in the margins, Safari Power Saver pauses it. You’ll see a static preview, and it won’t run until you click to play it. So if you don’t want to watch something, it won’t take a toll on your battery life. With Safari Power Saver, browsing websites with plug-in content will use up to 35 percent less CPU power.

20130611tu-apple-safari-flash-plug-in-controller-pause-preview-play-control

Categories
articles

Data Recovery Scenarios Causes, Solutions, and Cost Estimates

20130409tu-data-recovery-situations

The graphic above shows the variety of causes for lost data and the general costs for recovery.

The prices shown are based on an estimate of $70 – $90 per hour, and going clockwise, the estimated time required for recovery increases.

When drives have a mechanical or circuit board failure, then additional equipment and time is required to perform the recovery. The extend of drive damage will determine the cost of recovery.

These are estimates only. The actual cost may be above or below these estimates.

For more information, visit Iowa City Data Recovery.

20120618mo-iowa-city-data-recovery-hard-drive-repair-header-woman-umbrella-on-right-with-dot-com-388x370

Categories
articles

yWorks yEd is Free Flow-Chart, Workflow, Project Management, Network Design, Graphic Planning Software

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmSTwKw7dX4?rel=0]

20130409tu-yworks-logoSummary. The free yED Graph Editor software from yWorks is a a powerful desktop application that can be used to quickly and effectively generate high-quality diagrams. Create diagrams manually, or import your external data for analysis. Our automatic layout algorithms arrange even large data sets with just the press of a button. [more…]

20130409tu-yed-screen-shot

Categories
articles

Teamviewer 7 for Remote Computer Support, Training, and Meetings

Teamvier 7 was recently released and now it includes even more features including online meeting capabilities. [More…]

Categories
Website Design

Iowa City Web Design Artist

Greg Johnson is a web design artist in Iowa City who has developed many local sites as well as some for international organizations based elsewhere.

Categories
Website Design

Iowa City Website Designers

Visit IowaCityWebsiteDesigners.com for news about full service website design and development.