| Macintosh
Separation
Anxiety (MSA). We're here to find
solutions, improve
performance and lend support to all Mac users, especially those who
reside here in Nevada County. We are also sensitive to a unique
condition which only affects the Macintosh platform: Mac Separation
Anxiety. We operate quickly and efficiently to help alleviate any undue
suffering caused by MSA, and we know that servicing the machine is only
half the job; we'll get you back up and running, do our best to explain
what went wrong (if possible), and suggest improvements.
While nCity is not a retail business, we happily obtain parts and equipment on behalf of our clients as necessary to complete repairs, perform upgrades, and enhance capabilities. |
 nCity is strictly service oriented. We operate on a time-and-materials
basis. Replacement parts are treated as incidental to repair, and
presented for reimbursement at cost. We may obtain hardware or software
on behalf of our client, or assist the client's own procurement, but we
only charge for services rendered.
Many
older Macs are still powerful machines, even if they are stuck in a
bygone time. Some are perfectly suited to dedicated use in
audio/video applications, home automation and security, keeping
database records, or any other task you might assign to a computer.
Sometimes it's just a matter of remembering - and finding - a certain
older program version from the OS9 days, or maybe it requires an old
serial port gizmo of some sort. We might be able to help you get the
most out of your second-string Macs, too.
Need a replacement part or repair? nCity
is not in the retail business. We have no product line to peddle, no
connection to any particular vendor, no hidden agenda, and we're not
here to sell you anything. But, if there's a part required to complete
a repair, we'll find it. Complete systems - assemblies, boards, cards,
odds and ends, new or used - it's all available from a surprising
variety of sources. We'll do our best to find what you need, from the
best source, at the best price.
If
you answered no, it's only a matter of time before you'll face that
question for real. Work representing days, months, even years of effort
can disappear in a flash. It happens. We might be able to recover your
data, depending on what went wrong, but nothing beats a solid backup
strategy. While you consider your options, take a look at the Backup
Schemes page for some suggestions.
Wish you could ______? Learn how. nCity
offers compact courses and one-on-one tutoring for newbies and 'noids
alike. We can help you to
understand today's computer technology and expand your horizons, tell
you what you need to know to buy and sell on eBay, and help you
avoid trouble on the internet. Take a look
at our Support Ops section for classes and other learning resources.
|
 Hardware upgrades. Is a new machine
necessary, or will an Operating System (OS) update get the job done?
Sometimes, OS and processor upgrades go hand-in-hand; an OS designed to
run on multi-processors with a huge bus might be
wasting space on a lesser machine that can't take advantage of all
that power. On the other hand, suffering with a long-outdated OS
installed on a machine with processing power to spare is a waste of
potential. Matching OS to CPU is not as clear-cut as it once was, but a
little investigation will sort things out and present a variety of
options.
OS updates - versus - OS upgrades:Use nCity's Link pages to shop around, gather as much information as you can using our list of Apple links and other resources (and Google, of course), and we will be happy to discuss various options and possibilities with you. It's
important to understand the difference between an Operating System
update - usually a free download - and an OS upgrade. Apple currently
designates OS versions thus:
OS Updates are released periodically and may include new or enhanced System features, bug fixes, and/or security patches for a specific OS version. All Operating Systems should be kept current by downloading and installing OS updates as they become available. Run Software Update periodically (found in the Apple menu) - following a proper volume backup. OS Upgrades, on the other hand, are _not_ available as downloads from the internet, nor are they free. For example, to upgrade from 10.4.x to 10.5.x requires the purchase of OS 10.5 on DVD from Apple, and a full System install or upgrade. Any 10.5 updates that become available after installation may then be downloaded and installed (free). The same applies if upgrading from 10.5.x (Leopard) to 10.6 (Snow Leopard). Looking
for a new graphics program, a replacement for Office, web authoring
applications, point-of-sale (POS) program, or a new database solution?
Wondering what others are using, or if there's some defacto standard?
Does one company provide better support than another? How often do they
release updates, and at what cost? All these questions come into play
when selecting software, and making an informed decision can save a
great deal of time and trouble in the long run.
The #1 software program of a given type isn't necessarily #1
because
it's the best choice. Selecting software may mean a substantial
investment of both time and money, between stupendous learning curves
and relentless, expensive updates. (Adobe comes to mind for some
reason.....)
A lot of work goes into creating good software, but
sometimes other
aspects can crowd out quality as your first concern. Perhaps one
critical detail will overshadow all other considerations and become the
deciding factor. Shop around and test-drive candidate applications
before buying, examine competing products, and explore all avenues
before making a commitment.
|
 Is it time to upgrade? Always... non-stop. If you need SATA, Optical Audio or the
brand-new [insert acronym] ports, it's probably time for a new Mac. If
you do large file transfers, audio/video editing, or have massive
storage and access requirements, you want huge, fast and Firewire. If
your needs are more modest, the expense of upgrading can be quite
modest, too. We can help sort through all the technicalities and
options, discuss alternatives and make suggestions, we can even suggest
ways to save money without sacrificing quality or capability. How much
storage will be enough, and for how long? How much memory? Which type
of media is best suited for your purposes? Is speed a big factor or a
minor concern? The number of choices can be overwhelming, as can the
endless list of technical details. It's really not so much a mystery as
it is a matter of balance; balancing need versus budget, present
versus future standards.
Storage solutions range from adding
internal drives (to available bays) or replacing drives with
larger capacity models, to adding external Firewire, USB, eSATA or
ethernet drives. PCI cards, hubs, switches, multiple monitors, output
devices and all
sorts of other goodies, too. If you find you are collecting a large
music, photo and/or video library, perhaps it's time to consider adding
a dedicated storage drive and backup to your system. There's no
shortage of
equipment options available, and we can help tailor a configuration to
suit your needs.
When it comes to designing a backup
system, the most important aspects are ease-of-use (automation),
reliability and security. If you primarily deal with text files and
internet, backup options are the least exotic and most cost-effective.
Hardware requirements for more complex and sophisticated backup
operations can increase dramatically, as can planning, security and
execution costs, especially when adding margins for future expansion.
If you can bring yourself to apply a dollar amount to your data and
work, you'll have some idea what a backup system is worth to you. In
any case, we'll do whatever we can to help you put a secure and
dependable backup system in place. (See Backup Schemes link, left.)
Whether it's a wireless network,
audio/video recording and editing, or some other specialized project
you have in mind, there are always countless options available and a
whole lot of specs, details, choices and considerations ahead. nCity
can help you navigate thru the technical details and recommend products
and vendors, while keeping your budget in mind.
Is your machine slowing down,
producing error messages, or just acting strange? We can track down the
problem, give your Mac a tuneup, and correct the situation. Disk
fragmentation happens, files get corrupted, PRAM or PMU might need to
be reset, hard disks fill up, ports get damaged, unprotected modems get
fried, and sometimes components or sub assemblies fail. More often than
not, there will be some kind of warning before damage or data loss
occurs; this might be a dialog box telling you your hard drive is
almost full or some other problem needs to be addressed, or it might be
a strange, new noise emanating from your computer. The sooner we get to
it, the better.
Damage happens. Ever
wonder what a smashed LCD screen looks like? Well, here ya go.
This display sat atop a G4 iMac Flat Panel when it got hit, and hit
hard. (Just exactly what happened remains a mystery.)
Even with a demolished display, this
 Mac continued to function
perfectly.
Connecting an external display allowed complete diagnostics (a handy
trick for dead displays), and a replacement display put it back in
service, good as new. Most computer problems are a bit more subtle than
this one was, but it's a good example of the Mac's durability; see
Gallery of Disasters page for other examples of Macs gone wild. |
