Archive-name: macintosh/general-faq Version: 2.1.3 Last-modified:  April 16, 1993  Copyright 1993, Elliotte Harold   Changes:  	2.1: Where can I FTP Macintosh software?  		I added the ftp site anl.anl.fr.       2.5: What is .bin?  .hqx?  .cpt?  .image? .etc.?      	Disk Doubler will decode Packit archives.  Binhex 5.0     	will decode MacBinary files, NOT StuffIt files as the     	last version erroneously indicated.     	     2.7: I added the question            How can I get Binhex, StuffIt etc. from a PC?                                   comp.sys.mac.faq           Part 1: An Introduction to the Macintosh Newsgroups   I.   Introduction       1. How do I use this document?       2. What other information is available?       3. Which newsgroup should I post to?       4. Someone just asked why the System was taking up sixteen        megabytes on their IIcx.  Shouldn't I display my knowledge        to the world by posting the seventeenth response to        their question? II.  FTP       1. Where can I FTP Macintosh software?       2. Can I get shareware by E-mail?       3. Where can I find Application X?       4. Can someone mail me Application X?       5. What is .bin?  .hqx?  .cpt?  .image? .etc.?       6. How can I get BinHex?  StuffIt?  etc.?       7. How can I get BinHex, StuffIt, etc. from a PC? III.  Troubleshooting.  What to do when things go wrong       1. Identify the problem.       2. Read the READ ME file.       3. Check for viruses.       4. Reinstall the application and all its support files.       5. Reinstall the system software.       6. Isolate the problem.       7. Contact technical support. IV.  Preventive Maintenance       1. Trash Unneeded Files       2. Reevaluate Your Extensions       3. Rebuild the desktop.       4. Zap the PRAM and Reset the Clock       5. Resize the system heap.       6. Reinstall the system software.       7. Disk Utilities       8. Backing Up        9. Disk Defragmentation      10. Reformatting and partitioning your hard disk  Other FAQ lists currently available:  B.    comp.sys.mac.system:  I.   Memory       1. Why is my system using so much memory?       2. What is Mode 32?  the 32-bit enabler?  Do I need them?       3. Cache and Carry (How much memory should I allot to my cache?) II.  System Software       1. Why does Apple charge for System 7.1?       2. What does System 7.1 give me for my $35 that System 7.0 doesn't?       3. Where can I get System 7.1?       4. How can I use System 6 on a System 7 only Mac?        5. Non-US scripts and systems       6. What is System 7 Tuneup?  Do I need it?       7. Why do my DA's disappear when I turn on MultiFinder?       8. Do I need System 7.0.1?       9. How can I get System 7.0.1 on 800K disks? III. Hard Disks, Filesharing, and the File System       1. Help! My folder disappeared!       2. Why can't I throw this folder away?       3. Why can't I share my removable drive?       4. Why can't I eject this SyQuest cartridge?  CD-ROM?  etc.       5. Why can't I rename my hard disk? IV.  Miscellaneous:       1. What does System Error XXX mean?       2. What is a Type 1 error?       3. What is A/ROSE?       4. Easy Access or One Answer, Many Questions   C.    comp.sys.mac.misc:  I.   Viruses       1. Help!  I have a virus!       2. Reporting new viruses II.  Printing and PostScript       1.  How do I make a PostScript file?       2.  How do I print a PostScript file?       3.  Why won't my PostScript file print on my mainframe's printer?       4.  Why are my PostScript files so big?       5.  How can I print PostScript on a non-PostScript printer?       6.  How do I make my ImageWriter II print in color?       7.  Why doesn't PrintMonitor work with the ImageWriter?       8.  Why did my document change when I printed it?       9.  How can I preview a PostScript file?       10. How do I edit a PostScript file? III. DOS and the Mac       1. How can I move files between a Mac and a PC?       2. How can I translate files to a DOS format?       3. Should I buy SoftPC or a real PC? IV.  Security       1. How can I prevent users from changing the contents of a folder?       2. How can I password protect my Mac? V.   No particular place to go  (Miscellaneous Miscellanea)       1. Are there any good books about the Mac?       2. How do I take a picture of the screen?       3. How do I use a picture for my desktop?       4. Can I Replace the "Welcome to Macintosh" box with a picture?       5. What is AutoDoubler? SpaceSaver? More Disk Space?  Are they safe?       6. How do they compare to TimesTwo, Stacker and eDisk?       7. Where did my icons go?       8. Where can I find a user group?        This work is Copyright 1993 by Elliotte M. Harold.  Permission   is hereby granted to distribute this unmodified document provided   that no fee in excess of normal on-line charges is required for   such distribution.  Portions of this document may be extracted and   quoted free of charge and without necessity of citation in normal   on-line communication provided only that said quotes are not   represented as the correspondent's original work.  Permission for   quotation of this document in printed material and edited on-line   communication  (such as the Info-Mac Digest and TidBITS) is given   subject to normal citation procedures (i.e. you have to say where   you got it).         Disclaimer:  I do my best to ensure that information contained    in this document is current and accurate, but I can accept no   responsibility for actions resulting from information contained   herein.  This document is provided as is and with no warranty of    any kind.  Corrections and suggestions should be addressed to   erh0362@tesla.njit.edu.         Apple, Macintosh, LaserWriter, ImageWriter, Finder, HyperCard and   MultiFinder are registered trademarks and PowerBook is a trademark   of Apple Computer, Inc.  Linotronic is a registered trademark of   Linotype-Hell AG, Inc.  PostScript is a registered trademark and   Illustrator and Photoshop are trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc.    Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.    PageMaker is a registered trademark of Aldus Corp.  AutoDoubler    and DiskDoubler are trademarks of Fifth Generation Systems, Inc.    StuffIt and StuffIt Deluxe are trademarks of Raymond Lau and   Aladdin Systems, Inc.  StuffIt SpaceSaver is a trademark of Aladdin   Systems, Inc.  More Disk Space is a trademark of Alysis Software   Corporation.  TimesTwo is a trademark of Golden Triangle Computers,   Inc.  UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T.  All other tradenames   are trademarks of their respective manufacturers.          This is the FIRST part of the this FAQ.  The second part is    posted to comp.sys.mac.system and features many questions about   system  software.  The third part is posted every two weeks in   comp.sys.mac.misc.  Tables of contents for those two pieces are   included above. Please familiarize  yourself with all three   sections of this document  before posting.              All pieces  are available for anonymous ftp from   rtfm.mit.edu (18.172.1.27) in the directory    pub/usenet/news.answers/macintosh.  Except for this introductory   FAQ which appears in multiple newsgroups and is stored as   general-faq.Z, the name of each file has the format of the last   part of the group name followed by "-faq.Z", e.g the FAQ for   comp.sys.mac.system is stored as system-faq.Z and the FAQ for   comp.sys.mac.misc is stored as misc-faq.Z.  RTFM stores files as    compressed (.Z) BINARY files.  If you leave off the .Z at the end   of  the file name when "getting" the file, rtfm will automatically    decompress the file before sending it to you.  You can also have    these files mailed to you by sending an E-mail message to    mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the line:  send   pub/usenet/news.answers/macintosh/"name"  in the body text where   "name" is the name of the file you want as  specified above (e.g.   general-faq).  You can also send this server a message with the   subject "help" for more detailed instructions.            ====================   I HAVE A QUESTION...  (1.0)  ====================           Congratulations!  You've come to the right place.  Usenet is    a wonderful resource for information ranging from basic questions   (How do I lock a floppy disk?) to queries that would make Steve   Jobs himself run screaming from the room in terror.  (I used   ResEdit to remove resources Init #11, WDEF 34, and nVIR 17 from my   system file and used the Hex Editor to add code string #A67B45 as a   patch to the SFGetFile routine so the Standard File Dialog Box   would be a nice shade of mauve.  Everything worked fine until I   installed SuperCDevBlaster, and now when I use the Aldus driver to   print from PageMaker 5.0d4 to a Linotronic 6000 my system hangs.    P.S.  I'm running System 6.0.2 on a PowerBook 170.)            Since the Macintosh newsgroups are medium to high volume, we   ask that you first peruse this FAQ list including at least the   table of contents for the other pieces of it, check any other   relevant on-line resources listed below in question 1.2, especially   the FAQ lists for the other Macintosh newsgroups, and RTFM (Read   the Friendly Manual) before posting your question.  We realize that   you are personally incensed that the System is taking up fourteen   of your newly-installed twenty megs of RAM, but this question has   already made its way around the world three hundred times before,   and it's developing tired feet.  Finally, before posting to any   newsgroup (Macintosh or otherwise), please familiarize yourself   with the basic etiquette of Usenet as described in the newsgroup   news.announce.newusers.    HOW DO I USE THIS DOCUMENT?  WHERE CAN I GET IT?  (1.1)                 comp.sys.mac.faq is currently divided into multiple pieces,   a general introduction which you're reading now, and specific lists   for the newsgroups comp.sys.mac.system and comp.sys.mac.misc.  FAQ   lists for comp.sys.mac.wanted, comp.sys.mac.apps and   comp.sys.mac.hardware are in development.  When ready each part   will be available in its respective newsgroup.  All pieces are   available via anonymous ftp from rtfm.mit.edu in the   pub/usenet/news.answers/macintosh directory. Except for this   document itself which is named general-faq.Z the pieces are named   as per the last part of the newsgroup they cover  followed by   "-faq", e.g. system-faq.Z, misc-faq.Z.  The .Z means the  file is   stored compressed so you'll need to ftp it in binary mode and use   either MacCompress, StuffIt Deluxe, or the UNIX uncompress command    to decompress it.  However if you leave off the ".Z" extension when    you "get" the file, rtfm will automatically decompress the file   before sending it to you.              This introductory document is posted to all of the concerned   newsgroups.  The tables of contents for each of the specific FAQ   lists are at the beginning of this file so you should be able to   get  at least some idea whether your question is answered anywhere   else in the FAQ even if you don't have the other parts at hand.    It's not always obvious, especially to newcomers, where a   particular question or comment should be posted.  Please   familiarize yourself with the FAQ lists in all the major Macintosh   newsgroups before posting in any of them.  Which questions appear   in which FAQs can serve as a basic guide to what posts belong   where.              To jump to a particular question search for   section-number.question-number enclosed in parentheses.  For   example to find "Where can I FTP Macintosh software?" search for   the string  "(2.1)".  To jump to a section instead of a question   use a zero for  the question number.    WHAT OTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE?  (1.2)        comp.sys.mac.faq provides short answers to a number of    frequently asked questions appropriate for the Usenet newsgroup   comp.sys.mac.misc and comp.sys.mac.system.  Four other files are   worthy of particular note: Daryl Spitzer maintains a FAQ list   covering Macintosh programming for the newsgroup   comp.sys.mac.programmer.  It's posted to that group weekly and    available for anonymous ftp from ftp.cs.uoregon (128.223.8.8) in    /pub/mac.  Eric Rosen maintains a frequently asked questions list    for comp.sys.mac.comm available in that newsgroup and from   rascal.ics.utexas.edu in mac/faq (where the file you're reading now   is also irregularly archived).  This list answers many frequently   asked questions about networking, UNIX and the Mac,   telecommunications, and foreign file formats.  Norm Walsh has   compiled an excellent FAQ for comp.fonts that answers a lot of   questions about the various kinds of fonts and cross-platform   conversion and printing.  It's available in comp.fonts or by ftp   from ibis.cs.umass.edu in /pub/norm/comp.fonts/FAQ*.  Finally Jim   Jagielski maintains a FAQ for comp.unix.aux covering Apple's UNIX   environment, A/UX.  It's posted every 2 to 3 weeks in comp.unix.aux   and news.answers. It's available for anonymous ftp at   jagubox.gsfc.nasa.gov.    WHICH NEWSGROUP SHOULD I POST TO?  (1.3)          There are no stupid questions, but there are misplaced ones.    You wouldn't ask your English teacher how to do the definite   integral  of ln x between zero and one, would you?  So don't ask   the programmer newsgroup why your system is so slow when Microsoft   Word is in the background.  Ignorance of basic netiquette is not an   excuse. If you want people to help you, you need to learn their   ways of  communicating.            Posting questions to the proper newsgroup will fill your   mailbox with pearls of wisdom (and maybe a few rotten oysters too   :-) ).  Posting to the wrong newsgroup often engenders a thundering   silence.  For instance the most common and glaring mispost, one   that seems as incongruous to dwellers in the Macintosh regions of   Usenet as would a purple elephant to Aleuts in the Arctic, asking a   question about networking anywhere except comp.sys.mac.comm,   normally produces no useful responses.  Posting the same question   to comp.sys.mac.comm ensures that your post is read and considered   by dozens of experienced network administrators and not a few   network software designers.             Please post to exactly ONE newsgroup.  Do not cross-post.    If a question isn't important enough for you to take the extra   minute to figure out where it properly belongs, it's not important   enough for several thousand people to spend their time reading.    For the same reason comp.sys.mac.misc should not be used as a   catch-all newsgroup.             The breakdown of questions between different newsgroups in   this document can also serve as a reasonable guide to what belongs   where.  Specifically questions about productivity applications   (software you bought your Macintosh to run, not software you bought   to make your Macintosh run better) should go to comp.sys.mac.apps   unless the application is covered in a more specific newsgroup.    Communications programs, games, HyperCard, compilers and databases   all have more topical comp.sys.mac.* newsgroups.  Post questions   about non-communications hardware including questions about what   software is necessary to make particular hardware work to   comp.sys.mac.hardware.  Questions about MacOS system software   belong in comp.sys.mac.system.  Questions about utilities and   extensions normally belong in comp.sys.mac.misc.  Questions about   A/UX go to comp.unix.aux.  Detailed questions about Appletalk   belong in comp.protocols.appletalk.             Direct questions about HyperCard to comp.sys.mac.hypercard.    Non-HyperCard programming questions and questions about development   environments should go to comp.sys.mac.programmer.  ResEdit   questions may be posted either to comp.sys.mac.misc,   comp.sys.mac.system, or comp.sys.mac.programmer; but generally the   netters who inhabit the darker recesses of comp.sys.mac.programmer   are considerably more practiced at the art of resource hacking.              A general exception to the above rules is that any VERY   technical question about an application that actually begins to   delve into the how's of a program as well as the what's (Recent   example: How does WriteNow which is written entirely in assembly   compare to other word processors written in high level languages?)   might be better addressed to the programmer newsgroup.               For Sale and Want to Buy posts should go to   comp.sys.mac.wanted and misc.forsale.computers.mac ONLY.  We   understand that you're desperate to sell your upgraded 128K Mac to   get the $$ for a PowerBook 180; but trust me, anyone who wants to   buy it will be reading comp.sys.mac.wanted.  Political and   religious questions (The Mac is better than Windows! Is not! Is   too! Is not! Is too! Hey! How 'bout the Amiga! What about it? Is   Not! Is too!) belong in comp.sys.mac.advocacy.  Anything not   specifically mentioned above probably belongs in comp.sys.mac.misc.             Finally don't be so provincial as to consider only the   comp.sys.mac newsgroups the appropriate forums for your questions.    Many questions about modems in comp.sys.mac.comm are much more   thoroughly discussed in comp.dcom.modems.  Questions about Mac MIDI   are often better handled in comp.music even though it's not a   Macintosh specific newsgroup.  Shop around.  Usenet's a big place   and not everything relevant to the Macintosh happens in   comp.sys.mac.    4. SOMEONE JUST ASKED WHY THE SYSTEM WAS TAKING UP SIXTEEN OF  THEIR  TWENTY MEGABYTES OF RAM.  SHOULDN'T I PUT MY BRILLIANCE AND  WIT ON  DISPLAY FOR THE WORLD BY POSTING THE SEVENTEENTH RESPONSE?        No.  Frequent answers are just as boring and uninteresting as   frequent questions.  Unless you really have something new to add to   the traditional answers (such as the recent discovery that fonts in   System 7.1 could eat memory) private E-mail is a much better medium   for answering common questions like this one.              You might want to add a mention of this FAQ in your E-mail   response and a polite suggestion that your correspondent read it   before posting future questions.  I do read all the newsgroups   covered here and have written a small script in MicroPhone II that   lets me send PWFAQ's (people with frequently asked questions) the   section of this document that answers their question with just the   click of a button so please don't feel obligated to respond to   someone who cares so little about the answer to their question they   can't be troubled to read the FAQ list to get it.         ===   FTP  (2.0)   ===   WHERE CAN I FTP MAC SOFTWARE?  (2.1)        The three major North American Internet archives of shareware,   freeware, and demo software are sumex-aim.stanford.edu (36.44.0.6),   mac.archive.umich.edu (141.211.165.41), and wuarchive.wustl.edu   (128.252.135.4) which mirrors the other two sites and several   others. Wuarchive often holds on to files after other sites remove   them for space concerns, and still has files that were deleted from   the formerly important site, rascal.ics.utexas.edu.  Rascal was   notable for storing its files in MacBinary format rather than the   less efficient BinHex format common at the other archives.  Unless   otherwise noted shareware and freeware mentioned in this document   should be available at the above sites.           To keep traffic on the Internet manageable, Scandinavians    should try connecting to ftp.funet.fi (128.214.6.100), ftp.lth.se   (130.235.20.3), or sics.se (192.16.123.90) instead.  Those in    the U.K. should look first at src.doc.ic.ac.uk (146.169.2.1).    Continental Europeans can try nic.switch.ch (130.59.1.40),     ezinfo.ethz.ch (129.132.2.72), and anl.anl.fr(192.54.179.1).    Australian users should try to find what they want at archie.au   (139.130.4.6) which mirrors info-mac and mac.archive.  Japanese   users will find sumex mirrored at ftp.u-tokyo.ac.jp   (130.69.254.254).            A fourth very important site is ftp.apple.com (130.43.2.3).    This is Apple's semi-official repository for system software,   developer tools, source code, technical notes, and other things   that come more or less straight from Apple's mouth.  Some material   at this site may not be distributed outside the U.S. or by other   sites that don't have an official license to distribute Apple   system software.  Please read the various README documents   available at ftp.apple.com for the detailed info if you're   connecting from outside the U.S. or if you wish to redistribute   material you find here.    CAN I GET SHAREWARE BY E-MAIL?  (2.2)        The info-mac archives at sumex-aim are available by E-mail from   LISTSERV@RICEVM1.bitnet (alternately listserv@ricevm1.rice.edu).    The listserver responds to the commands $MACARCH HELP, $MACARCH   INDEX, and $MACARCH GET filename.  Mac archive files are available   from mac@mac.archive.umich.edu.  Send it a message containing the   words "help" and "index" (no quotes) on the first two lines of your   message for instructions on getting started and a list of the files   you may request.  You can retrieve files from other sites by using   the server at ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com.  For details send it a   message with just the text "help" (no quotes).    WHERE CAN I FIND APPLICATION X?  (2.3)        If you can't find what you're looking for at one of the above   sites, try telnetting to your nearest archie server or sending it   an E-mail message addressed to archie with the subject "help."    Archie servers are located at archie.rutgers.edu (128.6.18.15,   America), archie.mcgill.ca (132.206.2.3, the original archie server   in Canada), archie.au (139.130.4.6, Australia), archie.funet.fi   (128.214.6.100, Scandinavia), and archie.doc.ic.ac.uk (146.169.3.7,   the U.K. and the continent).  These sites index the tens of   thousands of files available for anonymous ftp.  Login as "archie"   (no password is needed) and type "prog filename" to find what   you're looking for or type "help" for more detailed instructions.    For instance you would type "prog Disinfectant" to search for a   convenient ftp site for Disinfectant.  If the initial search fails   to turn up the file you want, try variations on and substrings of   the name.  For instance if you didn't find Disinfectant with "prog   Disinfectant", you might try "prog disi" instead.  Substring   searches often hide the gold in a pile of dross.  To avoid many   erroneous matches add a ".*\.hqx" to the end of the substring, e.g.   "prog disi.*\.hqx"  Most Mac software available on the net ends in   .hqx but almost no UNIX or PC software does.            Please check the above archives and ARCHIE personally BEFORE   asking where you can find a particular piece of shareware.  If you   follow the above advice, you should almost never have to ask the   net where to find a particular piece of software.    CAN SOMEONE MAIL ME APPLICATION X?  (2.4)        No.  Nor will anyone mail you a part of a file from   comp.binaries.mac that was corrupt or missed at your site.  Please   refer to the first questions in this section to find out about   anonymous FTP, archie, and automatic E-mail servers.    WHAT IS .BIN? .HQX? .CPT? .ETC?  (2.5)        Most files available by FTP are modified twice to allow them to   more easily pass through foreign computer systems.  First they're   compressed to make them faster to download, and then they're   translated to either a binhex (.hqx) or MacBinary (.bin) format   that other computers can digest.  (The Macintosh uses a special   two-fork filing system that chokes most other computers.)  BinHex   files are 7-bit ASCII text files, while MacBinary files are pure   8-bit binary data that must always be transferred using a binary   protocol.             How a file has been translated and compressed for   transmission is indicated by its suffix.  Normally a file will have   a name something like filename.xxx.yyy.  .xxx indicates how it was   compressed and .yyy indicates how it was translated.  To use a file   you've FTP'd and downloaded to your Mac you'll need to reverse the   process.  Most files you get from the net require a two-step   decoding process.  First change the binhex (.hqx) or MacBinary   (.bin) file to a double-clickable Macintosh file; then decompress   it.  Which programs decode which file types is covered in the table   below.  Also note that most Macintosh telecommunications programs   will  automatically convert MacBinary files to regular Macintosh   files as they are downloaded.  *************************************************************************** Suffix:      .sit  .cpt  .hqx  .bin  .pit  .Z  .image  .dd  .zip .uu  .tar  Extractors -------------------------------------------------------------------------- StuffIt 3.0|   X     X     X     X     X                   Compact Pro|         X     X  Packit     |                           X UUTool     |                                                      X  MacCompress|                                X  SunTar     |               X     X     X                                X  BinHex 5.0 |                     X  BinHex 4.0 |               X  DiskDoubler|                           X                X  UnZip      |                                                   X  DiskCopy   |                                     X  macutil    |         X     X           X                X ***************************************************************************       A few notes on the decompressors:        StuffIt is a family of products that use several different   compression schemes.  The freeware StuffIt Expander will unstuff   all of them.  Versions of StuffIt earlier than 3.0 (StuffIt 1.5.1,   StuffIt Classic, UnStuffIt, and StuffIt Deluxe 2.0 and 1.0) will   not unstuff the increasing number of files stuffed by StuffIt 3.0.    You need to get a more recent version of StuffIt or StuffIt   Expander.                StuffIt 3.0.5 (Lite and Deluxe) consistently makes smaller   archives than any other Macintosh compression utility.  To allow   maximum space for files on the various ftp sites and to keep   net-bandwidth down, please compress all files you send to anonymous   ftp sites with StuffIt 3.0.5.              UUTool, MacCompress, and SunTar handle the popular UNIX   formats of  uuencode (.uu), compress (.Z), and tar (.tar)   respectively.  The UNIX versions are often more robust than the Mac   products, so use them instead when that's an  option.  Translators   that allow StuffIt Lite to expand uuencoded and tar files are also   available by anonymous ftp.              Macutil is dik winter's package of UNIX utilities to   decompress and debinhex files on a workstation before downloading   them to a Mac. Since UNIX stores files differently than does the   Mac, macutil creates MacBinary (.bin) files which should be   automatically converted on download.  It can't decompress   everything. In particular it can't decompress the new StuffIt 3.0   archives. :-(  However, if you need only one or two files out of an   archive--for instance if you want to read the README to find out if   a program does what you need it to do before you download all of   it--macutil is indispensable.  It can be found at sumex-aim in the   info-mac/unix directory.       A few notes on the compression formats:        .bin:  These are MacBinary files.  Always use a binary file   transfer protocol when transferring them, never ASCII or text.    Most files on the net are stored as .hqx instead.  Only rascal   stores most of its files in .bin format.  Most communications   programs such as ZTerm and MacKermit are capable of translating   MacBinary files on the fly as they download if they know in advance   they'll be downloading MacBinary files.          .image: This format is normally used only for system software,   so that on-line users can download files that can easily be   converted into exact copies of the installer floppies.  Instead of   using DiskCopy to restore the images to floppies, you can use Steve   Christensen's freeware utility  MountImage to treat the images on   your hard disk as actual floppies inserted in a floppy drive.    MountImage has a reputation for being buggy, so you should have   some blank floppies and a copy of DiskCopy handy just in case.          .sea (.x, .X):  .sea files don't merit a position in the above   table because they're self-extracting.  They may have been created   with Compact Pro, StuffIt, or even DiskDoubler; but all should be   capable of decompressing themselves when double-clicked.  For some   unknown reason Alysis has chosen not to use this industry standard   designation for self-extracting archives created with their    payware products SuperDisk! and More Disk Space.  Instead they    append either .x or .X to self-extracting archives.    HOW CAN I GET BINHEX?  STUFFIT?  ETC.?  (2.6)        By far the easiest way to get these programs is to ask a human   being to copy them onto a floppy for you.  If you're at a   university there's absolutely no excuse for not finding someone to   give you a copy; and if you're anywhere less remote than McMurdo   Sound, chances are very good that someone at a computer center,   dealership, or user group can provide you with a copy of StuffIt.    Once you have StuffIt (any version) you don't need BinHex.               If you're such a computer geek that the thought of actually   asking a living, breathing human being instead of a computer    terminal for something turns you into a quivering mass of    protoplasmic jelly, you can probably download a working copy  of   StuffIt from a local bulletin board system.              If you have religious objections to software gotten by any    means other than anonymous ftp, then I suppose I'll mention that    you can in fact ftp a working copy of StuffIt though this is by    far the hardest way to get it.  Ftp to wuarchive.wustl.edu and    login.  Type the word "binary."  Hit return.  Type "cd   mirrors/rascal.ics.utexas.edu/compression" and hit return.  Then   "get StuffIt_Expander_1.0.1_SEA_bin"  and hit return.  Of course   it's always possible that by the time you read this StuffIt   Expander will have been updated and the name changed so if this   fails look for something similar.  If you've ftp'd straight onto   your Mac you should now have a self-extracting archive which will   produce a working copy of StuffIt Expander when double-clicked.  If   you've ftp'd to your mainframe or UNIX account first, you still   need to use a modem program to download it to your Mac.  Just make   sure that the Mac is receiving in MacBinary mode and the mainframe   is sending in binary mode.  If you need more details on the last   step, consult the FAQ list for comp.sys.mac.comm and the manuals   for both your mainframe and Macintosh telecommunications software.         HOW CAN I GET BINHEX, STUFFIT, ETC. FROM A PC?  (2.7)         You can't.  There is absolutely NO way to get an executable   Macintosh file from an ftp site onto a PC and then onto your Mac   without some software obtained by means other than anonymous ftp.   You MUST beg, borrow, or steal the necessary software such as   Binhex or StuffIt Lite from another person.  I realize this may    terrify those among you who haven't left your parents' basement    since you got an  Apple II+ in 1980, but eventually you're going    to need to link up with some human being other than your mother.     (though I suppose if you're this much of  a nerd you could send    your mother out to get it for you.)  While you're gathering   your nerves for a venture into the strange and terrifying world    of daylight, please don't bother the net by asking this question   again.  There simply is no way to move executable Macintosh   programs from a PC or other non-Macintosh computer onto a    Mac without software that is not bundled with most Macs.    ================================================================= TROUBLESHOOTING: WHAT TO DO (BEFORE POSTING) WHEN THINGS GO WRONG (3.0) =================================================================            While the various FAQ lists cover a lot of specific   problems, there are far more problems that aren't covered here.    These are a few basic techniques you should follow before asking   for help.  You should probably also perform the ten-step   preventative maintenance routine described in section four,   especially rebuilding the desktop (4.3) and resizing the system   heap (4.5).  Following these steps may  or may not solve your   problem, but it will at least make it easier  for others to   recommend solutions to you.   IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM.  (3.1)        "Microsoft Word is crashing" doesn't say much.  What were you   doing when it crashed?  Can you repeat the actions that lead to the   crash?  The more information you provide about the actions   preceding the crash the more likely it is someone can help you.    The more precisely you've identified the problem and the actions   preceding it (Step 1) the easier it will be to tell if the   following steps fix the problem.  For example, "Sometimes   QuarkXPress 3.0 crashes with a coprocessor not installed error." is   not nearly as helpful as "QuarkXPress 3.0 crashes when I link two   text boxes on a master page when copies of those text boxes already   contain text."  The former will leave you wondering whether the bug   remains after a given step.  The latter lets you go right to the   problem and see if it's still there or not.    READ THE READ ME FILE.  (3.2)        Many companies include a list of known incompatibilities and   bugs in their READ ME files.  Often these aren't documented in the   manual. Read any READ ME files to see if any of the problems sound   familiar.    CHECK FOR VIRUSES.  (3.3)        Run Disinfectant or another anti-viral across your disk.  Virus   infections are rarer than most people think, but they do occur and   they do cause all sorts of weird problems when they do.    REINSTALL THE APPLICATION AND ALL ITS SUPPORT FILES.  (3.4)              For half a dozen reasons (external magnetic fields,   improperly written software, the alignment of the planets) a file   on a disk may not contain the data it's supposed to contain.  This   can cause all types of unexplained, unusual behavior.  Restoring   from original masters will normally fix this.    REINSTALL THE SYSTEM SOFTWARE.  (3.5)          Bits are even more likely to get twiddled in the system file   than in the application and the effects can be just as disastrous.    See question 4.6 for a detailed procedure for performing a  clean   reinstall.              If the problem continues to occur after you've taken these   steps, chances are you've found either a conflict between your   application and some other software or a genuine bug in the   program.  So it's time to    ISOLATE THE PROBLEM.  (3.6)              You need to find the minimal system on which the problem   will assert itself.  Here are the basic steps of isolating the   cause of a system or application crash:         a.	Run only one application at a time. Occasionally applications do      conflict with each other.  If the problem does not manifest itself      without other applications running simultaneously, you can begin      launching other applications until you find the one that causes       the crash.            b.	If you're running System 6, turn off MultiFinder.  If you're      running System 7, allot as much memory to the application as you       can afford.  Sometimes programs just need more memory, especially       when performing complicated operations.            c. If you're running System 7, turn off virtual memory and 32-bit      addressing.  There's still an awful lot of System 7 hostile      software out there including some from companies that really       have no excuse.  (Can you say Microsoft Word 5.1, boys and girls?        I knew you could.)  Some of this software only expresses its       incompatibilities when certain uncommon actions are taken.            d.	Boot from a virgin system floppy.  If the problem disappears      you likely have an init conflict.  You need to progressively remove      extensions until the problem vanishes.  Use a little common sense      when choosing the first extensions to remove.  If the problem occurs      when you try to open a file, remove any inits that mess with the      Standard File Open procedure such as Super Boomerang first.  If the      problem remains after the obvious candidates have been eliminated,      either remove the remaining extensions one at a time or, if you have      a lot of them, perform a binary search by removing half of the      extensions at a time.  Once the problem disappears add half of the      most recently removed set back.  Continue until you've narrowed the      conflict down to one extension.  When you think you've found the      offending init restart with only that init enabled just to make       sure that it and it alone is indeed causing the problem.    CONTACT TECHNICAL SUPPORT.  (3.7)        By now you should have a very good idea of when, where, and why   the conflict occurs.  If a tech support number is available for the   software, call it.  If you're lucky the company will have a work   around or fix available.  If not, perhaps they'll at least add the   bug to their database of problems to be fixed in the next release.         ======================   PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE  (4.0)  ======================        You wouldn't drive your car 100,000 miles without giving it a   tune-up.  A computer is no different.  Regular tune-ups avoid a lot   of problems.  Although there are Mac mechanics who'll be happy to   charge you $75 or more for the equivalent of an oil change, there's   no reason you can't change it yourself.  The following nine-step   program should be performed about every three months.     TRASH UNNEEDED FILES  (4.1)        Many of the operations that follow will run faster and more   smoothly the more free disk space there is to work with so spend a   little time cleaning up your hard disk.  If you're at all like me,   you'll find several megabytes worth of preferences files for   applications you no longer have, archives of software you've   dearchived, shareware you tried out and didn't like, announcements   for events that have come and gone and many other files you no   longer need.  If you're running System 7 you may also have several   more megabytes in your trash can alone.  Throw them away and empty    the trash.    RETHINK YOUR EXTENSIONS  (4.2)        Some Macintoshes attract inits like a new suit attracts rain.    Seriously consider whether you actually need every extension    in your collection.  If you don't use the functionality of an   extension at least every fifth time you boot up, you're probably   better off not storing it in your System Folder where it only takes   up memory, destabilizes your system, and slows down every startup.    For instance if you only read PC disks once a month, there's no   need to keep AccessPC loaded all the time.  Cutting back on your   extension habit can really help avoid crashes.     REBUILD THE DESKTOP  (4.3)        The Desktop file/database holds all the information necessary   to associate each file with the application that created it.  It   lets the system know what application should be launched when you   open a given file and what icons it should display where.    Depending on its size each application has one or more   representatives in the desktop file.  As applications and files   move on and off your hard disk, the Desktop file can be become   bloated and corrupt.  Think of it as a Congress for your Mac.    Every so often it's necessary to throw the bums out and start with   a clean slate.  Fortunately it's easier to rebuild the desktop than   to defeat an incumbent.              One warning: rebuilding the desktop will erase all comments   you've stored in the Get Info boxes.  Under System 7 Maurice   Volaski's freeware init CommentKeeper will retain those comments   across a rebuild.  CommentKeeper also works with System 6 but only    if Apple's Desktop Manager extension is also installed.              To rebuild the desktop restart your Mac and, as your   extensions finish loading, depress the Command and Option keys.    You'll be presented with a dialog box asking if you want to rebuild   the desktop and warning you that "This could take a few minutes."    Click OK. It will take more than a few minutes. The more files you   have the longer it will take.  If you're running System 6 you may   want to turn off MultiFinder before trying to rebuild the desktop.               If you're experiencing definite problems and not just doing   preventive maintenance, you may want to use Fifth Generation's   freeware init Desktop Reset.  Desktop Reset completely deletes the   Desktop file before rebuilding it, thus eliminating possibly   corrupt data structures.        ZAP THE PRAM AND RESET THE CLOCK  (4.4)        All Macs from the original 128K Thin Mac to the Quadra 950   contain a small amount of battery powered RAM to hold certain   settings that properly move with the CPU rather than with the disk   such as which disk to boot from.  Unfortunately this "parameter   RAM" can become corrupted and cause unexplained crashes.  To reset   it under System 7 hold down the Command, Option, P, and R keys   while restarting your Mac.  Under System 6 hold down the Command,   Option, and Shift keys while selecting the Control Panel from the   Apple menu. Click Yes when asked if you want to zap the parameter   RAM.  Since you've erased almost all the settings in the General   Control Panel, you should now reset them to whatever you want.              The one setting that zapping the PRAM does not erase is the    date and time; but since the internal clock in the Macintosh is   notoriously inaccurate you'll probably want to take this   opportunity to reset it anyway.    RESIZE THE SYSTEM HEAP  (4.5)         Even after rethinking their extensions as per step two most   people still have at least half a row of icons march across the   bottom of their screen every time they restart.  All these   extensions (and most applications too) need space in a section of   memory called the System Heap.  If the System Heap isn't big enough   to comfortably accommodate all the programs that want a piece of   it, they all start playing King of the Mountain on the system heap,   knocking each other off to get bigger pieces for themselves and   trying to climb back on after they get knocked off.  All this   fighting amongst the programs severely degrades system performance   and almost inevitably crashes the Mac.             If you're using System 7, your Macintosh will automatically   resize the system heap as necessary; but if you're running System 6   it's important to set your system heap size large enough to manage   all your extensions and applications.  By default this size is set   to 128K, way too small for most Macs with any extensions at all.    The system heap size is stored in the normally non-editable boot   blocks of every system disk.  Bill Steinberg's freeware utility   BootMan not only lets you resize your system heap but even checks   how much memory your heap is already using so it can tell how much   needs to be allocated.  If you're running System 6, get BootMan,   use it, and be amazed at how infrequently your Macintosh crashes.    REINSTALL THE SYSTEM SOFTWARE  (4.6)        System files can become corrupt and fragmented, especially if   you've stored lots of fonts and desk accessories inside them.    Merely updating the System software will often not fix system file   corruption.  I recommend doing a clean reinstall.  Here's how:      1.  Boot from the installer floppy of your System disks.       2.  Copy any non-standard fonts and desk accessories out          of your System file into a temporary suitcase.     3.  Trash the System file on your hard disk.  Also trash the          Finder, MultiFinder, DA Handler, and all other standard Apple          extensions like Control Panel and Chooser.  These will all be          replaced in the new installation.  If you're running or          installing System 7, move everything in the Extensions,          Control Panels, and Preferences folders into the top level          of the System Folder.     4.  Rename the System Folder.  Any name other than System Folder          is  fine.     5.  Double-click the installer script on your System disk.  Then          choose Customize...  Select the appropriate software for your          model Mac and printer.  You could do an Easy Install instead,          but that will only add a lot of extensions and code you don't          need that waste your memory and disk space.     6.  Once installation is finished, move everything from the          temporary folder you created in step 4 into the new System          folder.  If you're asked if you want to replace anything, you          forgot to take something out in step 3.  You'll need to replace          things individually until you find the duplicate piece.      7.  Reinstall any fonts or DA's you removed in step 2.     8.  Reboot.  You should now have a clean, defragmented System file          that takes up less memory and disk space and a much more stable          system overall.        DISK UTILITIES  (4.7)        Much like system files hard disks have data structures that   occasionally become corrupted affecting performance and even   causing data loss.  Apple includes Disk First Aid, a simple utility   for detecting and repairing hard disk problems, with its System   disks. It's also available for anonymous ftp from ftp.apple.com in   the  directory dts/mac/sys.soft/hdsc.  Even if you have an earlier    version, you should get the latest version (7.1) from ftp.apple.com   and run it on all your hard disks.                Several companies have released payware disk utilities that   detect and repair considerably more problems than Disk First Aid   though, interestingly, none of them detect and repair everything   that Disk First Aid does.  The three most effective for general   work are Central Point's MacTools Deluxe 2.0, Fifth Generation's   Public Utilites, and Symantec's Norton Utilities for the Macintosh   2.0.  A department or work group should have all of these as well   as Disk First Aid since none of them fix everything the others do.    For individuals MacTools ($48 street) is about half the price of   Norton ($94 street) or Public Utilities ($98 street) so, features   and ease of use being roughly equal, I recommend MacTools.              All of these products occasionally encounter problems they   can't fix.  When that happens it's time to backup (4.7) and   reformat (4.9).        BACKING UP  (4.8)        This is one part of preventative maintenance that should be   done a LOT more often than every three months.  The simplest back   up is to merely copy all the files on your hard disk onto floppies   or other removable media.  If you keep your data files separate   from your application and support files then it's easy to only back   up those folders which change frequently.  Nonetheless every three   months you  should do a complete backup of your hard disk.              A number of programs are available to make backing up   easier.  Apple included a very basic full backup application with   System 6.  With the Performas Apple ships a new Apple Backup   utility that can backup the entire disk or just the System folder   onto floppies.  The previously mentioned Norton Utilities for the   Mac and MacTools Deluxe 2.0 include more powerful floppy backup   utilities that incorporate compression and incremental backups.             Finally if you're lucky enough to have a Tape Drive, network   server, or removable media device to use for backups, you should   check out the more powerful payware utilities Redux ($49 street,   doesn't support tape drives) and Diskfit Pro ($74 street).  There   are NO freely available backup utilities other than the old HD   Backup from System 6.      DISK DEFRAGMENTATION  (4.9)        As disks fill up it gets harder and harder to find enough free   space in the same place to write large files.  Therefore the   operating system will often split larger files into pieces to be   stored in different places on your hard disk.  As files become more   and more fragmented performance can degrade.  There are several   ways to defragment a hard disk.             The most tedious but cheapest method is to backup all your   files, erase the hard disk (and you might as well reformat while   you're at it.  See question 4.10.), and restore all the files.              A number of payware utilities including Norton Utilities for   the Mac and Mac Tools Deluxe can defragment a disk in place, i.e.   without erasing it.  Although the ads for all these products brag   about their safety, once you've bought the software and opened the   shrink-wrap they all warn you to back up your disk before   defragmenting it in case something does go wrong.  There are NO   freeware or shareware disk defragmenters so please don't annoy the   net by asking for one.     REFORMAT YOUR HARD DISK  (4.10)        Just as a floppy disk needs to be initialized before use, so a   hard disk must be formatted before it can hold data.  You don't   need to reformat every three months; but when your system is   crashing no matter what you try, reformatting is the ultimate means   of wiping the slate clean.  Reformatting your hard disk may even   gain you a few extra megabytes of space.  Not all hard disks are   created equal.  Some can hold more data than others.  To facilitate   mass production and advertising without a lot of asterisks (* 81.3   megabytes is the average formatted capacity.  Your mileage may   vary.)  Apple often formats drives to the lowest common denominator   of drive capacity.  When you reformat there's no reason at all not   to reclaim whatever unused space Apple's left on your disk.                Unlike floppies hard disks need a special program to   initialize them. Most hard disks come with formatting software.    Apple's disks and System software ship with HD SC setup, a minimal   disk formatter which will format Apple brand hard drives ONLY.    Most other manufacturers ship appropriate formatting software with   their hard drives.  Normally this will be all you need to reformat   your hard disk.             A number of general-purpose formatters are also available   which go beyond the bundled software to include features like   encryption, password protection, multiple partitioning, faster disk   access, System 7 compatibility, and even compression.  Two of the   best are the payware Drive7 and Hard Disk Toolkit Personal Edition   ($49 street for either).  While there are one or two freeware   formatters available, none are likely to be superior to the ones   bundled with your hard disk.              PowerBook users should be sure to turn off Sleep and   processor cycling before reformatting their hard drives no matter   what software they use.  Otherwise disk corruption, crashes, and   data losses are a very good possibility.