"Apple... It just works..." - or not as I am finding out!

I may be new to Macs, but have a huge amount of experience with PCs having worked in the IT (PC) industry for 15 years. I've made that (sometimes difficult for PC owners) decision to switch to the Mac platform after being tired of Windows patch after Windows patch.

The whole idea of the Mac platform that "just works" really appeals. Also with Mac OS X built on Unix gives me the additional sense of security and add to that the appeal of a great looking computer (I think the iMac G5 is great) I purchased my first Mac which was delivered just a couple of weeks ago. Hurrah I hear from may lifetime Mac users - Another convert?

Well, I must admit to be a little disappointed in a couple of areas. My Mac doesn't seem to "just work".

Firstly there is the sound issue that I have commented on in another thread. Surely a Mac should be able to play more than one sound channel at any one time? Are there many people out there with this issue? I find it difficult that this slipped by Apple's testing - you only need iTunes open with a track playing and then a system sound combined to hear that it's just not right.

Secondly, I have an issue with my iMac coming out of sleep mode. If I leave my iMac switched on in an evening, when I return to it in the morning, I try and bring it out of sleep mode - the mouse appears - I hear some life return to the computer - but then nothing. I am not asked for my password, there is no dialog box, just a black blank screen. The only way I can find to get out of this is to do a hard reset (hold power button in).

Now I have spoken with Apple tech support on this and so far they have only come up with resetting my PRAM. I did this last night and this morning - same thing - it doesn't work.

I have checked that I have all the latest patches and updates (OS X 10.3.5). I have the bluetooth keyboard/mouse option and an airport card. Hardly an unsupported combination.

Does anyone have any suggestions/recommendations?

This is just my Friday morning moan - just a little annoyed that my first Mac experience isn't going as smoothly as I expected.

Tried doing a repair permissions?

I haven't tried to repair permissions as yet - how does one go about doing that?

Just to note - if I force the iMac to go into sleep mode by setting a short delay, everything appears to work, in that I can exit from sleep mode okay.

Something I did notice from resetting the PRAM yesterday- when the iMac is in sleep mode now, the indicator light bottom right of the iMac is stead as opposed to before when it was pulsing.

Any clues?

I haven't tried to repair permissions as yet - how does one go about doing that?

Click to expand...

Download Xupport (http://www.computer-support.ch/Xupport/) and run all the routine maintenance scripts. This should fix your problem.

I'm sorry your switch to Mac isn't going very smoothly, we're all surprised at M-F.

Regards,
m1k

I hope it's not an issue with the iMac G5's.. I will be receiving mine in about 2 weeks from now and that just doesnt sound very kewl. My current powerbook has 0 problems.. it just works. Im sorry to hear you are having such a hard time with it.. that is definitely not the norm.

Well, it looks as though OS X update 10.3.6 may have solved the issue of Macs not waking from sleep mode. I have just installed the update and also found this text:

"
Resolves an issue in which the display could sometimes remain dark when waking from display sleep (the mouse pointer might appear, but normal function could not be restored) if using Screen Saver password on a portable computer.
"

Now all I need to do now is get the airport express to work with my existing adsl router/wireless config and everything will be sweet.

Another thing - though not listed as a fix - the sound issue of playing two different sound channels at the same time and getting interfence seems also to have disappeared. Not sure whether that's to do with 10.3.6 update or all the various resetting (PRAM) that I have been doing.

Glad to hear that you have gotten your issues resolved (Especially since I will be getting a new iMac in a few weeks)

Another approach to the sound issue is to download the free utility SoundSource. Use it to route the system sounds and the other sound sources to separate outputs. I digitize a lot of LPs and cassettes; I use SoundSource to run the system sounds through the internal speakers and the music through the externals. You can take it a step further and silence the system while still hearing the other sources. http://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/