- The English IT
Support Queue -- Users submit help tickets to this support queue, and
the English IT team works on them from here. E-mail sent to
engtech@ithelp.uoregon.edu will also be sent to the queue. The
queue is managed by banner, so sometimes it can be a little sluggish.
On Campus Pages
Off Campus Pages
Macintosh Utilities
This is a major update. The new Mac 10.15 OS breaks older 32 bit software (like McAfee, and
especially Adobe software), requireing a reinstall of various application software. Another large
change will be that iTunes will be replaced with other services (see
https://www.techradar.com/news/this-is-what-life-after-itunes-looks-like-in-macos-catalina. As
usual -- and because of the collatoral updates required -- I recommend waiting until December
or January before upgrading to the new OS to allow extra time for Apple to issue patches, for third
party vendors to catch up, and for users to have sufficient time between projects to update.
- Preview of Catalina:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/06/apple-shares-its-vision-for-macos-10-15-catalina-cross-platform-apps-are-key/
- Another review:
https://www.techradar.com/news/macos-catalina
-
Official Ars Technica Review of MacOS 10.15:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/10/macos-10-15-catalina-the-ars-technica-review/
"Apple's operating system releases have all seemed a bit rushed this year--go ahead and give the
company a couple of months to patch Catalina before you install it, if you can."
- The Register: MacOS wakes to a bright Catalina sunrise--and broken Adobe apps
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/10/08/adobe_catalina/
"'Apple released a version of the OS last night that differs from their GM,' one expert told us,
'making Adobe 2019 incompatible to install.'"
- Mac Rumors: Changes with Catalina
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/10/07/apple-releases-macos-catalina/
"...macOS Catalina brings some major changes to the Mac, eliminating the iTunes app in favor of new
Music, Podcasts, and TV apps. The three apps offer similar functionality to iTunes, but are split up
by feature."
- Mac Rumors: Catalina iCloud Folder Sharing Delayed
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/10/08/apple-delays-icloud-folder-sharing-catalina-spring/
-
MacRumoers Catalina Roundup:
https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/macos-10-15/
- Apple Support: Incompatible Media, Final Cut Pro X, Quicktime, and Media Formats...
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209000
List of hardware compatible with Catalina:
- MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2012 or newer)
- iMac Pro (2017 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013 or newer)
Reveiw of Mojave:
https://arstechnica.com/features/2018/09/macos-10-14-mojave-the-ars-technica-review/
Thirteen problems with Mojave (and how to deal with them):
https://macpaw.com/how-to/fix-macos-mojave-problems
The Zero-Day Privacy Flaw in Mojave:
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/09/24/macos-mojave-bypass-vulnerability/
Reminder about 32-bit software and the latest versions of the Mac OS:
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208436
List of Macs Compatible with Mojave
- MacBook Pro (mid 2012 and newer)
- MacBook Air (mid 2012 and newer)
- MacBook (early 2015 and later)
- iMac (late 2012 or newer)
- iMac Pro (2017 or newer)
- Mac Pro (late 2013 or newer, or mid 2010 and mid 2012 models with Metal capable GPU)
- Mac Mini (late 2012 or newer)
List of Macs Compatible with High Sierra
- iMac (Late 2009 and later)
- iMac (Late 2012 and later) Recommended
- MacBook (Late 2009 and later)
- MacBook (Early 2016 and later) Recommended
- MacBook Air (2010 and later)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 and later) Recommended
- MacBook Pro (2010 and later)
- MacBook Pro (Early 2011 later) Recommended
List of Macs Compatible with Sierra
- iMac (Late 2009 and later)
- MacBook (Late 2009 and later)
- MacBook Air (2010 and later)
- MacBook Pro (2010 and later)
- Mac Mini (2010 and later)
- Mac Pro (2010 and later)
-
Ars Technica Review of Mavericks
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/10/os-x-10-9/
-
Mavericks Version of iWork (Keynote, Numbers, and Pages) a Software Update FAIL
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/10/28/apples_massive_software_update_fail/
-
iCloud, Keychain, passwords etc:
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/10/apple-claim-that-icloud-can-store-passwords-only-locally-seems-to-be-false/
-
How to Use iCloud Keychain:
http://www.macworld.com/article/2058081/how-to-use-icloud-keychain.html
-
Top 6 Mavericks Annoyances and How To Fix Them:
http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/top_6_mavericks_annoyances_and_how_fix_them
-
Airdrop Woes Between Apple Devices
http://www.tuaw.com/2013/10/23/alternatives-to-airdrop-between-iphone-and-mac/
- Mavericks Mail Woes:
-
Fixing SMB Network Drive Access:
http://www.tuaw.com/2013/10/27/did-mavericks-kill-your-network-drive-access-heres-a-fix/
-
OS X Mavericks breaks multi-monitor setups with some USB displays
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/10/os-x-mavericks-breaks-multi-monitor-setups-with-some-usb-displays/
-
Installing Mavericks from Snow Leopard and Lion
http://www.macworld.com/article/2055518/installing-mavericks-what-you-need-to-know.html
-
Installing Mavericks from Leopard
http://www.macworld.com/article/2056564/how-to-install-mavericks-over-leopard.html
-
A Technical How-To for the Technically Able:
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/10/how-to-make-your-own-bootable-os-x-10-9-mavericks-usb-install-drive/
-
Apple's How-To For Installing Mavericks:
http://www.apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade/
Depreciated Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
- Mountian Lion crashes under certain Network Proxy Settings:
- Configuring Mountain Lion to use "Save As."
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/07/29/get-save-as-back-on-mountain-lions-file-menu-easily-and-without/
-
Some Lion-Powered Macs Won't be Upgradable to Mountain Lion:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/259140/some_lionpowered_macs_wont_be_upgradable_to_mountain_lion.html
- Which macintoshes will be able to run OS 10.8:
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/02/16/mountain-lion-drops-support-for-several-older-mac-models/
- Older graphic cards may prevent Mountain Lion from installing:
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/02/whats-keeping-mountain-lion-off-of-some-64-bit-macs.ars
- Mountain Lion's Gatekeeper Security Software:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/mountain-lion/security.html
Depreciated Mac OS X 10.7 Lion
-
Ars Technia review of Lion (with compatibility reminders):
http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2011/07/mac-os-x-10-7.ars/2#installation
-
OS X Lion has a hidden 'drop box' for easy file syncing between Macs:
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/11/02/os-x-lion-has-a-hidden-drop-box-for-easy-file-syncing-between/
Depreciated Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
- Making a bootable Snow
Leopard
RAM stick. -
http://osxdaily.com/2009/09/02/install-snow-leopard-from-external-firewire-or-usb-hard-drive-or-how-to-upgrade-to-106-without-a-dvd-drive/
- Compatibility Software Checker for Snowleopard
http://snowleopard.wikidot.com/
-
No July 2012 Safari Security Update for Snow Leopard
http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2012/07/30/no-safari-security-updates/
Macintosh Utilities
-
Adobe
Flash UNinstaller, for Mac OS X, version 10.6 and later
-
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/memory-clean/id451444120: Memory Clean, a Mac
utility.
-
2012-01-13 TUAW intro to Mac Utilities:
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/01/13/hidden-secret-apps-of-coreservices/
-
Macintosh OS Time Machine Tips:
http://pondini.org/TM/Home.html
Windows 10
As of March 2017, Windows 10 is the recommended operating system for Windows users. See
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet for more information about Windows 10 version history and end of service.
Windows 8
Mainstream support for Windows 8 will end Jan 9, 2018. Windows 8 will be depreciated January 10, 2023. Updating to Windows 10
is recommended for those computers able to run it.
-
Configuring Windows 8 with Virtual Box:
http://www.techspot.com/guides/503-windows-8-virtual-machine/
- Ars Technica Install Guide for Windows 8:
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2012/02/installing-the-windows-8-consumer-preview-a-visual-guide.ars
-
Ars Technica Intro to Window 8 Usage:
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2012/02/getting-started-with-the-windows-8-consumer-preview.ars
-
Techspot Review of Windows 8's (lack of) a Start Menu:
http://www.techspot.com/article/554-windows-8-start-menu-is-irrelevant/
Depreciated Windows 7
Windows 7 mainstream support ended Jan 13, 2015. It will be depreciated Jan 14, 2020.
- Burning CDs with Win7 --
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd451080.aspx
- Comments and Hints about Windows 7 Welcome Screen and Login Screen:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ff394947.aspx
Depreciated Windows Vista
Depreciated Windows XP
-
Windows XP Support Ends April 8, 2014
Windows Utilities
-
Microsoft's Attack Surface Analyzer
- Freeware for creating an install CD for
WinVista or WinXP which
includes SATA drivers and SR3 (helps to have the original media).
Although, where possible it may be best just to upgrade to Windows 7
instead. -
http://www.nliteos.com/nlite.html
RAM stick version:
http://lifehacker.com/5793427/how-to-create-a-custom-windows-installation-dvd-or-usb-install
See also:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/how_to_slipstream_windows_xp_sp3_and_vista_sp1
- ImgBurn, a Windows disk burning utility (careful there's a lot
of misleading download links on this page; choose the mirror links inside
the box labled ImgBurn v2.5.5.0)
http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download
Windows on ARM (WOA)
- What an ARM chip is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_architecture
- Metro GUI for ARM wont run Windows X86 software:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/02/22/windows_8_stickers/Ask before
you buy.
- What Windows on ARM is (it's not Win 64/86):
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/print/9224128/Microsoft_details_Windows_8_for_ARM_devices?taxonomyName=Hardware&taxonomyId=12
-
Comptuerworld's take on WOA:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/print/9224173/FAQ_Windows_on_ARM_explained?taxonomyName=Windows&taxonomyId=125
Other Pages
- Prey - a "Find my Mac" alternate which also runs on Windows Machines.
http://preyproject.com/
- Useful page for syncing your office phone with your cell.
https://www.google.com/voice#sms
- QR Code Generator
https://developers.google.com/chart/infographics/docs/overview
Example:
https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?chs=150x150&cht=qr&chl=%3Ca%20href=%22mailto:someone@example.com?Subject=SUBJECT?body=MESSAGE%20TEXT%22%3E
- Flash Player Console (useful for clearing the cache)
http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager07.html