OS X 411

Customize the Finder Toolbar

Robert Hodgen — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:16:42 +0000

Like most applications in OS X with a toolbar, Finder will let you rearrange, add and remove items from its toolbar (pictured below). This is a great timesaver for those who don’t have the keyboard shortcuts memorized for deleting or want to have access to a button.

Customized Finder Toolbar.

Like most other OS X applications, customize Finder’s toolbar by choosing the Customize Toolbar… from the View menu (pictured below).

Customize Toolbar menu item.

Just like previously mentioned, Finder acts just as most other OS X applications. Below is a screenshot of the toolbar items available for Finder’s toolbar; it includes options like New Folder, Delete, Get Info, Quick Look, Eject and multiple view/navigation items.

Items available for the Finder toolbar.

This can be looked at as a tip or just a reminder, a reminder that you can always customize your Toolbars and to use that feature to its fullest.

I like to add a little something to each of the applications I use, personalize them if you will. Even though I use keyboard shortcuts the majority of the time to delete, view file info or for Quick Look, I find myself using them occasionally when its not convenient to use the keyboard (other people who use my Mac use them as well).

Installing a 128GB SSD into an “old” MacBook Pro

bobhodgen — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:23:17 +0000

A week ago my USB Time Machine drive died. I’ve been using an old firewire drive to back up my data, but it’s too small to work with Time Machine. I needed a new backup solution. Among the options I considered were RAID arrays from Drobo and LaCie. While providing almost bulletproof backup these RAID arrays are very expensive.

MacBook Pro 15

Robert came up with the idea of replacing the MacBook Pro’s drive with an SSD and using the old drive for Time Machine in a new USB enclosure. The advantage would be a boost in speed as well as a backup solution. With the prices of memory coming down, I picked up a 128 GB SSD at CompUSA for a good price.

128GB SSD w/ MacBook Pro mounting hardware.

The new drive has the following specs:

Interface: SATA II
Dimensions: 99.88 x 69.63x 9.3 mm
Weight: 91g
Sequential Read: up to 175MB/s
Sequential Write: up to 100MB/s
Shock Resistant: 1500G/0.5ms
Vibration Resistant: 20G/20~2000Hz with 3 Axis
Operating Voltage: DC 5V
Power Consumption: 280mA~330mA
Operating Temperature: -10ºC~70ºC
Storage Temperature: -55ºC~125ºC
MTBF: >1,500,000 Hours
Data Retention: > 5 years at 25ºC
Data Reliability: Built in 15-bit ECC
O/S Support: 2000/XP/Vista, Linux and MAC OS

First a thorough backup on the old firewire drive and Mobile Me’s sync. Out came the screwdrivers and we tore into the MacBook Pro.

128GB SSD next to MacBook Pro w/ top removed.

After installation we did a new install of Leopard from disk. My contacts, bookmarks, and mail accounts were restored easily from Mobile Me. Music and photos came from the firewire disk. With only 128 GB, I have to keep the MacBook Pro lean and mean. If I haven’t used something within six months it’s not going to be installed. My movies are stored on the firewire disk and a other networked computers for now.

MacBook Pro with 128GB SSD installed (top removed).

Here’s what System Profiler has to say about the drive:

PATRIOT MEMORY 128GB SSD:
Capacity: 119.42 GB
Model: PATRIOT MEMORY 128GB SSD
Revision: 02.10104
Native Command Queuing: No
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: No
Mac OS 9 Drivers: No
S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified

Ok, how does it perform?

Boot time is less than 25 seconds from pushing the power button! I didn’t measure the boot up time with the old drive, but it feels at least twice as fast. It boots up a few seconds quicker than an SSD-powered MacBook Air.
I upgraded the original drive a while ago to a Hitachi 200 GB 7200 RPM SATA drive (its covered in a previous article on this blog which can be read here).

Performance between a 5400RPM, 7200RPM Hard drive and a 128GB SSD.

Here are the XBench scores from the original 5400 RPM stock Apple drive:

Drive test average: 29.66 (best: 35.29, worst: 14.57)
Total score average: 97.79 (best: 110.03, worst: 66.27)

Here are the XBench scores from the 7200 RPM Hitachi drive:

Drive test average: 41.74 (best: 43.07, worst: 39.97)
Total score average: 116.62 (best: 118.68, worst: 112.55)

With the new SSD the XBench scores are:

Drive test average: 71.45 (best: 72.19, worst: 70.69)
Total score average: 146.11 (best: 149.39, worst 142.68)

The scores reveal a significant performance boost. Subjectively, the computer seems a lot faster, programs load quicker, images scroll and render faster, and the only moving part is the fan! So far, battery life seems to be unaffected to marginally improved.

Update 1:

After two days of use with the new SSD, the MacBook Pro became very sluggish. The first indication was that it took over 20 minutes to boot up. Once running, apps slowed to a crawl. The computer was unusable.

Suspecting the new SSD, we removed it and ran diagnostics. The write speed was almost zero, and there were damaged blocks. Defective! The drive was returned and replaced under warranty. After reinstalling everything from Time Machine backups, everything is running smoothly (and quickly) on the new drive. It’s only been a week-my fingers are crossed. Hopefully it’s a random event and not a sign of an unreliable manufacturer. My confidence is shaken, but that’s the price you pay sometimes to be an early adopter. At least everything was backed up.

Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed.

Bob

Tip: Easily rearrange Menu Bar items

Robert Hodgen — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:49:28 +0000

First off, this tip does not work with all menu bar items, only Apple-provided menu bar items (like the clock, WiFi status, iChat, etc.) and select third-party application menu bar addons. This reason behind this how to do with how developers add an item to the menu bar: only items through OS X’s SystemUIServer will work with this tip.

Dragging the WiFi status Menu Bar item.

Back when I first switched to the Mac, I couldn’t for figure out a way to move the items on my Mac’s menu bar around. The only way I could figure a way to do it was to manually enable/disable them in the order I wanted them to be displayed. This tip is a simple solution to that problem.

The Tip: Hold down the Command key and drag an item around on the menu bar. If you drag an item off the menu bar, that item will disappear with the same “poof” as icons dragged from the dock. Items that are moved around will remember their locations after you log out or restart OS X.

Spotlight seems to be exempt from this, it cannot be moved or removed using this method. Also, many third-party allocations that have menu bar items do not work with this tip.

October Update

Robert Hodgen — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 03:45:34 +0000

For those who visit OS X 411 regularly, you may have noticed there haven’t been many recent posts, in fact this is the only post made for October 2008. The reason behind this is time. I haven’t had time to write articles. I do plan to continue writing, its just that I’ve had a lot to do with school, work and other projects. I expected this to happen and enabled user registration. This means you can write an article for OS X 411 (visit the write an article page for information on how to write).

Stay tuned…

Tip: Quit Applications without switching to them

Robert Hodgen — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:43:56 +0000

A simple time saving tip that I’ve found useful is to quit open Applications without switching to them first. I’ve got two time saving ways to accomplish that task, first through Mac OS X’s built in Application switcher (Command + Tab) and secondly the Mac OS X Dock.

Mac OS X's built in Application Switcher

The Application switcher built into OS X and accessible through Command + Tab, this allows you to quickly switch between open Applications. By striking Command + Tab once and holding down the Command key you’ll see something like the screenshot above with icons for each running Application on your Mac. Pressing Tab again will cycle forward through the list while Shift + Tab will go backwards. A nifty trick is to hit the Q key while you have an Application highlighted in the Application switcher; you’ll notice that the icon fades out, the Application has just quit.

Quit Applications using the Dock

Using Mac OS X’s Dock is also an easy shortcut for quitting Applications. Right-click an open Application and choose Quit from the menu. If you’ve got an Application that has locked up and is not responding right-clicking the Application’s Dock icon will reveal a Force Quit option (much easier than opening the Force Quit window).

Signup and Write!

Robert Hodgen — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:59:49 +0000

As of today, OS X 411 now allows anyone to register for an account and submit articles to be published on the main blog. Anything you write that clears review will be published for the whole Mac community to see.

It’s simple to sign up, choose a username and supply an email address, we’ll then send you a temporary password for you to login with. Once your account is made you’ll be able to write and submit articles for our editors to review. For more on this process, visit OS X 411’s write an article page.

If you have news, tips, tricks or a how-to that has something to do with Apple’s Mac OS X, share it with the world: get it published on OS X 411.

More: Write an Article or Register for an Account.

App Watch: LicenseKeeper

Robert Hodgen — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:15:37 +0000

LicenseKeeper from Outer Level is one of those programs that everyone who has more than one purchased program can use. LicenseKeeper is a product key/license key manager, it stores lots of information on each license added to its database, you can attach emails and other documents plus information about an application’s developer.

LicenseKeeper: Publisher Info

LicenseKeeper will keep track of all your licenses in an easy to use application. When you first launch LicenseKeeper you’ll be greeted with the option to check for updates and send anonymous information to the publisher. To add a new application there are two ways, create it manually or import the application’s .app file to LicenseKeeper. If you use the second option LicenseKeeper will automatically add the version number, application icon and developer information. All this can be added or modified manually, and of course you’ll have to add the license key to the application record.

LicenseKeeper: Attachments

Outer Level has a trial version of LicenseKeeper available with a limitation on the number of entries you can have kept by LicenseKeeper, if you choose to buy a copy for yourself LicenseKeeper will set you back $19.95 USD from Outer Level’s store. If you’re like me and keep a plain text file with all your license keys, LicenseKeeper is an effective way to organize your license keys in a searchable database with some added bonuses like information about an application’s developer if the need for support arises.

Read more: LicenseKeeper from Outer Level.

A Cool Exposé Trick

Robert Hodgen — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:05:32 +0000

Exposé, the application window switching and hiding feature built into OS X is something you either love or hate. But this article on Exposé is not about its flaws, but instead a cool hidden feature that easily lets you cycle through the open windows of applications open on your Mac.

Exposé Preferences

How to use it: Start Exposé (All Applications or Application Windows) and while its displaying all your open windows hit Tab. Each time you hit Tab, Exposé will cycle from one open application to another, basically switching which application’s windows it’s displaying. If you’re in All Applications mode this will switch Exposé to Application Windows mode, and each subsequent press of Tab will move you to the next application (Shift + Tab to go backwards). Even if there are no applications open with more than one window, this will still cycle through highlighting one window at a time. Pressing Enter will exit Exposé and bring the the selected window/application to the front (Escape also works). A screen shot of this Exposé feature in action can be seen below as well as two videos at the end of this post.

A Hidden Exposé Feature

There is no mention of this feature in System Preferences, it seems like one of those things that you’ve got to find for yourself. By default you can enter the Application Windows mode with F10, but this allows easy access to Application Windows from All Applications as well as another nice way to switch applications from Exposé.

I’ve got two videos of this in action, the first shows this trick with single-window applications only while the second shows multi-windowed applications mixed in with single-window applications.

Expose Tab Trick (Single-Window) 1.1MB
Exposé Tab Trick (Multi-Window) 3.6MB

Tip: Another way to Eject a Disk

Robert Hodgen — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:44:38 +0000

I’ve noticed most people drag an external disk to the Trash in order to unmount/eject a drive from their Mac. Thats not the only way to safely eject a disk from your system though… I can’t claim this tip saves any time, but its one I use quite often when I’ve got several application windows open, this tip is how to eject a disk through the Finder window (instead of the Desktop and the Trash located on the Dock).

Eject from the Finder sidebar

Each ejectable disk has a small eject icon next to it in the left sidebar of Finder, this is highlighted in the image above (click on it to enlarge). A simple click on this eject icon will unmount the disk from your system and allow for removal without data loss (providing it ejected without an error). You’ll know its been ejected from your Mac when the disk disappears.

There are other ways of ejecting a drive from your system, using Disk Utility is one, and another method is by selecting a disk in Finder and using Command + E (while a drive is selected).

Site Changes: July

Robert Hodgen — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:03:41 +0000

Hello OS X 411 readers! Since your last visit to OS X 411 you may have noticed a few changes, namely the site design. OS X 411 now has a new theme styled like Leopard’s Aurora (or sky) background which has been used widely throughout the Mac community to represent Leopard.

OS X 411's July Changes

There will also be several other changes to the site in the next few weeks, namely a user-based system for writing articles so you and other readers can write and let your voices be heard by the Mac community. The details on this have not yet been worked out but it should work through Wordpress’ administration panel with editors having the final say on any article.

Stay tuned as the above mentioned items have taken a good deal of time to work out and have (unfortunately) taken time away from writing articles for OS X 411.