Best products from r/MacOS

ex Apple Genius here... Hope some of this helps.

• Get this book for a start: https://www.amazon.com/macOS-Support-Essentials-10-12-Troubleshooting/dp/0134713850/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497477151&sr=1-1&keywords=macos+support+essentials+10.12
  
  
• Make a diagnostic drive. Get work to buy you a few portable external hard drives. (I like LaCie) Install the latest 3 versions of macOS on their own partitions (~32GB each) and leave the rest to a "Free Space" partition. When troubleshooting a Mac, the first thing you should do is boot the machine from one of the "known good" OSes on your diagnostic drive and check if the issue persists. That tells you if the issue is hardware or software.
  
  
• If you've determined the issue is software, you can usually divide it into a System issue or a User issue. Create a new user on the system and check if the issue persists on the new user. If so, it's a system issue. If the problem goes away, it's a user issue. System-wide settings generally live in /Library/Preferences/. User settings live here (mostly): /Users/username/Library/.
  
  
• Make an installer drive. Use createinstallmedia to make an external HD full of all the different OS installers you need. Learn how to NetInstall macOS if you need to deploy on a lot of machines.
  
  
• Malicious software usually has to be installed as a Launch Agent or Launch Daemon in order to run when a Mac boots. Learn how they work, how to find them and how to destroy them. https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPSystemStartup/Chapters/CreatingLaunchdJobs.html. Also learn about LoginItems & StartupItems.
  
  
• Learn the boot process of a Mac. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204156 and the startup modes https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201255
  
  
• Make sure every computer you touch is backed up!
  
  
• Learn the Terminal. (bash) if you don't know it already.
  
  
• Get a developer account for early access to beta software.
  
  
• Get decent tools (Wiha) and anti-static gear.
  
  
• Take hardware problems to the Genius Bar, especially if your company is gonna pay for it. They'll usually have better diagnostics than the Mac has built in. It also rules out the possibility of you breaking a computer when trying to fix it. (edit: also a great excuse to get out of the office)
  
  
• Use Google. Chances are someone's has had your problem before. Google is also a great way to search support.apple.com
  
  
• Be excellent to each other.
  
  
• Party on dudes.

Sorry... I'm an old jaded IT guy. I can't help it sometimes.

I'd recommend going with an external SSD, but thunderbolt 1 enclosures are becoming hard to find, and I think USB3 might be a bit too painful for a VM.

Instead, I'd probably steer you towards upgrading the internal SSD, which is still thankfully an option on this model. Check out the kits at OWC.. This is a very easy upgrade to do yourself and be sure to get the kit, which includes an enclosure for the old SSD; this makes for an easy migration.

Good luck.

Ok this is what I'll try for my late-2012 iMac:

1. Get a Samsung 850 Evo.
   
   
2. Get an enclosure with UASP support (I'm not even sure if my iMac supports this but I heard it's faster): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01LY97QE8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=297FRJ4FO0N3D&coliid=I2EDGEXAN4RWZP&psc=1
   
   All in that'll cost me around $150 Canadian which is a pretty awesome upgrade if it works. I plan on putting all system files and apps on the 250gb SSD and my documents, photos, and other files on my existing slow drive.

Thanks! I've ordered this, I'll see what the cable's like but hopefully it'll be decent. According to the reviews it comes with USB-C to USB-C too - is that my best option for connecting it to the iMac (both my Thunderbolt ports are unused currently)?

If you don't mind a hardware solution there are forensic write blockers, like when you have to absolutely keep something 100% read-only. Like this one below is not too expensive and appears to be enabled/disabled easily.

(this one is for hard drives)

https://www.amazon.com/Coolgear-SATA-Adapter-Write-Protect-Selection/dp/B005C55OYA

​

If you are looking for USB there are some great solutions out there, but here is a great DIY one:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap-and-Effective-USB-Write-Blocker/

I have a 15" 2011 MBP that is my daily driver. I replaced the drive and memory with the following:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OBRFFAS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008LTBJFW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hope that helps. Good luck.

Ok so I made a new user and still encountered the same problem. I'm thinking it definitely has something to do with the layout of the keyboard (model).

The integrated keyboard on the MBP works fine still if that makes any difference. Pretty frustrating but thanks anyways for the help!

I found this one for my fiance's Space Gray 12" MacBook. It's a hard shell, clear plastic cover. He really enjoys it, and he's the pickiest when it comes to device protection.

Enjoy!

Perhaps the next generation, but for now the max you can get is 16GB

Ways to get around this limitation:

• Don't run those images on your Mac, rather host them on the cloud using a service such as AWS or Azure. Connect using Remote Desktop. This options cost a couple of $ per month, but has some inherent advantages such as being able to share with team, 24x7 always on, backup in case of laptop loss etc.
  
• Run those windows instances on another dedicated server on your local network, and connect using Remote Desktop from your MacBook. For example, I have a nice Intel Xeon D-1518 running headless in my basement, and a pfSense VPN appliance that allows me to connect from remote locations. Disadvantage is that you have to buy the hardware and set it up, but once done the only cost is electricity, and virtualization software.
  
• Do you actually really need those heavy Windows virtual machines? Are there alternatives such as Docker images that can do the same job with a lot less operating system overhead? Eg. instead of running a LAMP stack on Windows, run it on a Linux based Docker image? You might be able to squeeze into 16GB with a bit of housekeeping.

Display Support:Dual DisplaysResolution Support:1920x1200*

Details:*This model simultaneously supports 1920x1200 on an HDMI display or a DVI display using the included HDMI-to-DVI adapter and 2560x1600 on a Thunderbolt or Mini DisplayPort display or even a VGA display (with an optional Mini DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter, which is compatible with the Thunderbolt port).

2nd Display Support:Dual/Mirroring*2nd Max. Resolution:2560x1600*

Details:*This model simultaneously supports 1920x1200 on an HDMI or a DVI display (using the included HDMI-to-DVI adapter) and 2560x1600 on a Thunderbolt or Mini DisplayPort display or even a VGA display (with an optional Mini DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter, which is compatible with the Thunderbolt port).

Source: https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-i5-2.5-late-2012-specs.html

Given the ports on this monitor, which appear to be mDP (1), DP (2), HDMI (1), your options seem to be to use a mDP <> DP cable or adapter to get the full benefit. The HDMI Port (HDMI <> HDMi) would give you 1920x1200 but a mDP port would give you up to 2500x1600 or in this case, 2560 x 1440. HDMI ports in the newer model Minis can drive higher resolution (5k I believe) because they are HDMI 1.4 or 2.0, but the '12 model uses an older 1.2 or 1.3 HDMI standard. So, maybe something like this.

Is this the one you have? I'll do it if nothing else works, but that was more than I thought I'd have to spend!

If anyone has something simpler/ cheaper that works, I'd love to know about it.

No need to spend that much money. Those drives are expensive because of branding, and that's all.

One of these WD drives make a fine backup disk:

https://smile.amazon.com/Elements-Portable-External-Drive-WDBU6Y0040BBK-WESN/dp/B0713WPGLL

Just format it for your Mac when you get it and you'll be good to go.

this one

It’s pretty amazing, never had any issues with it. It turns the monitor on like 3 seconds slower than native HDMI but it works well aside from that.

I found this sleeve/case that I’m enjoying. It has a front pocket to hold your dongles and charger. Link

I’m also interested in the hard shell case /u/vixendesu suggested

There has been a lot of discussion on this in MacRumors and the Apple Support forums. I had it happen to 2 Mac Minis. Reinstalling Mojave from a CCC Clone did not fix it, leading me to think that Catalina updated some Mac firmware in the HDMI chain. To get 4K /60HZ working again, I got this USB-C to HDMI adapter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075V5JK36

This has been rock solid for me, but YMMV. I, and others, have open Apple Support cases on this issue.

The Apple keyboard isn't shit, but it's not mechanical and you can have FAR better for only $30 more, the Das Keyboard.

Maybe try installing 10.13.2 first, then try to install the combo update for 10.13.3?

Also, upgrade the RAM in that Mini immediately, it supports 16 GB, 4 GB on anything after about 10.7 is way to little. Source, I am running 10.13.3 with 16 GB. Here is the RAM for the 2010 Mini.

My set up is pretty much identical to yours (4k with 2017 15"MBP). I use the following cable but do not run into any of the issues you are having

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N11K30W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The only issue I seem to run into is when plugging the cable directly, my Mac will jump to the lock screen and I will have to unlock it.