Help needed with a MacBook

[SueH]

Hi All

I have been given an Apple MacBook to use for my Science records. It also runs Windows XP.

My problem is that the USB stick with all my data on is not recognized. I have the Omega Stock Control program which is Acess based but cannot access my records.

Is there anyone who can help me - I am not very computer literate so I would need Advanced Instruction for This Dummy or alternatively can anyone point me in the direction of someone who fixed Mac problems around the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne preferably?

Cheers
Sue

[cactus155]

I assume that you don't have a computer tech/Network Techs. at your school?
We have 2 and a teacher who is in charge of the IT area who is responsible for any computer issues that we have at school and sometimes are helpful even if you have an issue with a home computer.

[JudyM]

Sue,

I think the Omega stock program only runs on Windows, so if you have parallel systems you should be able to switch over to XP then put the flash drive in. I'm by no means a computer expert but from what I've been told this should work. Apparently a Macbook with parallel programs uses an awful lot of space so that could also be a problem.

Good luck
Judy

[SueH]

Thanks for the replies.

Cactus we do have tech guys and they have looked at it but are not familar with Macs and cannot sort out the issue. There are a couple of teachers that use Macs but when I have asked for assistance I'm told to try this, that and the other thing all of which I have done and they make no difference. I knew I was making a mistake allowing myself to be talked into buying the Macs instead of normal lap tops.

JudyM, my thoughts are the same as yours but sadly to no avail. There is heaps of memory so that is not an issue.

I have been disappointed with the level of support received from the company they were purchased from - it is basically non existant.
Looks as though I need to find a Mac person.

[Ian]

Hi Sue,
I use a Mac Book at work, and before that an i-Book. My Home computer is an iMac. Unfortunately I have not run Windows with "Boot Camp" I have 4 USB Flash drives and have never had any trouble recognising a USB drive! I would imagine that it is more likely to be a lack of drivers under Windows than a problem with the Mac's ability to read the drive. Will the MacBook recognise other flash drives? other USB devices? Will it recognise the drive when in Mac mode?

As to Windows taking up a lot of space (???) that does not seem to make sense to me either (at least in a Memory sense. It would make sense in a Hard drive sense, as you have to partition your drive into two halves; a Windows side and a Mac side. Each system only gets half your HD). As the MacBook runs on an Intel Core Duo processor (like most modern PC's), it is actually running Windows "Natively", NOT under emulation (like we had to do in the "olden days") The Mac actually BECOMES a PC!!

I have been assuming that in fact you have been running Windows with "Boot Camp". Is this the case? Do you have to restart your computer to get from Mac to Windows? or can you run both simultaneously? Have you in fact got Windows XP up and running on your computer? If so, do other Windows programs work OK? Word? XL? Power Point? Can those programs (under Windows) recognise your thumb drive, or is it just Acess that won't read the drive? Have you actually installed Acess on your Windows partition? I also assume that you are not actually attempting to run Acess in the Mac environment. That would not work!

I know from experience that Acess can be a bit temperamental. Years ago, I used to run Windows on a Mac through Emulation software. Access was about the only program that would NOT run!!!

Have I totally confused you with my rambling? Sorry about that! sort of thinking as I type.

If I were down in Melbourne with you, I would do the following...
1. Test your thumb drive on another PC to make sure that the thumb drive is not faulty
2. Test "another" thumb drive (not your data one) on your Mac (in Mac mode) to see if the Mac will really read a thumb drive at all.
(i) If the drive does not appear on the Desk Top, then from the "Finder" (ie click on the Desk top), Click on the "Go" menu and select "computer" from the pull down menu. There should be a list of devices, beginning with your Hard Drive's name, and including the name of the USB drive.
(ii) If the Drive shows up with this method, but is not apparent on the Desk top, You will have to change your settings in "Finder-Preferences" to show External Disks.
If the USB disk does not show up this way then it is a faulty Mac and should be returned to the shop!
3. If the "other" thumb drive works in Mac mode, then boot up your MacBook in Windows XP mode and see if it will still read the "Other" thumb drive. If it does not, you might have to reinstall Windows XP. If it does, you might have to transfer your data to the "other" working thumb drive (from your original Windows computer.)
4. Make sure that you actually have Acess installed on the Windows partition of your Mac

All the best of luck!
Please let us know how you get on.
Regards
Ian

[SueH]

Hi Ian,

thanks for that detailed information. Yes you have totally confused me but that is not hard to do at the moment.

I do not think memory is an issue there is plenty and as you say it either runs Mac or Windows. I'm using Parallels Desktop for Mac to run Windows. No I do not have to restart the computer to get from Mac to Windows and Windows opens automatically on starting the computer.
Access is installed as part of Office 2003 - from the same disc as it is installed on my PC and that runs the program I am trying to use.

If I go to My Computer in Windows mode there is no removable directory shown - only C, A (floppy) and CD which makes me think the drive is not installed.

OK, I have inserted a working USB key into the computer while it is running in Mac mode. An icon comes up on the desktop labelled No Name. This will open the USB key and I am able to open Word Documents and Excel document however, when I try to open my Access document it tells me there is no default application specified to open the document. In the choose application menu there is not an option to choose Access. Also the icons in this folder are totally different to the same folder opened in Windows - they are just grey rectangles.

I assume this means that Access is not installed? But if this is the case why when it was installed from the same disc as used to install it on my PC?

I'm afraid that this is not making much sense to me and I simply do not have the knowledge to sort it out.
Thanks for your help Ian. It is looking like it might have to go back to the shop!

[Ian]

Hi Ian,

thanks for that detailed information. Yes you have totally confused me but that is not hard to do at the moment.

Sorry about that Sue. Probably because I was thinking as I was typing!

I do not think memory is an issue there is plenty and as you say it either runs Mac or Windows. I'm using Parallels Desktop for Mac to run Windows. No I do not have to restart the computer to get from Mac to Windows and Windows opens automatically on starting the computer.
Access is installed as part of Office 2003 - from the same disc as it is installed on my PC and that runs the program I am trying to use.

.

Can you find the Acess program in your Applications directory? (in Windows)

If I go to My Computer in Windows mode there is no removable directory shown - only C, A (floppy) and CD which makes me think the drive is not installed.

.

Sounds more like a problem with Windows (software) rather than the Mac (Hardware). Does Windows have separate drivers for the USB drive that need to be installed? In the Mac OS, it is all very automatic, but it has been a few years since I have played with Windows.

OK, I have inserted a working USB key into the computer while it is running in Mac mode. An icon comes up on the desktop labelled No Name. This will open the USB key and I am able to open Word Documents and Excel document however, when I try to open my Access document it tells me there is no default application specified to open the document. In the choose application menu there is not an option to choose Access. Also the icons in this folder are totally different to the same folder opened in Windows - they are just grey rectangles.
.

Now, you have said that you are in the Mac environment, not the Windows environment. Word and XL files will play the same on either Mac OR Windows as there is both a Mac version of Word, XL and also a Windows version of Word/XL. The Data files for each are exactly the same and will happily play in EITHER environment, as long as the software is installed. Acess, however does not have a Mac equivalent, so will not play in the Mac environment. However, I gathered that the problem was getting Access to play in the WINDOWS environment on your Mac. First, Windows must be able to SEE the thumb drive (in My Computer). You might need a Windows person to help you there!

I assume this means that Access is not installed? But if this is the case why when it was installed from the same disc as used to install it on my PC?
.

Now, I guess that you would have had to install Windows in one operation, and then when Windows is up and running, you would have had to install Acess, etc as a separate operation using a different set of disks. Is this correct? Again, you should be able to find the Acess application in your "Applications directory" either on the Windows desk top or on the C drive. I am still a bit worried that the thumb drive does not show up under "My Computer" with the C drive, etc. It should be there, and if it is not, then that sounds like an XP problem!

I'm afraid that this is not making much sense to me and I simply do not have the knowledge to sort it out.
Thanks for your help Ian. It is looking like it might have to go back to the shop!

All the best
regards
Ian