Apple Macbook Pro 15inch Late 2011 Manual

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Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
Problems That Prevent You from Using Your MacBook Pro
If your MacBook Pro 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.
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...

52Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
If your MacBook Pro freezes during startup, or you see a flashing question mark, 
or the screen 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	any	disks	attached	to	the	computer.
	
ÂWait	a	few	seconds. 	If	the	computer	doesn’t	soon	start	up, 	shut	it	down	by	pressing	
and	holding	the	power	(®)	button	for	about	8	to	10	seconds....

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Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
	
ÂIf	the	problem	persists, 	close	all	open	documents	and	quit	all	applications. 	Return	
the	computer	to	its	factory	settings	(while	still	preserving	your	files)	by	pressing	
the	left	Shift	key, 	left	Option	(alt)	key, 	left	Control	key,	and	the	power	(®)	button	
simultaneously	for	five	seconds	until	the	computer	restarts. 	
	
ÂIf	you	recently	installed	additional	memory, 	make	sure	that	it	is	correctly	installed	and	
is	compatible	with	your	computer. 	See...

54Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
If you press the battery button, and all  battery indicator lights flash five times quickly
Your	battery	needs	to	be	replaced. 	Contact	an	Apple	Retail	Store	or	an	Apple	
Authorized	Service	Provider.
If you press the battery button, and the battery indicator lights flash from left to 
right and then from right to left, five times in a row
Your	battery	is	not	recognized. 	Contact	an	Apple	Retail	Store	or	an	Apple	Authorized	
Service	Provider.
If you have trouble...

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Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
Use	the	Mac	OS	X	Utilities	application	to:
	
ÂRestore	your	software	and	data	from	a	 Time	Machine	backup.
	
ÂReinstall	Mac	OS	X	and	Apple	applications.
	
ÂRestore	your	computer	to	its	factory	settings	by	erasing	its	disk	and	reinstalling		
Mac	OS	X	and	your	Apple	applications.
	
ÂRepair	your	computer’s	disk	using	Disk	Utility.
If	your	computer	detects	a	problem, 	it	opens	the	Mac	OS	X	Utilities	application	
automatically. 	You	can	also	open	it	manually	by...

56Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
To open the Mac OS X Utilities application:
	
mRestart	your	computer	while	holding	down	the	Command	(x)	and	R	keys. 	The	
Mac	OS	X	Utilities	pane	appears.
Some	utilities	in	the	Mac	OS	X	Utilities	application	require	access	to	the	Internet	and	
the	Mac	App	Store. 	You	may	need	to	make	sure	your	computer	is	connected	to	the	
Internet	by	using	your	Ethernet	or	 Wi-Fi	network.	
To connect by using a Wi-Fi network:
1  Choose	a	network	from	the	 Wi-Fi	status	menu	in	the...

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Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
Restoring Information Using a Time Machine Backup
If	you	previously	created	a	 Time	Machine	backup,	use	the	Restore	utility	to	restore	
everything	on	your	computer	to	its	previous	state.
Use	your	 Time	Machine	backup	to	restore	information	only	to	the	computer	that	was	
the	source	of	the	backup. 	If	you	want	to	transfer	information	to	a	new	computer, 	use	
Migration	Assistant	(in	the	Utilities	folder	in	Launchpad).
1  If	your	backup	is	on	a	 Time	Capsule,	make...

58Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
You	can	install	Mac	OS	X	without	erasing	the	disk, 	which	saves	your	existing	files	
and	settings, 	or	you	can	erase	the	disk	first, 	which	erases	all	your	data	and	leaves	the	
computer	ready	for	you	to	reinstall	Mac	OS	X	and	Apple	applications.
After	installing	Mac	OS	X, 	you	can	go	to	the	Mac	App	Store	and	re-download	your	
Apple	applications.
Important:  Apple	recommends	that	you	back	up	the	data	on	the	disk	before	restoring	
software. 	Apple	is	not	responsible...

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Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
After	restoring	Mac	OS	X	and	your	Apple	applications, 	you	can	selectively	restore	your	
other	data	and	applications	from	a	 Time	Machine	backup.
Using Apple Hardware Test
If	you	suspect	a	problem	with	the	MacBook	Pro	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:
1  Disconnect	all	external	devices	from	your...

60Chapter 4      Problem, Meet Solution
Problems with Your Internet Connection
Your	MacBook	Pro	has	the	Network	Setup	Assistant	application	to	help	walk	you	
through	setting	up	an	Internet	connection. 	Open	System	Preferences	and	click	
Network. 	Click	the	 “Assist	me” 	button	to	open	Network	Setup	Assistant.
If	you	have	trouble	with	your	Internet	connection, 	you	can	try	the	steps	in	this	section	
for	your	type	of	connection	or	you	can	use	Network	Diagnostics.
To use Network Diagnostics:
1  Choose	Apple...