Trouble installing some programs

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Hello,

I am just a few days into being a Mac user and I'm having a tiny bit of trouble. Most of the programs I've installed have worked fine, but a few of them are not "doing anything" In other words..I download and double click and then nothing happens.

It's happened 2 times today. I have contacted the companies to ask for their help, but I thought maybe there was some really simple thing I could check or something I may be doing wrong. I made a 10 second video showing my process if that will help.

==> https://www.screencast.com/t/2zK5IOfW0

If anybody has any insight I would appreciate it greatly.

Thank you
 
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Hi Wally and welcome to the forum! :) You really have provided no useful information for a decent reply: 1) What Mac computer do you own (be specific, iMac vs. laptop, year, etc.); 2) What macOS is installed on the computer; and 3) What programs work and which ones do not? Also, tell us if you are using only Apple apps or trying to combine Apple & Windows programs in some fashion - just a beginning - Dave
 
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Hey Dave,

You are right..I did leave out every detail :( sorry about that

1) iMac Mac OS Sierra 10.12.2 3 days old purchased new

2) The 2 apps / programs (Do I call them apps even if not from app store?) I am trying to install are not from the app store, but are traditional 3rd party programs that I used on Windows previously, but they do have Mac specific versions which I downloaded.

The 2 programs are TeamViewer (screen sharing) and FocusBooster (an app for time tracking).

FocusBooster isn't a huge deal since they have a web app I can use. And TeamViewer may not be a big deal if I can find something else. It is remote access app that is for sharing your screen or controlling the screen of another user..kind of like GoToMeeting but free.

Neither one of these are mandatory but I thought if I was doing something wrong I would like to figure it out instead of giving up.

I hope this information is more helpful..please let me know if not, and thanks for the reply!

W
 
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Are you getting a message Wally about being from an unauthorised source?
 

IWT


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Wally. Welcome.

I watched your video. As regards TeamWeaver, it appears correct as it is in dmg format. As it is not from an Apple authorised source, it needs to be opened in a different way.

Right click on the dmg file and select Open. You may get a message saying "are you sure...etc"; click yes. It hopefully will then open and allow installation, putting the app in the Applications folder.

You may find this behaviour with apps with which Apple is not associated. For your own protection, Apple is reminding you to be cautious.

Please post back.

Ian
 
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MacInWin

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Welcome to the forum, and to Macs.

There are multiple ways to install software on a Mac. One is to simply drag the application to the Applications folder. Those apps come "pre installed," as it were, and don't need any more than that. Usually they are distributed in a disk image file that ends in .dmg and when you double click the dmg file, you see either just the app or the apple and a shortcut to your application folder so you can drag and drop right there.

Other applications come in a package, which needs to be installed. Typically the package will have an icon that looks like a wooden crate. You double click the crate and the installer runs. You are asked for permission to install, and the installer does what it needs to put things in place. In the end, the app is in the Applications folder.

The third way is that some applications come with an installer, similar to the package approach, but the icon looks like the application itself. You run the installer and it puts things where they need to be and you again end up with the application in the Applications folder. Again, you will need to provide a password to allow that to happen.

If you get apps from the app store, Apple "signs" them so you know they are safe to install (no malware). But if you get software from third party folks, a process called Gatekeeper jumps up. Initially Gatekeeper asks if you trust the source of the .dmg or .pkg. You have to say yes, and again give an admin password to install/open. If the app from third party has no installer, just goes into the Applications folder, the first time you try to run it Gatekeeper will block it. To get around that, right click on it, then click "Open" and you'll get the warning but can say to open it anyway. Password, done.
 
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Wally. Welcome.

I watched your video. As regards TeamWeaver, it appears correct as it is in dmg format. As it is not from an Apple authorised source, it needs to be opened in a different way.

Right click on the dmg file and select Open. You may get a message saying "are you sure...etc"; click yes. It hopefully will then open and allow installation, putting the app in the Applications folder.

You may find this behaviour with apps with which Apple is not associated. For your own protection, Apple is reminding you to be cautious.

Please post back.

Ian


Thank you for your reply.

I did that in the video. It just does not "do" anything at all whether I right click "open" or just double click. No errors or messages...just silence.

Thanks
 
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Welcome to the forum, and to Macs.

There are multiple ways to install software on a Mac. One is to simply drag the application to the Applications folder. Those apps come "pre installed," as it were, and don't need any more than that. Usually they are distributed in a disk image file that ends in .dmg and when you double click the dmg file, you see either just the app or the apple and a shortcut to your application folder so you can drag and drop right there.

Other applications come in a package, which needs to be installed. Typically the package will have an icon that looks like a wooden crate. You double click the crate and the installer runs. You are asked for permission to install, and the installer does what it needs to put things in place. In the end, the app is in the Applications folder.

The third way is that some applications come with an installer, similar to the package approach, but the icon looks like the application itself. You run the installer and it puts things where they need to be and you again end up with the application in the Applications folder. Again, you will need to provide a password to allow that to happen.

If you get apps from the app store, Apple "signs" them so you know they are safe to install (no malware). But if you get software from third party folks, a process called Gatekeeper jumps up. Initially Gatekeeper asks if you trust the source of the .dmg or .pkg. You have to say yes, and again give an admin password to install/open. If the app from third party has no installer, just goes into the Applications folder, the first time you try to run it Gatekeeper will block it. To get around that, right click on it, then click "Open" and you'll get the warning but can say to open it anyway. Password, done.

Thanks for your reply!

I just download to the Applications folder. I tried rt-click and selecting "Open" and double clicking...no gatekeeper or any messages...and still silence.

I've seen software install several different ways since setting up. Sometimes I open and have to drag an icon where it tells me to complete installation, and sometimes I just double click. I've not really had any issues installing anything except the very first program I downloaded but I was confused as a new user.

Thank you,
 
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UPDATE but still confused

Hello,

I am just a few days into being a Mac user and I'm having a tiny bit of trouble. Most of the programs I've installed have worked fine, but a few of them are not "doing anything" In other words..I download and double click and then nothing happens.

It's happened 2 times today. I have contacted the companies to ask for their help, but I thought maybe there was some really simple thing I could check or something I may be doing wrong. I made a 10 second video showing my process if that will help.

==> https://www.screencast.com/t/2zK5IOfW0

If anybody has any insight I would appreciate it greatly.

Thank you




Ok, so first..thanks for all of your help.

I got it to download, but not in a good way. I was looking around and found macupdate.com and thought I would try their MacUpdate desktop. When I downloaded Chrome froze..and then so did the entire computer. I couldn't click or move my mouse or do anything so I had to power off.

When I came back up I clicked on TeamViewer and it installed without any issue.

So I'm 100% used to shutting down when something doesn't work in Windows but as I understand it I don't want to be shutting a Mac down all the time. I wouldn't have thought to reboot since I was kind of told by the Apple store lady not to unless necessary..which it was in this case.

So my question is if I have some issue in the future how do I know if it's a normal error / problem or if a reboot may solve?

Thank you,
Wally
 
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First off, I wouldn't download anything directly from Macupdate. They repackage things into their own installer and add things you probably don't want.
Go directly to the developers site and download it from there.
I've never used their "Macupdate desktop" so know nothing about it, even though I am a member there.
In my experience, any time an app "just doesn't work" it usually hasn't been updated to run on your version of OS X.
Check and make sure it's been updated to run on whatever version you're running.
 

IWT


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+1 for not using Macupdate. There are articles about the malware that can be bundled with an app.

Ian
 
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First off, I wouldn't download anything directly from Macupdate. They repackage things into their own installer and add things you probably don't want.
Go directly to the developers site and download it from there.
I've never used their "Macupdate desktop" so know nothing about it, even though I am a member there.
In my experience, any time an app "just doesn't work" it usually hasn't been updated to run on your version of OS X.
Check and make sure it's been updated to run on whatever version you're running.

Yea, I figured that. As soon as their Macupdate desktop" froze I decided to be done with it.

I don't know what the issue was, but after the freeze and a reboot both of these programs installed without any issues.

Thanks,
Wally
 
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First off, I wouldn't download anything directly from Macupdate. They repackage things into their own installer and add things you probably don't want.....Go directly to the developers site and download it from there.

+1 for not using Macupdate. There are articles about the malware that can be bundled with an app.

Hi Wally - I would also like to reinforce the advice about Macupdate - for more information, check LINK 1 and LINK 2 - good luck! Dave :)
 
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Thanks Dave..I will definitely check those out and ignore them (Macupdate)

I'm still a bit in the Windows mindset of downloading garbage (because you kind of can't use Windows without a bunch of garbage that you have to download)...but I'm coming around :)

Thanks a lot for the help, I'm sure I'll be back here much.
 
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Even more advise Wally. Avoid MacUpdate, CNET and Softonic like the very plague, do NOPT install antivirus software as there are no Mac OS X viruses, do install Malwarebytes for Mac and Ghostery for screening these nasty little add-ons.
 
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Even more advise Wally. Avoid MacUpdate, CNET and Softonic like the very plague, do NOPT install antivirus software as there are no Mac OS X viruses, do install Malwarebytes for Mac and Ghostery for screening these nasty little add-ons.

Cool..I will definitely keep it simple.

Since I am thinking of it...I see I have a firewall in Security & Privacy, but it's set to off. Is this something I should have on?

Thanks,
W
 
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That is the Apple default setting. You are going through a modem or router which has its own wall should generally be sufficient. Others of course disagree and set it to on. That can block a lot of processes, trial and error Wal.
 
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Theoretically, having the firewall on and a firewall on the router should NOT cause any problems. I leave my firewall turned on on my MBP and have no issues. But if you do see any issues with networking, you can always turn it off to see if that makes any difference. By leaving it ON, when I do take the MBP to a public network I don't have to remember to turn it on. You should ALWAYS have it on when you are not in your home network.
 

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