Here's a quick tip for Mac users who want to put their machines in a Sleeping Beauty-like hibernation but don't have the time to wait for the system to go through the "drowsy" stage: Press Command-Option then hold down the Eject Button for 2 secs and that's it! It turns off the fan and bypasses the dialog box. Don't you wish you can send your hyperactive kids to dreamland this way?

Apple has recently released a maintenance update for the Mac OS 10.4.7, with an added background daemon that reports to Apple information about your computer when you launch the Dashboard. The Widget Advisory could be the nagging girlfriend or the, to quote the now defunct Destiny's Child, your bug-a-boo boyfriend. The feature is so easy to use that there is no obvious way to actually turn it off. But of course, if there's a will, there's a way.

In the OS X Terminal, launch a window and enter:

sudo mv /etc/mach_init.d/dashboardadvisoryd.plist /etc/mach_init.d/
dashboardadvisoryd.plist.disabled

And then reboot.

And then give it the it's-me-not-you excuse.

In the eyes of its adherents, Mac OS X is far superior to Windows. Whether or not this is the truth, OS X still does suffer from problems every now and then (well, nothing's perfect), especially if and when users have it do more intensive tasks like video editing.

James Stoup from Apple Matters has put together a beginners' guide to fixing OS X. He stresses that it's meant to be taken neither as a comprehensive list of solutions nor a substitute for Apple-certified help (well, it's a beginners' guide after all, and available for free to boot).

So without further ado, here are Stoup's list of steps to try in the event your Mac starts hiccuping, listed in the order in which users should attempt them.

Restart. This is the easiest and the most basic thing you can try, and can fix many types of problems.

Delete preferences. Stoup recommends that if one of your apps is acting up, delete its preference file, which is stored in Library/Preferences, by moving it to the trash. The next time the app is opened it'll automatically generate a new preferences file. (You'll need to reset all your preferences afterwards, of course.)

Run maintenance/Clean cache. You can also try to download Cocktail or Onyx - cleaning scripts run automatically by OS X which in turn run OS X's CRON scripts at a default time (you'll need to have your computer on at this time though, and not on sleep either). They're shareware - something to keep in mind.

Run Disk Utility. Pop your OS X's install disk in your drive and restart your computer while holding down the 'C' key. This will force your machine to boot from the disk and not the hard drive. When it boots up, look in the menu for the Disk Utility option and click on it; this opens up the Disk Utility interface. Just click on the repair disk option to activate it.

Reset RAM. This will force the hardware to clear and reset the PRAM and NVRAM. It's easily done; you just need to hold Command-Option-P-R when the Mac's booted up. It'll reset the clock, too, but hey.

(At this point Stoup warns his readers that every solution after this point will take a bit of time and/or money to implement.)

Run Disk Warrior. This is a program by Alsoft which is apparently very easy to use and does wonders for corrupted directory structures. Two caveats, though - using this app can result in data loss, so you should back everything up before you give it a try; plus it costs $79.95.

Run Tech Tool Pro. Micromat makes this program, which lets you defrag your hard drive, recover lost data and back up your system, among other things - good for serious data recovery work. It takes a little while to work, but it's great for serious data recovery work (at any rate, it'll let you get your data back before your computer dies completely). It's not at all cheap, though. It'll set you back $98.00.

Run to the Apple Store. If you don't know it yet, these stores have free diagnostic service - all you need to do is walk up to the Genius Bar and ask for help.

Reinstall OS X. Stoup says this is your option of last resort, and I think that really is about the size of it. Make sure you back up your data first, though! Completely erase your drive first and then install OS X - the archive and install feature, he says, will allow some of your system to be saved so it can be reviewed after your install. Important note: this feature shouldn't be used as a substitute for a good third-party backup.

If ever any of you give this a try please be sure and tell us all how everything goes. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll never need to do anything more drastic than, say, clean my Mac's cache - but at least now I know what to do just in case. Knowing, as the well-worn saying goes, really is half the battle.

Tech guy Tom Ierna is the proud owner of an Apple eMac. When he found out that his beloved eMac's analog board was in need of replacement, and that a new one would cost a whopping $500 (and, in addition, that his machine couldn't qualify for Apple's warranty repair extension), he began to consider drastic measures.

Ierna spotted a Samsung 17" flatscreen monitor and came up with the bright idea of replacing the eMac's problematic old CRT with an LCD, which would allow him to bypass that faulty analog board and give his eMac a new lease on life. And his hard work paid off! His modded eMac's a beaut!

He's posted an illustrated procedure on his blog, which I've condensed and summarized for your viewing pleasure.

You just finished transferring a hodge-podge of songs to your iPod. You can't wait to listen to your new tracks when all of a sudden, the "Do not Disconnect" screen just won't go away. You've done everything written in the book, but still the annoying red icon just won't stop bugging you. Little beads of sweat begin to por down your forehead and you know you'll be panicking in a few minutes....What to do, what to do?!

Actually, this is quite a common problem so you need not worry about that, you could solve it all by your lonesome without the need to call an Apple genius. You already know by now that before you just disconnect your iPod from your computer, you need to properly eject it first. Incorrectly disconnecting an iPod while it is in use can damage data on the iPod and/or the computer's hard disk, so when that happens, here's what you can do.

When the "Do not Disconnect" sign just won't stop and you're done with transferring you're songs, make sure that you quit all open applications and stop all running process that may involve your iPod, then open iTunes. You can eject the iPod using iTunes by using the Source window or the eject icon. By using the source window, look to the right of your iPod and see a small gray arrow. Click on the arrow and your iPod should eject.

If that didn't work, go over to the eject ipod button in the lower right corner of the iTunes window. The Eject iPod button appears when you select your iPod in the Source list. If your iPod is still flashing the "Do not Disconnect " screen, you can also try to eject the iPod from the operating system level using the Finder for Mac or My Computer for PC. First of, if you're using a Mac, click the Finder icon in the Dock then select the iPod icon on your Desktop, from the File menu, choose Eject iPod. For the PC, Double-click on the My Computer icon on your Desktop then right-click the iPod icon and choose Eject from the menu.

Still flashing that annoying screen? When all that work still doesn't 'work', then that's the time that you just unplug your iPod regardless of what is flashing on the screen. But before doing that make sure to do the following:

• Listen to or touch the iPod to see if its hard drive is spinning. If it isn't spinning, you can safely disconnect iPod from your computer.
• If the hard drive is spinning, quit iTunes then re-open it. See if your iPod appears in the Source list. If so, try to eject the iPod again.
• If the hard drive continues to spin while displaying the "Do not disconnect" message, reset it, wait 5 seconds and then quickly disconnect it from your computer.
• You can also try shutting down your computer. Sometimes that does the trick.
  

We all have them - files on our shared Mac that is, frankly, nobody's business. Maybe it's sensitive financial data, or some proprietary information. Perhaps it's your new novel or screenplay. Or...'fess up, you downloaded some (*ahem*) "erotic" materials...no big deal, right? That is, until a friend, co-worker, boss or significant other runs across it...

"That's what 'permissions' are for," you're saying. Sometimes. The problem is, when your user is compromised and someone else is on your computer - or you just loaned your MacBook to a co-worker to view her webmail - "permissions" would have to lock you out of the folder in order to work properly.

Here are some tips to help keep your private files private:

• Create a New User for the purpose of hiding your private files. This will put a new password in place and a new home directory hierarchy for data storage. Hide the User, and no-one's the wiser...and enabling Fast User Switching allows one to go back and forth as you like. You can also make a "Guest Account" for other users and flip over to that before handing over your Mac.

• Create "Dot" Folders. Files that start with a dot (".") are hidden by default in Unix-based OS X.  There are many ways for someone to discover these, of course, but they would have to go to some lengths to find them. The procedure: in Terminal, create a folder with a name that starts with a dot (like .MySecretStuff). In the finder, select Go>Go to Folder...enter ~/.MySecretStuff, and voilá! Put your secret files in the folder, close the window, and your secrets are safe. CAVEAT: The Finder remembers your last entry in the "Go To Folder..." window, so when you're finished, you'll need to open it again and tell it to go to your home folder by entering "~ Return" (without the quotes).

• Encrypt Your Disk Images: This hides your files from Spotlight searches and prying eyes, and encrypts the data on-disk in such a way that "data recovery monkeys" cannot recover it. Just make sure you have good back-ups. If you're running Panther or later, you can create an alias to reference inside disk images. Put your secret data in an encrypted disk image, make an alias outside of it, then start the associated application with the alias. You'll get the password first.

• Package Files. Put your sensitive data inside a large file package like iDVD.  Make sure its in a Contents folder, then stuff your DMG inside the Resourced folder. Make sure you set the locked flag on the folder/DMG afterwards so updates error out upon removal. When it comes to the Documents folder, you can create an RTFD with false data using TextEdit, then save it in your Documents folder with an innocuous name like "kung-pao chicken recipe," then close it. Open its package, then drop in the files you want to hide. Make sure you lock the file so its not accidentally deleted.

• Use Remote File Share. The best place to hide sensitive data is not on your own computer, but some other place to which only you have access. (Don't use iDisk - too risky.) If you have access to another machine and connect over AFP as "Guest," you can access everyone's Public folder. If you are Authenticated, you have the full home.  Drop in your files; the data is no longer on your machine, and no-one will have access to it unless you forget and leave Sharing on. A variation of this is to stash it on your iPod using "Disk Mode."

If all else fails, remember that humans tend to see what they expect to see. Sometimes the best hiding place is right out in the open, in plain sight. Particularly in most work places, people tend to "zone out" and go on auto-pilot. They log on to your computer, see the usual mundane titles in the Document folders, ignore them and move on. Put your sensitive files inside several nested folders, like AAPL2006Q2/Raw_Data/SecretStash.dmg. Throw in a few dummy Excel and CSV files into the root folder, and most busybodies won't give it a second glance. While it's fun to be less obvious by being less obvious, however, don't get careless. Drop your folder in the System/Library somewhere. Spotlight doesn't index items in the System folder.

The wireless mighty mouse may have been lost but hopefully not gone forever, but still you gotta admit Apple's mighty mouse is one nifty contraption! And that's why you really should know how to properly take care of your Apple thingamajig. So with that, here's the correct way of cleaning the Mighty Mouse.

If your Mighty Mouse is covered in fingerprints or its surface has become soiled, it can be gently wiped off with a clean lint-free cloth. If necessary, moisten the cloth using only water, just make sure not to oversaturate it since the mouse contains electronic components. These parts may be damaged if water drips from the cloth into the mouse via the seam around the scroll ball or around its underside.

You can do the same to clean the scroll ball if it has become dirty or discolored. Wipe the ball and the surrounding area, making sure to rotate the ball itself to ensure complete coverage. If the scrolling feels rough or if the scroll ball isn't scrolling up, down, or side-to-side, hold the mouse upside-down and roll the ball vigorously while cleaning it to help dislodge any particles that may have collected on the internal hardware. The video below might be a great help for you.

Everytime that you connect to a remote computer with your Mac OS X, you are given the option of being a registered user or a guest. Fortunately or unfortunately, anyone in your network will have access to your computer via guest access.

Even if this only gives the user access to the drop box, they will still have the ability to place files inside your computer without any consent from you. Anyone, reading this and nodding their heads saying it sounds familiar, then just follow these guide from Rhett Frei, on how to disable the guest account in Mac OS X.

Step 1: Look for com.apple.AppleFileServer.plist under /Library/Preferences. After you've already located it, hold down option and drag the file to your desktop. Then, you'd have to move it again to another folder, say Documents. This will serve as your backup.

Step 2: If you have a .plist editor at your disposal, double click on com.apple.AppleFileServer.plist to open the file. If not you can download  PlistEdit Pro located below this article.

Step 3: Turn down the arrow  Root in the Property List column and when you find guestAccess, change its value from yes to no.

Step 4: Save (cmd-S) your work on the file and Quit (cmd-Q)

Step 5: Hold down Option and drag com.apple.AppleFileServer.plist from the Desktop back into /Library/Preferences. Once you've done that you can now dispose of copies that are on your desktop and in the Documents folder.

Download: [PlistEdit Pro]

In 1995 I purchased a first-generation Apple Power PC 8100. At the time, I worked mostly with music and graphic files, and was certain that the 750 MB hard drive would serve me well for many years...

Today, I have a G4 Graphite model with two hard drives - the original 20 GB and an additional 80 GB. And they are fillin' up fast!

Now, a full hard drive isn't necessarily a bad thing... it means you've been happy and productive. You should be proud of yourself. On the other hand, files of all kinds are not getting any smaller, and frankly, its a pain offloading everything to zip drives and other media - or having to buy a new HD at a moment's notice.

We've rounded up eleven ways for you to give your hard drive a break, check them out in the Full Article!

The Mac maybe handy - it could fit easily into your backpack, you can tag it along anywhere and all that. But sometimes you wish it has more screen resolution or that it has a bigger screen. Of course, there are just things that you can control and some that you can. So with that, let's focus on the things that you can control -- here are some free and simple ways to maximize your Mac's screen space.

The first thing you could do is lessen the size of your desktop icons. Many users love stuffing up their desktops with files, documents and other what-have-yous that gives the screen a small appearance.

To do this go to the Finder, choose Â?ViewÂ? in the menu bar and select Â?Show View Options.Â? In the pop up, slide the icon size slider to 16 x 16. Next, set your Â?Label positionÂ? to Â?Right.Â? Finally, go to Â?ViewÂ? and select the Â?Arrange ByÂ? option that you like.

Another thing you can do is take advantage of the Exposé feature of the Mac OS X. It allows a user to quickly see open windows by two different sets of criteria, or to hide all windows and show the desktop without the need to click through many windows to find a specific target.

Another tip is to hide the dock or if you can't work without it, position it to the right or left side of the screen. Using programs that support tabbed windows is also a good idea, and lastly you can use a free program called Quicksilver. If you aren't familiar with this one, it's a free utility that can be called from anywhere within the operating system to launch applications find files, search websites, scale images, and much more. With all these mentioned, it is almost an assured thing that screen space won't be an issue in your book anymore.