Custom GarageBand guitar effects settings

Minimising the frequency of OS X crashes

A few nights ago my MBP acted up again. Or rather, my OS X crashed. Again. When I booted up my Mac, it only showed the desktop and nothing else. No status bar, no desktop icons. Just the wallpaper and the rolling beachball.

Recovering from the crash it was simple.

1. I booted up my Mac with the installation DVD.
2. Chose to reinstall OS X with the “Archive and Install” option (see this and this from Apple Support). The “Archive and Install” option would keep my existing files and settings intact.
3. After that, I did several sounds of Software Updates to get my Mac up to speed.
4. Once I confirmed the Mac is running OK, I went to the HDD/ System folder and deleted the “Recovered” folders. Apparently when you do an “Archive and Install”, all the system files will be copied here. Deleting those files freed up my much needed HDD space.

Actually — if I’d read this Apple Support article first, I would have tried using Disk Utility (available from the boot DVD) to verify and repair the volume:

Start up from your Mac OS X Install Disc 1 or Install DVD. If you have different versions of Mac OS X Installer discs (for example, if your computer came with version 10.3 and you later purchased and installed version 10.4), start from the disc that most closely matches the installed Mac OS X version. Usually, that’s the latest (newer) version.

Usually, you can start from the disc by putting it in your computer, restarting, and holding the C key. Or, put it in the computer and click the Install or Restore icon you see in the disc’s main window (after which the computer will start from the disc without you needing to hold C.)

LINK

Anyway, I managed to reinstall OS X. It didn’t take too long, and I took the chance to clean up my HDD. I was also curious why the crash seemed to happen with increasing frequency. It was the 2nd time in a year I’ve had to perform a reinstall (previous was in May ‘09thereabouts). I’ve had my Mac for almost 4 years and previous 3 years have been problem free. Now it seemed to act up.

I wrote to the folks at ME@N. Said it didn’t seem like a hardware problem and wondered if it had anything to do with HDD space. When the crashed happened this time, my HDD space was about 8GB left.

I asked if there was anything I could do to minimise such disruptions? Or if reinstalls are unavoidable, did the group have tips to make things smoother, e.g. What installation files or software update packages to keep on hand etc.

RESPONSES (thanks to Adrian Tan, Hanx and Siva):

• “do a clone backup of your bootup drive. This would make it faster to get you up to speed simce then you would only need to clone the backup from the backup to your main drive. And plus you can still use your computer. I personally use superduper.” [Adrian Tan]
• “there probably are some file/folder permissions being messed up. Next time it happens (seems likely given your description , do a repair permissions in Disk Utility. If you can’t even log in, you can use the Disk Utility on the Install DVD to do it. Probably some rogue application not setting things properly after it quits. Also possible if you had been force quitting applications thereby not allowing them to “clean things up”. [hanx]
• “There is Onyx – try its ‘Display of Folders Content: Rebuild’. You may need to free up disk space to 15%.” [Siva]

CONCLUSION
There was a general agreement that my crash could be due to my Force Quitting the apps. I recall having to Force Quit GarageBand several times before each crash, so that reinforces that train of thought. Siva added that having to Force Quit the app could also be a sign of a full HDD.

Now, I’ll make it a point to run Disk Utility to repair file permissions regularly. And I’ve also freed up 20GB worth of space by transferred files to external drives (those video and music files were just sitting in my HDD). I’ll make sure whatever is on my HDD is mainly working files.

Using GarageBand to transpose music tracks

My fellow liblogarian, Von Totanes, aka Filipino Librarian emailed me to ask if I knew how to use GarageBand to transpose an imported MP3 from F key to E key. He’s new to GarageBand and said he tried searching for help but couldn’t “make heads or tails of what’s being said”.

I’m curious what were the instructions that he has referred to

Von, I know of two ways to do it in GarageBand: using the “AUPitch” effect or the “Vocal Transformer” effect.

My GB version is iLife ‘08. If you’re using a later version, the user interface may be slightly different but the effects should be the same.

BTW, I presume you’ve already imported the MP3 to GarageBand. Once that’s done, select that track and apply either one (but not both) of these effects:

#1 – Using the “AUPitch” effect

[I don't think the numbers represent the pitch, because how much you adjust depends on your original pitch. So you'll have to experiment. Like, play a note on the piano or a song with a known pitch.]

#2- Using the “Vocal Transformer” effect

Let me know if this helps, Von.

[28 Aug 09] Update: To access the above panels, open up your Track Info panel, i.e. TRACK > SHOW TRACK INFO. Then click on the Details.

Reinstalling Mac OS X

Have been using my Mac for almost 2 years now, straight from the box. Somehow I perceive more “spinning beachballs” each time I start my Mac. Decided to try a reinstall (I’m not sure if it’ll improve things but since I’ve never done a reinstall before, might as well learn how).

From docs.info.apple.com:

1. Insert the Mac OS X Install Disc and double-click the Install Mac OS X icon.
2. Follow the onscreen instructions. In the panel where you select the destination disk, select your current Mac OS X disk (in most cases, it will be the only one available).
3. Click Options. If you want to save your existing files, users, and network settings, select “Archive and Install,” then select “Preserve Users and Network Settings.” If you want to erase everything on your computer and reinstall Mac OS X, select “Erase and Install.” You can’t recover erased data.
4. Click Continue.
5. Click Customize to select which parts of Mac OS X you’d like to install, or click Install to perform a basic installation (recommended).

[Screenshot from Mac Help]

And from support.apple.com “How to back up and restore your files“:

Regardless of which method(s) you choose, you should store at least one copy of your backup outside the computer to guard against common risks such as theft or power issues, including lightning. You may also wish to store a copy of important data at a second site to guard against property destruction, such as fire and natural disasters.

OK, I bought an external drive and copied all the important files. For some “ultra-important” files (like my GarageBand songs!) I’ve even burned to a DVD.

Links to plug-ins and apps (to download first, so that they can be reinstallation right away):

• Nokia E71 iSync plug-in (europe.nokia.com/mac/isync)
• XNJB (www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/26624 | www.wentnet.com/projects/xnjb)
• Skitch (www.plasq.com)
• Flickr uploaders
• Yamaha USB-MIDI driver
• Wacom Tablet driver – www.wacom.com | www.macupdate.com
• VLC
• Firefox | Zotero
• Burn
• Adium

Related How To guides:

• www.apple.com – Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger (includes details like “How to backup and restore your files“,
• www.dummies.com – Installing (or Reinstalling) Mac OS X Panther
• www.dartmouth.edu – Reinstalling Mac OS X
• Otterman and a Mac (some product links don’t seem to work though, but I found Siva’s instructions practical.

How to convert CD/ MP4 audio files to MP3 using iTunes 8

As an update to this post, here’s how you convert your audio files to MP3 format using iTunes version 8 (hat-tip to Fiona for sharing the info!):

For a PC, it’s:

• Preferences> General> Import Settings.
• Choose “MP3″ (or your desired format)
• Then go to your song, right-click and choose “Create MP3 Version” (if you’ve specified MP3 in the earlier step).

For Macs, it’s:

• Preferences> General> Import Settings
• Select “Import using MP3 encoder” (or your desired format)
• Then go to your song, right-click and choose “Create MP3 Version” (if you’ve specified MP3 in the earlier step).

If you’re using iTunes version 7, check out this earlier post.

Cheers!

Specifying Bluetooth file sharing/ exchange preferences

I’d forgotten how to do this for my new phone. I wanted to specify a default folder for all the files transferred, via Bluetooth, from my phone to my Mac. Finally managed to figure it out after a while. Am posting this for future reference:

#1: System Preferences –> Bluetooth

#2: Sharing –> Bluetooth File Exchange –> “Folder for accepted items”

Piece of cake.

heh.

How to record in a noisy environment with the Macbook pro

I posted this tutorial on using the GarageBand’s audio effect settings to filter out ambient noise when recording.

Specifically, it’s about using the Noise Gate setting and the Speech Enhancer effect settings.

Link

Reinstating a missing Bluetooth device (Mac OS X)

For some reason, my Bluetooth device disappeared from my Macbook Pro. When I clicked on the Bluetooth status and/ or went to check via Systems Preference – Network, it said my Bluetooth device was not installed.

Which was strange because it was working fine just before I shutdown the Mac.

I searched the Apple Support forums. There were a few similar problems reported and most solutions required a reboot. Specifically, I did this and it worked:

Resetting PRAM and NVRAM

1. Locate these keys: Command-Option-P-R keys. You’ll need to press them once you restart your Mac.
2. Shut down the computer, and then turn it back on.
3. Quickly press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys before the gray screen appears.
4. Continue holding until you hear the startup sound for the second time.
5. Then release the keys.

Source: docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

Which wireless router should I get?

I wanted to get a wireless router for my HDB apartment (I was using a fixed LAN point) but I wasn’t sure which brand to get. So I asked my usual IT/ Mac gurus.

Within a few emails, I went from “almost clueless” to “confident buyer” — thanks to Lucian, Kevin and Siva.

I’m happily blogging this while connected to the wireless router I’ve successfully set up a few minutes ago. I bought a Linksys product, if you must know. I’ve used their product before and have found it reliable. Their customer service was also pretty good.

There are plenty of product reviews out there, but nothing beats receiving affirmation and second opinions from trusted and knowledgeable friends.

Since the guys were generous in sharing what they know, I’ve decided to compile my own FAQs on buying a wireless router. NOTE: Any mistakes in this post are mine alone.

***

Q: Do different brands (of wireless routers) make a difference? For instance, I had the impression that Belkin is top of the range.
Apparently they do. The differences lie with the WIFI chipsets from the different manufacturers.

For instance, Linksys seems to have a good track record of compatibility with Apple products, while Belkin was a “maybe” and some feel Netgear was a “less than safe choice” if you have a Mac.

Getting a good router means a better Internet experience. Invest in a good one!

Q: Some routers end with “B”, “G” and “N” in their name. What’s the difference?
They refer to the wireless networking standards.

The 802.11b (B-series) is older. The 802.11g (G-series) standard comes next. Then there’s the newer, faster 802.11n (N-series) specification which has been drafted but not made standard by the IEEE yet.

The G-series is sufficient for most uses. It’ll be your broadband speed that’s your bottleneck, rather than the router. 802.11n is probably good if you move a lot of files wirelessly between computers on the same network.

Q: I saw product claims like “5x faster” etc. Does the router really improve download speeds?
The answer is ‘no’ if you’re just using the router without using the manufacturer’s propriety WIFI cards.

“5x faster” probably refers to the G-series when compared to the older B-series. You usually need to use additional WIFI cards with the router to enjoy the faster speeds. The packaging might say something like “For optimal performance, you will need to use the following [brand name] products…”

Q: For a 4 to 5-room HDB flat, would a wireless router with a 400ft range will suffice? Do I need to get a booster?
The range would usually suffice if you can place the wireless router in the middle of your home. If that’s not possible, try moving the router antenna (p.s. I found that just shifting the antenna towards the direction of a previously less-than-favourable-reception area improved the signal by 10 to 15%).

Q: I tested my connection speed via speedtest.net. Why is it that upload and download speeds differ?
It’s usual to have faster download speeds than uploads (most users will download stuff rather than upload, so it makes sense to ensure majority of users are happy). The ISPs don’t expect home users to run servers. But this is slowly changing, as more of us do VoIP, upload youtube videos, host game servers, do remote computing etc.

I have Mac. Should I then get the Airport or can I use the other routers?
The wireless routers work the same (Macs and PCs are able to use either brands). Your final decision may be the cost, your trust in the brand, and the design (i.e. coolness) factor. Cost-wise, Apple products can cost up to SGD$100 to SGD$150 more than another brand that might adequately serve your need (all I needed was just to surf the net, and my usage isn’t that heavy).

Comment: I hope the sales guy don’t give me that “how come you’re asking me such simple questions” look. Most times, I end up feeling stupid when I try to buy IT stuff. It’s like these people expect customers to know the products already.
If they want your business, they are supposed to be answering “stupid” questions! And you will find out that lots of questions turn out not to be “stupid”.

Unable to ‘Empty Trash’ problem (i.e. How to delete locked files in OS X)

Recently I encountered this problem when trying to empty my Trash folder — the process kept being interrupted by an error message: “The operation cannot be completed because the item “wmphelp.htm” is locked”.

I hit the Continue button and there were similar messages: “WMPIcon.gif” is locked… “windowshade.gif” is locked…

Here’s a sample screenshot (from Otterman):

Clearly the problem were with files related to Windows Media Player I deleted earlier. I had about 300 over files in the Trash folder so I needed to find a solution quickly.

I emailed the folks in the me@n list (thanks folks!). Their suggestions included:

1. Repairing the file permissions with Disk Utility before attempting the Empty Trash operation.
2. Manually checking the offending file to ensure that I had Read/ Write permission
3. Press Option + Empty Trash

Tried suggestion #1 (even booting from a startup disk and running Disk Utility from the CD) but still had the error message.

Tried suggestion #2 but problem was those specific file names weren’t in the Trash folder.

Suggestion #3 didn’t work either.

In the end, Siva aka Otterman provided the solution. He suggested “Cmd +Option + Shift + Backspace”.

It worked beautifully!

Even scared me a little ‘cos there was no prompt to confirm the Empty Trash operation. Hit those combinations and it cleaned out everything in the Trash folder immediately.

I’m still not quite sure why the offending file couldn’t be deleted (even though I had permission to delete it). But at least now I’ve picked up this neat trick with the keyboard shortcut.

Siva has more details about deleting locked files in OS X at this post. Excerpt:

In Finder:

• cmd-Backspace = move selected item to trash
• cmd-shift-Backspace = empty trash (with warning prompt; locked files not deleted)
• cmd-option-shift-Backspace = empties trash without dialog, included locked files