Does a mac ever crash or is that a pc thing?
Hi ya,
I am waiting til after mwsf to get my mac but my pc is driving me crazy. I am using windows 2000 and the amount it crashes drives me mad.
I am trying to burn my stuff to dvd and I get a 50% chance of it crashingb I need to back everything up because when I have loaded the latest Netgear drivers for the usb adapter it ruins the whole thing. When I unistall it seems to strip windows of something and when i reinstall the original drivers it doesn't work. The only thing to do is re-build it as I have done before (which does solve it)
Perhaps this pc is really slow as it was built for me. I have a amd athlon xp 1700+ processor in it but I haven't been able to find that much information about it. I still want to use this one for the kids.
Please tell me that when I buy my mac all these problems will disappear. When you instal drivers on your osx do they work. If this is just the way it is with computers (drivers messing things up and crashes) then I can get used (i suppose!) but I would rather not get my mac and experience the same things and be really disappointed. I am hoping the mac will perform beyond belief.
Any thoughts would be welcomed.
Poppet
I am waiting til after mwsf to get my mac but my pc is driving me crazy. I am using windows 2000 and the amount it crashes drives me mad.
I am trying to burn my stuff to dvd and I get a 50% chance of it crashingb I need to back everything up because when I have loaded the latest Netgear drivers for the usb adapter it ruins the whole thing. When I unistall it seems to strip windows of something and when i reinstall the original drivers it doesn't work. The only thing to do is re-build it as I have done before (which does solve it)
Perhaps this pc is really slow as it was built for me. I have a amd athlon xp 1700+ processor in it but I haven't been able to find that much information about it. I still want to use this one for the kids.
Please tell me that when I buy my mac all these problems will disappear. When you instal drivers on your osx do they work. If this is just the way it is with computers (drivers messing things up and crashes) then I can get used (i suppose!) but I would rather not get my mac and experience the same things and be really disappointed. I am hoping the mac will perform beyond belief.
Any thoughts would be welcomed.
Poppet
Comments
Sebastian
When an app crashes, and quits by itself (i.e. doesn't freeze) a dialogue box appears saying "this application quit unexpectedly" where you get the option to report the bug to Apple by pressing one button, this gives them the information they need to help ensure that problem doesn't happen again, which is great.
First time since I bought it in July.
I had a kernel panic last month, after three years of heavy graphics work and lugging the PowerBook around. Turns out, the hard drive was destroyed, but AppleCare took care of me, as did Backup and an external hard drive. But nobody else I know has had a crash or kernel panic that was not hardware-related, and those are pretty rare. And the service had me up and running in a couple of days.
Lessons:
1. Macs rarely crash;
2. Buy AppleCare
3. Back up your files regularly;
4. To best complete #3, buy .Mac, or better yet, wait for Leopard and Time Machine;
The long answer is yes but very rarely. Mac's have protected memory. If an applications freezes you can force it to quit and all the other programs and the system will be fine. If the system locks up ? called a kernal panic ? it is usually due to a hardware problem. It could be bad memory, something overheating or a funky USB device. Rarely is it due to a software issue. Also there are virtually no viruses on Macs to cause a crash as well. Hope this answers your question.
I had a KP the first time I plugged in my Logitech USB headphones (dunno which model)... never happened again.
My PC (only used for gaming) has BSODded only once (in 2 years) because of Battlefield 2142 conflict with audio drivers...
My first MacBook arrives tomorrow (well … today). So, I am no Apple expert.
I've been using Windows all these years, and rarely had problems. It’s not that hard to keep your box(es) in shape, and most likely these simple rules apply to all OSes:
1.\tBuy reliable metal (in peaces or as a whole) from known and reliable manufacturer.
2.\tInstall OS and security updates.
3.\tDrivers if needed (ONLY drivers – no additional crap that comes with them)
4.\tStrip junk.
5.\tInstall applications you USE.
6.\tKeep it clean and simple.
With Windows you will need the following additional steps (Google for details):
1.\tRemove all eye cadies.
2.\tClean startup (Start Menu and Regedit)
3.\tLose Indexing, System Restore, Automatic Update, "Security"
4.\tDisable junk services.
5.\tModify Hosts file.
6.\tInstall PASSIVE spyware protection (Spybot, SpywareBlaster, IE Spyad).
7.\tInstall SIMPLEST antivirus (NO EXTRAS).
8.\tOpera (personal preference) or FireFox for the browser (keep IE as default – opens local files faster, supports Windows Update website. But DO NOT use it casually on the web).
9.\tInstall and use proven, junk free applications (Real/Quick Alternative, VLC, Cute PDF, Gaim, etc.)
10.\tDO NOT install/use toolbars, alerts, beta apps or any other junkware.
11.\tNEVER open spam or click web-imbedded advertisements.
Do this, and your box will "crash" only if mobo or memory stick dies.
Cheers!
I don't believe I have had a kernal panic yet on Tiger. Uptimes average between 2 and three weeks. Sweet.
I have one Win 98 box. It prints barcodes to several Zebra printers.
Uptime is about 6 months …
Poppet,
With Windows you will need the following additional steps (Google for details):
...
A Mac could use a lot of those too:
1.\tRemove all eye cadies
--In OSX you CAN'T do that: that is a complaint many have with it (not me though)
3.\tLose Indexing, System Restore, Automatic Update, "Security"
Indexing is about the same as Spotlight indexing: auto update is a good thing that all average home users should run (corporate environments are a totally different thing) and for Laptop users who use wifi, Windows firewall is better than none at all.
4.\tDisable junk services.
Hmmm...like Dashboard? (I use it and love it, but again, some do not.)
5.\tModify Hosts file.
ummm...Macs have a hosts file too: and blocking common ad-serving domains is a trick I use on all boxes I touch.
8.\tOpera (personal preference) or FireFox for the browser (keep IE as default – opens local files faster, supports Windows Update website. But DO NOT use it casually on the web).
Firefox on the Mac is really great: and I like and recommend it to others who are switching because it has a layer of familllierity and works with all their plugins and stuff.
9.\tInstall and use proven, junk free applications (Real/Quick Alternative, VLC, Cute PDF, Gaim, etc.)
Lets see...Real -Check- VLC -Check- Gaim/Yahoo/MSN/whatever -Check- WMA/V QT plug in -Check-
Poppet,
My first MacBook arrives tomorrow (well ? today). So, I am no Apple expert.
I've been using Windows all these years, and rarely had problems. It?s not that hard to keep your box(es) in shape, and most likely these simple rules apply to all OSes:
1.\tBuy reliable metal (in peaces or as a whole) from known and reliable manufacturer.
2.\tInstall OS and security updates.
3.\tDrivers if needed (ONLY drivers ? no additional crap that comes with them)
4.\tStrip junk.
5.\tInstall applications you USE.
6.\tKeep it clean and simple.
With Windows you will need the following additional steps (Google for details):
1.\tRemove all eye cadies.
2.\tClean startup (Start Menu and Regedit)
3.\tLose Indexing, System Restore, Automatic Update, "Security"
4.\tDisable junk services.
5.\tModify Hosts file.
6.\tInstall PASSIVE spyware protection (Spybot, SpywareBlaster, IE Spyad).
7.\tInstall SIMPLEST antivirus (NO EXTRAS).
8.\tOpera (personal preference) or FireFox for the browser (keep IE as default ? opens local files faster, supports Windows Update website. But DO NOT use it casually on the web).
9.\tInstall and use proven, junk free applications (Real/Quick Alternative, VLC, Cute PDF, Gaim, etc.)
10.\tDO NOT install/use toolbars, alerts, beta apps or any other junkware.
11.\tNEVER open spam or click web-imbedded advertisements.
Do this, and your box will "crash" only if mobo or memory stick dies.
Cheers!
LOL, in other words, turn off Windows and run DOS! Sage advice!
<Does the, "I just eBayed my 3 month old windows laptop at a $600 loss and now I can FINALLY return to the MacOS after turning traitor in 2001!" Happy Dance!>
I'm so sick of windows. Brand new Fujitsu Tablet PC, running the supposedly stable and secure XP Pro (TPC edition is really just Pro with some extras): Had it for less than 3 hours before I got my first Blue Screen of Death. I turned it on, installed MS Office Pro 2003, and then, OOPS, rebooted but didn't do the software update, and began installing MS Visual Studio .NET, Microsoft's development environment. Got half way through, BAM!!! BSOD! I swear, each one of Microsoft's diviions is in competition with the others to see who can crash the other guy's software first.
MBP 15 C2D here I come!!!
( I can't wait. It's gonna be like finally pushing an 800 lb dead cow off my chest. I am SO sick of MS. I'm going on a NO MS diet.)
I have one Win 98 box. It prints barcodes to several Zebra printers.
Uptime is about 6 months ?
I'm not sure how you mean it but uptime doesn't mean how long without a crash, it means how long it's been left on for. If you turn the machine off overnight, the best you get is a 24 hour uptime. Logging off is ok.
When you instal drivers on your osx do they work. If this is just the way it is with computers (drivers messing things up and crashes) then I can get used (i suppose!) but I would rather not get my mac and experience the same things and be really disappointed.
Drivers are usually outside the kernel protection because they interact with hardware so all operating systems are susceptible to crashing from bad drivers. Generally though, Macs do work better overall. For example, my firewire DVD burner (LG drive in a Lacie case) is recognised by OS X no problem but every time I boot into Windows, I have to go to the properties and update the drivers for it to recognise what it is.
With Windows you will need the following additional steps (Google for details):
I ran Windows 2000 for years without antivirus or firewall on, and did not have a problem. Never touched regedit. Never ran Ad-Aware. I used a large assortment of open source apps, plus played games. The only thing I did that is unnecessary on OS X was to install service pack before connecting to the net for the first time. My friend failed to do that and got a worm before his computer could finish a Windows Update download. We have fixed IP's and fast connections.
While Windows' security is poor, in my experience it will not bite you when you remember the two key things: updating before connecting, and using trustworthy software only.
LOL, in other words, turn off Windows and run DOS! ...
Not at all.
My XP looks like W2K with better pnp support and native firewall.
POST to Desktop in 21 seconds (fresh install, no antivirus).
16 active processes.
PF usage <50 MB (SP1).
Sorry can't show you pictures of sample install - M$ lawyers shut down my website about a year ago.
I'm not sure how you mean it but uptime doesn't mean how long without a crash, it means how long it's been left on for. If you turn the machine off overnight, the best you get is a 24 hour uptime. Logging off is ok.
.
We never turn it off. It prints labels 24x7.
I ran Windows 2000 for years without antivirus or firewall on, and did not have a problem. Never touched regedit. Never ran Ad-Aware. I used a large assortment of open source apps, plus played games. The only thing I did that is unnecessary on OS X was to install service pack before connecting to the net for the first time. My friend failed to do that and got a worm before his computer could finish a Windows Update download. We have fixed IP's and fast connections.
While Windows' security is poor, in my experience it will not bite you when you remember the two key things: updating before connecting, and using trustworthy software only.
Agree. Generally speaking: The major problem is between the chair and keyboard.
I think a big difference between windows and macintosh platforms is that osX now functions more or less perfectly straight out of the box. I think this leads some people to believe that osX is inflexible or that you cannot tinker with it or customize it. Which is wrong. There just isn't really much need to do it - only personal preference.
Don't know … I am new to Mac.
Tonight will be searching for information on how to strip down unneeded services (if any) and 'genie effects'.
If anyone has a link, please post.
Thank you.