# Minor Issues With New iMac



## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

Hi,

I've just yesterday begun using a new iMac, and with being new to iOs, I've been as expected, experiencing some minor issues...

Everytime I install a program it appears on the desktop with a hard-drive logo. I delete it, however it then re-appears once the program is opened again. This specifically happens with Google Chrome, which it's icon also doesn't appear in the doc upon start-up, instead a question mark appears in its place.

I'm assuming I'm incorrectly installing programs?

Martin.


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

Yes that "Hard Drive" Icon actually represents basically an "Zip" file that holds the application. To actually install it, you need to open that file and then drag the Google Chrome Icon into your "Applications" folder and it is then installed.

Once you do that, it will appear in your applications list and you can "Eject" that hard drive and delete the original download.


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

Thanks.

Do you also know how to get PDF's to automatically open with Adobe Reader and not the default preview application?


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

Hightlight a PDF file and then push Command+I.

This will bring up the "Info" box. In that box there is a "Open With" box where you can select the program that opens the file. There is also a "Change All" button which will change the default Application for all files of that file type.

Just set that to Adobe Reader and then click the "Change All" button.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

I for one would recommend against using Reader on the Mac as the OS can handle PDFs natively. I have personally found Reader to be laggy, bloated, a resource hog, and intrusive.


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

sinclair_tm said:


> I for one would recommend against using Reader on the Mac as the OS can handle PDFs natively. I have personally found Reader to be laggy, bloated, a resource hog, and intrusive.


While I agree with this, there are some things you have no other choice with. For example my books for school come as PDF's that require authentication with the school when it opens. Only the Adobe Reader works for that for some reason.


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

Is there any grid lock feature when moving around folders in Finder, so the folder are all aligned neatly & don't require to be done so manually?


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

Control + Click and change the "Arrange by" to an option other than "None" and it should snap to that arrangement.


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

Thanks. 

Also, about a year or so back, I purchased a movie from the iTunes store on my old computer, which of course once purchased, downloaded onto the iTunes on that computer. Is there any possible way of re-downloading on the iTunes on this new iMac?


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

Yes you should be able to just re-download it from the cloud the same way you purchased it.


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

I've just realised it doesn't come with OS X Mavericks, so I'm currently downloading it.

Is it an issue that I've already installed programs etc before installing the new OS? Will installing Mavericks delete any data?


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

Mavericks installation will only delete Operating system files that are no longer required.

It won't be an issue unless one of the programs you installed is not compatible with Mavericks. For the most part anything that worked on Mountain Lion, will work on Mavericks. You will be able to tell right away, as it should throw an error up if it has issue.

Some programs may require an update, they will usually tell you that when you try to open them... and if they were installed via the App Store, they will update themselves (unless you turn off the "Auto Update" feature of Mavericks).

Very few programs might not work at all. As a new Mac user, I highly doubt you have any of these as they are typically old legacy programs (like an older version of Photoshop). If for some reason you do have one that won't run, as soon as you open it... it will tell you there is a problem. At that point you would just check with the software company who made the program to see if they have any updates for Mavericks.

I am fairly certain you will have zero issues. 99.99999% of folks upgrade to Mavericks have no issues with software compatibility. It usually only affects "Niche" users who are hanging on to old programs.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

As for the iTunes movie, you can just copy it from the other computer to your new one, and it'll work just fine as long as you are using the same iTunes account you used to buy it. My whole iTunes library has moved computers 4 times now and I still have all the same rating, play counts, playlists, artwork and such.


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

Thanks guys.

Just finally, I want to be able to watch films etc. on the iMac whilst in bed, therefore would prefer a remote that can control the volume of the iMac itself. I understand the Apple Remote isn't compatible with the latest iMac's, and I also understand the 'Remote' app only controls the volume within iTunes!

I want a remote that can control the actual volume of the iMac, not the volume within particular programs. Is there anything out on the market that can do such a job? Like this? http://www.amazon.com/Satechi-MediaRemote-Bluetooth-Multi-Media-Control/dp/B00824948U/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1364328484&sr=8-10&keywords=Satechi


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

BUMP!


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

Also, how's the process work with installing Windows 7 on an iMac? I have W7 installed on my old computer, is it as simple as unistalling it on there, inserting the installation disk into the iMac, and going from there?


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

I am not aware of any such remotes that meet your requirements.

In your Utilities folder there is a program called "BootCamp" just run that and it will setup the computer to install Windows for you. You just follow the steps to do it.

You need an actual Windows 7 install disc though. Not an OEM disc that came with your old computer. The disc's that come with the computer will only work on the computer they came with.


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

MartyF81 said:


> You need an actual Windows 7 install disc though. Not an OEM disc that came with your old computer. The disc's that come with the computer will only work on the computer they came with.


My previous computer was built from scratch, meaning I also bought Windows 7 separately...

It didn't come pre-installed with a pre-built system...


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

mfmcgreal said:


> My previous computer was built from scratch, meaning I also bought Windows 7 separately...
> 
> It didn't come pre-installed with a pre-built system...


It should work ok then. You will need to call Microsoft to transfer the license though. Hopefully the disc you bought isn't an "OEM" disc. That license is not transferrable.


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

Thanks. How much hard-drive size should I dedicate to Windows 7? I only plan on installing a couple of programs on it that aren't compatible with iOS, and the hard-drive I have is 1TB in size.

Secondly, my old computer is boxed away with Windows 7, Office etc. still installed and activated on it. In order to use such software on another system, in this case, my Mac, does this require unboxing the old PC, and unistalling the software on it, prior to installing and activating such software on my Mac? Or is it possible to transfer across the license without having to touch my old computer what so ever?


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

mfmcgreal said:


> Thanks. How much hard-drive size should I dedicate to Windows 7? I only plan on installing a couple of programs on it that aren't compatible with iOS, and the hard-drive I have is 1TB in size.


That depends on what the programs you intend to install. I would check their space requirements and add them up, and then give an additional 30-40GB for Windows and "Overhead".



> Secondly, my old computer is boxed away with Windows 7, Office etc. still installed and activated on it. In order to use such software on another system, in this case, my Mac, does this require unboxing the old PC, and unistalling the software on it, prior to installing and activating such software on my Mac? Or is it possible to transfer across the license without having to touch my old computer what so ever?


Legally, yes. You are required to delete Windows from the previous machine. Not just deactivate, but delete. It can only be installed on 1 machine at a time.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

As for space, like Marty said, find the space requirements, and add 50Gig to it. I personally wouldn't go less than about 200 gig just to be safe. As for the software, the best thing is to deactivate and uninstall everything. But, if you haven't used the computer in a while, you will be able to install Windows 7 if it's a retail copy. You can have like 3 activations a year without calling MS about it (About 1 every 4 months.). Just don't try to be sneaky and later use the other PC, because Windows 7 does phone home every once in a while to check that it's legal. And if MS's servers see that your copy of Windows is on 2 different computers without an activation in between, it will flag it and kill it for both computers. But for Office and other software, I do believe you will have to deactivate it before you can instal it on a new computer, again, only as long as they are retail installers, not OEM. And just because you built the computer than bought the CDs doesn't make them retail installers. Many computer part places sell OEM copies instead of retail to system builders.


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

After a quick check, it does appear as though I did in fact purchase an OEM copy of Windows, so I best forget about installing it on my iMac. 

I find it ridiculous on Microsofts behalf though that I spent £70 on a copy of Windows, yet can only ever install it on one system...


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

mfmcgreal said:


> After a quick check, it does appear as though I did in fact purchase an OEM copy of Windows, so I best forget about installing it on my iMac.
> 
> I find it ridiculous on Microsofts behalf though that I spent £70 on a copy of Windows, yet can only ever install it on one system...


Its actually rather largely discounted because of this limitation....that is why it was so cheap, because you can only install it on 1 system. The OEM disc meant for computer "builders" who intend to build a system and sell it to a consumer. There are a lot of other "caveats" to that discount as well.

The regular "Retail" licenses, which would allow you to transfer the license from system to system, are 2 or 3 times more expensive.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

$250USD for my retail copy of Windows 7. I also paid retail for Windows 98SE and XP also for this reason, because I knew over time I'd be going from one computer to another.


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## mfmcgreal (Jul 16, 2010)

Thanks guys. 

Just one last issue, do you know how to stop the creative cloud application from popping up everytime upon start-up? I've disabled it within the programs settings itself, yet it still pops up...


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

If you disabled it in the Application Preferences... and it is still doing it... then that is a bug.

You could look in your Apple System Preferences, and then "Users & Groups". There is a button on the top of "Login Items" and see if it is in there.


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