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Connecting External Hard Drive
#44717 05/28/17 03:43 AM
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I've asked this before but I can't find my notes and I am in a panic. I think I fried my Mac. I was using Softorino YouTube converter and didn't like it so I removed it. But after that, my computer won't work. I turned it off and then on again and it looked like it was loading up with the apple icon and the spinning circle but then the circle stops spinning and nothing happens and then the screen turns black. No, it's not sleeping.

I need to connect my external hard drive to see if I can get into my computer.

I know it's something simple but I can't remember exactly what to do and can't find it on the internet or on this forum where I talked about it before.

Help! I am using my old IBook right now.


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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44718 05/28/17 06:31 AM
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Hi, Rita,

I think you ought to start by booting into your recovery partition, navigating to Utilities > Disk Utility, and running Repair Disk.

Alternatively, if you can start up from your external drive, you should be able to run Disk Utility > Repair Disk on your MBP from there.

(It doesn't sound like your MBP is truly fried, so I think you can quit panicking.)

Good luck. smile

More: Are you sure you deleted all of Softorino's components? (I d/l'ed it, but I didn't see an uninstaller.)

Last edited by artie505; 05/28/17 06:52 AM.

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44719 05/28/17 09:42 AM
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You can connect an external drive via USB or Firewire (if the computer still has FW). Does the external have a bootable OS installed? If so, restart and press Option as soon as you hear the chime. Continue holding Option until you see a choice of startup disks. At this point, click the external's icon (assuming that it shows) and press Return. It may take longer to boot from the external, so be patient.


Jon

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
jchuzi #44721 05/28/17 03:06 PM
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I did what you said up until the disks showed up. It was a HD disk and a Recovery disk. I tried the HD disk first to no avail. So I started over and when the disks showed up, I picked the Recovery disk. No external disks were offered.

Then a window showed up after picking English and hitting return as it instructed with four options:

1. Choice to restore TM backup. I don't use TM
2.Reinstall OS X - I don't have disks. They weren't provided
3. Get Help online - Duh!
4. Disk Utility - which is what I am supposing I am supposed to pick?


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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44722 05/28/17 04:10 PM
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Try Disk Utility first. If that doesn't solve things, you can reinstall the OS. The software is downloaded from Apple and installed automatically; no disks were provided nor needed for Mountain Lion.


Jon

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
jchuzi #44723 05/28/17 10:21 PM
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Originally Posted By: jchuzi
Try Disk Utility first. If that doesn't solve things, you can reinstall the OS. The software is downloaded from Apple and installed automatically; no disks were provided nor needed for Mountain Lion.


I am downloading Mavericks. With my slow Internet it says it's going to take another 14 hours! I hope this works. I tried to do use just utility they got Error messages
That are not in front of me right now so I can't hold them. Crossing my fingers.

Last edited by plantsower; 05/28/17 10:23 PM.
Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
jchuzi #44729 05/30/17 04:20 AM
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Originally Posted By: jchuzi
Try Disk Utility first. If that doesn't solve things, you can reinstall the OS. The software is downloaded from Apple and installed automatically; no disks were provided nor needed for Mountain Lion.

Shame on both of us, Jon, for forgetting to advise Rita to rerun "Repair Disk" until she got either an "all clear" or a persistent, uncorrectable error. frown


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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
artie505 #44730 05/30/17 04:41 AM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: jchuzi
Try Disk Utility first. If that doesn't solve things, you can reinstall the OS. The software is downloaded from Apple and installed automatically; no disks were provided nor needed for Mountain Lion.

Shame on both of us, Jon, for forgetting to advise Rita to rerun "Repair Disk" until she got either an "all clear" or a persistent, uncorrectable error. frown


The reinstall did not make a difference. Hardware test was negative. I'm thinking about going to the Genius Bar to see what's up because it does start up and show the logo and it chimes but I can't get past that. I did run disk utility from the recovery and everything was fine. I tried to go online via recovery but all I got was the Beachball after I got to apple.com I could really go anywhere.


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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
jchuzi #44740 05/30/17 04:56 PM
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Originally Posted By: jchuzi
Try Disk Utility first. If that doesn't solve things, you can reinstall the OS. The software is downloaded from Apple and installed automatically; no disks were provided nor needed for Mountain Lion.


OK, this is what I've tried not necessarily in this order:

1. Reinstalled Mavericks OS X via Recovery - Took many hours and didn't make a difference.

2. Reset PRAM - nothing

3. Reset SMC - nothing

4. Did hardware test - Passed with flying colors

5. Ran Disk Utility - Got this message, "Disk Utility stopped repairing Mac HD. Disk utility can't repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed up files." Can't exactly do that since the computer won't boot up on it's own or with my external drive.

6. Used Safe Mode start up. It loaded up (watching the loading bar) about half way and then went back to Apple logo screen and no activity.

7. Tried going online within recovery mode. It went to Apple.com and then got the spinning beach ball.

8. Used Single User Mode: Went through the commands I learned about online and from The Missing Manual book. It ended up saying the "system was OK."

I don't know that anyone at the Genius Bar would/could try anything else. I might as well get a new Macbook Pro which is what I am leaning towards.

Boo-Hoo!! Five years isn't a lot of time to have a new Apple and then have it end like this. If you can think of something I haven't actually tried, please let me know.

Rita


Last edited by plantsower; 05/30/17 05:10 PM.

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44741 05/30/17 05:10 PM
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Do you have a heavy-duty utility like Disk Warrior, TechTool Pro, or Drive Genius? They are more powerful than Disk Utility.


Jon

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
jchuzi #44742 05/30/17 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted By: jchuzi
Do you have a heavy-duty utility like Disk Warrior, TechTool Pro, or Drive Genius? They are more powerful than Disk Utility.


No. Do you think that would make a difference at this point? That sounded facetious, but I didn't mean it that way.


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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44743 05/30/17 07:03 PM
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I can't give a definitive answer, but if the problem can be fixed, one of those utilities is more likely to fix it than Disk Utility. In particular, I'm a fan of Disk Warrior.


Jon

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
jchuzi #44744 05/30/17 07:43 PM
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Originally Posted By: jchuzi
I can't give a definitive answer, but if the problem can be fixed, one of those utilities is more likely to fix it than Disk Utility. In particular, I'm a fan of Disk Warrior.


Jon: I know you are a fan of Disk Warrior. You have mentioned it throughout the years, and I have been cheaping out. Look where it got me. mad Rita


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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44745 05/30/17 09:44 PM
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It has already ben mentioned, but if you haven't run Disk Utility > First Aid a second time it is worth trying. DU has never been any great shakes at volume repair, but sometimes a second or even third pass will finally clear up an otherwise implacable error.

FWIW, my advice would be, if you are looking for an excuse to get a new MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, this is the best excuse you are likely to get. If not the ~$100 cost of Diskwarrior, TechTool Pro, or Drive Genius would cost is a LOT cheaper than a new Mac but there is no guarantee that any one of those will fix the problem. Of those three DiskWarrior has arguably the best reputation for repairing volume errors, but TechTool Pro will run a surface scan and provides detailed S.M.A.R.T. data reports which are far and away the best means of identifying impending drive hardware failure.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44748 05/30/17 10:39 PM
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Originally Posted By: jchuzi
Do you have a heavy-duty utility like Disk Warrior, TechTool Pro, or Drive Genius? They are more powerful than Disk Utility.

Originally Posted By: plantsower
No. Do you think that would make a difference at this point? That sounded facetious, but I didn't mean it that way.

Originally Posted By: jchuzi
I can't give a definitive answer, but if the problem can be fixed, one of those utilities is more likely to fix it than Disk Utility. In particular, I'm a fan of Disk Warrior.

Speaking from personal experience, a few years ago my daughter did something really bad to her MacBook. I have no idea what she did but it ended up with her machine grinding away for at least 24 hours and no apparent advance.

Although it sounded to me like there was no hope, I asked her to shut the machine off until I could come over with Disk Warrior. It took Disk Warrior about two hours but, in the end, her machine was back to working as normal.

Whether you were to go for Tech Tool Pro or Disk Warrior, it seems to me you're going to have to decide if you want to gamble 100 bucks that might keep you from spending a couple of grand.


ryck

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
ryck #44749 05/30/17 10:44 PM
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Originally Posted By: ryck
Originally Posted By: jchuzi
Do you have a heavy-duty utility like Disk Warrior, TechTool Pro, or Drive Genius? They are more powerful than Disk Utility.

Originally Posted By: plantsower
No. Do you think that would make a difference at this point? That sounded facetious, but I didn't mean it that way.

Originally Posted By: jchuzi
I can't give a definitive answer, but if the problem can be fixed, one of those utilities is more likely to fix it than Disk Utility. In particular, I'm a fan of Disk Warrior.



Speaking from personal experience, a few years ago my daughter did something really bad to her MacBook. I have no idea what she did but it ended up with her machine grinding away for at least 24 hours and no apparent advance.

Although it sounded to me like there was no hope, I asked her to shut the machine off until I could come over with Disk Warrior. It took Disk Warrior about two hours but, in the end, her machine was back to working as normal.

Whether you were to go for Tech Tool Pro or Disk Warrior, it seems to me you're going to have to decide if you want to gamble 100 bucks that might keep you from spending a couple of grand.


Thank you. I actually did run it a few times but then got the scary message to back up everything because the disk couldn't be repaired. But guess what??? While I was in Disk Utility the last time I noticed that I could choose my start up disk. I know I know, slow to notice stuff. But I am back on my MacBook Pro for now. I still plan to get a new one and use this as a backup and I will have to quit being cheap and get the Disk Warrior. I don't know why the external drive wouldn't start up the usually way but once in Disk Utility, it did.

I shut my computer down every night. Should I keep it on to prevent having to go to Disk Utility again? Or if I shut it down without ejecting the external drive, will be up and running tomorrow?

Thanks for helping.

Rita


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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44750 05/30/17 11:14 PM
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Originally Posted By: plantsower
I shut my computer down every night. Should I keep it on to prevent having to go to Disk Utility again? Or if I shut it down without ejecting the external drive, will be up and running tomorrow?

Good questions but probably best answered by someone like joemike.


ryck

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
ryck #44752 05/31/17 12:42 AM
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A normal shutdown automatically unmounts all disks safely. You can, if you like, go to System Preferences > Startup Disk and select the external as your default. When you restart, it will automatically start from that disk.


Jon

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
jchuzi #44753 05/31/17 02:27 AM
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Originally Posted By: jchuzi
A normal shutdown automatically unmounts all disks safely. You can, if you like, go to System Preferences > Startup Disk and select the external as your default. When you restart, it will automatically start from that disk.


That is good to know. I went to the startup Disk but the external disk was already highlighted. Maybe that's what happens in this kind of instance. It's not working perfectly using the external drive. It's constantly freezing but I can get a little done here and there. I went to look up disk warrior and got the beach ball when going to CNET. I'll look elsewhere. Thanks, Jon.


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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
joemikeb #44754 05/31/17 02:30 AM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
It has already ben mentioned, but if you haven't run Disk Utility > First Aid a second time it is worth trying. DU has never been any great shakes at volume repair, but sometimes a second or even third pass will finally clear up an otherwise implacable error.

FWIW, my advice would be, if you are looking for an excuse to get a new MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, this is the best excuse you are likely to get. If not the ~$100 cost of Diskwarrior, TechTool Pro, or Drive Genius would cost is a LOT cheaper than a new Mac but there is no guarantee that any one of those will fix the problem. Of those three DiskWarrior has arguably the best reputation for repairing volume errors, but TechTool Pro will run a surface scan and provides detailed S.M.A.R.T. data reports which are far and away the best means of identifying impending drive hardware failure.


I'm definitely looking into Disk Warrior for my next computer and even trying it on this one.


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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44756 05/31/17 08:31 AM
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Originally Posted By: plantsower
If you're in New York City you're up way past your bedtime go to bed. Zzzzz

I live backwards, Rita; unless it's a beach day, I sleep 'til 5 PM and stay up all night...been like that for 60 years since all the way back in high school when I realized that the world didn't end when my parents went to sleep.

I'm going to recommend that you stick with your Mid 2012 MBP.

This screenshot is a side-by side of Mactracker's enumeration of the specs of your current MBP and the October 2016 model you're considering. (You can double-check that I've got your Mac right by navigating to /Applications/Utilities/System Information > Hardware Overview and verifying that its Model Identifier is MacBookPro9,2.)

The critical piece of info is the October 2016 "Discontinued" date for your MBP, which, translated into simple english, means that you've essentially got a new machine. (The Apple Refurbished Store is currently selling YOUR EXACT MBP [one of which I recently advised my daughter to buy, by the way]. $829 = VERY cool .)

Macs go "Vintage" five years after they're discontinued, at which point Apple will no longer service or supply parts for them, but since your MBP was first discontinued in October 2016 (By comparison, its 15" brother was discontinued in October 2013.), it will be "Supported" until October 2021 and be able to benefit from at least several future macOS upGRADES.

I don't think the newer machine offers any necessary for you performance upgrades, and even though it's significantly lighter than your current one (which I don't think is important to you), it's at the cost of a disc drive, a number of useful ports, and assorted other features. (Found it!)

I'll stick with my suggestion that you get your MBP to a Genius Bar and have it diagnosed...before you buy a new Mac or even spend $100 on DiskWarrior.

I don't see anything in any of your posts that convinces me that you actually NEED a new Mac, and unless you're hot to spend money, I say stick with what you've got.

You've lucked into the Mac that's been blessed with perhaps the longest life Apple has ever bestowed on a machine. Why waste it?

(If you'r really desperate to spend a few bucks, I think you ought to upgrade your RAM as suggested by tacit in another thread and upgrade your HDD to an SSD [assuming that the Genius resurrects you MBP]; I'll bet that you'll be immensely pleased with the outcome.)

Last edited by artie505; 05/31/17 11:07 AM. Reason: Add link

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
artie505 #44760 05/31/17 02:44 PM
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FYI Apple's Vintage policy and current list of vintage and obsolete products world wide.

I won't argue with Artie's opinion. It is inarguably valid from his point of view and that of many others who are perhaps just on the backside of the standard distribution curve of Mac users.

My viewpoint is from the bleeding edge of that same standard distribution curve and there are a lot more who hold Artie's viewpoint than hold mine. From my bleeding edge viewpoint the Touchbar feature is a significant new feature that like many others is hard to grasp until you have actually used it. Although there was a lot of initial criticism of Apple's choice of the Thunderbolt 3 port and grumbling abut external converters for backward compatibility with older standards, in actual practice it has proven to be no big deal. Now we have to wait for the PC builders to catch up again — but by the time they do Apple will have gone on to the next new I/O port standard.

I think I am hearing you say you want a new computer and, if that is the case, then no amount of backing and filling, upgrading, or enhancing your current Macbook Pro is likely to ever satisfy you. At least it has never satisfied me in my 40+ years of experience in personal computing. (OMG — I wish I hadn't added all those years up, it makes me feel old 👴🏻)

LET ME REITERATE:: I wouldn't buy anything for a Mac until after the WWDC (June 5 - 9, 2017). There are potential announcements/changes that could render even the various volume repair utilities in need of a complete rewrite (in fact many of their standard optimization routines can actually reduce the lifespan of SSDs. There are unlikely to be an huge changes announced for the MacBook Pro as it is the most recently ungraded model line, but it is likely they will be refreshed with kaby lake model processors in the third quarter time frame. Those would offer a bit more speed and longer battery life and just might might be worth waiting for.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
artie505 #44762 05/31/17 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: plantsower
If you're in New York City you're up way past your bedtime go to bed. Zzzzz

I live backwards, Rita; unless it's a beach day, I sleep 'til 5 PM and stay up all night...been like that for 60 years since all the way back in high school when I realized that the world didn't end when my parents went to sleep. [/color] Well, you live in the city that never sleeps so that can happen. I live where the crickets and frogs start in around bedtime and all the stores and most of the restaurants are closed by 10 p.m. Good thing I'm not a night owl!! [color:#FF0000]

WHY IS MY COLOR CODING SHOWING UP? WHAT DID I DO WRONG?

I'm going to recommend that you stick with your Mid 2012 MBP.

This screenshot is a side-by side of Mactracker's enumeration of the specs of your current MBP and the October 2016 model you're considering. (You can double-check that I've got your Mac right by navigating to /Applications/Utilities/System Information > Hardware Overview and verifying that its Model Identifier is MacBookPro9,2.)

The critical piece of info is the October 2016 "Discontinued" date for your MBP, which, translated into simple english, means that you've essentially got a new machine. (The Apple Refurbished Store is currently selling YOUR EXACT MBP [one of which I recently advised my daughter to buy, by the way]. $829 = VERY cool .)

[/color] I get what you're saying and I still want to keep my MBP but since my iBook bit the dust (I mean really bit the dust more than my MBP) I need a backup so my old MPB will be just that. I really dislike using my iPhone for surfing. It's just so limited compared to using the computer, at least in my view. I'm no teenager.[color:#FF0000]

Macs go "Vintage" five years after they're discontinued, at which point Apple will no longer service or supply parts for them, but since your MBP was first discontinued in October 2016 (By comparison, its 15" brother was discontinued in October 2013.), it will be "Supported" until October 2021 and be able to benefit from at least several future macOS upGRADES.

I don't think the newer machine offers any necessary for you performance upgrades, and even though it's significantly lighter than your current one (which I don't think is important to you), it's at the cost of a disc drive, a number of useful ports, and assorted other features. (Found it!)

[/color] I've looked at the specs and did some comparing and I still want a MBP. I'm not so happy about losing a HD to a 125 gig SSD but they have more RAM than I am used to and after having my MBP for over 5 years I am yet to use over 50 gigs of HD. I think I said somewhere else that I used only 400+. That was an error. I have over 400+ Gigs free'd up. I found out I can live without a superdrive as I rarely used it. I think the new MBP (see link below) still has a headset input and 3.0 USB ports along with the Thunderbolts and HDMI port. MBP[color:#FF0000]

I'll stick with my suggestion that you get your MBP to a Genius Bar and have it diagnosed...before you buy a new Mac or even spend $100 on DiskWarrior.

I don't see anything in any of your posts that convinces me that you actually NEED a new Mac, and unless you're hot to spend money, I say stick with what you've got. [/color] The only reason I feel I need a new computer is that now I won't have a backup and that's important to me.[color:#FF0000]

You've lucked into the Mac that's been blessed with perhaps the longest life Apple has ever bestowed on a machine. Why waste it?

(If you'r really desperate to spend a few bucks, I think you ought to upgrade your RAM as suggested by tacit in another thread and upgrade your HDD to an SSD [assuming that the Genius resurrects you MBP]; I'll bet that you'll be immensely pleased with the outcome.)
[/color] I'm still not sure what I am going to do but your input is always welcome and helpful. It's also important to me that if I am going to buy another MBP I want to be able to have the extended warranty with Applecare. Any MBP that has run out of it's original warranty is no longer eligible for AppleCare. I know there are other kinds of warranties but that is the easiest one for me to use. I made sure to look up all your links. (Adaptors make the MBP look like it has hemorrhoids?) LOLOLOL![color:#FF0000]

Last edited by plantsower; 05/31/17 04:41 PM.

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Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
joemikeb #44763 05/31/17 04:47 PM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
FYI Apple's Vintage policy and current list of vintage and obsolete products world wide.

I won't argue with Artie's opinion. It is inarguably valid from his point of view and that of many others who are perhaps just on the backside of the standard distribution curve of Mac users.

My viewpoint is from the bleeding edge of that same standard distribution curve and there are a lot more who hold Artie's viewpoint than hold mine. From my bleeding edge viewpoint the Touchbar feature is a significant new feature that like many others is hard to grasp until you have actually used it. Although there was a lot of initial criticism of Apple's choice of the Thunderbolt 3 port and grumbling abut external converters for backward compatibility with older standards, in actual practice it has proven to be no big deal. Now we have to wait for the PC builders to catch up again — but by the time they do Apple will have gone on to the next new I/O port standard.

I think I am hearing you say you want a new computer and, if that is the case, then no amount of backing and filling, upgrading, or enhancing your current Macbook Pro is likely to ever satisfy you. At least it has never satisfied me in my 40+ years of experience in personal computing. (OMG — I wish I hadn't added all those years up, it makes me feel old 👴🏻)

LET ME REITERATE:: I wouldn't buy anything for a Mac until after the WWDC (June 5 - 9, 2017). There are potential announcements/changes that could render even the various volume repair utilities in need of a complete rewrite (in fact many of their standard optimization routines can actually reduce the lifespan of SSDs. There are unlikely to be an huge changes announced for the MacBook Pro as it is the most recently ungraded model line, but it is likely they will be refreshed with kaby lake model processors in the third quarter time frame. Those would offer a bit more speed and longer battery life and just might might be worth waiting for.


Thanks JoeMikeb. There is just so much to think about. I think I am somewhere in the middle wanting something that is tried and true more than brand new but not real old.
I'm not one to upgrade every time one comes around because of bad experiences with losing certain features, etc. I tend to lean on reviews when it comes to big purchases. I don't upgrade my iPhone every time one comes out. In fact the one I have was given to me (5S) and I'm sticking with it until it dies.


MacBook Pro - M2, Ventura 13.6
Safari Tech Prev 17.0
Safari 16.6
Firefox 116.0.2
iPhone 7 Version 15.8




Re: Connecting External Hard Drive
plantsower #44764 05/31/17 05:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Perhaps Which Mac should you buy? will have something useful.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
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