For those who are trying to decide on a new computer for their Princeton, NJ business, no debate rages quite as hard as as the Mac and PC battle. How to decide between a Mac and a PC isn't always the easiest thing to unfurl. Both have quite passionate followings that will swear that they have chosen the better option. Still, the result actually isn't so clear cut: instead it comes down to the smallest details that will make or break how you feel about your computer.
If you do your research when deciding between a Mac and a PC, you can't really go wrong: there are strong options in both fields. It becomes less a matter of what the computer does but instead how you feel about using it and your personal taste.
Differences Between Mac and PC: More or Less?
When you buy a Mac, you are sending a certain kind of message. This is the company (Apple) that gives us many of the most popular pieces of technology. There is a certain amount of style to them. Mac only offers six different computer styles with a limited amount of choice there. Instead, they build the "best" possible computers that make the choices for you. If you aren't the type of person who likes to think about RAM, hardware, or disk space, a Mac could be the perfect option.
On the other hand, PCs are much easier to customize. There are over a dozen major PC manufacturers that produce different pieces of equipment, though most run through the Windows operating system. You have limitless choices in the styles and configurations that you want. This allows you to find exactly what you want or even build it - though it could take you more time and effort.
You have to make the choice about how much you need to personalize your computer when deciding between Macs and PCs. This is something we see quite often at our Princeton, NJ location: people want to personalize and then realize they cannot.
Don't Just Worry About Price When Comparing Mac and PC
Macs have the same reputation that most Apple products do: they are quite expensive when compared to other components. However, that means that there is also a trade off: they are also better at performance and far more reliable than other options.
In fact, there is so much to discuss that the comparison of price when deciding between a Mac and a PC is enough to be a series of blogs on their own. PCs and macs typically have different software and components, so you have to take those additional costs into consideration as well.
Since they have a lower cost, PCs have always been a great option for those who are looking to choose between basic computing functions, like going on the web or typing papers, versus those who make art or edit videos on their computers.
Deciding Between Mac and PC: Are You A Techie?
If you are considering a Mac, there are a smaller number of choice that you have to make and the number of choices you can make within those choices is also small. You may be able to upgrade the RAM and hard drive of a Mac. PCs, on the other hand, have many different options that you can switch out to really get something special if you have the time and budget. Things you may want to think about include:
- How you will use the computer
- How long you plan on keeping it
- Can you do some of your own maintenance
Apple makes both the hardware and the software of a Mac, so you only have one place to turn if you need to do maintenance or have an issue - and they can typically be resolved quite quickly. On the other hand, PCs can take some time as you may have to go through different vendors.
Macs vs. PCs: Does Software Matter?
A few years ago, it was easy to choose whether you should get a Mac or a PC based on the type of software that you wanted to use. Most businesses had Windows because it was seen as the more accessible option. Digital media people had the Mac computers because of editing, photo and other creativity apps.
That simply isn't true anymore. PCs still tend to dominate within the workplace, many software programs have version for both types. Software is a smaller issue than it used to be so unless you are going to use some very obscure piece of software that only works on one type of computer, you really don't have to weigh this when deciding between Macs and PCs.
Do You Want To Play Games?
If you are a gamer, you have probably always used a PC and there truly isn't a reason to change that now. PCs can stream games from different gaming devices and there is simply a larger variety of options on PC than on Mac.
If you plan to use your computer to play games, there is really only one option here: PC.
Which One Is More Secure? Macs vs. PCs
At one time, PCs were thought to be the more unsecured of the two, but Windows has certainly become more reliable as time has passed. Mac is still known for its stability, but there is not quite as much of a difference anymore.
Still, it is important to note that the odds of getting a virus or malware on your PC are still higher than with a Mac.
That said, there have also been more mac attacks lately, with the Keyranger ransomware wreaking havoc and attacking the OS* X operating system and encrypted all files on a hard drive until users paid an extortion fee.
Proper antivirus could help you.
There are some clear cut differences between Macs and PCs, so you have to determine which of those differences means the most to you.
Looking for the Best Computer Services in New Jersey? Call: (908) 332-5051
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If you’re sure nobody else can get into your Mac or MacBook and that you’re unlikely to leave it somewhere, you can switch off that initial Mac login prompt if you want. Instead, you can have your system boot up and log you in automatically so you’re ready to go in a much shorter time.
I would suggest only doing this if you live alone or trust your partner or housemates. It is a strong security feature you’re skipping here that can leave your Mac vulnerable to snooping. If you’re confident that you don’t need to log in every time you start your Mac, here is how to automatically log in.
Automatic logon on a Mac
Windows has a similar setting where you can skip a login at boot. While logging in isn’t exactly laborious, it can shave previous seconds of your starting your computer and being able to use it. I’m surprised MacOS has this option, but it does.
- Select the Apple menu and System Preferences.
- Select Users & Groups.
- Select the small padlock icon in the bottom left of the Users & Groups window.
- Enter your Apple ID to authenticate.
- Select Login Options in the center of the window.
- Select Automatic Login and select your username.
- Authenticate again to record the change.
From now on, every time you boot your Mac, it will boot straight into MacOS instead of prompting you for the login. You can disable it at any time by repeating the steps above and selecting Off at Step 6. This will return your Mac to requiring a logon again.
If your username is not selectable at Step 6, it is likely that you have FileVault enabled. This requires iCloud authentication. The only way around that is to disable FileVault and try again. FileVault provides valuable security using disk encryption and if you have it enabled, I would strongly suggest leaving it that way. However, it’s your Mac to use your way, so do this to disable it:
- Select System Preferences and Security & Privacy.
- Select FileVault and the lock icon.
- Select Turn Off FileVault and set a local password.
Make that password the same as you login or change your login password to the new local password to enable automatic login.
Remember, if you do this and leave your computer somewhere someone can gain access to it, they will be able to log straight into it. Only make this change if you’re sure your Mac or MacBook is going to be safe.
For professional Mac support at local prices, visit Dave’s Computers in New Jersey.
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It’s easy to accidentally delete data. We have all done it and we will all do it again. The data recovery guys here at Dave’s Computers are always busy but some of the jobs we do are unnecessary as you could easily do it at home. That doesn’t mean we won’t do it, of course we will but some of this stuff is easy.
The specific steps you take depend on what has happened. For example, if you accidentally deleted some files fairly recently, it could take seconds to recover them. If you did it a little while ago or have used the computer a lot since, it may take a little longer. Don’t worry, if you can’t recover your files, we can!
Recover deleted files in Mac OS
The easiest thing to try first is to look in the Trash. This is where all your deleted files (that aren’t too large) will sit for a while before being cleaned. If you recently deleted files, you should look here first.
Double click the trashcan icon and work through the files in the list. If you see your files, right click and select Put Back. Your files will be replaced where they were originally and you will be able to use them normally.
If your files aren’t there, we can use Time Machine. If you use Time Machine that is.
As long as you have Time Machine set up, we can use that to recover deleted data.
- Select Time Machine and then Enter Time Machine.
- Select the arrow and navigate the various snapshots until you find the file you need.
- Select the file and then Restore.
Your file will be returned from whence it came and will be usable as before.
If you deleted music or a movie, you can use iTunes to recover it.
- Open iTunes and search in Trash and in Media.
- Recover it if you find it or re-download it from iTunes.
Even though you have deleted something from iTunes, if you have paid for it you can just download it again. iTunes trash works the same was as it does in Mac OS. It keeps recently deleted files and will periodically delete those as it goes.
If you cannot find your files and you either cannot find it in Time Machine or don’t use Time Machine, bring your Mac to Dave’s Computers in New Jersey. Our data recovery experts should be able to recover the files and restore them as if nothing happened!
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Even though Dave’s Computers in New Jersey fixes Mac computers, I am mainly a Windows guy. I know Mac inside and out but hesitate to pay the premium that Apple charges for its hardware. For the price of a 27” Mac, I could build two, perhaps three high spec Windows computers. That makes jumping to MacOS hard to justify and why I installed High Sierra on VirtualBox over the weekend. To try before I buy.
VirtualBox is a free virtual machine platform from Oracle. It works in Windows and can create a virtual machine within which you can install another operating system. We use an Ubuntu system for testing but this is the first time I have built an Apple version. This process uses a copy of MacOS High Sierra and installs it onto a Windows machine. I think it’s the ideal way to see if you like it before shelling out the money to buy one for real.
Installing MacOS in VirtualBox
Many of the guides for installing MacOS in VirtualBox don’t make for easy reading so I thought I would write one myself. You will need a couple of things to get started. You will need a reasonably recent computer capable of running a virtual machine (VM). You will also need a copy of VirtualBox and a copy of MacOS High Sierra.
- Install VirtualBox onto your computer and start it up.
- Select New and call it ‘MacOS’. Naming is important so remember exactly what you called it. You’ll see why in a little while.
- Select Mac OS X 10.11 El Capitan (64-bit) as the version.
- Set memory to 4096MB and select Create a virtual hard disk now.
- Select Create.
- Select VDI VirtualBox Image and Dynamically Allocated disk space.
- Select Create.
- Select your new VM and select Settings.
- Select System from the left pane and set base memory to the maximum in the green bar.
- Uncheck Floppy in Boot Order.
- Select the Processor tab and select the maximum in the green slider.
- Select Display on the left and increase Video Memory to 128Mb.
- Select Storage and check the MacOS Controller is set to SATA Port 0 on the right.
- Select OK and then shut down VirtualBox.
- Open the VirtualBox folder in Windows Explorer.
- Press Shift and right click an empty space in the folder and select Open Command Prompt here.
- Type VBoxManage modifyvm “MacOS” - - cpuidset 00000001 000106e5 00100800 0098e3fd bfebfbff’ into the CMD window you just opened and hit Enter.
- Type VBoxManage setextradata “MacOS” “VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemProduct” “iMac11,3” and hit Enter.
- Type VBoxManage setextradata “MacOS” “VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemVersion” “1.0” and hit Enter.
- Type VBoxManage setextradata “MacOS” “VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiBoardProduct” “Iloveapple” and hit Enter.
- Type VBoxManage setextradata “MacOS” “VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/DeviceKey” and hit Enter. “ourhardworkbythesewordsguardedpleasedontsteal(c)AppleComputerInc”
- Type VBoxManage setextradata “MacOS” and hit Enter. “VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/GetKeyFromRealSMC” 1
- Type VBoxManage setextradata “MacOS” VBoxInternal2/EfiGopMode 4 and hit Enter.
- Start VirtualBox and start your MacOS VM.
- Select Disk Utilities from the VirtualBox menu in the VM screen.
- Erase VBOX harddisk and select vmdisk as the Name, MAC OS as format and GUID Partition Map as the scheme.
- Hit Erase and close the Disk Utility window once complete.
- Select the new option ‘vmdisk’ from the installation options and Continue.
- Complete the installation of MacOS and allow it to update.
- Start using your new Mac!
You can see in these text instructions ‘MacOS’. This part is why naming is important. What you call your installation has to be reflected exactly in these commands otherwise they won’t work.
The installation process may take a little while but be patient as it will finish. Once done, the machine will reboot and then boot into MacOS. You now have a fully working, fully featured Mac to play with!
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Is the Trust Score a problem?
By itself, having Apple asses you is no different than Facebook does, than Google does and most other businesses you deal with. They all collect data on you, your habits, interactions and all the other stuff you do on a daily basis. So Apple is no different than any other digital business. Except. If you own an iPhone and don’t fit the ‘normal person’ template Apple has obviously created, what happens then? Our test phones in the shop don’t act like normal phones because they aren’t normal phones. What happens if we want to test a new app or download something from the App Store? Will our phone be denied access because it doesn’t behave in a normal way? The idea of being weighed, measured and found wanting by some faceless corporation isn’t a comfortable one. Yet it happens all the time. Sure privacy analysts will have a field day and sure nobody likes to be spied on, tracked or assessed by people we don’t know and who don’t know us. But this is the way of the world right now. While I personally see no issue with the Apple Trust Score except in the scenario above, I imagine sales of Android phones are going to be seeing a bit of a jump over the next few months. What do you think of this new system? Fair or not?Related Posts
iOS 12
Apple’s regular OS update continues with iOS 12, released a short time ago. It brings some changes to existing features, adds some new features but is mainly about improving the core operating system. Apple owners should see decent improvements in device speed and battery life when upgrading to iOS 12, according to Apple at least. iOS 12 brings:- Core OS improvements that should see fewer crashes.
- Better battery life.
- Faster device speeds through OS optimizations.
- Grouped notifications to better manage apps that love to tell you what’s going on.
- Siri Shortcuts, which is the Workflow app with a new name. It adds new options for Siri and third party apps.
- Screen Time, a new graphical display of how much you use your phone.
Our iOS 12 experience so far
So far I would say our time with iOS 12 has been, nice. There are no Hollywood moments or showstoppers to report with this update. iPhones work faster, seem more fluid when using them, the camera opens much faster and so does the keyboard in iMessage. There have been no amazing moments but there have been no crashes or huge bugs either. So far the new notification setup works well. Notifications take on the form of threads that are simple to track and means we aren’t being nagged constantly by our phone. Screen Time is nothing but a guilt trip designed to tell us how much we use our phone but could be useful if you’re trying to control phone use. The changes to Siri are more noticeable. It offers to set a reminder for you if you have an early appointment or reminds you to email someone back if you haven’t responded yet. The digital assistant is capable of so much more now but we haven’t scratched the surface with it yet. So is iOS 12 worth upgrading to right away? I would say yes it is. There have been no massive bugs or issues found as yet and our experiments with the OS have been very positive. It is worth installing for the optimizations alone but the new features are worth it too. The only downside is the new ‘Trust Score’ introduced in this update. I am going to cover that more on Wednesday as I think it’s important. If you have any issues with the upgrade, bring your device to Dave’s Computers in New Jersey and we can take a look. We’re Apple experts as well as computer geeks!Related Posts
What is Apple HomeKit?
Apple HomeKit is the center of your smart home. It is an intelligent hub that connects to your home network and controls other accessories. It manages settings, schedules and all aspects of the ‘smart’ part of the smart home. Other smart accessories then link to the Apple HomeKit and are configured through the system. The Home app is installed on your iPhone or iPad and will allow you to make changes on the fly or when you’re away from home. Apple HomeKit isn’t just a hardware device, it includes a protocol too. That means other manufacturers can implement it into their own devices so the two can work together. Devices such as Philips Hue and smart thermostats can communicate with the Apple HomeKit, providing a simple to manage home setup.Why do I need Apple HomeKit?
The aforementioned Philips Hue lights have been around for years and come with their own app. Why do I need Apple HomeKit too? If you just want smart lights and nothing more, you don’t need anything else. If you would like to integrate Hue into a smart home setup, you do need Apple HomeKit. For example, say you want your blinds to close at a certain time of night and the lights to come on automatically when it gets dark. You connect your smart blinds to Apple HomeKit and set a schedule. You then connect a light sensor and smart lights to the system and do the same. You can then add things like motion sensing to automatically turn on the lights as you move around the house or to alert you if someone is moving around in your home when you’re not there. There are hundreds of accessories that all play nicely with Apple HomeKit. This page has a whole list of compatible accessories that all work with the equipment. They include smart fans, sensors, lighting, locks, plugs and more. Finally, being able to talk to your home and get it to do stuff is just too cool to ignore. Using Apple HomeKit and Siri on the Home app means your home can respond to voice commands.What can Apple HomeKit do for me?
Let’s set the scene. You walk up to your home and the door unlocks remotely as it senses your cellphone. The hallway lights come on and the smart plug on the coffee machine turns the coffee on. The temperature is just right as central air or heat automatically turns on an hour before you come home. The oven switched on ten minutes ago when you told it to with the Home app and everything is ready for your arrival. There was a time when such a utopian lifestyle was pure science fiction. Now it is perfectly accessible with Apple HomeKit, the Home app and some smart accessories. To build that picture, you would obviously need the Apple HomeKit to act as the hub. A smart door lock can work independently or as part of the setup. The lights will use a motion sensor to detect you entering the house. The temperature will use a smart thermostat controlled by Apple HomeKit to maintain a constant temperature for when you get home. A smart plug will work on a time or with the lock on you arrival to turn on the coffee. You can manually turn your own on using Siri and the Home app or have it work on a schedule. Another smart plug, or a new smart oven will make it all happen.How to you set everything up?
As space age as this might all seem, Apple have done what they do best with the HomeKit. They have packaged it all into a tidy little device and made all the complicated configuration simple with a nice-looking UI and intuitive controls. To set up the Apple HomeKit all you need do is unbox it, plug it into the mains and connect it to your home network. Then you can install the new Home app. Every time you add a new accessory to your smart home, you will first need to make sure it is Apple HomeKit compatible. Then, set it up using its own app and allow it to join the Apple HomeKit network. Usually, you will be prompted during setup to join the network. Apple HomeKit will provide an eight digit PIN, just enter that into your accessory and allow it to join the network. That is enough to allow basic smart functions. From within Apple HomeKit, you can then set up scenes using the Grouping function. These are a series of instructions like the example I described above. For example, say ‘goodnight’ to Siri and you can program your Apple HomeKit to turn down the thermostat, enable your alarm and motion detectors, switch off all sockets, close the smart blinds and turn off all the lights in the house. While it might seem as if this would be complicated, it really isn’t. Apple HomeKit compares well to Samsung Smart Home which is the other major player in the smart home market. Now the new app is here, the two compare very well against each other. If you already use an iPhone, integrating all this into your life is even easier. The smart home of the future really is here. From as little as $500, you can turn your home into one that reacts to your needs and switches from being a passive cocoon to protect you from the weather and transform into something that can anticipate and react to the way you live. I may be a tech geek who runs a computer store but I defy anyone to not be excited about the potential of all this!Related Posts
What do we think we know about the Apple iPhone 8
This year, 2017, is the ten year anniversary of the iPhone so we are expecting big things. Apple have more than hinted that something big is on the horizon but not exactly what.Release date
So far, every iPhone has seen a September reveal and we don’t expect that to change this year. Therefore, we think the iPhone 8 will see some kind of event in September with the reveal early in the month and release a week or so later. Current rumors have the reveal on September 12 or 13 with the release on 22 or 23 of the same month.iPhone 8 Design
Apple have apparently been working with a dozen or so prototypes so the exact look and feel of the iPhone 8 is still an unknown. What we do expect is some kind of stainless steel or aluminum chassis. We also think the bezel around the screen will be tiny to give as much real estate over to the screen as possible. Some rumors mention integrated camera lenses and Touch ID sensors but we have yet to see any of that. It is also very possible that the threat of removing the home button may be true too.Screen
The exact specifications of that screen have yet to be revealed but we expect Apple to up their game with a new flexible OLED screen around the 5.5 inch mark. Some rumors have said 5.8 inch, but we have seen no evidence to support that yet. Apparently Samsung are providing those screens for Apple. Will it offer more ppi? I would certainly like to see a new Apple screen capable of more pixels per inch. Quad HD would be most welcome or a close alternative to it. I run a Samsung Galaxy S7 right now and it blows the iPhone 7 away in terms of detail and brightness. Apple’s screens are also not compatible with any VR at the moment either. Given how popular VR is becoming, this needs to change.iPhone 8 performance
Apple is also expected to release a new system-on-chip for the iPhone 8. The iPhone 7 uses the powerful A10 SoC and we expect a successor to that for this anniversary edition. Exactly what that will be, we don’t yet know. A Taiwanese company have been linked to a 10nm process exclusively for Apple but aside from that, we know nothing. The iPhone 8 is also expected to have an all-new camera with 3D capability. Exactly what that capability will be we don’t know but it has been linked with augmented reality so will at least have depth perception. Storage for the iPhone 8 is expected to be the same as iPhone 7 but with a 256GB model as standard after its successful introduction in the 7. There is also thought to be 3GB of RAM like the iPhone 7 Plus but as standard across the range.iPhone 8 battery
Battery life has always been the Achilles heel of Apple phones so it’s about time that got fixed. If OLED screens are introduced, there is one significant battery saving right there. If the A11 chip is indeed 10nm, there is even more power saving. Apple are also supposed to be working on a new logic board that concentrates on power consumption. The exact specs of that we don’t yet know. Charging is supposed to be wireless this time round too. Apple were working on long range charging as well as USB-C charging and other technologies but we don’t know if they have settled on a charging method as yet or not. Apparently, the dozen or so prototypes have a selection of charging modules on them.Other features
There are a few other technical upgrades that might feature on the iPhone 8. Biometrics is one key feature that we all hope will appear. While Touch ID works well, there is so much more possible and Apple seem keen to leverage that. Things like facial recognition or iris scanning have both been linked to the iPhone 8 although there is no evidence of either yet. Touch ID is also supposed to be getting an upgrade that might include 3D scanning for facial recognition or for a 3D laser scanner. The front and rear cameras are also due for an upgrade and this might be the right time for that. Again we know not much but the front facing camera has been touted has having a ‘revolutionary’ system that uses 3 components to produce 3D images. The rear facing camera could be a single or double lends module with optical image stabilization. USB-C is also thought to be making its debut too. Some analysts say Apple will replace the Lightning connector but I think it more likely that it will be alongside Lightning. There should also be the usual improvements to Siri, iOS and the suite of Apple apps as part of the new release. We know next to nothing about any of these right now but hope that after Apple bought AI firm Turi last year, that some form of machine intelligence will be used to make Siri even more useful. As you can see, we don’t actually know much at all about the iPhone 8. Instead we have leaks, rumors and speculation. Given that the expected reveal is still six months away, this is all we have for now. Apple are pretty good at keeping their cards close to their chest so I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.Related Posts
Speed up a slow Apple Mac
If you are familiar with optimizing Windows, these steps will see familiar. That’s because the principles are exactly the same. We identify resource hogs and either tone them down or remove them altogether. We then make sure MacOS has everything it needs, all the updates and only uses the resources it needs to get the job done.Check startup programs
One of the first things to check if your Mac begins running slowly is to find out what programs are set to start automatically and run in the background.- Select System Preferences and Users & Groups.
- Select Login Items to bring up a list of all the programs set to start automatically.
- Select a program you don’t need when you boot and select the ‘-‘ minus button at the bottom to remove it.
- Repeat for all non-essential programs.
Shut down unnecessary apps
MacOS likes to be helpful and even if you close an application it doesn’t always close it down properly. Just in case you might need it again. The easiest way to see what apps are running is to look for the black dot underneath it in Dock. If there is a black dot, it is running. If you don’t think you will need the program or app or don’t mind starting it from cold again, hold Control and click it and select Quit. Alternatively, press Command + Tab to bring up App Switcher and work your way through the list closing anything you don’t need.Make friends with Activity Monitor
Activity Monitor is like Task Manager in Windows. It is an interface that helps you make sense of what is running on your computer and what resources you have. Access it through Utilities and select Activity Monitor. It shows all processes running on your computer, system resources and utilization. If you see a lot of programs running, you can close them from here too. If you click CPU at the top, you can order programs in utilization order, with the app using the most processor at the top. You can do the same for Memory, Energy, Disk and Network. Take some time getting familiar with Activity Monitor and learn what applications you can live with and those you don’t need. Select a program and then the ‘x’ in the top left to close it.Manage disk space
Disk space is an indirect cause of a slow Apple Mac but is still something that needs checking. If you run short of space or have gigabytes of stuff on your hard drive, it will run slower. Lack of free space compromises swap file while MacOS will have to hunt harder to find things which makes just about everything run slowly. Keep things lean and your Mac runs faster but freeing up disk space. Select Storage from the Apple menu and let the system calculate free space. You want a minimum of ten percent free. Open Finder and Applications and remove anything you no longer use. Then empty the trash. Then use something like CCleaner for Mac to keep an eye on the dive.Keep MacOS updated
It is important to keep your Apple Mac updated at all times for a number of reasons. Speed is just one of them. Any time an OS improvement is released, your Mac should pick it up and install it automatically. Sometimes it is just security fixes but often, serious improvements can be released that offer a performance boost. Like disk space, system updates are indirect improvements but they are important. Select System Preferences and App Store. Then make sure automatic updates are selected to make sure you’re never left behind.Empty the caches
System caches are another time saving innovation that temporarily stores data to speed up other programs. Unfortunately, the caches are not always that efficient at managing themselves so can become clogged up with too much data. Periodically emptying them can improve system performance.- Select Command + Shift + G and then Go To Folder.
- Navigate to /Library/Caches and check the contents. Chances are you will find a good few gigabytes worth of files in there, especially for Safari. Feel free to delete anything you see here.
Restart regularly
One often overlooked way to speed up an Apple Mac is to restart it cleanly once in a while. I tend to send mine to sleep while plugged into the mains and I know a lot of people who do the same. While perfectly okay for day to day use, it can slow things down after a while. Rebooting your Mac fully wipes the cache, frees up memory and allows your system to purge any files or apps that are in use. After performing all the steps in this guide, your Mac should now boot and work as quickly as it did when it was new. Got any other ways to speed up an Apple Mac? Tell us about them below!Related Posts
Fix the Apple Mac white screen issue
As with any troubleshooting process, we begin with the simplest and lightest fixes first. Lightest means the least disruption to the system and the fewest changes. There is no point digging deep into the OS and making significant changes if a simple tweak does the trick! The first thing we do with any computer having issues with botting into the OS is force it to boot into safe mode. That way we can do some investigation and hopefully fix the issue.- To reboot a Mac into safe mode, reboot as usual and then hold down Shift until you see the Apple logo. Then let go and allow the system to boot.
- Once booted into safe mode, boot again normally to see what happens. Sometimes this is enough to fix a troublesome boot. Sometimes it isn’t.
Reset NVRAM or PRAM
Did you know your MacBook Pro comes with its own PRAM? Parameter RAM is a memory chip within a MacBook that is also referred to as NVRAM. It stores your settings and preferences and can occasionally become corrupted causing this white screen issue. It stores your boot disk, cache, display driver information, time zone and other details that ensures your Apple device boots using the preferences you set. Resetting PRAM is the second of our troubleshooting techniques.- Reboot your Mac until you hear that first boot sound.
- Press Command + Option + P + R.
- Let the keys go when you hear another boot sound.
- Boot your Apple device as normal.
Resetting the System Management Controller
If safe mode and a PRAM reset doesn’t fix the issue, resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) might. The SMC controls the hardware and how it functions. Features such as fans, keyboard, GPU, display, audio, sleep and power are all controlled by SMC. Sometimes it gets corrupted or stuck and will need a gentle prod to work properly again.- Turn off your Apple device and plug it into the mains.
- Hold down Shift + Control + Option + the power button all at once.
- You should see the color of the light on the MagSafe adapter change briefly to signal SMC reset.
- Boot your Mac as normal.
MacOS repair
Repairing MacOS is usually the penultimate option in our series of troubleshooting tasks as it can overwrite files, preferences and some settings. However, if none of the previous methods have helped you boot out of white screen mode, it is the next logical step.- Turn off your Mac.
- Boot it while holding down Command + R to boot into recovery mode.
- Select Disk Utility from the window when it appears.
- Select First Aid and allow it to run.
Reinstallation
Reinstalling MacOS is always the step of last resort. It takes time, can overwrite files and folders, resets preferences and entails a bit of configuration after the fact. It is very effective though which is why we use it. In an ideal world you would be able to back up your Mac before reinstalling MacOS but if you’re still botting into the white screen that won’t be possible. This is a reinstallation though so not everything will be lost. However, in my experience, things can lost so I would always recommend a backup first.- Boot your Mac and hold down Command + R to boot into recovery mode.
- Select Reinstall MacOS and then Continue.
- Select your hard drive, then Continue or Unlock and follow the wizard.