Mac: Problems

[Knocksious]

the problem is that when we try and print something, no printer comes up, so I select "add new printer" but then nothing happens.... at all

I haven't a clue what is causing it
any help would be appreciated


also
.avi files crash anything that opens them (have flip4mac decoder)

and the app Mail, sorta dissapeared

 

[Prometheus]

Virus, most likely.
As I hate Macs, I have little idea pf what to do.

1. Virus Scan
2. System Restore

 

[SFilip]

Not every problem origins from a virus...
In fact, to my knowledge, there aren't so many viruses for Macs (especially when compared to Windows) and there is no such thing as a System Restore.
A reinstall might be a good idea. I've heard that OS X has a method of reinstalling the core system but keeping the applications, that seems like a good idea.

 

[enouwee]

the problem is that when we try and print something, no printer comes up, so I select "add new printer" but then nothing happens.... at all

From what I can see on a 10.4.8:

System Preferences
> Print & Fax
> (under Printing), click the "+"
> chose "More Printers" if yours came with a MacOS driver CD

The Powerbook I borrowed tells me to configure AppleTalk, so either make sure the printer is connected properly (USB, powered on?) before trying to add it, or take a look at the AppleTalk settings.

also .avi files crash anything that opens them (have flip4mac decoder)

Are you running the latest version of the player? You may be trying to view a damaged or unsupported (as in: missing codec, like H.264, DivX, Xvid, AAC...) movie. Try using VLC as player, they got a MacOSX version too.

and the app Mail, sorta dissapeared

Is it still accessible from the "Applications" menu, or visible in /Applications if you start a terminal?

Virus, most likely.
As I hate Macs, I have little idea pf what to do.

1. Virus Scan
2. System Restore

Here's your fish:

 

[Knocksious]

I just want to say thank you, because you seem very knowledgeable and helpful

the printer problem

the problem is that when I click that little plus, no dialog appears


the .avi problem

VLC will only show the beginning picture, and then play only sound

All other applications that might open .avi's crash whenever they try


the mail problem

in terminal, how do I access the /applications menu. when I typed "/Applications" it just said something like "Applications is a directory" and didn't show the contents or anything

 

[enouwee]

the printer problem

the problem is that when I click that little plus, no dialog appears

Did you unlock the configuration dialog, so you're allowed to make changes?

the .avi problem

VLC will only show the beginning picture, and then play only sound

All other applications that might open .avi's crash whenever they try

Does it only happen on that movie or any other you try to play?

If you have a Windows PC by hand, try opening the video using one of its players (either Windows Media Player, or 3rd party: Media Player Classic, Zoom Player, ...), or better: analyze it using GSpot, which will reveal you the codecs required.

the mail problem

in terminal, how do I access the /applications menu. when I typed "/Applications" it just said something like "Applications is a directory" and didn't show the contents or anything

You didn't happen to simply remove the application from the dock?

in the terminal, just type:

ls -l /Applications

or (to look for Mail):

ls -l /Applications | grep -i mail

 

[Knocksious]

>Did you unlock the configuration dialog, so you're allowed to make changes?

Yes

>Does it only happen on that movie or any other you try to play?
any .avi


>You didn't happen to simply remove the application from the dock?
heh, nope. It is still "there" but it won't launch and the icon is that default "application" icon

>in the terminal, just type:
I did that and got:

-bash: 1s: command not found

 

[enouwee]

LS (lowercase)

 

[Knocksious]

haha

well it looks like it is still technically ON the hard drive, but it still isn't running

maybe it's time for the genius bar

 

[enouwee]

haha

well it looks like it is still technically ON the hard drive, but it still isn't running

maybe it's time for the genius bar

I guess, you joined this "club":
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1074178&tstart=0
Maybe monitor the thread on the Apple forums, as all your problems could have been caused by an update.


Try running the Mail application from the terminal. Does it output any error messages, like "Segmentation fault" ( ) or complain about missing or incompatible libraries?

Just type the following in the terminal (if I recall the filename correctly):

/Applications/Mail.app

 

[Knocksious]

I get this

-bash: /Applications/Mail.app: is a directory

 

[enouwee]

I get this

-bash: /Applications/Mail.app: is a directory

I guess I should have looked more carefully at the output

The executable seems to be located here:

/Applications/Mail.app/Contents/MacOS/Mail

If that's not the case, try to locate all the executables within that directory and the one that comes closest to "Mail":

find /Applications/Mail.app -type f -executable

 

[Knocksious]

this is how the whole dialog went

BIHG-IMAC:~ jerrydreessen$ /Applications/Mail.app/Contents/MacOS/Mail
-bash: /Applications/Mail.app/Contents/MacOS/Mail: Input/output error
BIHG-IMAC:~ jerrydreessen$ find /Applications/Mail.app -type f -executable
find: -executable: unknown expression primary
BIHG-IMAC:~ jerrydreessen$

 

[enouwee]

this is how the whole dialog went

BIHG-IMAC:~ jerrydreessen$ /Applications/Mail.app/Contents/MacOS/Mail
-bash: /Applications/Mail.app/Contents/MacOS/Mail: Input/output error

That I/O error doesn't look good at all. Two hints have been given so far in the Apple forums: one suggests an application called "Cocktail", the other backing up the data and restoring the OS.

I'd rather contact Apple Support first: mention that "Input/Output error". If a recent update/patch is involved, they'll be able to provide a solution. Your Mac didn't crash recently, possibly ending up with a partially corrupted filesystem?

BIHG-IMAC:~ jerrydreessen$ find /Applications/Mail.app -type f -executable
find: -executable: unknown expression primary
BIHG-IMAC:~ jerrydreessen$ [/CODE]

Oh well, the BSD tools aren't as complete as the Linux ones.