How to Force iMac to Boot EFI

Shut down your iMac from the Apple menu. If you are trying to reboot into a special mode because your iMac is locked up, shut down the computer by holding the power key for five seconds.
Press the power key briefly while holding down the Option key. This provides a list of available disks with bootable Mac systems. Click on an alternative startup disk to boot your Mac from that drive, such as an optical disc or an external drive.
Repeat Step 1 if this does not produce the desired result.
Hold down 'S' and press the power key to launch into single-user or 'safe' mode. This provides you with a Unix prompt and instructions you can use to repair your boot volumes. These commands perform similar repairs to what can be done within the Disk Utility application, but this process will allow you to repair an iMac that cannot be booted.
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How to Change an AirPort Password (7 Steps)

Open a new Finder window by clicking on the icon in the Dock.
Navigate to the 'Utilities' folder, which is located in the 'Applications' section of the Mac hard drive.
Double-click on the 'AirPort Utility' icon. The AirPort configuration program will launch and begin scanning for nearby AirPort wireless routers.
Highlight your AirPort wireless router from the list of available devices on the left side of the window. Then click on the 'Manual Setup' button at the bottom of the window.
Go to the 'Wireless' tab at the top of the window.
Enter a new password for your AirPort wireless network in the 'Wireless password' and 'Verify Password' fields.
Click on the 'Update' button at the bottom of the window to save the settings and change your AirPort password.
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How to Ping an IP Address on a Mac (6 Steps)

Open a new Finder window.
Navigate to the 'Utilities' folder, which can be found in the Applications section of the Mac hard drive.
Double-click on the 'Network Utility' icon to start the networking application.
Click on the 'Ping' tab at the top of the application window.
In the main field, type the IP address you wish to ping, and enter the number of ping attempts you would like to complete.
Click the 'Ping' button to begin testing the connection. Ping results will appear in the main application window.
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How to Use Boot Camp to Install Linux

Download and install rEFIt (see Resources). This is a tool required to allow booting into other partitions, such as the Linux partition, not traditionally supported by Boot Camp.
Click 'Applications' 'Utilities' and then 'Boot Camp Assistant.'
Drag the slider to determine how much hard drive space you want to give your new 'Windows XP' partition. Click 'Partition' to continue.
Insert your Linux distribution installation CD when your partition has been created. Click 'Restart Mac OS X.'
Hold down Alt (option key) on your keyboard as your Mac is booting up.
Click the CD icon that says 'Windows.'
Follow the on screen Linux installation instructions to install the operating system.
Click the 'fat32' partition when the partition manager appears. Delete the fat32 partition.
Create two partitions, one around 600MB in size, the other with the rest of the full space. Name the smaller partition 'swap' and the other formatted as 'ext3' with 'root' or '/' assigned to it. Complete the installation then eject the Linux disc.
Hold Alt on your keyboard as your system is booting up. Click 'Windows' to boot into Linux.
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How to Find the Link Speed of a Mac

Open a new Finder window by clicking on the icon in the dock.
Navigate to the 'Utilities' folder, which can be found in the 'Applications' portion of the Mac hard drive.
Double-click on the 'Network Utility' icon to open the networking program.
Click on the 'Info' tab at the top of the application window.
From the 'Network Interface' drop-down menu, select the network adapter whose speed you wish to look up. The speed of the connection will then appear below.
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A Stuck CD in a MacBook (4 Steps)

Press and release 'Command' and 'Q' to exit out of any currently open applications.
Hold down the 'F12' or 'Eject' key to force the CD out of the optical drive. If the disc remains stuck, proceed to the following step.
Press the MacBook's power button and click 'Restart.'
Hold down the laptop's trackpad while the MacBook restarts to force the CD to eject.
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How to Install an Isight Driver in Windows XP

Open your Web browser.
Download the Windows XP iSight driver. Save the .ZIP archive file that these drivers come in to a directory on your hard drive that you have easy access to, such as your desktop.
Right click on the .ZIP archive file you just downloaded and click 'Extract.' This will extract the contents of the .ZIP archive file to a new folder in the same directory called 'iSight.'
Open the folder called 'iSight.'
Copy the files in the folder called 'iSight' to your computer's 'C:/Windows/System32' directory. This will successfully install the iSight driver on your Windows XP computer.
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How to Retrieve Data Off of a MacBook That Will Not Start

Connect the non-working MacBook to the working Mac with a FireWire cable.
Press the start button of the non-working MacBook as though you were turning it on, while holding down the 'T' key on the keyboard. Wait for the MacBook's hard drive to show up on the working Mac's desktop as an external drive icon.
Create a new folder on the working Mac computer. Double-click the drive icon to open the drive folder. Select your user account in the 'Users' folder in the drive and copy it by pressing the 'Command' key and 'C' key at the same time.
Open the new folder you created on the working Mac and paste the user account folders and files into it by pressing the 'Command' key and 'V' key at the same time. Wait while the user account's contents is copied onto the working Mac computer.
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How to Use the Apple Service Diagnostic Disk (3 Steps)

Shut down your Mac.
Restart your computer with the Apple Service Diagnostic disc: shut down your computer, insert the disc into your computer's drive, then restart your computer and hold the 'Option' key as it boots up.
Wait for your screen to display the Apple Diagnostic Screen, then select the type of diagnostic test you would like to run. Press 'Enter' and your computer will reboot and run the test. This usually takes a few minutes.
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How to Download an iTunes Playlist to USB Storage

Insert the USB drive in an USB port on the computer. Most USB ports are located on the back or side of a computer and are square shaped. Open the USB storage folder on your hard drive if it does not open automatically. Look for it in the 'Devices with Removable Storage' section of the PC's 'Computer' folder.
Open iTunes. Click the name of the playlist in the 'Playlists' section of the iTunes sidebar.
Drag the name of the playlist into the USB storage folder.
Check the USB storage folder and compare the song files in the folder with the playlist in iTunes. Do not disconnect the USB device until all of the songs on the playlist show up in the USB storage folder.
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How to Insert a CD Into an iMac

Locate the disc drive on the right side of the iMac, above the SD card slot.
Position the CD so the label of the disc is facing toward you.
Push the CD into the drive slot until your fingers touch the edge of the iMac. The iMac will catch the disc and pull it the rest of the way in.
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How to Check the Hard Drive Size in a MacBook

Click the 'Go' menu in the Finder and scroll down to 'Computer.'
Click the icon for your MacBook's hard drive. Go to the 'File' menu and select 'Get Info.'
Check the total size of the hard drive next to 'Capacity.' Check the amount of free space on the hard drive next to 'Available.'
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How to Create a Backup for a MacBook (3 Steps)

Connect an external hard drive to your MacBook.
Click 'Use as Backup Disk' when you are asked if you want to use the hard drive to backup your MacBook. Time Machine will then open and backup everything on your computer.
Close the Time Machine window when the backup is complete.
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How to Connect a Mixer to Garage Band (7 Steps)

Insert the USB or FireWire cable into USB or FireWire port on the rear panel of the mixer.
Insert the other end of the USB or FireWire cable into the USB or FireWire port on the computer.
Locate the GarageBand icon on the computer's hard drive. Double-click the icon to open GarageBand.
Click 'GarageBand' and select 'Preferences.'
Click the 'Audio/MIDI' tab to open the Audio/MIDI control panel.
Open the 'Audio Input' drop-down menu and select the USB or FireWire device from the list to connect it to GarageBand.
Click 'X' to close the Audio/MIDI control panel.
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How to Map a Network Drive on an Apple Mac

Click on the 'Finder' icon in the dock at the bottom of the screen.
Open the 'Go' menu at the top of the screen and choose the 'Connect to Server' option.
Enter the address of the network drive that you want to map in the text field at the top of the pop-up window. If you plan to map this network drive on a regular basis, you can click on the plus symbol to add it to your list of favorite servers.
Press the 'Connect' button to initiate a session with the specified server.
Enter your domain, username and password in the appropriate fields and then click 'OK' to log in to the server.
Double-click on the network drive icon that appears on your desktop to access the shared folder through the Finder application.
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How to Add a Dashboard to the Dock

Click the 'Hard Drive' icon on your desktop.
Click 'Applications' in the 'Hard Drive' window that appears. It may be in the left column or in the set of folders that appears. This depends on how you have your view constructed on your Mac.
Click and hold the Dashboard application icon. Drag it to your Dock. Release your mouse button. The icon appears on the Dock. Click on it to launch your Dashboard. Click on it again to shut down your Dashboard.
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How to Unlock an Apple Mac Book Password

Locate the Mac OS X install disc your computer came with. If you don't have it, you may be able to get another one from Apple by calling (800) SOS-APPL. (You will most likely have to buy another one.) Insert the disc into the optical drive.
Restart the computer while holding down the 'C' key. A 'Utilities' or 'Installer' menu will appear, depending on which version of OS X you are running. Select 'Reset Password.'
Select 'Macintosh HD' from the available volumes. On the drop-down menu, select the name of the original administrator account. Do not select 'System Administrator.'
Choose a new password and enter it in the two fields. Click 'Save.'
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How to Remove the Flash Drive From a MacBook (4 Steps)

Click on the 'Desktop' icon in the Finder.
Click on the icon of the flash drive and hold the trackpad button down as you drag the icon to the Trash folder in the Dock. The Dock is located along the bottom of the MacBook screen by default, but it can also be on the right or left side.
Drop the flash drive icon on the Trash folder to unmount it from the Desktop.
Remove the flash drive from the USB port of the MacBook.
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How to Install Photoshop on a MacBook Pro

Obtain a copy of Adobe Photoshop and make sure it states it is Mac-compatible. If not, the product is crafted for Windows. You can find the Mac Adobe Photoshop (exact same product as Windows Photoshop) in most computer stores and on Adobe's website.
Insert the installation CD into the MacBook Pro's CD/DVD drive. In a moment the CD image appears on the desktop, and the installation wizard launches.
Click 'Next' on the greeting page, then select an installation language. The language adjusts all of the prompts during the wizard.
Read through and accept the license agreement.
Follow the prompts until you reach the activation code. This code is found on a small, white piece of cardboard inside the packaging of the Adobe Photoshop product. Type this code into the bar on the screen and click 'Next.'
Finish the prompts, and the installation begins. The program is rather large, so the process takes a few minutes to complete.
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How to Upgrade Your MacBook Air

Remove screws. The internals of a MacBook Pro are accessed form the underside of the casing. The bottom is held in place by ten screws, including six 3 mm Phillips screws, two 5.4 mm Phillips screws, and two 7.9 mm Phillips screws.
Lift off the case. Once the screws are removed, the bottom of the MacBook Air case should come off easily, with a quick pull.
Disconnect the accessory ports. Your MacBook Air's current hard drive or solid state drive sits underneath the ribbon that connects your accessory USB, audio, power and DVI connectors. With the bottom of the case removed, unplug the ribbon that connects these accessories to the motherboard.
Remove hard drive screws. Once the accessory ports are disconnected form the board, remove the screws that hold the hard drive frame in place.
Lift the hard drive frame. Make sure that the ribbon that attaches the accessory ports is safely out of the way. If the path is clear, the hard drive and its frame can be lifted from the computer.
Replace hard drive. With the frame and hard drive out of the computer, the current drive can be slid out of the frame and a new one inserted. Original generation MacBook Air models use a zero insertion force (ZIF) connector, so make sure the hard drive or solid state drive you use has this type of connector. Models manufactured after the summer of 2009 feature a more common Serial ATA (SATA) connector. All MacBook Air hard drives or solid state drives must be 1.8 inches wide by 5 mm tall to fit in the frame.
Reassemble MacBook Air. Place the bracket back in the computer and secure it using using the removed screws. Reattach the ribbon connectors for the accessory ports. Replace the back of the computer and secure it with its 10 screws. Boot the computer and install Mac OS X, being sure to test functionality.
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