Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW
Ask TUAW: Sync problems, Windows keyboard layouts, parental controls, security dongles and more
In this exciting edition of Ask TUAW we'll be looking at using parental controls to limit email, fixing Boot Camp partition problems, limiting access via a USB security dongle, updating with a combo updater and more. As always your suggestions are most welcome, and questions for next week should be left in the comments. When asking a question please include which machine you're running and which version of OS X, as certain answers will vary between different Macs and Tiger vs. Leopard, etc. (we'll assume you're running Leopard if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions!
rafi6 asks
I have a mbp running leopard and an iphone. For a long time I didn't sync my contacts with .mac and now when I try sync them, it tries to change lots of contacts on my computer. Is there any way I can copy all the contacts on my computer to .mac and then maintain them synced after? Also, I'm having the same problem when I try to sync them to google.
What you need to do for .Mac is Reset Sync Data, which you'll find in under the Advanced button in the Sync tab of the .Mac Preference Pane. This Apple Support Document explains what you need to do. Once you do this all of the information on .Mac will be replaced with the data on your computer, so make sure it is completely up to date before you do this. Be sure to make sure the arrow points from your computer to .Mac.
Incidentally, I would recommend making a backup of your Address Book before doing any syncing. You can find the Export Address Book Archive item in the File menu.
Zac asks
I have a question that involves Parallels and languages in OS X. I study Linguistics and have the Western Spanish Keyboard for my MacBook (it makes typing accents much easier). I cannot figure out how to get Windows XP to recognize the correct keyboard layout. Back when I used Boot Camp, Windows recognized the keyboard, but since I installed Parallels it does not. I'm guessing there is a driver for the keyboard somewhere on the Boot Camp CD, does anyone know how to extract it?
As you suggested, this is really a Windows question because in Parallels the machine will just use the Windows driver. Now, I don't generally answers Windows questions, but this wiki page will probably get you started. It looks like what you need to do is boot into Windows then find the keyboard layout you want within the Windows registry. Then export it to a USB flash drive and re-import it to your Parallels virtual machine.
tukan asks
I am currently running Leopard on a SR Macbook 2.2. I was wondering if there was any way to integrate current software updates (especially those hefty 10.5.X packages) into my original install DVD (with 10.5.0). I know you can do it for Service Packs in XP, but I can't find the way to do this with Leopard, and I don't fancy spending hours in Software Update after next reinstall (especially that we might be at 10.5.10 by that day :) Or is it that all updates overlap and you can patch a 10.5.0 with, say 10.5.3, straight away?
What you want to do is slipstream an install disc, and unfortunately this is not possible with Leopard (there were utilities for older versions of OS X, but none of them work anymore). But it's not necessary to spend hours. All you have to do is download the 10.5.3 combo updater. This will do exactly what you want: bring a virgin 10.5.0 install up to date. Apple generally releases a new combo updater shortly after each system update.
iGO asks
Since... [the] update to 10.5.3, I have an issue with a managed account on my iMac Core Duo.Everything is working fine except one aspect of my son's managed account. I am the administrator. When he tries to connect to the iTunes store, it never connects and eventually kicks back an error code stating:"We could not complete your iTunes Store Request. An unknown error occurred (-50) There was an error in the iTunes Store. Please try your request later" I have scoured and checked every setting in Parental Controls but nothing is fixing the issue. I know Parental controls is the culprit because when I turn that off, he connects immediately. Also, it used to work just fine under 10.5.2. Tried repairing permissions too, but no go.
Unfortunately, this seems to be a known bug (see also this thread). As of right now there does not appear to be a work around other than disabling parental controls. Someone suggested that it's still possible to search the iTunes store, just not load the iTunes front page. It may be worth complaining to Apple about this.
jsg asks
I have tried to install XP on my MBP using the bootcamp, but I got an error massage and I unable to do it. The question is two part:1) How do I troubleshoot it? 2) After failed attempt to install XP, my HD showed less space (it was 57 gig free before hand, and now it is 37 gig free...I had chosen 20 gig for XP partition).
Unfortunately, that's not enough information to suggest anything concrete in answer to (1) other than check out Apple's Boot Camp Support site. As far as (2) goes, it appears that you did successfully partition your drive, creating the 20 GB Windows partition. If you want to get it back you just need to run the Disk Utility which will allow you to delete the FAT32 partition and reintegrate it into your main HFS+ partition. Check out the Partition tab.
Adam asks
My boss is having big troubles on his PC and has finally gotten so fed up he wants to switch to the mac we have in the office. The only issue is he has to move all his outlook email/contacts over to the Mac. He would like to use Entourage (rather than mail - at least he's switching to the mac, right?) but I have yet to find a way to do so. Does anyone know how to migrate from Outlook 2003 to Entourage 2008?
We just answered a similar question, but I'm always one to encourage switching. Check out Little Machine's O2M for $10.
Sean asks
Is there an equivalent for Macs for this? At my place of work, we can't have Mac laptops due to security issues. All of the Windows laptops are protected with this USB dongle that renders your machine useless if you don't have it. (I would argue that Windows does that anyway, but, alas.) If I can find something equivalent, I might be able to work a Mac laptop or two in here.
Check out SecuriKey ($130) which we posted on a while back. It basically sounds like what you want.
maradatscha asks
I'm searching for a way to stop emails beeing sent to everyone except some people. Is there a way to do this without setting up my own Mail Server?
Yes, you can do this with the parental controls. Go to the Accounts Preference Pane and enable parental controls for that account. Then go to the Parental Controls Preference Pane and in the Mail & iChat tab you'll find an option for restricting email (and IM) to particular people.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Nick K. said 9:38AM on 6-19-2008
JSG:
I had the same problem when I first tried to partition with Boot Camp Assistant. Repairing the disk in Disk Utility didn't work for me, as it would hang and become unresponsive- If you have a Time Machine backup, you can restore from that. Sorry, but erasing the disk was the only thing that worked for me. Don't give up yet, though, if you don't have a backup. Try Disk Utility incase it works for you. Good luck. :]
Reply
cuckoo said 9:43AM on 6-19-2008
Well, i've got a problem i can't solve. It's been very persistant since the 10.5.3 update.
A while back I did some testing with a 10.5 server and implementing a caldav server. It didn't quite work out, so i headed an other way. I deleted the caldav server account in ical and went on with my life.
But since 10.5.3, whenever i restart ical there the caldav calender returns. I can delete it no problem, but whenever i open en close ical, it's right there again.
Where does ical store the caldav information? or how could i lose this?
tia tuaw!
Reply
Simon said 10:34AM on 6-19-2008
Hi TUAW, I need some advice ... I have a 16GB iPod Touch and a very large collection of movies and TVshows in my iTunes library stored on my iMac. I will soon be going away for about a year to South America, will not be able to take a laptop, but will be able to use PCs at local internet cafes maybe once a fortnight. I want to put my iTunes library onto an external USB powered drive (I have a 320GB drive that should do the job) and be able to swap the films that are on stored on the iPod for viewing. Is it possible to also store the iTunes application that I need to transfer the files? I'm a bit confused about how I should set it all up. Thanks.
Reply
Steven said 10:07AM on 6-19-2008
I've got a major problem in iTunes that has just started a few weeks ago. First off: MacBook 2.2Ghz, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, 10.5.3, all the latest updates, etc. The music library is in the default iTunes folder.
I've got almost 17,100 songs in iTunes (around 100GB). Adding songs to the library is no issue, but when I play a song, the song plays but I get the spinning beach ball, then 13 seconds later I can stop the song. Everything is fine in iTunes until I decide to play a song.
Now, I do have Last.fm installed and haven't tried removing that to see if it's the problem. I do have iStat Menus installed and every time I play a song in iTunes, iTunes uses "109%" CPU usage. It goes back to normal after the 13 seconds, but a few seconds later will go back to the 109% CPU usage. So that has me thinking it's not the Last.fm app.
Anyway, it's really annoying as I have to wait 13 seconds to do ANYTHING in iTunes if a song is playing. Any suggestions would help a TON.
Reply
byaah said 12:14PM on 6-19-2008
I would try disabling the Last.fm scrobbling feature or remove it completely to see if that is causing your system to hang as it tries to update.
Steven said 12:21PM on 6-19-2008
Well the thing is, I've had Last.fm installed for months, and this just started happening recently. But I'll give it a shot anyway.
Steve said 10:36AM on 6-19-2008
I have a 17" MBP running up-to-date Leopard, and I'm relatively new to the Mac platform. I have three questions so I'm leaving them in the same comment:
1. I have two user accounts on my machine, but I have a folder or two that I want to be able to access at all times from either user account. I do not, however, want all of this data to be available to other macs on my network.
I know there are a handful of ways to make this happen, but I'm looking for the *best* way to do it. On a Windows machine I know all the tricks and the pros and cons, but on a Mac I'm not so sure-footed. I've tried messing with permissions but no matter what I try it seems to fall just short of full access for one of the two accounts.
2. Is there a way to "Share" iPhoto libraries within a network of macs in the same way you can Share an iTunes library (essentially providing read-only access)? I don't want to copy my library on three macs but I also don't want to have to teach my wife to use Back To My Mac to view my photos while she's on her laptop.
3. I have a thousand or more widescreen wallpapers that I let the mac shuffle through automatically. Sometimes I decide that I no longer want the currently-displayed wallpaper on my system. But for the life of me I cannot figure out how to get Leopard to open Finder to that file so I can delete it. The wallpapers are not in iPhoto just a folder all together. I have tried with the photos in iPhoto with no better results. I've solicited advice on AskMetafilter but nobody has been able to solve the problem, as the way they call the wallpaper only manages to show the most recently SELECTED wallpaper, which is unrelated to the currently DISPLAYED wallpaper when it's on shuffle. The closest I've come is a terminal command that gives me the filename, which I can then Spotlight search for and delete, but I am not good enough with Terminal to know how to make that process executable, so I'm constantly running terminal, opening a text file, copying the command into terminal... it's a long process.
Please help! Thanks!
Reply
Craig said 10:51AM on 6-19-2008
I just got my first MacBook Pro (latest version, running Leopard with all updates), and I have a question regarding firmware passwords and triple-booting.
I'd like to set up a tri-boot between OS X, XP Pro and Ubuntu 8.04, and use rEFIt as my bootloader/menu. Now, I know how to do all that. I'm also looking at getting a program like Undercover in case of theft; they recommend a firmware password to prevent booting from another disc. Now, will that password conflict with rEFIt in any way? Or will it just make me have to type in a password every time I want to boot something other than OS X (which is not a bit deal)? Thanks!
Reply
Scott said 12:25PM on 6-19-2008
Maybe this is too specific to one piece of software for this feature, but:
Has anyone found a good Firefox 3 theme that makes it look more like Firefox 2? I run both Safari and Firefox, and I don't WANT my Firefox looking like Safari! I'm most disappointed in the dark gray being used for the tabs, and the utter lack of any color in the buttons. There are 10 million themes, it seems like, and I've yet to find one that just makes small modifications to the FF3 theme to lighten it up a little and make it look more like the Windows version (I'm forced to use it at work, and I like having the same browser interface at work and at home on my Mac. That used to mean Firefox, until Version 3.)
Reply
virusdoc said 4:16PM on 6-19-2008
I have two Macs, a 24" iMac Aluminum (home) and the newest version of the Mac Pro (quad core) at work. Both of them have the same problem: they cannot seem to keep their time machine disks mounted. Both machines are hooked to external disks via firewire, the iMac to a generic firewire enclosure I built with a Seagate PATA 400GB drive, the Pro to a WD MyBook Home edition, 500GB. I have updated the firmware on the WD drive to the most recent; no firmware updates are available for the generic enclosure.
Both machines will mount the drives just fine at boot or at login, and they seem to keep the drive mounted until I put the machines to sleep. On wake, there is about a 30% chance that the drive will no longer appear in the Finder, and of course Time Machine can't find it and backups fail. The lost mount doesn't occur in a reproducible fashion, but it always occurs after several sleep/wake cycles. No "you unplugged a mounted disk, you stupid user" errors are shown. No relevant error messages seem to be posted in the Console logs. Both external disks spin down at sleep, and spin up at wake--even if they are not showing up in the Finder.
Since both machines do this (and have done so since 10.5.0--I keep hoping Apple will fix it with each update, but they don't), I'm inclined to believe it's a pervasive Leopard issue. Logging out or rebooting is an obvious, but temporary, fix. But one of the reasons I converted to MacOS about a year ago is because my Mac-owning friends were always boasting about weeks to months of up time, so I'd like to find a real fix. I have perused the Apple support discussions and find a few related threads (some implicating WD drives, a factor I feel I've excluded by using a home-baked firewire drive as a control), but no real solutions.
Thanks!
Reply
Josh Wood said 1:35AM on 6-20-2008
A few months ago I jailbroke my iphone with ZiPhone. A little while later I had to restore my iphone because I was having some problems, and never rejailbroke it. Later, I found out that ZiPhone changes the bootloader and once it is changed, it cannot be changed back. So recently I tried jailbreaking by iphone again, this time with Pwnage Tool. Anyway, with the impending 2.0 software release, I want to revirginize my phone.
Is there any way I can revirginize my iphone and restore the bootloader back to what it originally was? Is my iphone going to be able to run 2.0?
Reply
Carlos Fonseca said 7:36AM on 6-20-2008
Hi
Is there any app that it's only objective is to set hotkeys to open things up? I'm using Quicksilver for it, but since I recently converted to LaunchBar, I could use something with a smaller footprint just to have HotKeys…
Thanks
Reply
computergeeksjw said 4:46PM on 6-20-2008
Try Spark.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=8&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freemacware.com%2Fspark&ei=3xVcSLXCAY-AggSiw_iLDA&usg=AFQjCNG4dmd88QByCalA5sm-tmeb9IFHVw&sig2=vajEarya_MLbkboHBU-K9Q
Jonathan Wise said 8:31AM on 6-20-2008
Adam! Before you spend any money, why don't you just copy over the PST file from your boss's Windows machine and open it in Entourage? I know you could do that in older versions, I'm sure you still can now...
Reply
rafi6 said 1:19PM on 6-21-2008
Thanks for the answer TUAW! =)
Reply
Theo said 10:00PM on 6-21-2008
I've imported some TV Shows into iTunes and have put in all the metadata that I can into iTunes, even used a program called Lostify to add additional metadata (such as description). I can put in the episode numbers and season numbers into iTunes, but once the episodes are divided by season, they're not always in order of episode. The only way I can see the episode number is to Get Info or view the season in Front Row. For some reason there is no way to sort by episode number, like you can with song track numbers. Is there some kind of script to show the episode numbers, or even just copy the episode number to the track number?
Reply
Steve said 4:25PM on 6-22-2008
I am running Leopard; I use a Mac Book Pro; When starting up , it often times takes as long as 3 to 5 minutes before it gets to the desktop screen. Often, I will have to hit the space bar a couple of times in order to get it to go from the blank screen to the desktop. I have tried to close everything down before shutting off .. but that doesn't seem to be the key. Any suggestions???
Reply
Wes said 3:31PM on 6-23-2008
I'm a mac noob (switched after decades of Windows). I like running Synergy (StarDock refuses to release their mac client of Multiplicity) between my mac and my Windows box at work. Each weekday morning, I have to open a terminal window, and enter the command line to kick off Synergy.
How can I:
1) Have this command run automatically every time I boot the machine, or
2) Have an icon of some sorts so that I can manually start the app without having to type in the command line with all of its arguments.
I'd probably prefer #2, as I don't want it running when I'm not in the office.
Reply
emil Hedaya said 2:02PM on 6-24-2008
I've noticed my AppleTV gets really hot, even when i've held down the Play button to "turn it off." In the spirit of conserving energy, I've connected it (as well as my TV, cable box, and a few other gadgets that seem to drain power in standby mode) to a power strip with a built-in vacation timer so that between 1am and 7am, its outlet is switched off. Seeing as how the device doesn't really have an on/off switch (or any preferred shutdown method to be used before unplugging it), do you think I'm putting the device at risk?
Reply
Zeromaru said 9:20AM on 6-25-2008
I have two questions.
First is regarding iPhone apps. I currently have a Windows Mobile phone, and with the rumored Rogers pricing scheme I no longer have any reservations about getting an iPhone. However, I do have one little nitpick, in the homescreen. On my Today screen on my HTC Touch is a very large and readable clock, a list of my upcoming calendar events, and number of unread emails/texts/missed calls. As far as I'm aware, the iPhone's lock screen is quite similar, except for the lack of calendar events. The Intelliscreen app fixes this, however requires Jailbreaking and something about the program breaks Apple's TOS for the App Store and so won't be available there. Given the massive influx on upcoming App Store apps, has there been any one that replicates such functionality?
Second question, Apple offers Darwin Calendar Server, the open-source backend to iCal Server, for free. I have it running, and though I haven't yet figured out two-way sync, it appears to work fine. My question is does Apple (or anyone else) have available a similar solution for Address Book Server? Given that my only MobileMe-compatible devices are my iMac and (when I get it) iPhone (which will be plugged in and synced daily anyway), leaving my Linux laptop in the dust, it's not really worth it for me to pay for the service. Conversely, if MobileMe actually supports CalDAV and LDAP (standard protocols for Calendar and Address Book sharing, it already supports IMAP and WebDAV for mail/iDisk), that would make it a Linux-compatible service, and worth getting. Does it support these protocols?
Reply