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Thread started 10 Dec 2009 (Thursday) 10:24
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My Uncle's "New" Mac Acting Up

 
CAL ­ Imagery
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Dec 10, 2009 10:24 |  #1

My uncle recently purchased what I believe was a refurbished MPB (I'm not positive, but I suggested that because from what I've heard about their reputation, but that might not even be relevant).

Anyhow, he put a Walmart picture CD in his Mac, it made a funny noise, but was ok until after he turned his machine on. Then, the screen is blurry - doubled size (which might just be a display setting difference that can be changed to native resolution; I know how to change that on a Windows unit, but I'm not sure how to on a Mac and I doubt my uncle does either, as he doesn't know much about computers).

Next, google is acting up in some funky script foreign language script and automatically reroutes google.com to google.co.kr (he lives in Korea, but previously had a Mac Mini, so one would think that if it was a problem of geographic location, it would have happened before).

And he sent me his messages via Facebook, but had to "read this text" before sending it - not sure what that is, but it might also be important.

He's saying that the Walmart CD had a bunch of crap on it that might have facilitated these problems on his "MAC". Does anyone know how to fix these? Or go about which way to fix them? I don't know exactly how he got the computer, what it is, or if he has a warranty or service program, but like I said, those may or may not matter if there are only a few simple changes needing to be done. Thanks for the help.


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zachbreaux
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Dec 10, 2009 10:29 |  #2

If he has the operating system disk i would say just go ahead and try to reboot the osx. Sounds like it may be a hot key problem. I have messed up all my settings fooling around with hot keys trying to make stuff happen just by pressing buttons. I would try looking up the hot keys and seeing if there could be any reversal to what he is experiencing. Just my.02, could be completely off base however. And what are you inferring by putting mac in quotes?

http://support.apple.c​om/kb/HT1343 (external link)


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zachbreaux
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Dec 10, 2009 10:32 |  #3

Oh and im sure an apple genius would be more than happy to help as they usually are.

http://www.apple.com/s​upport/contact/ (external link)


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TheHoff
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Dec 10, 2009 10:35 |  #4

For the zoomed screen, try holding down CONTROL and doing a two-finger swipe down.


btw, this sounds like troubleshooting issues with my mom on the phone...

"And the Facebook is broken!"

"I click the Skype but it keeps redirecting me to some web page"


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zachbreaux
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Dec 10, 2009 10:39 |  #5

Haha. Have to love the technically savy.


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CAL ­ Imagery
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Dec 10, 2009 10:43 |  #6

Yeah, my uncle is extremely intelligent, but doesn't know anything about computers. I feel his pain with a new computer though (although he opened up a picture CD from his parents, my grandparents, with whom he hasn't always gotten along, which only exacerbated the issue).


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CAL ­ Imagery
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Dec 10, 2009 10:47 |  #7

zachbreaux wrote in post #9170947 (external link)
Sounds like it may be a hot key problem. I have messed up all my settings fooling around with hot keys trying to make stuff happen just by pressing buttons. I would try looking up the hot keys and seeing if there could be any reversal to what he is experiencing.

Could you please elaborate?

And what are you inferring by putting mac in quotes?

My uncle said this: "Why would my google and brower suddenly freak out? on a MAC?". He really likes Macs and I can tell isn't too happy about one not working for him.

Will do.


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TheHoff
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Dec 10, 2009 10:50 as a reply to  @ CAL Imagery's post |  #8

Next, google is acting up in some funky script foreign language script and automatically reroutes google.com to google.co.kr (he lives in Korea, but previously had a Mac Mini, so one would think that if it was a problem of geographic location, it would have happened before).

This is a natural behaviour of Google, not of the Mac. On his previous Mac he must've been cookied to stay at Google.com.

Have him go to the home page he now gets to (.co.kr) and then at the bottom click "Google.com in English" -- that will cookie his new machine to stay at the .com. Can't blame the Mac for this one.

With the zoomed-in-ness, my son often causes this by hitting some keys (like CONTROL) while I'm scrolling a web page.


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Dec 10, 2009 10:54 |  #9

Hot keys are short cuts which can do a lot of different task just by pressing 2 or 3 buttons in conjunction with the option, control, or command keys. Just go to the link i sent you and you can see them all. He may have accidentally used a hot key which caused the problem and you may be able to reverse it if you know the hot key.


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CAL ­ Imagery
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Dec 10, 2009 11:01 |  #10

TheHoff wrote in post #9171073 (external link)
This is a natural behaviour of Google, not of the Mac. On his previous Mac he must've been cookied to stay at Google.com.

Have him go to the home page he now gets to (.co.kr) and then at the bottom click "Google.com in English" -- that will cookie his new machine to stay at the .com. Can't blame the Mac for this one.

With the zoomed-in-ness, my son often causes this by hitting some keys (like CONTROL) while I'm scrolling a web page.

Ok, that all makes sense.

zachbreaux wrote in post #9171100 (external link)
Hot keys are short cuts which can do a lot of different task just by pressing 2 or 3 buttons in conjunction with the option, control, or command keys. Just go to the link i sent you and you can see them all. He may have accidentally used a hot key which caused the problem and you may be able to reverse it if you know the hot key.

D'oh! I suppose if I clicked the link, I would have known that already. I guess I thought hot key meant something else, as I'm used to hearing short cut instead.


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zachbreaux
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Dec 10, 2009 11:02 |  #11

Right. Well i sure hope that helps.


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CAL ­ Imagery
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Dec 10, 2009 11:54 |  #12

zachbreaux wrote in post #9171145 (external link)
Right. Well i sure hope that helps.

Yes, thank you very much for the help!


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Dec 10, 2009 12:44 |  #13

The other thing that may have happened is (likely) unrelated to the CD. Loud noises are usually a sign of hardware issues. And if the screen resized (everything including the bar at the top), then a logical first step is to check to make sure the video card is still functioning properly. Fans, specially squirrel-cage fans used in notebooks, graphics cards, and iMacs, can break if vibrations (from the fan itself or other components) get out of hand (broke my video card that way while playing some games right after I booted the computer in a 60F environment) . The disk drive is close to one fan there, so it's not out of the question (though improbable). If it does any more random things like that, it would be best to have it checked out.


I don't hate macs or OSX, I hate people and statements that portray them as better than anything else. Macs are A solution, not THE solution. Get a good desktop i7 with Windows 7 and come tell me that sucks for photo or video editing.
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TheHoff
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Dec 10, 2009 13:14 |  #14

I'm gonna bet my computer diagnosing reputation that it is as simple as CONTROL-SCROLL to fix the zoom. It is an 'accessibility feature' that is too easily activated.


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CAL ­ Imagery
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Dec 10, 2009 13:29 |  #15

TheHoff wrote in post #9171776 (external link)
I'm gonna bet my computer diagnosing reputation that it is as simple as CONTROL-SCROLL to fix the zoom. It is an 'accessibility feature' that is too easily activated.

I'll let you know how that works out! (It's a 12 hours time difference between my uncle and I, so I won't know until about 7-9am EST tomorrow if anything said in this thread will work, or if my uncle got it to work.)


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My Uncle's "New" Mac Acting Up
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