Ordered my first Mac! Any advice tips for first time mac owner?

Hello fellow NBR users! :hi2:

Have been out of the notebook world for a few years now and decided to get back into it as small portable laptop will be handy and will benefit me in my new job as a IT Tech. The last notebook I had was a Dell XPS 17 L702X which was a beast but eventually sold it and built a desktop which I still have today (granted it has been upgraded over the years), it was very heavy and bulky and ended up staying on my desk 90% of the time so I thought why not just build a desktop.

My plan was then to get a small notebook which I can use to move about. I looked at quite a few notebooks including the newer XPS line with particular focus on the XPS 13 which I do like but as my job invloves using Mac's I figured it would come in handy to have a Mac I can use personally, hence ordering a Mac. Plus that they are extremely high quality and reliable machines, I also like the simplistic ali look of the MBP.

I went for a 13" 2012 model Macbook Pro, the reason I went with the older of the two and not the retina, is 1. I don't need quite the extra power that the retina offers and 2. the non retina is upgradable and a lot easier to repair. I plan on adding a 500gb Samsung Evo SSD and 8gb of ram.

I also want to run Win 7 via bootcamp, how easy is it to setup? I heard performance isn't as good on Win 7, how much of that is true?

This will be my first Mac PC, so any advice or tips for a first time owner will be good to hear I have used OSX a bit before but any advice regarding the OS will be good to hear aswell! Thanks in advance, Sam

 

Perfect reason to purchase one. That was my reason for getting one as well, but I liked the OS X and Apple ecosystems so much that I decided to stick with them even after I was laid off from that job. Fortunately, my new job uses Macs heavily, and it's required if I ever want to work from home. In any case, on to your questions.

For your system, you will need a 64-bit Windows DVD to perform the installation. A USB thumb drive will not work, and 32-bit Windows is not supported. Once you have that, head over to Apple's website and download the Boot Camp Support Software, which contains all the drivers you need. Those you can put on a thumb drive. With the Windows DVD in the optical drive, launch Boot Camp Assistant. Follow the prompts, unchecking the box to have it download the support software because you already have it. Set how much space you want for the new OS, and Boot Camp Assistant will do its thing, rebooting off the DVD. Once Windows setup starts, choose the option for a clean install. When the list of hard drive partitions comes up, select the one labeled "BOOTCAMP" and re-format it. For some reason, Boot Camp Assistant creates the new partition in FAT32, and Windows 7 doesn't like it.

The installer will complete, putting you at the Windows desktop. Now before you get started installing drivers and whatnot, I would recommend enabling AHCI mode for your SSD. For whatever reason, Boot Camp installs Windows using legacy/IDE mode. This requires a registry hack, a special file, and using OS X's Terminal when booted into system recovery. I'm going to create a new thread re-posting the guide and file because it was originally hosted on the OCZ forums, but they've been redesigned and the files are gone (luckily I made a backup in the cloud). While AHCI mode allows for TRIM support, faster performance, and the ability to install Intel's RST driver, it comes with a couple drawbacks. The most prominent is that you lose the ability to sleep the system. You can put it to sleep, but when you wake it, it locks up, crashes, and reboots. There has been no workaround, so your only option would be to set the Windows power options to turn off the display after a period of time. If sleep mode is important, though, you will want to leave the system in IDE mode, taking the slight performance hit.

After you've enabled AHCI mode (if you chose to do so), copy the Windows support software you downloaded earlier to your hard drive, unzip it, and run the setup exe. The program will install all the drivers you need. After you've rebooted, you should be fully functional, and you can tweak the system to your heart's content (disabling hibernation, shrinking the pagefile on your SSD, etc). Run Windows Update to make sure you have all the security patches, and you're good to go. The only other driver update that might be necessary is the GPU, which would be the Intel HD4000. It'll be helpful if you want to do some light gaming.

As far as performance in Windows goes, your Mac will behave just like a Windows notebook of similar specifications. Battery life will take a slight hit, but it's nowhere near as bad as other Macs because you don't have a discreet GPU. The trackpad is definitely not as nice as it is in OS X. Someone has tried to re-create the experience with a 3rd-party hacked driver, but I found it to cause instability. I use a mouse 99% of the time I'm in Windows anyway since about all I use it for is gaming.

There's not too much you need to do with OS X, as it's pretty good to go out of the box. You have a couple options for installing OS X on your SSD. You can use Internet Recovery, which downloads all the files from Apple. Making a USB installer is a bit more involved, but the time you invest on the front end in creating it will save you time when the need to re-install the OS arises. There are guides out there that tell you how to do it.

If you have more specific questions, post them here.

 

Thanks for the heads up about x86 windows, will make sure I buy a x64 copy. And thanks for the driver link

That's interesting and something I wouldn't of known without consulting a forum and speaking to experts like yourself. Slightly annoying I will have to choose between performance and basic functions like sleep. I do use sleep quite a bit actually on my desktop, but then I will of course want TRIM support! arhh

Hibernation is definitely something I always disable on SSD's, really don't see the need for it. I am planning on running some light indie games like Bastion, Torchlight etc, do you think they will run ok on the HD4000?

I like the idea of using internet recovery to download everything to the Mac, am I right in thinking it downloads the OS that originally came with the Mac? But presuming I can then download the latest version from the mac app store?

Thanks for your reply, it is appreciated

 

If you feel you made a good purchase for a reasonable price, then more power to ya.

Mac Basics: Using Windows on your Mac with Boot Camp

 

I've learned to live without system sleep, at least when running Windows. Should you decide to go the AHCI route, you'll need to make sure and disable sleep from all the Windows power plans you plan to use. Also set it to either do nothing or turn the machine off when you close the lid because it's very easy to forget that it otherwise defaults to sleep.

Another thing to keep in mind is that after you've installed Windows, your computer will boot to it by default. You can change this behavior by booting into OS X and changing the "startup disk" via System Preferences. To select what operating system you want to boot, hold the alt/option key at the gray screen that appears immediately after you power on.

The 4000 will be sufficient for those games, especially since you'll be limited to 1280x800 resolution. If all you're going to be doing is playing games in Windows, many indie games, Torchlight and Bastion included, have OS X ports. It might be worth checking everything you intend to play to see if that's the case. Anything that's Steamplay, along with OS X-compatible titles from GOG can be downloaded and played without having to pay for them again.

That is correct, it downloads the version of OS X that originally came with the system. If you're ordering a brand new machine, odds are it will come with Mavericks, but if it's used/refurbished, it might have Mountain Lion. In any case, you can update using the App Store, which also serves as the Mac's version of Windows Update for things like security patches, iTunes updates, etc.

Another thing that just popped into my head is regarding mouse input. It's quite different in OS X than Windows. Depending on what mouse you have, several companies have OS X software available, including Logitech, Razer, and SteelSeries (select mice only). However, I've found those drivers to be rather buggy. I have a Logitech G602, and in OS X, I use a program called SteerMouse to set tracking speed and button assignments. You can create profiles for different applications, just like with the OEM software. While it has some limitations (including no on-the-fly DPI switching or battery indicator), it's much more stable. A license costs $20, but it is permanent so you won't have to buy it again when a new version comes out.

 

Thanks for the link

Thanks again for your help, I wont probably bother with an external mouse, will most likely be using the touch pad all the time as I will use it more for portability than keeping on a desk. If I think of any other questions I'll post back here, thanks

 

I highly recommend getting the Intel video drivers for the HD 4000. The drivers that Apple provides via Bootcamp are lackluster at best. Compared to my Apple drivers, I found the Intel drivers to significantly improve framerate and reduce the overall heat my Mac was producing. There are some frustrations to gaming on a Macbook - the PSU throttles the overall performance and the HD 4000 is capped at 512 MB RAM. The PSU throttling issue isn't as big on integrated graphics but the shared VRAM cap on the HD 4000 is annoying as it is capable of significantly better performance.

I've found the HD 4000 to be quite capable for most games I throw at it. Not all my games are pretty but they do all run.

One huge annoyance for me is that I am not able to charge my iPod and iPad while I am in Bootcamp. I've been using ASUS Ai Charger to deal with that as if I've got a Windows game I'm playing, I sometimes go many days without booting back into OS X.

 

Then prepare to be frustrated when using it in Windows. The experience is pretty bad. Not as awful as some dedicated Windows laptops, but far from the elegance of OS X.

 

Don't forget to harden the mac against intrusion and malware.

1) Uninstall Safari. Safari is STILL the easiest way for anyone to take complete control of a computer and even watching it like a hawk it will still give out every single piece of information you put into it to anyone who asks. Install any other browser you like as long as it isn't Safari. (yes even IE is a bastion of security in comparison... and that's quite a dubious honor as it is also a security hole) Firefox and Chrome are the leading two depending on what you like.

2) Disable auto-login and enable passwords.

3) Turn on and configure OSX firewall

4) System software updates.

5) install an anti-malware program of your choice... plenty of free ones are quite decent: Avast! and Clam come to mind.


Don't forget to do the above (equivalents) on the Win7 partition except uninstalling IE... it doesn't do any good. I'd still recommend moving away from IE.


If you haven't already (for your PCs), you should also:
6) Configure your hardware router. Change default login information for the router. Close/block all ports you do not use. Change router internal IP to be something other than 192.168.0.1 and your DHCP range to be something other than 192.168.0.2,192.168.0.3, etc. Using 10.X.X.X is better, but if you must use 192.168.X.X, at least don't hand them easy addresses.

Good luck!

 

7) Secure your tinfoil hat, disconnect your electricity, face the TV to the wall, cower in a corner and fear, for the world is out to destroy you.

 

Just dropped by to say congrats! Almost got a macbook myself and looking back I kind of regret not getting it. Got an Asus K53SV-DH51 with a GT540m and a horrible 15" 1366 x 768 screen res. Forget what I payed site shows $799 think I payed $6-lower 7 with 13% tax bringing it up, might as well saved for a Macbook/air. First laptop, poorly researched choice :3 will admit I'm using it a ton lately web browsing/does decently at the gaming I do because my desktop with a 9800gt that is so damn loud I hate using it. will hopefully be building a new one come august. Macbooks seems the perfect companion to gaming rigs.

Tangent over, just know I got a good home waiting.

 

Thanks for your reply, I was going to ask about security regarding OSX. A lot of people say you dont need AV/AM on Mac's because they can't get viruses etc but is this true? Obviously you recommend installing an antivirus solution, (I do have Avast on my desktop which I really like) but how necessary is it to use?

Is Safari really that bad? I was intending on installing chrome regardless.

Haha yeah how far do you go?

Thanks a lot! I did look at a lot of other notebooks/ultrabooks out there, but decided on the Mac due to the quality of them mainly and also look forward to learning and using OSX, alongside Windows of course

 

While no viruses exist in the wild for OS X, it is possible to get trojans/malware. The easy way to avoid them is to use common sense. You can install a free AV, such as ClamXAV, but it's not necessary. One thing to keep in mind is that OS X's built-in firewall is disabled by default, so you'll want to enable it straight away.

Safari has been getting better lately, but it's still not my first browser of choice, namely because Adblock Plus is not fully functional with it. Limitations within Safari are the cause, rather than anything with the extension itself. Safari also doesn't have any sort of universal scaling (I like a 125% default because of poor eyesight); I need to use a special .css file, which causes other issues on certain sites. Chrome is not well-optimized in OS X. It drains your battery more quickly than other browsers, but it's my go-to because of its ability to sync to my GMail account, keeping my experience seamless between OS X and Windows.

 

Hah! Well if you live in a big city, router security is probably important. I live pretty close to the Spring Training Facility for the Seattle Mariners and Oakland As and you can bet I've seen some shady activity on my network before. Fortunately the city and most businesses have free public wifi these days, so I don't have to worry to much about someone drooling at my network. When I first installed my original Wireless-G router ten years ago though, I had one of the only wifi networks in the area. That sucked.

 

Please educate yourself before posting. Even Apple techs admit that the whole "no virus exists in the wild" is an intentional misdirection. Even PCs are not infected by viruses anymore "in the wild" as that type of malware is no longer efficient. Trojans, botnet droppers, and java/flash/browser zero-day exploits are all the rage and affect mac users as easily as they affect PC users. Indeed, from my experience they affect mac user much more easily because they refuse to protect themselves and go into denial mode the minute they know they are infected.

Apple
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2435

Flashback 2012
Mac Malware Outbreak Is Bigger than 'Conficker' | PCWorld

Flashback 2012
How Apple Is To Blame For The Flashback Malware Outbreak - Forbes

2013
Apple rolls out update for Java on Macs in wake of malware outbreak | Mac os x - InfoWorld

Apple OS X malware outbreak could give UK firms a bad Hangover - IT News from V3.co.uk

2014 "undevlivered courier item" (scamware)
Digitally signed data-stealing malware targets Mac users in “undelivered courier item” attack | Naked Security

2014 Java botnet
New Java-based malware can infect Windows, Mac OS X and Linux systems | SiliconANGLE

Careto/Mask 2007-2012
Major Malware Outbreaks | Kaspersky Lab

10 years of Mac malware
10 years of Mac OS X malware


OP, the advice I offered was free and trying to be helpful. The response I got was from two fanbois droning apple propaganda. Either they are lying or everyone I posted above is...

I make my living as a consultant on both macs and PCs due to my 20 years+ of IT experience supporting macs and PCs. I have worked at companies for 15 years supporting macs in many industries. I have seen and worked on more macs in one year than most people here have ever seen in their life.

I currently support a number of school districts with apple one-to-one programs and thus support almost 1100 macs. I wouldn't be caught dead with even ONE of those macs without firewall and anti-malware of some sort.

You decide who to believe.

The advice I gave here was free... industry standard is to charge triple the normal PC rate for Mac OS/hardware repair because there are so few who can do it. If you don't listen, I or someone like me will benefit financially.

Wearing your apple-branded blinders too tight and hallucinating again I see.

 

Alright, I'd say dropping the "who's going overkill" about security in your opinion and who's not is a good idea before it degenerates further. Really, if you think someone is going overboard with all the security measures for the average Joe usage, say it that way and explain why instead of posting in a more antagonistic way.

Personally, I'd say it's better being safe than sorry, so turn on firewall, use a browser with a decent track record and install some kind of AV/anti-malware. This is by no means a substitute for just practicing safe browsing as much as possible. In the end, it is up to the OP to decide how heavily he wants to go with malware protection.

 

The only other thing I would add is to not install any form Java unless you absolutely need it, considering that's where many OS X exploits start. If you have an application that needs it, you can download the most up-to-date version (7) from Oracle. Keep in mind, if it's a browser applet that you require, you would need to use Safari or Firefox as the version Oracle offers is not compatible with Chrome. Apple still maintains the older Java 6 repository, but you should avoid using it at all costs. Personally, I've not had to use anything Java in at least 4 years. The one Mac program I had that required Apple's Java, I simply found an alternative that didn't need it at all. Problem solved.

 

I definitely agree with your statements about needing antivirus and a firewall for the Mac. While Macs don't get viruses as frequently as PCs, they absolutely CAN and do get viruses. That's why the first thing I did when I got my Mac was turn on the firewall and install AVG.

I do however feel your statements came off extremely arrogant, brash, and downright rude. There was no reason whatsoever for you to respond in that manner. I am sure all of us on the forums appreciate your knowledge and insight, but as they say when diva football players over-celebrate after scoring a touchdown: "Act like you've been there before."

 

i have been using windows most of my life and I never got a virus, a person has to be really doing weird stuff and viewing weird sites to get viruses and malwares on their computer.

 

I somewhat disagree with that, but either way, it IS possible to get a virus on a Mac. In this day and age I'd rather be safe than sorry. These hackers are getting crafty as hell now days and are finding all kinds of ways to get Malware/viruses on to people's computers.

 

Most of the time, yeah, but there are some nasty drive by and watering hole threats out there and those may be out of your control. I've also seen legitimate sites that had maldvert (malicious ads that were present on whatever ad service the site used). There are some rather crafty methods of delivering malware, etc. to computers these days, even on entirely legit sites that should be safe. Most of those still require user interaction, but it could be something as simple as clicking on a link by inadvertence.

I haven't gotten anything in years, but I had a few close calls while hunting for drivers among other things.

 

I do believe Mac's are not immune from viruses, malware. I will take your advice on board and install AV software and will activate the OSX firewall. Why is the firewall disabled by default anyway?

You've pretty much summed up what I will do, I will turn on the firewall, use Chrome and install either Sophos or Avast. I am sensible browsing and am aware of all the nasty malware and phishing scams out there. So I feel I will be safe enough combining knowledge with the protection mentioned.

Thats interesting, without seeing this I would of Installed Java as one of the first things that I normally do with new OS's. Are said exploits as high in Windows using java?

What about adobe flash? are there any other exploits I need to be aware of on OSX?

Thanks to all replies for your advice.

 

Your guess is as good as ours.

I would pick Avast of those two or ClamXAV. I've had Sophos cause performance degradation in the past. It might be better now, but I know Clam has been reliable and lightweight when I've used it.

Those exploits are OS agnostic so they can happen on either OS X or Windows, but Macs could be more vulnerable because the Java Apple provides is not updated as often.

 

Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but one thing I'd recommend getting for a Windows-to-Mac user is Window Magnet, a downloadable from the App Store that allows you to snap program windows into place in the style of Windows.

Make sure to enable "right click" with the Trackpad.

I wouldn't recommend uninstalling Safari or anything like that; I use it all the time and have never had a problem. Sometimes I prefer it to Chrome and Firefox.

 

+1 for Window Magnet. Great program, absolutely worth $1.99, though I wish this functionality were included in OS X the way it is in Windows.

 

As saturn said, threats to Java, Flash, etc. are usually OS agnostic. Java is something you can very often live without, contrarily to javascript. I've been running without Java for a long time and it's never caused me any issues.

A lot of OS X threats are social engineering in nature and you should be able to avoid those fairly easily.

 

Haha ok, thought there would be some logical reasoning behind it.

Ok I use Avast on Windows and really like it, may just try both and see which one works best.

Right ok, thanks.

Oh thanks for that recommendation! I'll check it out when I get my Mac

Thanks again, I will leave it off and try to live without it. Would you recommend going the same route in Windows? As in remove java?

 

If you need Java, keep it up to date, some programs may require it, if you have no need of Java, nuke that sucker!

 

I'd say the same for any other additional stuff that isn't going to be used (Flash, etc.). Also, if using Firefox (or other browsers that support the following), definitely get AdBlock Plus, Ghostery, and NoScript at the minimum, regardless of the OS being used (I run this combo even on my Linux machines).

Oh, and stay away from the fishy-looking websites. That's just universal common sense. Oh, and stay away from scareware (MyCleanPC, fake AV, etc.).

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Personally, I haven't had any issue with Java on any of the three major OS families (I do a lot of Java development, so I can't just ditch it). That said, it's also probably because I follow the advise I just gave, as well as the solid security advice given elsewhere on this thread.

 

NoScript is a PITA to get set up but oh my god does it do a good job of keeping garbage out once you've got it running.

 

The computer is noticeably faster w/o the firewall on and considering how apple is all about consumer perception, I am thinking that it is done to show how fast Macs are.

Also, are there any other trackpad drivers that work on the windows side as it is worse than samusng ativ lite when it comes to trackpad there. If Mac was 100% then on bootcamp windows side, the trackpad is 50%. It is so particular in how you have press things (lot of wrong feedback) while it is smooth on the Mac side.

 

I, like you, opted for the older Macbook. I couldn't justify the extra costs for the retina. Of course a few months later some site was selling the retina Mac's for a little more than the Pro. I wasn't pleased, but I'm very content with my purchase. Enjoy it and have fun!

 

Thanks! Yeah the retinas aren't a lot more anymore but its still cheaper to buy a older MBP and upgrade yourself rather than buy a retina with a 500gb ssd and 8gb ram. The only thing I would want from the retina would obviously be the screen but im not to bothered and feel it will serve me well. Dont get the MBP until my birthday (using some birthday money to pay for it)

 

Tips...

1. most things use the command button instead of the control button.

2. read, learn, explore...

3. don't be afraid to ask questions... here, or the apple store, or among mac users.

4. just enjoy it. you'll feel like you're part of club... and you are.

 

Congrats on the jump to Apple. Best advice is to just keep on learning, since I still discover new things even after having owned multiple macs now for nearly a decade.