User manual APPLE MACBOOK AIR

Congratulations, you and your MacBook Air were made for each other. Built-in iSight camera Video chat with up to three friends anywhere in the world at the same time. www.apple.com/macbookair Mac Help isight Finder Browse the contents of your computer using Cover Flow. www.apple.com/macosx Mac Help finder Time Machine Automatically back up your files to an extra hard drive. www.apple.com/macosx Mac Help time machine iMovie Collect all your video in one library. Create and share movies in minutes. www.apple.com/ilife/imovie iMovie Help movie iPhoto Organize all your photos with Events. Publish to a Web Gallery with a click. www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto iPhoto Help photo GarageBand Create music by adding musicians to a virtual stage. Enhance your song to sound like a pro. www.apple.com/ilife/garageband GarageBand Help record iWeb Create beautiful websites with photos, movies, blogs, podcasts, and dynamic web widgets. www.apple.com/ilife/iweb iWeb Help website Contents Chapter 1: Ready, Set Up, Go 8 9 10 15 16 19 22 Welcome What's in the Box Setting Up Your MacBook Air Setting Up DVD or CD Sharing Migrating Information to Your MacBook Air Getting Additional Information onto Your MacBook Air Putting Your MacBook Air to Sleep or Shutting It Down Chapter 2: Life with Your MacBook Air 26 28 30 32 34 35 Basic Features of Your MacBook Air Keyboard Features of Your MacBook Air Ports on Your MacBook Air Using the Trackpad and Keyboard Running Your MacBook Air on Battery Power Getting Answers Chapter 3: Problem, Meet Solution 40 Problems That Prevent You from Using Your MacBook Air 44 Using Apple Hardware Test Contents 5 45 49 51 51 53 53 56 Reinstalling Software Using Remote Install Mac OS X Reinstalling Software Using the MacBook Air SuperDrive Problems with AirPort Extreme Wireless Communication Problems with Your Internet Connection Keeping Your Software Up to Date Learning More, Service, and Support Locating Your Product Serial Number Chapter 4: Last, but Not Least 58 60 62 64 65 Important Safety Information Important Handling Information Understanding Ergonomics Apple and the Environment Regulatory Compliance Information Looking for Something? 70 Index 6 Contents 1 1 Ready, Set Up, Go www.apple.com/macbookair Mac Help Migration Assistant Welcome Congratulations on purchasing a MacBook Air. Your MacBook Air is streamlined for portability and a completely wireless experience. Read this chapter for help getting started setting up and using your MacBook Air.  If you know you will primarily be downloading applications and content from the Internet and not migrating information from another Mac, you can follow the basic instructions to set up your MacBook Air quickly.  If you want to migrate information from another Mac or get content from CDs or DVDs onto your MacBook Air, you can identify one or more Mac or Windows computers to partner with your MacBook Air. Important: Read all the installation instructions (and the safety information starting on page 57) carefully before you first use your computer. Many answers to questions can be found on your computer in Mac Help. For information about getting Mac Help, see "Getting Answers" on page 35. Apple may release new versions and updates to its system software, so the images shown in this book may be slightly different from what you see onscreen. 8 Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go What's in the Box ® Micro-DVI to VGA Adapter AC plug 45W MagSafe Power Adapter AC power cord Micro-DVI to DVI Adapter Important: Remove the protective film covering the 45W MagSafe Power Adapter before setting up your MacBook Air. About Optical Discs Although your MacBook Air doesn't have an optical disc drive, it does include DVD discs with important software. You can easily access this software, as well as install applications and access data from other optical discs, using the optical disc drive on another Mac or Windows computer. You can also use the optional MacBook Air SuperDrive, an external optical disc drive. Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 9 Setting Up Your MacBook Air Your MacBook Air is designed so that you can set it up quickly and start using it right away. The following pages take you through the setup process, including these tasks:  Plugging in the 45W MagSafe Power Adapter  Turning on your MacBook Air and using the trackpad  Using Setup Assistant to access a network and configure a user account and other settings  Setting up the Mac OS X desktop and preferences Step 1: Plug in the 45W MagSafe Power Adapter to provide power to the MacBook Air and charge the battery. Insert the AC plug of your power adapter into a power outlet and the MagSafe connector into the MagSafe power port, located on the back left side of your MacBook Air. As the MagSafe connector gets close to the port, you'll feel a magnetic pull drawing it in. AC plug MagSafe connector ¯ MagSafe power port ® AC power cord 10 Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go To extend the reach of your power adapter, replace the AC plug with the AC power cord. First pull the AC plug up to remove it from the adapter, and then attach the included AC power cord to the adapter, making sure it is seated firmly. Plug the other end into a power outlet. When disconnecting the power adapter from an outlet or from the computer, pull the plug, not the cord. When you first connect the power adapter to your MacBook Air, an indicator light on the MagSafe connector starts to glow. An amber light indicates that the battery is charging. A green light indicates that the battery is fully charged. If you don't see a light, make sure the connector is seated properly and the power adapter is plugged into a power outlet. Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 11 Step 2: Press the power (®) button briefly to turn on your MacBook Air. You will hear a tone when you turn on the computer. ® Power button ® Trackpad Trackpad button It takes the computer a few moments to start up. After it starts up, Setup Assistant opens automatically. If your computer doesn't turn on, see "If your MacBook Air doesn't turn on or start up" on page 42. 12 Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go Step 3: Configure your MacBook Air with Setup Assistant The first time you turn on your MacBook Air, Setup Assistant starts. Setup Assistant helps you enter your Internet information and set up a user account on your MacBook Air. You can also migrate information from another Mac during setup. Note: If you don't use Setup Assistant to transfer information when you first start up your MacBook Air, you can do it later using Migration Assistant. Go to the Applications folder, open Utilities, and double-click Migration Assistant. To set up your MacBook Air: 1 In the Setup Assistant, follow the onscreen instructions until you get to the "Do You Already Own a Mac?" screen. 2 Do a basic setup or a setup with migration:  To do a basic setup, select "Do not transfer my information now" and click Continue. Follow the remaining prompts to select your wireless network, set up an account, and exit Setup Assistant.  To do a setup with migration, first set up another Mac that has an optical disc drive to partner with (see "Setting Up DVD or CD Sharing" on page 15). Then go to page 16, "Migrating Information to Your MacBook Air." Note: If you've already started Setup Assistant on your MacBook Air, you can leave it mid-process without quitting, move to the other computer to install the DVD or CD Sharing Setup software, and then return to your MacBook Air to complete the setup. Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 13 Step 4: Customize the Mac OS X desktop and set preferences. You can quickly make the desktop look the way you want using System Preferences. Choose Apple () > System Preferences from the menu bar or click the System Preferences icon in the Dock. System Preferences is your command center for most settings on your MacBook Air. Menu bar Help menu Spotlight search icon Dock Finder icon System Preferences icon 14 Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go Setting Up DVD or CD Sharing You can partner your MacBook Air with another Mac or Windows computer that has an optical disc drive and is on the same wired or wireless network. Use this other computer to:  Migrate information to your MacBook Air, if the other computer is a Mac (see "Migrating Information to Your MacBook Air" on page 16)  Share the contents of DVDs or CDs (see "Sharing Discs with DVD or CD Sharing" on page 19)  Remotely install Mac OS X (see "Reinstalling Software Using Remote Install Mac OS X" on page 45) or use Disk Utility (see "Using Disk Utility" on page 49) The computer with the optical drive can be a Mac with Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later, or a Windows XP or Windows Vista computer. You can partner with more than one other computer. Mac or Windows computer MacBook Air Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 15 Insert the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 that came with your MacBook Air to install the DVD or CD Sharing Setup, which includes software for DVD or CD Sharing, Migration Assistant, and Remote Install Mac OS X:  If the other computer is a Mac, double-click the DVD or CD Sharing Setup package on the Mac OS X Install Disc 1.  If the other computer is a Windows computer, choose "DVD or CD Sharing" from the Install Assistant that starts automatically. Migrating Information to Your MacBook Air You can migrate existing user accounts, files, applications, and other information from another Mac computer. To migrate information to your MacBook Air: 1 Configure the other Mac (see page 15), and then make sure that it is turned on and that it is on the same wired or wireless network as your MacBook Air. Check the AirPort (Z) status icon in the menu bar at the top of the other Mac screen to see what wireless network you're connected to. Choose the same network for your MacBook Air during setup. 2 On your MacBook Air, follow the Setup Assistant onscreen instructions until you get to the "Do You Already Own a Mac?" screen. Select "from another Mac" as the source of the information you want to transfer. On the next screen, choose your wireless network, and then click Continue. 16 Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 3 When you see the Connect To Your Other Mac screen with a passcode displayed, do the remaining steps on the other Mac. You will enter the passcode in Migration Assistant on the other Mac. 4 On the other Mac, open Migration Assistant (located in /Applications/Utilities/), and then click Continue. 5 When you are prompted for a migration method, select "To another Mac" and then , click Continue. 6 On the other Mac, quit any other open applications and then click Continue. Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 17 7 On the other Mac, enter the six-digit passcode displayed in Setup Assistant on your MacBook Air. 8 Click Continue to start the migration. Important: Don't use the other Mac for anything else until the migration is complete. 18 Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go Getting Additional Information onto Your MacBook Air Your MacBook Air comes with several applications installed, including the iLife '08 suite. Many other applications can be downloaded from the Internet. If you want to install third-party applications from CD or DVD, you can:  Install applications onto your MacBook Air using the optical disc drive on another Mac or Windows computer (if DVD or CD Sharing is set up and enabled). Read the next section for more information.  Attach the MacBook Air SuperDrive (an external USB optical disc drive available separately at www.apple.com/store) to the USB port on your MacBook Air, and insert your installation disc. Sharing Discs with DVD or CD Sharing You can enable DVD or CD Sharing on a Mac or Windows computer so that your MacBook Air can share the discs you insert into the optical disc drive of the other computer. Some discs, such as DVD movies and game discs, may be copy-protected and therefore unusable through DVD or CD Sharing. Make sure you first install the DVD or CD Sharing Setup software on any Mac or Windows computer you want to partner with. See page 15 for more information. To enable DVD or CD Sharing, if your other computer is a Mac: 1 Make sure the other Mac and your MacBook Air are on the same wireless network. Check the AirPort (Z) status icon in the menu bar to see what network you're connected to. Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 19 2 On the other Mac, choose Apple () > System Preferences and then open Sharing. 3 In the Sharing panel, select "DVD or CD Sharing" in the Service list. If you want other users to request permission to share a DVD or CD, select "Ask me before allowing others to use my DVD drive." To enable DVD or CD Sharing, if your other computer is a Windows computer: 1 Make sure your MacBook Air and the Windows computer are on the same wireless network. 20 Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 2 On the Windows computer, open the DVD or CD Sharing control panel. 3 Select "Enable DVD or CD Sharing." If you want other users to request permission to share a DVD or CD, select "Ask me before allowing others to use my DVD drive." To use a shared DVD or CD: 1 On the other computer, insert a DVD or CD into the optical disc drive. 2 On your MacBook Air, select the Remote Disc when it appears under Devices in the Finder sidebar. If you see the "Ask to use" button, click it. 3 On the other computer, when prompted, click Accept to allow your MacBook Air to use the DVD or CD. 4 On your MacBook Air, use the disc as you normally would once it becomes available. If you try to shut down the other computer or eject the shared DVD or CD while your MacBook Air is using it, you'll see a message telling you that the disc is in use. To proceed, click Continue. Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 21 Putting Your MacBook Air to Sleep or Shutting It Down When you finish working with your MacBook Air, you can put it to sleep or shut it down. Putting Your MacBook Air to Sleep If you'll be away from your MacBook Air for only a short time, put it to sleep. When the computer is in sleep, you can quickly wake it and bypass the startup process. To put your MacBook Air to sleep, do one of the following:  Close the display.  Choose Apple () > Sleep from the menu bar.  Press the power (®) button and click Sleep in the dialog that appears.  Choose Apple () > System Preferences, click Energy Saver, and set a sleep timer. NOTICE: Wait a few seconds until the sleep indicator light on the front of your MacBook Air starts pulsing (indicating that the computer is in sleep and the hard disk has stopped spinning) before you move your MacBook Air. Moving your computer while the hard disk is spinning can damage it, causing loss of data or the inability to start up from the hard disk. To wake your MacBook Air:  If the display is closed, simply open it to wake your MacBook Air.  If the display is already open, press the power (®) button or any key on the keyboard. When your MacBook Air wakes from sleep, your applications, documents, and computer settings are exactly as you left them. 22 Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go Shutting Down Your MacBook Air If you aren't going to use your MacBook Air for a day or two, it's best to shut it down. The sleep indicator light goes on briefly during the shutdown process. To shut down your MacBook Air, do one of the following:  Choose Apple () > Shut Down from the menu bar.  Press the power (®) button and click Shut Down in the dialog that appears. If you plan to store your MacBook Air for an extended period of time, see "Important Handling Information" on page 60 for information about how to prevent your battery from draining completely. Chapter 1 Ready, Set Up, Go 23 2 2 Life with Your MacBook Air www.apple.com/macosx Mac Help Mac OS X Basic Features of Your MacBook Air Ambient light sensor iSight camera Camera indicator light Microphone Mono speaker (under keyboard) ® Battery (built-in) Trackpad Trackpad button Sleep indicator light Infrared (IR) receiver ® Power button 26 Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air Ambient light sensor The ambient light sensor adjusts the illuminated keyboard according to the available light in your operating environment. Built-in iSight camera and camera indicator light Videoconference with others using iChat AV, snap pictures with Photo Booth, or capture video with iMovie. The indicator light glows green when the iSight camera is operating. Built-in microphone Capture sounds directly with the microphone (located to the right of the iSight camera) or talk with friends live using the included iChat AV application. Built-in mono speaker Listen to music, movies, games, and multimedia files. Built-in rechargeable battery Run your MacBook Air using battery power when you are away from a power outlet. Trackpad and trackpad button Move the pointer, click, double-click, scroll, zoom, and more, using one or more fingers on the trackpad. For details, see "Using the Trackpad and Keyboard" on page 32. Sleep indicator light A white light pulses when your MacBook Air is in sleep. Built-in infrared (IR) receiver Use an optional Apple Remote (sold separately at www.apple.com/store) with the IR receiver to control Front Row and Keynote on your MacBook Air. ® Power button Turn your MacBook Air on or off, or put it to sleep. Press and hold to restart your MacBook Air during troubleshooting. Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air 27 Keyboard Features of Your MacBook Air ® Function (fn) key Exposé Dashboard ' Media keys C Media Eject key F9 F10 F1 1 F12 esc F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 Brightness keys Keyboard illumination keys -- Mute key - Volume keys 28 Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air Function (fn) key Press and hold this key to activate customized actions assigned to the function keys (F1 to F12). To learn how to customize function keys, choose Help > Mac Help from the menu bar and search for "function keys." ¤ Brightness keys (F1, F2) Increase ( ) or decrease ( ) the brightness of your MacBook Air display. Exposé All Windows key (F3) Open Exposé for quick access to all your open windows. Dashboard key (F4) Open Dashboard to access your widgets. o ' Keyboard illumination keys (F5, F6) Increase (o) or decrease (ø) the brightness of the keyboard illumination. Media keys (F7, F8, F9) Rewind (]), play or pause ('), or fast-forward (`) a song, movie, or slideshow. Mute key (F10) Mute the sound coming from the built-in speaker or headphone jack. Volume keys (F11, F12) Increase (-) or decrease (­) the volume of the sound coming from the built-in speaker or headphone jack. Media Eject key Press and hold this key to eject a disc from a MacBook Air SuperDrive (available separately at www.apple.com/store). You can also eject a disc by dragging its desktop icon to the Trash. -- C Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air 29 Ports on Your MacBook Air ® Port hatch f Headphone jack ¯ MagSafe power port d USB 2.0 port £ Micro-DVI port 30 Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air ¯ MagSafe power port Plug in the included 45W MagSafe Power Adapter to recharge the MacBook Air battery. Port hatch Open the port hatch to use the headphone jack, USB 2.0 port, and Micro-DVI port. f d £ Headphone jack Connect external speakers or headphones. USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 port Connect an external optical disc drive, USB to Ethernet adapter, modem, iPod, mouse, keyboard, and more to your MacBook Air. You can also connect USB 1.1 devices. Micro-DVI (video out) port Connect an external display, projection device, or TV that uses a DVI, VGA, composite, or S-video connector. Depending on the type of external device you're connecting, you can use the included Micro-DVI to DVI Adapter or Micro-DVI to VGA Adapter. The Micro-DVI to Video Adapter, which provides composite and S-video support, is sold separately at www.apple.com/store. Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air 31 Using the Trackpad and Keyboard Use the trackpad to move the pointer and to scroll, tap, double-tap, and drag. How far the pointer moves onscreen is affected by how quickly you move your finger across the trackpad. To move the pointer a short distance, move your finger slowly across the trackpad; the faster you move your finger, the farther the pointer moves. To fine-tune the tracking speed and set other trackpad options, choose Apple () > System Preferences, click Keyboard & Mouse, and then click Trackpad. Here are some useful keyboard and trackpad tips and shortcuts:  Forward deleting deletes characters to the right of the insertion point. Pressing the Delete key deletes characters to the left of the insertion point. To forward delete, hold down the Function (fn) key while you press the Delete key.  Secondary clicking or "right-clicking" lets you access shortcut menu commands. To secondary click, place two fingers on the trackpad while clicking the trackpad button. If Tap to Click is enabled, just tap two fingers on the trackpad. You can also secondary click by holding down the Control key while you click. 32 Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air  Two-finger scrolling lets you drag to scroll quickly up, down, or sideways in the active window. This option is on by default. The following trackpad gestures work in certain applications, such as Preview or iPhoto. For more information, choose Help > Mac Help and search for "trackpad."  Two-finger pinching lets you zoom in or out on PDFs, images, photos, and more. Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air 33  Two-finger rotating lets you rotate photos, pages, and more.  Three-finger swiping lets you rapidly page through documents, move to the previous or next photo, and more. Running Your MacBook Air on Battery Power When the 45W MagSafe Power Adapter is not connected, your MacBook Air draws power from its built-in rechargeable battery. The length of time that you can run your MacBook Air varies, depending on the applications you use and the external devices connected to your MacBook Air. Turning off features such as AirPort Extreme or Bluetooth® wireless technology can help conserve battery charge. If the battery runs low while you are working, attach the power adapter that came with your MacBook Air and let the battery recharge. When the power adapter is connected, the battery recharges whether the computer is on, off, or in sleep. The battery recharges more quickly, however, when the computer is off or in sleep. You can determine whether the battery needs charging by looking at the indicator light on the MagSafe connector. If the light is glowing amber, the battery needs to be charged. If the light is glowing green, the battery is fully charged. 34 Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air You can also check the amount of battery charge left by viewing the Battery ( ) status icon in the menu bar. The battery charge level displayed is based on the amount of power left in the battery with the applications, peripheral devices, and system settings you are currently using. To conserve battery power, close applications and disconnect peripheral devices not in use, and adjust your Energy Saver settings. For more information about battery conservation and performance tips, go to www.apple.com/batteries/notebooks.html. Important: The battery is replaceable only by an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Getting Answers Much more information about using your MacBook Air is available in Mac Help and on the Internet at www.apple.com/support/macbookair. To get Mac Help: 1 Click the Finder icon in the Dock (the bar of icons along the edge of the screen). 2 Click the Help menu in the menu bar and do one of the following: a Type a question or term in the Search field, and select a topic from the returned list or select Show All Results to see all topics. b Choose Mac Help to open the Mac Help window, where you can click links or type a search question. Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air 35 More Information For more information about using your MacBook Air, see the following: To learn about Troubleshooting your MacBook Air if you have a problem Finding service and support for your MacBook Air Using Mac OS X Moving from a PC to a Mac Using iLife '08 applications Do this See Chapter 3, "Problem, Meet Solution," on page 39. See "Learning More, Service, and Support" on page 53. Or go to the Apple Support website at www.apple.com/support/macbookair. Go to the Mac OS X website at www.apple.com/macosx. Or search for "Mac OS X" in Mac Help. See "How To Move To Mac" at www.apple.com/getamac/ movetomac. Go to the iLife '08 website at www.apple.com/ilife. Or open an iLife '08 application, open Help for the application, and then type a question in the search field. Open System Preferences by choosing Apple (K) > System Preferences. Or search for "system preferences" in Mac Help. Experiment with gestures within a particular application to see what functionality is supported. Search for "trackpad" in Mac Help. Or open System Preferences, click Keyboard & Mouse, and then click Trackpad. Search for "iSight" in Mac Help. Go to the AirPort Support page at www.apple.com/support/airport. Or open Mac Help and search for "AirPort." Changing System Preferences Using your trackpad Using the iSight camera Using AirPort Extreme wireless technology 36 Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air To learn about Using Bluetooth wireless technology Do this Go to the Bluetooth Support page at www.apple.com/support/ bluetooth. Or open the Bluetooth File Exchange application, located in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder, and choose Help > Bluetooth Help. Search for "printing" in Mac Help. Search for "USB" in Mac Help. Search for "Internet" in Mac Help. Search for "display port" in Mac Help. Search for "remote" in Mac Help. Connecting a printer USB connections Connecting to the Internet Connecting an external display Apple Remote (sold separately at www.apple.com/store) Front Row Specifications Search for "Front Row" in Mac Help. Go to the Specifications page at www.apple.com/support/specs. Or open System Profiler by choosing Apple (K) > About This Mac from the menu bar, and then click More Info. Go to the Apple website at www.apple.com. Apple news, free downloads, and online catalogs of software and hardware Instructions, technical support, and manuals for Apple products Go to the Apple Support website at www.apple.com/support. Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air 37 3 3 Problem, Meet Solution www.apple.com/support Mac Help help Occasionally you may have a problem while working with your MacBook Air. Read on to find some solutions to try when you have a problem. You can also find more troubleshooting information in Mac Help and on the MacBook Air Support website at www.apple.com/support/macbookair. If you experience a problem with your MacBook Air, there's usually a simple and quick solution. Think about the conditions that led up to the problem. Making a note of things you did before the problem occurred will help you narrow down possible causes and find the answers you need. Things to note include:  The applications you were using when the problem occurred. Problems that occur only with a specific application might indicate that the application is not compatible with the version of the Mac OS installed on your computer.  Any new software that you installed, especially software that added items to the System folder. Problems That Prevent You from Using Your MacBook Air If your MacBook Air doesn't respond or the pointer doesn't move On rare occasions, an application might "freeze" on the screen. Mac OS X provides a way to quit a frozen application without restarting your computer. Quitting a frozen application might allow you to save your work in other open applications. To force an application to quit: 1 Press Command (x)-Option-Esc or choose Apple () > Force Quit from the menu bar. The Force Quit Applications dialog appears with the application selected. 2 Click Force Quit. 40 Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution The application quits, leaving all other applications open. If you need to, you can also restart the Finder from this dialog. Next, save your work in any open applications and restart the computer to make sure the problem is entirely cleared up. If you are unable to force the application to quit, press and hold the power (®) button for a few seconds until the computer shuts itself down. Wait 10 seconds and then turn on the computer. If the problem occurs frequently, choose Help > Mac Help from the menu bar at the top of the screen. Search for the word "freeze" to get help for instances when the computer freezes or doesn't respond. If the problem occurs only when you use a particular application, check with the application's manufacturer to see if it is compatible with your computer. To get support and contact information for the software that came with your MacBook Air, go to www.apple.com/guide. If you know an application is compatible, you might need to reinstall your computer's system software. See "Reinstalling the Software That Came with Your MacBook Air" on page 47. If your MacBook Air freezes during startup, or you see a flashing question mark, or the display is dark and the sleep indicator light is glowing steadily (not in sleep) The flashing question mark usually means that the computer can't find the system software on the hard disk or on any disks attached to the computer. Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution 41  Wait a few seconds. If the computer still doesn't start up, shut it down by pressing and holding the power (®) button for about 8 to 10 seconds. Disconnect all external peripherals and try restarting by pressing the power (®) button while holding down the Option key. When your computer starts up, click the hard disk icon, and then click the right arrow. After the computer starts up, open System Preferences and click Startup Disk. Select a local Mac OS X System folder.  If that doesn't work, try using Disk Utility to repair the disk. For more information, see "Using Disk Utility" on page 49. If your MacBook Air doesn't turn on or start up Try the following suggestions in order until your computer turns on:  Make sure the power adapter is plugged into the computer and into a functioning power outlet. Be sure to use the 45W MagSafe Power Adapter that came with your MacBook Air. If the power adapter stops charging and you don't see the indicator light on the power adapter turn on when you plug in the power cord, try unplugging and replugging the power cord to reseat it.  Check whether the battery needs to be recharged. If the light on the power adapter glows amber, the battery is charging. See "Running Your MacBook Air on Battery Power" on page 34.  If the problem persists, return the computer to its factory settings by pressing the left Shift key, left Option (alt) key, left Control key, and the power (®) button simultaneously for five seconds.  Press and release the power (®) button and immediately hold down the Command (x), Option, P, and R keys simultaneously until you hear the startup sound a second time. This resets the parameter RAM (PRAM). 42 Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution  If you still can't start up your MacBook Air, see "Learning More, Service, and Support" on page 53 for information about contacting Apple for service. If the display suddenly goes black or your MacBook Air freezes Try restarting your MacBook Air. 1 Unplug any devices that are connected to your MacBook Air, except the power adapter. 2 Press the power (®) button to restart the system. 3 Let the battery charge to at least 10 percent before plugging in any external devices and resuming your work. To see how much the battery has charged, look at the Battery ( menu bar. ) status icon in the The display might also darken if you have energy saver features set for the battery. If your MacBook Air can't connect to another computer's optical disc drive To use services such as Migration Assistant, DVD or CD Sharing, Remote Install Mac OS X, and iTunes music sharing, both your MacBook Air and the other computer must be connected to the same network. If your MacBook Air is connected wirelessly and the other computer is connected to a third-party router by Ethernet, check your router documentation to make sure it supports bridging a wireless to wired connection. Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution 43 Using Apple Hardware Test If you suspect a problem with the MacBook Air hardware, you can use the Apple Hardware Test application to help determine if there's a problem with one of the computer's components, such as the memory or processor. To use Apple Hardware Test on your MacBook Air: 1 Disconnect all external devices from your computer except the power adapter. 2 Restart your MacBook Air while holding down the D key. 3 When the Apple Hardware Test chooser screen appears, select the language for your location. 4 Press the Return key or click the right arrow button. 5 When the Apple Hardware Test main screen appears (after about 45 seconds), follow the onscreen instructions. 6 If Apple Hardware Test detects a problem, it displays an error code. Make a note of the error code before pursuing support options. If Apple Hardware Test doesn't detect a hardware failure, the problem may be software related. For more information about Apple Hardware Test, see the Apple Hardware Test Read Me file on the Mac OS X Install Disc 1. 44 Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution Reinstalling Software Using Remote Install Mac OS X Use Remote Install Mac OS X on the partner computer whose optical disc drive you want to share (installation instructions for this and other components of the DVD or CD Sharing Setup software are on page 15) when you want to do one of the following tasks on your MacBook Air:  Reinstall Mac OS X and other software that came with your MacBook Air  Reset your password  Use Disk Utility to repair the MacBook Air hard disk Note: You can also do these tasks using a MacBook Air SuperDrive (available separately at www.apple.com/store). See page 49. Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution 45 To use Remote Install Mac OS X: 1 Insert the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 into the optical disc drive of the other computer. 2 If the other computer is a Mac, open /Applications/Utilities/Remote Install Mac OS X. On Windows, choose "Remote Install Mac OS X" from the Install Assistant. 3 Read the introduction and click Continue. 4 Choose the install disc you want to use, and click Continue. 5 Choose a network connection: AirPort, if you are using an AirPort network, or Ethernet, if the other computer is on an Ethernet network and you have an optional Apple USB Ethernet Adapter connecting your MacBook Air to the same network. Click Continue. 6 Restart your MacBook Air and hold down the Option key as it starts up, until you see a list of available startup disks. 7 Click Continue in Remote Install Mac OS X. 46 Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution 8 If you chose AirPort as your network in step 5, on your MacBook Air choose your AirPort network from the pop-up list. If the network is secure, you are prompted for a password. You can enter a private network name by choosing the ellipsis (...) and typing the name. 9 If you chose AirPort as your network in step 5, when you see the AirPort status icon indicating signal strength, click Continue in Remote Install Mac OS X. 10 On your MacBook Air, click the arrow button beneath the installer icon and then do one of the following:  If you want to reinstall Mac OS X or iLife '08 applications, go to "Reinstalling the Software That Came with Your MacBook Air" on page 47.  If you forgot your password and need to reset it, go to "Resetting Your Password" on page 48.  If you want to run Disk Utility, go to "Using Disk Utility" on page 49. Reinstalling the Software That Came with Your MacBook Air Before you install: 1 Back up your essential files. Apple recommends that you back up the information on your hard disk before restoring software. You can do this by connecting the MacBook Air SuperDrive and burning important information to DVDs or CDs, or by attaching an external hard drive to the USB port on your MacBook Air. Apple is not responsible for any lost data. 2 Make sure your power adapter is connected and plugged in. Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution 47 To install Mac OS X and the applications that came with your MacBook Air, using a partner computer: 1 Follow the procedure for using Remote Install Mac OS X beginning on page 46. 2 Click Continue in Remote Install Mac OS X. Status messages appear on the other computer's screen during installation. 3 Click Customize to select what to install (Mac OS X and Bundled Software, or Bundled Software Only), or click Install to perform a basic installation. To install iCal, iChat AV, iSync, iTunes, Safari, and the iLife '08 applications, you need to select Install Mac OS X and Bundled Software. 4 Follow the onscreen instructions, selecting your MacBook Air as the destination volume for installation. Note: To restore Mac OS X on your computer to the original factory settings, click Options in the "Select a Destination" pane of the Installer, and then select "Erase and Install." This option erases your MacBook Air hard disk, so be sure you've backed up important information. 5 Click OK in Remote Install Mac OS X, and, when installation is done, click Quit to exit Remote Install Mac OS X. Resetting Your Password You can reset your administrator password and passwords for all other accounts. To reset your password, using a partner computer and Remote Install Mac OS X: 1 Follow the procedure for using Remote Install Mac OS X beginning on page 46. 2 Click Continue in Remote Install Mac OS X. 48 Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution 3 On your MacBook Air, choose Utilities > Reset Password from the menu bar and follow the onscreen instructions. When you finish, quit Mac OS X Installer. 4 On the other computer, click Quit to exit Remote Install Mac OS X. Using Disk Utility When you need to repair, verify, or erase your MacBook Air hard disk, use Disk Utility by sharing the optical disc drive of another computer. To use Disk Utility from a partner computer: 1 Follow the procedure for using Remote Install Mac OS X beginning on page 46. 2 Click Continue in Remote Install Mac OS X. 3 On your MacBook Air, choose Installer > Open Disk Utility and then follow the instructions in the First Aid pane to see if Disk Utility can repair the disk. When you finish, quit Mac OS X Installer on your MacBook Air. 4 On the other computer, click Quit to exit Remote Install Mac OS X. If using Disk Utility doesn't help, try reinstalling your computer's system software. See "Reinstalling the Software That Came with Your MacBook Air" on page 47. Reinstalling Software Using the MacBook Air SuperDrive To install Mac OS X and the applications that came with your MacBook Air, using a MacBook Air SuperDrive: 1 Connect the MacBook Air SuperDrive to your MacBook Air and insert the Mac OS X Install Disc 1. 2 Double-click "Install Mac OS X and Bundled Software." To install just applications, select Install Bundled Software Only. Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution 49 To install iCal, iChat AV, iSync, iTunes, Safari, and the iLife '08 applications, you need to select "Install Mac OS X and Bundled Software." 3 Follow the onscreen instructions, selecting your MacBook Air as the destination volume for installation. Note: To restore Mac OS X on your computer to the original factory settings, click Options in the "Select a Destination" pane of the Installer, and then select "Erase and Install." To reset your password, using a MacBook Air SuperDrive: 1 Connect the MacBook Air SuperDrive to your MacBook Air and insert the Mac OS X Install Disc 1. 2 Restart your MacBook Air and hold down the C key as it starts up. 3 Choose Utilities > Reset Password from the menu bar. Follow the onscreen instructions. To use Disk Utility from a MacBook Air SuperDrive: 1 Connect the MacBook Air SuperDrive to your MacBook Air and insert the Mac OS X Install Disc 1. 2 Restart your MacBook Air and hold down the C key as it starts up. 3 Choose Installer > Open Disk Utility. When Disk Utility opens, follow the instructions in the First Aid pane. 50 Chapter 3 Problem, Meet Solution