01. An option to set permanently; but, at least during the process of the following steps ...
Via the 'Apple' menu, select the 'System Preferences' menu item. The 'System Preferences...' window will appear. Click on 'Software Update', then the 'Update Software' tab. Finally, remove the check...
'... nor can I find it anywhere on my computer!' - the type of search(es) used was / were not specified; thus, based on the assumption that the 'Utilities' folder exists; but, has been relocated:
01. Locate and click on the 'Spotlight' icon on the upper right side of the menu bar. It looks...
Via 'Terminal' (in the '/Applications/Utilities/' folder), enter ...
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE; killall Finder
... and press the '<return>' key.
Naturally, using 'TinkerTool' is another option.
'... will this not cause loss of data ...' (?) - it should not.
'... is it safe to boot from disc ['Install Disc 1' assumed - barhar] this way without deleting picture and document files etc?' - it should be.
Also, the manufacturer of external FireWire device, its model number, and the manufacturer and model number of the actual hard disk drive, should have been provided. And one needs to know if the specific FireWire device is boot able - due to the 'chip set' incorporated.
Based on the provided...
01. Boot from the 'Install Disc 1' disc, and proceed past the first (select a language) window.
02. Select the 'Utilities, Disk Utility' menu item.
03. Click on the 'Repair Disk' button, and repeat - at least once.
04. Click on the 'Repair Disk Permissions' button, and repeat - at least once...
'... Superduper! ... backed up my startup hard drive to an external firewire ... hard drive, which ... should be bootable. But I can't get the computer to start from the external hard drive.' - missing information: Mac model, MacOS X version number, and SuperDuper! version number.
Quickly, if...
Here, 'iPhoto 6' v. 6.0.4 and "iPhoto '08" v. 7.1, do not have a 'Photos' toolbar icon.
However, I did note the following:
01. Select the desired photos.
02. Select 'iPhoto's 'Photos, Batch Change...' menu item ('Command <shift> B'); or, right button ('<control>' press, if using a single...
Consider launching 'Disk Utility' (in the '/Applications/Utilities/' folder), select the boot drives' icon (in the left side list), select the 'First Aid' tab; and finally, click on 'Repair Disk Permissions'.
When the process is completed, repeat (at least once); and then quite 'Disk...
You could ...
01. Select and copy the lines of code below.
set {tDisk, cr2_Ext, jpg_Ext} to {"EOS_DIGITAL", "CR2", "JPG"}
property hFolder : (POSIX path of (path to home folder) as string)
tell application "Finder"
if ((name of disks) contains tDisk) then
set tDisks to disks...
'Is there a way to permanantly unmount that partition?' - yes ...
01. Back up the contents of the hard disk drive.
02. Insert the 'Install Disc 1' (that came with the G4) or a retail copy of 'Tiger' (MacOS X 10.4), and boot the Mac via the disc.
03. Via the booted disc's 'Disk Utility' -...
01. Your friend (and not the only one) has had a first hand experience aspect of the incompetence of the 'Finder's development team.
02. Your friend, whether freaking out or not, should have never pulled the AC cord.
03. Since the type of the images was not explicitly stated, I would...
Correct - I did request that PBear upload the image(s) onto the internet so others could download such, and yes - such file(s) is / are / were needed; otherwise, I would not have asked for such.
And yes, it appears (via the pictorial, and original post entry) that the files are '.tif' (TIFF)...
'... thought about powering down, taking out the second drive and put in the new one and try to transfer that way [using 'SuperDuper' or 'CarbonCopyCloner'], then upgrade to the new OS.' - nice plan.
01. You could follow Hans777's 'Apple Discussions' suggestion.
02. You could provide the manufacturers' name, model number, and related web page - of the PS2 to USB adapter you have.
03. You could purchase any cheap non-Apple, non-Mac, USB keyboard. Naturally, you will have to switch the...
'I HAVE A MAC OS X 10.3.9. What is the next program after that?' - Any application that is compatible with MacOS X 10.3.9 ('Panther'), and the specifics (microprocessor frequency, RAM, video, disc drive, etc.) of the Macintosh it is installed on.