Category: os x

How To: Create Blackberry Ringtones with GarageBand

I’ve put together a short video (~ 6min) about how to create ringtones for a Blackberry using GarageBand on your mac. Soon to come are Quicktime Pro & iPhone variants.

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YouTube Version

OS X + Active Directory + Notebooks

Working with OS X, Windows, Active Directory and other network services as much as I do, I came across a great tip when adding a leopard based machine to a AD domain today. After you bind the machine to the domain, make sure to enable the option called “Create mobile account at login”, especially if the machine is a notebook. I’m not going to say I learned this from experience, but hey you get the drift.

Create mobile account at Login

After binding to your domain, select “Show Advanced Settings” and select the “Services” tab. Open the Active Directory settings and enable the Create Mobile Account at Login check box and confirmation box if necessary.

iPod Touch 2.0 OS Now Available

The iPod 2.0 software is now available on iTunes! I just hit restore and it popped up 🙂 I just connected my iPod Touch to my computer and upgraded it via iTunes.

The iPod 2.0 software is now available on iTunes! I just hit restore and it popped up 🙂

UPDATE

I just connected my iPod Touch to my computer and upgraded it via iTunes. I didn’t have to buy the software update for the App Store or anything. It just works? I’m not sure why. I purchased the January Software update so this might be related to that. Any ideas cloud?

UPDATE: I just updated another iPod Touch and it worked!!

Mac Mini, Phase 1

Once the power has been separated from the optical block, I cut the power cords and attached quick connect adapters to the ends of the wires, for both the CD Changer and the Satellite radio connections.

Well, I am HAPPY to announce that Phase 1 of the MacMini in car server project has been completed. I have successfully installed the power supply and router for the MacMini in the BMW 325 Wagon Project. Sparing you the details of the project (those will come later), let’s go through the steps I went through today.

BMW TrunkThis project starts in the trunk of my wagon. Since the plan was to install the MacMini into the trunk of the vehicle, I started my expedition in the CD Changer/Satellite Radio compartment of the trunk. Since I do not have the CD changer or satellite radio, the trunk compartment has both connections waiting in the trunk. Each of the connections has two components: power and optical connection. For this project, I will not be using the optical connections but the power instead. 

BMW Accessory ConnectorsThe power connectors (Brown & Orange+stripe) are connected to the plug as one, but can be separated from the kit. The first step is to separate the power from the optical block. Once the power has been separated from the optical block, I cut the power cords and attached quick connect adapters to the ends of the wires, for both the CD Changer and the Satellite radio connections. This provides me with power for both the Primary and Secondary power connections that come out of the Carnetix power inverter system. Once the power connector was separated, I cut the power cords and crimped on the quick connect ports. 

BMW Connector SeparatedNow that the power has been separated, I went ahead and crimped on the corresponding quick connect clips to the wires on the cable supplied by Carnetix. 

BMW Quick ConnectsNotice that all the quick connects are crimped on and ready to go. ?The next step for the install involved finding  a 12V source that only came online when the car is in Ignition On mode. Luckily, there is a 12V power plug located in the trunk right next to the compartment for the CD Changer, et all. I connected the ignition indicator wire to the positive line from the 12V source. BMW Final Power

This completes the power requirements for the MacMini + BMW system.
Now that the power has been configured, there are two more steps to completing the phase: the fon router & connecting to the aux audio input. Save that for Part 2. 🙂

Macbook Pro HD Upgrade

After getting a coupon to Costco for $30 off the WD 320GB Passport drive, I decided it was time to upgrade the 250GH HD to a 320.

Laptop Open

After getting a coupon to Costco for $30 off the WD 320GB Passport drive, I decided it was time to upgrade the 250GH HD to a 320. I know it’s not that big of a jump, but hey, bigger is better :P. I used SuperDuper! to duplicate the HD first before I opened anything up. For those of you who don’t know, SuperDuper is an AWESOME HD cloning and backup tool for Mac OS. Especially when using it to switch HD’s, it will always maximize the partition size of the larger drive so when the drive actually does get changed, nothing has to be done with the computer to extend the partition. Woohoo!

When I opened the case though, I found a port that wasn’t connected to anything and I was wondering what it was for. Anybody have an idea?

 

MBP Unknown Port

Installing Leopard Using an iPod

Follow these steps to use your iPod.Prerequisites: You must have an iPod with 8GB (that means 8GB iPod Nano, any HD based iPod, etc) Note: the iPod Touch + iPhone will not work for this.

So I had a lot of traffic and comments on my previous entry about how to install Leopard from an ISO without burning a DL-DVD. With that, the number one question everyone has been asking me is, “Can you an iPod to install Leopard?” and the answer is an astounding Yes! Follow these steps to use your iPod.Prerequisites:

  • You must have an iPod with 8GB (that means 8GB iPod Nano, any HD based iPod, etc)
  • Note: the iPod Touch + iPhone will not work for this. You need to have a click-wheel iPod that supports Disk Mode
  • A Leopard ISO

UPDATED: 11/18/2007Important Notes:

  • Intel based Macs can only boot from USB devices using the GUID partition scheme (this means 5G iPods, 2 & 3G iPod Nanos)
  • PowerPC (PPC) based Macs (ie G3, G4, G5 Processors) can only boot using Firewire devices using the Apple Partition Map scheme (all firewire iPods) 
  • I have had a lot of people have random problems when restoring the disc image to the iPods. Please make sure you have an exact image of the Install DVD. If there are any inconsistencies, there will be problems restoring the image. Please check the checksum of the images.

Procedure:

  1. Reset your iPod and force it into Disk Mode – Press and hold Menu + Center until you see the Apple logo. Then Press and Hold Center + Play/Pause. The screen should turn to gray-scale and show “OK to Disconnect” (circa old old ipods).
  2. Connect the iPod to your computer (do not use a USB hub if possible).
  3. iTunes will launch automatically and probably start syncing. Make sure “Enable Disk Use” is checked on the settings for iTunes and press Sync one more time.
  4. Quit iTunes and launch the Activity Monitor and quit the iTunes Helper.
  5. You should still see the iPod listed on your desktop as a mounted drive. If you don’t see the iPod mounted on the desktop, return to step 1.
  6. Open Disk Utility
  7. Select the iPod (the top one, mine is labeled 74.5 GB Apple iPod Media) then select the Partition tab.
  8. Change the selection from “Current Partition Scheme” to “1 Partition”. Click on Options and select GUID Partition Table and press OK. (NOTE: If you are going to use a PowerPC based Mac, ie G4 or G5, you need to select Apple Partition Map here. GUID is for Intel Macs ONLY)
  9. Give the Partition a name and select Partition. The system will ask you to authenticate.
  10. Click on the Restore tab and drag the iPod partition to the Destination field
  11. Drag the Leopard image file to the Source field and press Restore. LeopardIpod 1
  12. Once complete, open System Preferences and go to the Start up Disk option. Make sure you see the iPod listed there. Select the appropriate drive and click restart.   LeopardIpod 2
  13. Install Leopard!

** If you are using a PowerPC Based Mac (G4, G5), you must use the Startup Disk utility in System Preferences to select the startup volume and reboot from this tool. Notes:

  • It’s really important the iPod stay in Forced Disk mode. If you try and boot up the Mac with the iPod connected but not in Disk Mode, it won’t do anything

Video Guide: 

Full Resolution Quicktime MOV Because of the amount of feedback I get on this article, I am disabling comments on this post and would like to invite readers to discuss on the newly created forum, http://nickganga.com/forum. 

Hi everyone. Since there is so much feedback to this article, I’m going to have to close the comments. If you want to chat with me, use my GTalk Widget on the sidebar or send me a message on Twitter. Thanks.