Sad Macs, Bombs, and Other Disasters (4th Edition) (Sad Macs, Bombs and Other Disasters and What to Do About Them) [Paperback]

Ted Landau (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 020169963X | ISBN-13: 978-0201699630 | Publication Date: July 17, 2000 | Edition: 4

With the increasing complexity of Mac hardware and software, the likelihood of something going wrong is great. Yet most problems don't require hardware repairs or advanced technical skills--just some simple knowledge. That's what this book provides. Not only does Sad Macs, Bombs, and Other Disasters show readers how to fix things and prevent problems, but it sharpens their diagnostic skills so they can fix problems that aren't discussed in the book. It's been updated for coverage through Mac OS 9 (also applicable through later OS versions), and looks at FireWire, USB, iMacs, PowerBooks, the iBook, blue-and-white G3 Macs, G4 Macs, QuickTime 4.0, DVD drives, CD-R and CD-RW disc drives, infrared connections, cable modems (and other high-speed connections), SCSI cards--and much more. A Fix-It section provides an in-depth look at critical troubleshooting tools, and an extensive index helps readers easily find the solution they need.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Contrary to what a lot of Macintosh aficionados will tell you, Macs crash. And when they do, they crash hard. It's often tough to figure out exactly what the problem is when you get that cute little bomb icon informing you that your system has gone bye-bye.

Ted Landau does an admirable job of explaining what can go wrong with your Mac and what you need to do to prevent it from happening again. Besides offering a few preventive maintenance techniques, Landau thoroughly explains the different types of system crashes and how to resolve them, including recurring system errors that crop up like recurring nightmares.

Sad Macs is well organized, with entire chapters devoted to startup crashes, printing problems, and issues specific to portable Macs. Landau has written the ultimate Mac troubleshooting guide; it should be on the desk of every Mac user. --John Frederick Moore

From the Back Cover

You don't need to be an expert to fix your Mac--most problems don't require hardware repair skills or advanced technical knowledge. That's the philosophy behind the bestselling Sad Macs, Bombs, and Other Disasters, now in its fourth edition. Newly updated to cover Mac OS 9 and the G4s, it's the premier troubleshooting guide for anyone who owns a Mac and wants to keep frustrating downtime to a minimum.

Not only will this book help you diagnose and fix the most common--and annoying--Mac problems, it will sharpen your diagnostic skills so you can apply them to problems you may not find in the book. Sad Macs gives you the solutions you're looking for in plain English--not technical jargon--which makes it appropriate for everyone who wants to keep their Mac smiling, from near-beginners on up. Platform: MAC

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Product Details

• Paperback: 980 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press; 4 edition (July 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 020169963X
• ISBN-13: 978-0201699630
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,504,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sad Macs - an all purpose Macintosh reference., February 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sad Macs, Bombs, and Other Disasters: And What to Do About Them (Paperback)

I don't buy too many books as here in Australia they are prohibitively expensive. So, it was with considerable caution I shelled out $35.00 for Ted's Sad Macs. As it turns out, It has EVERYTHING I ever needed to know about the Mac. Ted's understanding of the platform is very comprehensive - both from a hardware and software perspective. Honestly, I have had this book for over 12 months and I still read it whilst sitting on the loo. No, this is not an indication of the book's laxative affects, but rather every time I peruse it's pages, I learn something new. Not only does Ted cover nearly every conceivable aspect of the Mac, how it works, what happens when it doesn't, how to fix it, how to fine-tune it etc, he is also the GURU of the MacFixit website, which has solved several of my software-related problems. But, that's another story. If you love Macs and yearn to learn more - this is the book for you. I don't wish to infer that other books may not be as good, all I wish to convey is that Sad Macs was worth every dollar and cent! Happy reading!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BUY THIS BOOK BEFORE YOU NEED IT! IT'S A MUST-HAVE..., October 10, 1998

By 

MrMojo "MrMojo" (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sad Macs, Bombs, and Other Disasters: And What to Do About Them (Paperback)

The two books I use the most when working with my Mac is "Sad Macs" and MacWorld's "Mac OS 8 Bible." If I had to pick between the two, I'd have to go with Landau's tome.

If you read chapters one and two before your Mac has a problem you will be way ahead of most folks in knowing how to operate your computer and you'll be on your way to becoming a "power user." You will also likely prevent most of the problems that are likely to occur.

If you do run into a problem this book will save your behind! All the detail may be a tad overwhelming at first but stick with it and you will soon begin to grok the mysterious inner-workings of your Mac. Just be sure to carefully follow each step in the diagnostic procedures and don't skip-ahead of the text because you might miss something important. I recently had a serious problem according to a dignostic procedure I had run using Norton Utilities and the info in a small sidebar in Sad Macs prevented me from performing an unecessary reformating of my main hard drive.

I also recommend keeping a separate, written log (yep-the ol' fashion way, paper in a file folder, just in case your venerable Mac won't let you access your computer files...) Write down every change you make to your Mac, including maintenence using repair utilities and particularly installation of new software (which should ideally be done one program at a time, then wait a few days or a week of regular, steady operation without problems before loading another). You would be amazed how easy and quick it is to track-down extension conflicts and other problems if you could only remember what had been recently done to your computer.

Ted also maintains a website called MacFixIt. He posts all kinds of updates three times a week and the website has a searchable archive. I check-in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning right after I check my e-mail.

Thank you Ted for writing this book!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a must for anyone who repairs Macs, November 9, 1999

By 

Neville Denness ([e-mail]) (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sad Macs, Bombs, and Other Disasters: And What to Do About Them (Paperback)

If you repair, upgrade Mac's or diagnose faults then you must have this book. This is the only Mac repair book that I have that has worn out edges on it. Wether you are looking for a fix for a problem or just wish to browse the contents then this book does not come up short.