The OSX/Apple support thread

[PushedDover]

thebraketester said:

Have you tried resetting the keyboard dictionary?

Not all heros wear capes !

Thank you

[andygo]

I have a recurring niggle with my 2019 iMac.

It periodically changes the name that 'others on my local network can access my computer at: andygo-imac.local' to andygo-imac-2, 3,etc. Its simple enough to revert, but would prefer it not to happen.

I suspect it's a confict generated by the Mac being connected to the router by wifi and ethernet. Whilst i can disable the wifi, it then stops airdrop working and similarly if I disable the ethernet, I have to use the wifi which is significantly slower.

Is there a simple fix for this?

Thanks.

[tog]

I used to see this even when only using ethernet, but haven't had it for a while. Does changing the service order in the Network pref pane have any effect? Mine is set to use ethernet first, but as you say needs wifi for Airdrop to work.

[andygo]

I found an Apple user thread that suggested unticking the wake for network access box. Tried that this morning, evrything is still ok, but early days yet.

You would have thought it's an eaily ironed out bug after all this time - seems to have been an issue for a select few users for years now.

Anyway, lets see.

[BreakingBad]

Help!

My Mac is stuck on an update. It was fine a few days ago but then an auto-update sticks between 30% and 50% complete and won’t go further, even after many hours.

I have tried:
Switching it off and on again (natch!)
Switching it off and holding the shift button down on re-start
Switching it off and holding down the power button on re-start.

Each time, I only get the Apple logo and update bar on an otherwise plain black screen and can’t access anything else.

I’m not very tech-savvy so a layman’s explanation for a cure would be very, very welcome…

[mmm-five]

BreakingBad said:

Help!

My Mac is stuck on an update. It was fine a few days ago but then an auto-update sticks between 30% and 50% complete and won’t go further, even after many hours.

I have tried:
Switching it off and on again (natch!)
Switching it off and holding the shift button down on re-start
Switching it off and holding down the power button on re-start.

Each time, I only get the Apple logo and update bar on an otherwise plain black screen and can’t access anything else.

I’m not very tech-savvy so a layman’s explanation for a cure would be very, very welcome…

The model and year, and whether you have a wired or wireless keyboard may help us a little, as Intel, PowerPC and Apple Silicon all have different methods of start-up diagnostics (i.e. how to get into recovery mode).

Also, do you have access to another Mac (and what is it) in case we need to access it another way?

Edited by mmm-five on Friday 22 April 09:45

[BreakingBad]

Hi,
Think it’s about 2016 model, don’t have much more info I’m afraid - I inherited it.
It is a wireless keyboard and mouse and don’t have another Mac to use, just an iPad.

[mmm-five]

BreakingBad said:

Hi,
Think it’s about 2016 model, don’t have much more info I’m afraid - I inherited it.
It is a wireless keyboard and mouse and don’t have another Mac to use, just an iPad.

You can either try to get into the local macOS Recovery partition (to repair/reinstall) by holding down Command (⌘)-R at start-up.

If this Option-Command (⌘)-R or Shift-Option-Command (⌘)-R to start up from an online macOS Recovery utility over the internet.

I don't use a wireless keyboard, so don't know if the start-up key combos work the same as on a wired keyboard. Of course, both of the options above will only work if the keyboard is recognised at the boot stage, otherwise the key combo will do nothing as the keyboard is not linked to the Mac at that time. Does the keyboard have a USB connection at the back so that you can make it a 'wired' keyboard for the time being?

[vaud]

BreakingBad said:

Hi,
Think it’s about 2016 model, don’t have much more info I’m afraid - I inherited it.
It is a wireless keyboard and mouse and don’t have another Mac to use, just an iPad.

https://serial-number-decoder.co.uk/apple-serial-n...

If the serial number is printed on it then you can look up the model here.

[BreakingBad]

Thanks mmm-five (and Vaud) - I’ll give that a go and report back

[JonChalk]

Does anyone know why randomly and occasionally gallery view in Finder stops displaying using all the available screen space, and displays the image much smaller and with a white border?

[Cloudy147]

Hi all,

Looking for some iPad advice please as daughter wants one for her birthday. She currently uses an Android tablet, with an SD card in it. The card has some of her favourite DVDs on there, which I converted to avi/mp4 files and she watches them through VLC.

It it possible to copy them onto an Apple iPad (relatively easily), or is the only way to convert them via iTunes (which I won't be doing) please?

It'll be the decision between buying a 64gb or a 256gb model - so don't want to spend all that extra cash if its going to be a waste of money!

Thankyou!

[vaud]

Cloudy147 said:

Hi all,

Looking for some iPad advice please as daughter wants one for her birthday. She currently uses an Android tablet, with an SD card in it. The card has some of her favourite DVDs on there, which I converted to avi/mp4 files and she watches them through VLC.

It it possible to copy them onto an Apple iPad (relatively easily), or is the only way to convert them via iTunes (which I won't be doing) please?

It'll be the decision between buying a 64gb or a 256gb model - so don't want to spend all that extra cash if its going to be a waste of money!

Thankyou!

Yes you can install VLC and copy them to the VLC folder once the ipad is attached to a computer via USB.

You can get an SD card adaptor but I don't know if VLC can read from it for videos (I have an ipad but no SD card to test this)

[Cloudy147]

vaud said:

Yes you can install VLC and copy them to the VLC folder once the ipad is attached to a computer via USB.

You can get an SD card adaptor but I don't know if VLC can read from it for videos (I have an ipad but no SD card to test this)

thankyou

[bad company]

I’m on holiday in the USA. I set my iPhone 12 to do not disturb but still got woken by a call from an unknown number during the night.

Anyone know why that would happen?

[vaud]

bad company said:

I’m on holiday in the USA. I set my iPhone 12 to do not disturb but still got woken by a call from an unknown number during the night.

Anyone know why that would happen?

I think you need to change it under settings: Focus > Do Not Disturb > People > Calls From > No-one.

[bad company]

vaud said:

bad company said:

I’m on holiday in the USA. I set my iPhone 12 to do not disturb but still got woken by a call from an unknown number during the night.

Anyone know why that would happen?

I think you need to change it under settings: Focus > Do Not Disturb > People > Calls From > No-one.

I don’t see the People or Calls From options after Do Not Disturb. See screenshot.

[craig1912]

People is there in your screenshot, click on it, then “calls from” then “no one”

[bad company]

craig1912 said:

People is there in your screenshot, click on it, then “calls from” then “no one”

Got it, thanks. The next screen gave the option of receiving calls from No One, Favourites, All Contacts or Groups. Favourites was ticked so I just changed it to No One.

I still don’t understand how the call came through though as it was an unknown number but apparently a favourite.

Thanks for your help.

Edited by bad company on Thursday 7th July 14:11

[mmm-five]

There's also an option to allow (or block) calls if they try multiple times.

I think it is 'Allow Repeated Calls' under 'People' > 'Also Allow'.