nCity Troubleshooting

Look around, you're bound to learn something...: Here at nCity, we do whatever we can to help our fellow computer 'noids work thru difficulties, arrive at the unvarnished truth, and make informed decisions. Part of that support is this very web site; the idea is to get some of the simple stuff out of the way so we can move on to more challenging issues. nCity's Solutions and Links sections contain all manner of detailed answers, links, resources and info. Pages in this section (Support) have only a brief outline of steps involved in the troubleshooting process and is intended primarily to describe support provided by nCity.
: We try to stay focused on repair jobs, appointments, classes and client needs as much as possible. We answer a lot of questions over the phone and via email, and usually reply to emails when they are received - but there _are_ other things in life that require attention, too. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy your visit and find this web site useful.

Collecting information and specs:

The first thing we need is as much information about your equipment as we can find; OS version, amount of RAM installed, hard drive capacity (and space remaining), and any affected peripherals. Your System Profiler has most of this data; if the profile is not available, look on machine's bar code sticker and in its manual, and/or check your sales receipt. Be sure to have your machine's model number and its serial number.

Illustration (right) shows "Memory" selected in left column under Contents; "ATA" provides info about your hard drive (external drives are probably under "FireWire"). Network info is also found here, as are System logs (including error and crash logs).

System Profile may be found by opening "About This Mac" item under the Apple menu, and clicking "More Info" button in the resulting window.

System Profiler (About This Mac -> More Info).
Warranty concerns:: Is your Mac still under its one-year warranty? Did you purchase an extended (3-year) warranty? If the answer to either question is yes, we still may be able to help. (nCity is NOT an Apple certified service provider. Unfortunately, our only certified tech left California because he, "couldn't make any money here.") A warranty repair can be handled by the Apple Store or by a few other resellers in the Sacramento area. We recommend calling Apple's toll-free support number first (in your manual), and going thru the steps recommended by Apple tech support. If necessary, you can then arrange for shipping to and from your door.
: Specific issues may be covered by Apple _beyond_ your warranty period, too. We can research the problem online, using your Mac's model number (MxxxxLL/A) and its serial number, and find out if an extended warranty is in place and if your machine qualifies.

Startup problems:

Startup issues are often an easy fix. These range from setting a startup volume in System Preferences to resetting PMU or replacing the PRAM battery. Once all the easy solutions have been explored, then more complicated suspects should be examined, starting with status of the boot volume and power supply.

See Startup Issues link (sidebar, left) for more suggestions.

Can't find OS on startup.
Freezes, unresponsive applications:: How much memory (RAM) is installed? In ballpark numbers, 256MB is not enough, 512MB is barely adequate, we need more RAM, Capt'n! A freeze is probably an application running out of memory. Amount of RAM required depends on what you use your computer for, of course, and "power users" will likely have 1GB (1024MB) or more.
: Other possible causes include failing hard drives, corrupt (damaged) or missing System segments, wacky application software, and a whole slew of other things. A damaged input device can mimic a freeze, too.

Communication problems:: Possibly the most common complaint comes from people who suddenly are unable to send or receive email. The problem might well be on your server's end, especially if you have a dialup account - assuming none of your machine's settings have been changed and all cables and devices are intact. Wait a day or so and try again.
: Modems sometimes fail, too (especially after thunderstorms). A damaged modem may report any number of odd (and misleading) errors, it may endlessly try to connect or disconnect, or your system profile may insist that there is no modem connected (internal or external). Swapping your modem with a known-good one is probably the quickest way to diagnose a failing modem.
: If you have broadband, the first solution to try is to shutdown your computer and remove power to your modem, router or gateway and any connected hubs. (If you use broadband and don't have a router, you really should get one.) Wait 3 to 5 minutes and reconnect power to modem, router and hub(s). After these devices have completed their startup routines, then startup your Mac and see if communications have been restored.

Printing problems:: Make sure all connections are intact and power is on. (Sometimes it helps to power-up printers and peripherals before starting up your computer.) Check settings; make sure your printer appears in Printer List (System Prefs -> Printer and Fax -> Setup). Check printer's ink tanks or cartridge. Look for any physical damage to the device or its ports.
: If printer is producing distorted output (too small or too large, sideways, missing fonts or styles), check Page Layout settings in the application you are printing from. If output appears as a page of gibberish, or machine spews out blank pages along with the desired job, try printing something else from another application. Launch TextEdit, type something, and see if that prints properly. Consult your printer's manual and try running printer's self-test.
: If you are trying to print a page from some web site, know that web pages are not necessarily designed to be printed and printer output might be spread over multiple pages in ways you wouldn't expect along with additional blank pages.

Sometimes there's just nothing to do.

This message appeared one day for no apparent reason, with no workaround. Tried every way possible to save this document - save, save as, different file types, create a new one and copy everything over - Photoshop simply refused to save any open doc, no matter what. OK?! No, it's NOT okay. The only "disk" that might have been involved was Photoshop's scratch disk, but no clue what went wrong or why.

Sure, blame it on the disk, uh-huh...


Still having trouble?: That's what we're here for. If you're certain everything is properly connected and powered, nothing has been changed recently that might be causing the problem, and you've run out of things to try, give us a call. We're quick, we're reasonable, and we'll get to the bottom of things ASAP.

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):: When you bring your Mac to our shop, be prepared to spend a few minutes with us while we hook it up and evaluate machine's configuration and condition. We will take our best guess at possible causes, discuss solutions and options with you, and provide an estimate for service if we can. If we can't pinpoint the problem right off the bat, you'll be asked to fill out a drop ticket and leave the machine with us for diagnostic testing.
: We have a minimum charge for initial diagnostics, and an hourly rate for extended service (see the Services section for details regarding billing and diagnostic procedures.) Someone (probably me) will call you with test results and recommendations, and discuss appropriate options with you, before attempting to make repairs. Once we have agreed on a course of action, and you've received an estimate, only then will we proceed - with your permission - in a cost effective manner.

Can't send and/or receive eMail?: This is a pretty common problem these days, and it's just complicated enough to confuse the heck out of most people. Your Operating System has network settings (System Preferences -> Network) that must be correct in order to connect to any network, including in-house offline networks and the internet. Network connection types include broadband, wireless (Airport), and dialup; each type will have its own settings, and the Network Status pane lists all available connections with operational status of each.
: If "Modem" is the default connection type and you want to switch to, say, wireless, it may be necessary to switch your Network System Prefs to "Airport," turn Airport on (if it isn't already on), and give the OS a moment to find and recognize available wireless networks. If you need to configure a new network connection type, the Network Prefs pane will assist you (click "assist me" button).
: Your email application also stores network settings - your user name, password and other settings - used specifically to access your email account. Settings found in your email app's preferences may be redundant (identical to those found in System Prefs -> Network), but they must be there for your eMail app's use, including server settings required by your ISP for sending mail (SMTP) and receiving mail (POP or IMAP).
: If your email is setup and working - and has not been changed - but you are suddenly unable to send and/or receive email, your ISP's server may be at fault and there's nothing to do but wait awhile and try again later. (Your ISP's web site may have server status posted, if you'd care to check.)

Print out network settings:

If your network is currently working, now would be a good time to record all settings in the event of trouble later. These settings are found in System Preferences -> Network panes _and_ in your mail application's preferences.

If your network isn't working, retrieve your written settings (from our CheatSheet or elsewhere) and double-check things before making any changes. If you've forgotten your password, there will be little we can do to help (see "All about passwords" in Solutions section of this site).
Testing email:: Sending yourself an email is probably the fastest, easiest test. If it fails, check the following:

If you are unable to access email _or_ web sites, check your System Preferences -> Network. Network status should indicate which settings are active (green = connected, yellow = offline, red = not configured). If your default connection is not active (i.e., green), use the "Assist Me" button for troubleshooting and compare settings with those you have written down.
If you can view web pages but cannot access email, launch your mail program and check its preference settings, including email account name and password, SMTP and POP (or IMAP) settings. Check whether SMTP requires authentication (as specified by your ISP).
Check firewall settings (System Preferences -> Sharing). Here, you allow or deny various types of data transmission, and a firewall can block any given type (including email). Check other firewalls, too (including router and ISP's services).
Check the Solutions section of this site for more troubleshooting suggestions and setup procedures (Internet Setup pages and Mac Q and A links in sidebar). Just make sure you write everything down before making any changes, just in case.
If all else fails and you're sure your settings are correct (and your ISP hasn't changed), give us a call and bring the machine in; the modem may have failed (most common after thunderstorms), or there may be some other issue involved.

What's a command line interface?: That question would surely draw a laugh from most PC users, but not Mac fans.; One of the big differences between PCs and the Mac (and one of the things that made a Mac a Mac), until the introduction of OSX, was this: The MacOS was the only OS that relied on a so-called graphical user interface (GUI) exclusively. It meant that the icon you saw on screen didn't merely represent a file, it _was_ the file. Its location, size, type, name and content was all spelled out in a single icon. No hidden directory, no mysterious hierarchy - and no command line.
: With the advent of OSX, all that changed in a _big_ way. Now we not only have a command line, we have an OpenSource OS. Things aren't quite as neatly organized as they used to be, true, but it's all available for whatever you'd care to do to it, via the command line. How we got from there to here is a fascinating story (OSX derives much from the failed Next computer), but never mind that for now. Time to roll up our sleeves and get dirty in the command line interface of..... UNIX. (Which is yet _another_ story.)

Using the Terminal:: Inside your Applications is a folder named Utilities, and inside that is the Terminal app. This thing is decidedly not Mac-like and not for the squeamish. On the other hand, if you have any grounding in UNIX (BSD), you'll be right at home here like nowhere else. The Terminal might make the transition to the Mac easier for PC users, too. In fact, the only folks likely to gag at the sight of a command line prompt are longtime Mac users.

Command line prompt (cursor?):

Oh, it's not so bad. I guess.

The first thing you see will be a record of the last login, a welcome to Darwin (whoever he is), and your login info (with $, a sure sign of things to come). Then the prompt. (Isn't it 'sposed to blink?) Text wraps to fit the window, new entries are added at bottom line and scroll up - just like an online chat with your OS (or the bad ol' days of BBS).

The Terminal window.

Terminal Help (window):

At the prompt, type in "man" (geekspeak for manual) and hit Return (or Enter). Instead of returning an error, it politely asks for more info. Which one? Enter "man more" and you'll get a manual explaining display of text in the Terminal. Enter "man" followed by most anything you can think of and you'll probably read all about it.

Enter "man more"

Learning UNIX commands:

In a fine example of pretzel logic, the Terminal uses a graphical user interface (windows, menu bar and menus, etc.) to manage the UNIX command line interface. Go figure. Anyway, in the Help menu is "Terminal Help" (?!) which will shows a short list of topics to you, including the "Learning about UNIX commands" item. This is a good way to learn a command or two at a time while your doing other things, but if you're serious about learning UNIX we can recommend a few books. Take a look at the Technical section of this site for recommended reading on select topics, including UNIX.

Oh..... and you don't quit the Terminal. You "Terminate" it.

Terminal's Help window (from Help menu).
One little WARNING! tho...: Mucking around in an Operating System - any Operating System - can cause problems if you don't know what you're doing, you aren't paying close attention, or you find you're unable to undo whatever change you made. Those who remember ResEdit will recall making a copy of a file and hacking the copy (with original file as backup), which is still a good idea. Explore the Terminal and UNIX commands, but be careful about making any changes; if there's something in the Operating System you'd like to adjust, there's probably a control for it someplace in System Preferences.

The dreaded Kernel Panic (KP).: With instructions to restart in four languages, a Kernel Panic doesn't give you any other choice: "You need to restart your computer. Hold down the Power button for several seconds or press the Restart button."
: In most cases, a restart will resolve the problem. In persistent cases, a Kernel Panic is a sign that something more serious has gone wrong and needs attention. KPs cover a lot of ground, and while we've posted a small amount of info for troubleshooting a KP on this site, KPs can be frustrating to deal with when caused by a significant problem. Best suggestion for persistent KPs, once you've tried all the quick fixes, is to bring the machine in and have us sort it out for you.

Possible causes and clues:: KPs can be caused by both hardware and software, making them hard to track down under certain circumstances. First clue is timing; when did it occur? On startup? While running a particular application, or when a certain device is used? Can you cause a Kernel Panic at will?
: Potential causes are too numerous to name; most common, perhaps, is defective or failed RAM, but most any attached device is suspect. Software causes include corrupt/missing files in the Operating System, programming problems in application software, the list goes on. It helps to make notes of all attached devices, OS version, RAM and machine specs, along with details preceding appearance of a KP; the when, where and what of a KP just might suggest why.

Hardware testing.: First thing we do here at the shop is try to reproduce the KP - unless it can't be avoided, in which case we immediately start looking at hardware components. KPs on startup are the worst; it usually means dismantling the machine to its logic board and poking around inside, testing each component, using a shop machine if necessary, starting with the hard drive. Since data is of primary importance, we make sure data is safely stored during testing and examination. If machine is to be returned to Apple (under warranty), we will see to it that your data remains behind with you on backup, if at all possible.

Software testing.: We have everything we need to diagnose software issues - hopefully, a Kernel Panic situation can be resolved by updating, repairing or replacing OS, files, utilities or whatever software may be at fault. If some application program is to blame, we'll reinstall your (registered) app for you and apply any updates that may be necessary. We will verify machine's firmware, directory, settings, controls and device drivers until satisfied that KP will not return.

Learn more about Kernel Panics:: See the Solutions section of this site for more info about possible causes and remedies when dealing with a Kernel Panic condition (link in Solutions sidebar).

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