Additional file recovery tools appear in Apple's Leopard

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Developers testing the latest pre-release builds of Apple Computer's forthcoming Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system have discovered some new file recovery tools and other interface tweaks not apparent from previous reports.



File Recovery



In particular, a forum post points to a "File Recovery" panel that turned up in a new version of Apple's Disk Utility expected to ship with the new system software. It includes presets for iTunes, iMovie and iPhoto file types, and also offers a "Custom" option to aid in recovery of files from additional applications.



"File recovery works best on disks whose files are not heavily fragmented and have not been overwritten by new files," reads a message in the new panel. "File Recovery will not be able to recover files that have been Secure Erased."



The Disk Utility function is likely a tie-in to Apple's Time Machine application, which will offer Leopard users automatic backups of their data files and application histories.



Spotlight enhancements



Meanwhile, some additional Spotlight features have surfaced, though they are not necessarily new to latest builds of Leopard. They include the ability to perform math algorithms from the Spotlight search pane (without having to launch Apple's Calculator application). Additionally, Spotlight now searches for word definitions by interfacing with the Mac OS X Dictionary application.



Firewall changes and new UI elements



Over in the System Preferences panel, Apple is reported to have relocated the Mac OS X Firewall preferences to the "Security" preference pane from "Sharing" pane.



The redesigned Firewall pane is reminiscent of the third party application Little Snitch and similarly alerts users via a pop-up dialog when an external machine attempts to access a service.



Also in the latest builds of Leopard, Apple has begun to allow developers access to a variety of new user interface controls. Some of those controls, which first appeared in applications that shipped with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, include capsule shaped buttons and segmented button controls.



All of the new controls are said to support resolution independence, another feature expected in Leopard.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 96
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    It seems as though Apple is letting the newer feature set out piece by piece, as they become stable enough for use.



    Of course, the biggest new feature, number 11, is back to the referral to resolution independence.
  • Reply 2 of 96
    Really want the new OS out before Vista, just so I can wind up a few of my windows loving mates! Probably won't happen but I can hope



    The Time Machine features could be really useful where I'm concerned, I always delete files about an hour before I need them again, argh



    But does anyone know if you need an external drive for the Time Machine feature? Or is it that you can use the HD you are running OS X on? Still confuzzled on that part!



    It really does look like Apple are letting out the stable features as they complete them, but I hope they hold back the best ones for last... It makes me feel good when I get something I wasn't expecting



    You can bet your life on it that I'll be getting myself a copy of Leopard... oh and will they be doing different multi computer configurations



    eg.I own and iMac G5 and a MacBook... will they do a two computer pack, or will i have to buy the standard 5 user pack?



    Just a though...
  • Reply 3 of 96
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    "Also in the latest builds of Tiger, Apple has begun to allow developers..."



    I'm sure you meant to say Leopard, and not Tiger, right?
  • Reply 4 of 96
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SimonL


    But does anyone know if you need an external drive for the Time Machine feature?



    You could use a secondary partition.



    Quote:

    Or is it that you can use the HD you are running OS X on? Still confuzzled on that part!



    A backup on the same partition would be far less safe.



    Quote:

    eg.I own and iMac G5 and a MacBook... will they do a two computer pack, or will i have to buy the standard 5 user pack?



    Since the 5-pack costs less than 2 licenses would, it's already enough of a discount to make it worthwhile.
  • Reply 5 of 96
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SimonL


    1. Does anyone know if you need an external drive for the Time Machine feature? Or is it that you can use the HD you are running OS X on?



    2. It makes me feel good when I get something I wasn't expecting



    3. Will they be doing different multi computer configurations, eg.I own and iMac G5 and a MacBook... will they do a two computer pack, or will i have to buy the standard 5 user pack?



    I numbered your points, so I can reply by number.



    1. You might be able to recall some deleted files when Leopard is released, but as I see it Time Machine is really meant for ease-of-use, and safety. "so if you're hard drive dies you can bang in a new HD and be back where you were right before it happened".



    2. The fact that you are saying that, means you already have expectations. As do I.



    3. If it's $129 for one licence, and $199 for 5, then why are you asking, cause if you're only using it for 2 computers you're still saving $59.
  • Reply 6 of 96
    crees!crees! Posts: 501member
    Really. No, really. I just can't wait.
  • Reply 7 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland


    "so if you're hard drive dies you can bang in a new HD and be back where you were right before it happened"



    Seems rather disingenuous of Apple ? since the two of their top selling platforms, the MacBook Pro and iMac, do not have user replaceable hard drives to ?bang in?.
  • Reply 8 of 96
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bacillus


    Seems rather disingenuous of Apple ? since the two of their top selling platforms, the MacBook Pro and iMac, do not have user replaceable hard drives to ?bang in?.



    They're not my words, at least I think that's what he said. I knew about that and was thinking about it as I was typing what I quoted. I suppose the next MacBook Pro and iMac may have user replaceable HD's by Leopards release. Better than nothing I suppose.
  • Reply 9 of 96
    emig647emig647 Posts: 2,455member
    Quote:

    The redesigned Firewall pane is reminiscent of the third party application Little Snitch and similarly alerts users via a pop-up dialog when an external machine attempts to access a service.



    AWESOME!
  • Reply 10 of 96
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Er, except that Little Snitch lets you know when *your* machine attempts a connection *out*... but still, interesting.
  • Reply 11 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland


    They're not my words, at least I think that's what he said. I knew about that and was thinking about it as I was typing what I quoted. I suppose the next MacBook Pro and iMac may have user replaceable HD's by Leopards release. Better than nothing I suppose.





    I know they were not, did not mean to imply they were. I recall this from the WWDC preview in August. Don't recall the guys name - mid 30's, did the whole Time Machine demo. Got the feeling they were testing some Steve Jobs 2.0 models, and he was the better one IMHO.
  • Reply 12 of 96
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Kickaha


    Er, except that Little Snitch lets you know when *your* machine attempts a connection *out*... but still, interesting.



    True, but inbound connections tend to be more likely causes for concern.
  • Reply 13 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SimonL


    But does anyone know if you need an external drive for the Time Machine feature? Or is it that you can use the HD you are running OS X on? Still confuzzled on that part!



    From Apple's site: http://www.apple.com/ca/macosx/leopard/timemachine.html



    "Set it, then forget it

    The first time you attach an external drive to a Mac running Mac OS X Leopard, Time Machine asks if you?d like to back up to that drive. Set up the drive and Time Machine takes care of everything else, automatically, in the background, so you can get on with your digital life."



    Although it also states that you can, "?Change the drive or volume you?re backing up to. Or back up to a Mac OS X server computer." it appears obvious that backing up to an internal partitioned volume that is you primary drive totally defeats the purpose and is downright stupid-even if it is allowed to do so at all.



    I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple introduce a 'special' Time Machine drive at the same time Leopard is introduced. With the new iPod, iTV, Mac Pro and whatever he has in store for Showtime, look for a Time Machine Terabyte. Certainly bringing back Firewire 800 suggest there is now more reason to have it. Perhaps even wireless backup like we've never seen before. If anything it will be effortless and like the headline implies, "A giant leap forward for backup."
  • Reply 14 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SimonL


    Really want the new OS out before Vista, just so I can wind up a few of my windows loving mates! Probably won't happen but I can hope



    You can do that now with Tiger
  • Reply 15 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bacillus


    Seems rather disingenuous of Apple ? since the two of their top selling platforms, the MacBook Pro and iMac, do not have user replaceable hard drives to ?bang in?.



    How in the world do you come to conclusion that it, "Seems rather disingenuous of Apple…"



    Apple never said or implied that you could “bang in” anything.



    When Allen Breed invented a "sensor and safety system" in 1968, the world's first electromechanical automotive airbag system that has undoubtedly save million of lives, nobody would have called him disingenuous because he didn't provide a means to "bang in" a replacement system if you crashed the first.
  • Reply 16 of 96
    emig647emig647 Posts: 2,455member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chucker


    True, but inbound connections tend to be more likely causes for concern.



    Depends who you are. I for one don't like my applications phoning home.
  • Reply 17 of 96
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by emig647


    Depends who you are. I for one don't like my applications phoning home.



    Instances on Mac OS X of applications transmitting private data without your consent are fairly rare.
  • Reply 18 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Abster2core


    How in the world do you come to conclusion that it, "Seems rather disingenuous of Apple…"



    Apple never said or implied that you could “bang in” anything.



    When Allen Breed invented a "sensor and safety system" in 1968, the world's first electromechanical automotive airbag system that has undoubtedly save million of lives, nobody would have called him disingenuous because he didn't provide a means to "bang in" a replacement system if you crashed the first.



    The exact quote from Apple (or an Apple rep) was…



    “If your hard drive fails – you can buy a new hard drive, put it in your machine, and be right were you were before that hard drive died”



    Source: Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, August 2006



    To me, the quote implies that you can go out, like to BestBuy, buy a new hard drive yourself, and "put it in your machine". To me, a fair read of the quote does not imply you would need to physically send in your machine or have a service call. That is my take on it.





    Granted, "bang in" might have been an oversimplification, but the quote to me basically says this.
  • Reply 19 of 96
    emig647emig647 Posts: 2,455member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chucker


    Instances on Mac OS X of applications transmitting private data without your consent are fairly rare.



    I agree. That's why I don't have little snitch. But Adobe Photoshop DOES send data every time it's launched. Either way, that doesn't mean it won't become a problem. As the mac platform grows, you can expect pc devs to switch over and bring their tactics with them.
  • Reply 20 of 96
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bacillus


    Source: Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, August 2006



    To me, the quote implies that you can go out, like to BestBuy, buy a new hard drive yourself, and "put it in your machine". To me, a fair read of the quote does not imply you would need to physically send in your machine or have a service call. That is my take on it.



    Don't forget to take into consideration the context of the audience: developers, not the public. Devs probably can go out and bang in a drive, while the avg consumer won't.
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