Show Press Release (1,105 More Words).
If you’re responsible for the configuration of tens, if not hundreds, of brand-new Macs then you’ll probably know how time consuming it can be to get them all set up exactly the same. The process of setting up a user account, installing any required software and applying all of the available updates on each and every Mac before handing them to users can be both laborious and horribly inefficient. While we have covered disk imaging previously in the multi-part guide, we’ll now explore how to quickly and easily build a complete OS X image that includes everything we might need, including a pre-configured administrator account, providing us with a standardised image that can be restored to any Mac. The Rollout Process Let’s say we’ve just had a delivery of 20 new Mac Pros, all needing certain software and printer drivers installed, along with any OS X software updates applied. Many Mac technicians, even today, would simply set each one up, one at a time, until they were all finished. Although that would work, an incredible amount of time will have been wasted since the process for one is no different than the process for the other 19.
A popular method of performing the above task more efficiently is by setting up Mac Pro to completion, then creating a disk image of it through the use of a. Once this disk image has been obtained, it can be restored to the remaining 19 through services like or even just copying the image to a triage drive, which the Mac is then booted from before restoring it via Disk Utility. While this process is far better than setting each Mac up individually, the image that had been created has been booted, so any tasks like Setup Assistant will not run again. More importantly, certain preferences and settings will have been created using the original Mac’s Hardware UUID, which is unique to each Mac.
Ideally, we don’t want this otherwise we could be potentially introducing issues and problems to a user’s system. AutoDMG Created by, is a free utility designed to create never-booted OS X disk images. Instead of requiring a dedicated Mac to build an initial image from, AutoDMG builds the image itself (based upon a suitable OS X Installer from the Mac App Store) and creates a restore-ready disk image that can be deployed in any number of ways.
Apps and packages can be included with the build which are then installed into the image and any available software updates are applied, ensuring a complete installation with no additional interaction once restored. As the disk image has never been booted, there are no UUID mismatches and the Setup Assistant will even still run, providing the end-user with that “new Mac” experience. Creating an Image After downloading AutoDMG, launch the app to start creating a new build and then drag either an OS X Lion, Mountain Lion or Mavericks installer that has been have downloaded from the Mac App Store. As soon as an OS X installer has been selected, AutoDMG will check for any available software updates that might need to be applied. This can save both time and network traffic since you can ensure the image you create is fully up to date before rolling it out, ensuring the latest security and software updates are put in place.
You can then download the updates by clicking Download or you can skip updates entirely by unchecking Apply updates. At this point, you could simply click Build and AutoDMG would create a never-booted OS X installation that can be rolled out across any Macs it maybe needed on.
Instead, let’s explore how software and drivers can be included within the image, reducing the need for additional configuration. Installing Apps and Packages What makes AutoDMG so great for Mac admins is that you can install software or bundle apps with the image so if you want to include Dropbox or any required printer drivers in the image, you can.
This is especially useful for printer drivers that Apple may provide as they tend to be a one-size-fits-all, meaning their file size is usually hundreds of megabytes to cater for a wide number of printers from each manufacturer. Apple provides their optional software packages and printer drivers via the site. The package is over 1GB so it makes much more sense to just download it once and include it within the image rather than having each Mac download the drivers separately. To include standalone apps or have software packages installed during the image build, simply drag them to the Additional software pane.
Benefits of a Local Administrator Account Having a separate administrator account on any Mac you support is extremely useful as you can install any additional patches or software updates without needing to include the user during troubleshooting. If you’ve ever had to wait before completing an installation just because you need the user to enter their password, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
Is another software tool from Per Olofsson that will create a package which, when installed, automatically configures a user account. It can be used separately, via or, in this case, with AutoDMG.
By deploying the package during the creation of an OS X image with AutoDMG, any Mac we restore our prebuilt image to will have an appropriate OS X administrator account. Creating a Package with CreateUserPkg After downloading CreateUserPkg, launch the app and enter the account information you wish to use, such as the account’s name and password. An account picture can also be specified, along with the privileges of the account. The options for User ID, Home Directory and UUID can all be skipped for the purpose of this guide and should only be altered if you know there’s a need to. Also, change the package ID to better represent its use.
The simplest change to make is to replace “example” with your (or company) name. Once you’re happy with the settings, click Save Package and specify a filename and location. Finally, after the package has been saved, it can then be added to AutoDMG and it will be installed, along with any other packages, as a new image is built. After including any appropriate apps or packages to install, click Build. AutoDMG will prompt you to specify a name for the image file and a location to save it to. Restoring an Image It can take some time for AutoDMG to create an image but, once finished, a never-booted compatible disk image is created that can be restored using any number of methods.
To test, I’d recommend using an external hard drive to restore the image to and then booting a suitable Mac from it. This will ensure you can test your image without nuking a Mac needlessly. Launch Disk Utility and drag the newly-created disk image into the sidebar.
Select it, then click the Restore tab and drag the partition you’d like to image to the Destination. To restore the image, Restore. Once the process is completed, boot up the Mac from the external hard drive and you should then be greeted by the OS X Setup Assistant. After completing it, you’ll find any apps or software packages specified will have been installed.
In the case of this guide, the Applications folder will contain a copy of Dropbox and all Epson printer drivers are preinstalled for use. A note on Future Compatibility During the development of an updated Mac, or a new model entirely, Apple’s hardware team have to fork whatever version of OS X is available to them and adapt it to include updated chipset drivers and kernel extensions for the latest hardware they’re working with. This means that, for a short time, the version of OS X that an updated Mac ships with will be different than the one available through the Mac App Store. If you were to try and restore an updated Mac with an image you had previously created, it will likely fail to boot since it wouldn’t contain the brand-new drivers or kernel extensions that only this modified version of OS X that the Mac ships has. Only with the next update to OS X, usually a point release (that is, 10.9.x), are the two versions of OS X (the retail one, available on the Mac App Store, and the modified one that the new Mac uses) “merged” back together into one unified version.
Until then, it’s best to avoid any new hardware purchases until the next incremental update to OS X if at all possible. Wrapping Up Once you’re happy with the image, you could then restore it to any Mac that need imaging quickly and easily using an OS X triage drive that contains a copy of the image, booting it from a suitable OS X environment and repeating the restore process above. Alternatively, you could look at options such as or for more advanced imaging options.
We’ll revisit image building in a future guide and explore how to customise it further, deploying more advanced functionality and enabling some built-in options that are disabled by default.
Desktop computers may not seem as critical a tool as they were fifteen, twenty years ago, but they’re still important. They’re just important in a different way. With the advances in mobile technology and laptops, we’re using our desktop computers for more specific tasks. They’re no longer our sole source of computing. This means that when shopping for a new desktop computer, we need to look for different things than before.
With cloud storage in use in many ways, memory is no longer as important as it once was. Optical drives are even less important as they once were, and sometimes aren’t even included in today’s machines. So, what is important now? That really depends on how you will be using your computer, whether you’re using it mostly as a base for your laptop or mobile devices, or if you’re still sitting behind your desktop for at least a few hours every day working, communicating, browsing, playing games, or watching and listening to media.
The operating system, or more informally “OS,” will always be a bone of contention among computer users. While there are some who use multiple OS and others who have been known to switch allegiances, for the most part each user tends to have a favorite OS. While there are others, there are three main operating systems found in desktop computers. Windows. macOS. Linux Microsoft Windows has been around for more than thirty years, through several different iterations. At one time it was used by most computer users, but that number has been slowly declining.
Because of its popularity, it may still be the operating system most often targeted by hackers. MacOS is the predecessor of the other operating systems, and most computer aficionados either love it or hate it.
Many times the attachment to the actual OS is secondary to a user’s allegiance with the Apple ecosystem and culture. The problem with choosing this OS is that the hardware associated with it is usually more expensive than others. Linux is free and open source, and there are many derivatives of it, called distributions or distros. Ubuntu and Debian are two of the most popular.
Since it’s not used by as many people as Windows or macOS, systems running Linux tend to be virus-free, since those who write viruses look to affect as many people as possible. Settling on a preferred OS helps you narrow down which computer to get.
All computers come with one OS or another pre-loaded, but many times there’s an option to load and run a different OS, or even run two of them in a dual boot. Assuming that you’ve already examined how you will use a new desktop, and decided on an OS, the next thing to consider is whether you want what is basically just a hard drive, or if you’d prefer an all-in-one.
Several desktop computers are offered without the monitor, keyboard, and mouse, allowing you to put together your own system. They’re basically just a hard drive. This can be useful if you already have those other items, or if you want to have specific components, such as a wireless keyboard, a wireless mouse, or a particular monitor. An all-in-one is just what it sounds like.
When you buy this computer, you buy all those pieces together: hard drive, monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and the hard drive is built into the back of the monitor. Look for two factors in a computer hard drive: capacity, in terms of storage, and speed.
Once again, these are factors that are constantly changing. The capacity, or storage, will be measured in either gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB). This will be the unformatted capacity.
Once you format your system, the operating system takes up some of that space, so you’ll actually have a little less than advertised. Storage space always matters in your purchase, but how much you need can depend on what you’re storing. If you use cloud storage, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, or other services, you won’t need as much space on your hard drive for your photos and documents. Like processors, RAM is important for performance. All the same things apply here. What you will be doing with the computer plays an important part in how much RAM you need, and it’s also a factor that is constantly changing and being updated.
However, there are two things to keep in mind. A good idea before buying a new computer is to check how much memory you need for the applications that you use or will be using. Make sure you get more memory than your applications need.
That way you’ll be sure to have enough, won’t be putting a strain on your memory, and will hopefully have enough for future applications you may buy or download. The other thing to keep in mind is that often there are options for memory expansion. Once your performance slows down, instead of buying a new computer, you may decide to just give your current system more memory.
Be sure to check if the memory in the desktop you are buying can be expanded, and the maximum memory the motherboard can support. As our expert Matthew Helm pointed out, 'You can save yourself a lot of money if you research the specific processing power of each machine, depending on what you’re trying to use it for.' A processor, or CPU, is indeed integral, but the size or power you need depends on what you will be doing. It can be a difficult category to keep up with, as processors are constantly changing and being updated.
But a little applied common sense tells you that you don’t need a very large or fast processor If your desktop computer is just a hub for your mobiles, or if you’re doing minimal computing, such as emails, social networks, and Internet browsing. However, if you’re doing anything performance-related, such as gaming or streaming media content, you’ll want a faster or larger processor so that the performance is smoother. Likewise, if you stream your entertainment, such as music or videos, and don’t actually store it on your hard drive, you obviously won’t need hard drive capacity for it. What you will need space for is your system, your utilities, your applications, and data files you don’t store in a cloud service. Speed will be identified in terms of how quickly the drive spins, or the rpm. Unless you do significant database operations, computer aided design, or media-intense gaming, the hard drive’s speed isn’t as critical a factor as storage capacity. Additionally, some desktop computers now come with solid state drives or SSDs.
These drives offer faster performance, but less overall storage space. They’re generally more expensive as well. External ports, such as USB ports, are one item that have become more important with the advance of mobile devices. Not only do we have a need to plug peripherals in, we also have a need to plug our mobile devices in, for updating, uploading/downloading, or charging.
The number of USB ports you need depends on how many items will be plugged in, of course. Your peripherals, such as wired versions of a printer, keyboard, and mouse, are integral. But there can also be external drives, game controllers, or other peripherals. Additionally, if you make use of flash drives, those also need to plug into USBs, as well as however many mobile devices you are connecting at any one time. Additionally, desktop computers can be equipped with other ports, such as HDMI, FireWire, SATA and Thunderbolt. Whether or not you need these will depend on whether or not your peripherals need them. The entry-level Asus Chromebox desktop computer sells for an appealingly low price.
Mac Desktop Image Collection
Strictly speaking, you don’t even need to add a monitor; you could theoretically plug it into your HDTV via an HDMI cable. However, we assume that most people looking for a budget desktop computer want something that can stand alone. Even then, adding a keyboard, mouse, and basic 19-inch monitor would only cost you around an extra $100, and many satisfied owners tell us that the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts. Not too long ago, not having an optical drive of some type in a computer was unthinkable.
But with the advances in technology, namely the internet, cloud storage, and streaming, they’re no longer the necessary component they once were. Those who still play media from CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays will still have the need for an optical drive. If an optical drive isn’t included in the desktop computer that you are buying, there are always external optical drives. Just remember that an external drive will take up one of your ports. It seems a little silly to mention monitors, keyboards, and mice as options, but as mentioned earlier, they aren’t always included. Sometimes you don't get much more than a hard drive with ports, and it’s up to you to build the rest. But if you are buying a complete system or an all-in-one, these three items will be included.
There isn’t much to take into consideration with the keyboard and mouse, other than if you want wireless or wired. Again, there are exceptions for those with speciality usage in mind: gamers tend to prefer high-performance mice, and some graphic designers prefer a trackball or other specialty mouse.
When considering monitors, make sure the screen size is adequate, along with the resolution. As with video cards, some of it will depend on what you’re planning to do with your desktop computer. Ensure you have a higher resolution if you’re doing anything graphics intensive, such as gaming or graphic design, or if you intend to stream a lot of movies or television shows. As Matthew Helm has said, 'You shouldn't buy a computer based on price alone, but price is obviously an important part of the equation.' In some ways it can be very much a “You get what you pay for” type of situation. If you buy the cheapest computer you can find, you’ll get likely get slower performance, smaller screens, less hard drive space, and few bells and whistles. However, buying the most expensive computer isn’t necessarily going to get you the best result either.
As Helm says, it’s just part of the equation. All of the above-mentioned items need to be taken into consideration, along with the price. Complicating the process even more is that you’re looking at a range in price between $300 and $3,500, generally. There’s a lot of room in there. And remember that sometimes you’re not getting a complete system, but just basically the hard drive. In that case, after your initial purchase, you still have to pay for the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and any other options that you may want.
For general home or business use of a computer, look to spend between $500 for the most basic use and $2,000 for more intensive use. What is a “mini PC?” Does this mean it’s smaller, or that it will do less? A mini PC, also called a miniature PC, is smaller, cheaper, less powerful, and is meant for only doing basic computing such as surfing the internet, word processing, emailing, and audio/video playback.
What is a “stick computer?” A. Stick computers resemble flash drives, but actually plug directly into an HDMI port on a television set or monitor. However, they operate independently; they don’t rely on another computer.
Some are meant to play visual or audio playback, such as a Fire TV Stick, and some can be a complete system, if you add a keyboard and mouse. I’ve heard that desktop computers are better for gaming than laptops.
Is that true? While it’s great to use a laptop for the portability, it’s not always as portable as it should be. To have everything a good gaming system needs, a laptop can be too heavy and bulky. How long will a desktop computer last before I need to replace it? Desktop computers in general will last four or five years before they need to be replaced, which is longer than laptops — these can have as short of a lifespan as three years.