Rehabilitating The Computer, Part 2

Oh, it's going to be one of THOSE posts; I made 3 typos tonight in the title alone.  LOL! I'm actually typing this Sat night, but it kinna late to post.  

But the RAM has been upgraded from 8 GB to 16.  It was scheduled for 4-6 PM Thursday, but the technician had some difficult repairs and then rush hour traffic problems made it unreasonable (Washington traffic is among the worst in the US and any accident just brings it to a screaming-mad halt). So we rescheduled to Sat 9-11 AM.  I wasn't exactly "thrilled", but things happen.  

He arrived early in the time-slot, so that was good.  I must say, he had 2 impressive bags of tools.  Well, it's an on-site service, so he has to have everything with him.  And I have to say that he was friendly, experienced, and helpful (even answered some unrelated  questions I had - I always try to learn a little bit during household repairs).

I left him to his work (mostly) but dropped into the room a few times just out of curiosity.   It isn't often I get to see the insides of a computer.  So I learned a few things.  The Mac-Mini has a fan, though I never heard it or noticed an airflow input).  Apparently it is a better fan than Window Companies use ("heavier and more wings".  The hard drive is the size of a Bridge playing card and is "solid state".  

I had my Mac upside down for some reason; probably some thought about how the ON button should be placed.  The circle I had on top is a combination base and Wi-Fi antenna (no harm done, though).  The RAM cards were more familiar-looking; you can see some circuitry.  

I originally bought the RAM upgrade chips months ago, but feared to attempted it.  The online instructions said you need special screwdriver bits and a "IFixIt".  I have some odd driver bits, but I didn't know what an IFixIt was.  And there were dire warnings about static electricity damage.  So I chickened out and finally called for the experts...

And a good thing I did!  It took the guy 2 hours to exchange the RAM chips.  It turns out that IFixIt is a massive case of REALLY weird driver bits that I didn't have a HOPE of having.  I couldn't have done it even WITH the right tools.  And he said the 2018 Mac-Mini (mine) was unusually difficult to work on.  

He had to almost completely disassemble it!  Replacing the RAM chips was the EASY part.  And even then, some very tiny connectors and 2 rubber insulators (and I THINK), a metal MESH heat-disippation cover gave him some trouble.  I'm far-sighted and can't see anything without reading glasses or a magnifier lens up close, so I NEVER could have done it anyway.  

After he was done, we talked for a few minutes (as I said, he was friendly).  First, he liked my (home-made) computer desk.  It's old but sturdy at 5' by 30".  By "old" I mean it even has a 12"x 1" slot cut though the top and a platform below for fanfold paper (remember that stuff?).  

Second, he said the computer was very clean inside.  Considering I smoke (and only while on the computer these days) I was amazed.  He said it looked perfect.  Good for years...

Third, he said he needed to test the computer to make sure every seemed to be working.  That was humerus.  I'm right-handed, but hold the mouse oddly, so I have the mouse buttons reversed.  From my earliest office days to the present, anytime an IT guy had to work on my computer I warned them of that.      I tell them to just reverse the buttons to "normal" (it's SO easy) They always shrug it off saying they'll adjust.  They never do!  And they always keep frustrating themselves.  They just keep pressing the wrong side button (it's muscle-memory).

But we tested out some apps and sites.  The Apple Menu confirmed it was reading 16 GB.  He wanted to test an online site, so I directed him to the Mark's Mews Blog.  He had seen Lori wandering around the room and mentioned he had 2 cats, so that seemed like a good place.  And he took a picture of the blog address to visit later.

He mentioned having to be professionally neutral among Apple/Windows/others.  So to test my files folders, (and because he asked why I preferred Apple, I directed his attention to Finder.  Its like Windows Directory, but better).  That was working fine, too.  But I pointed his attention to the organization of my files/folders.

I am very organized.  Well, there is a reason I was a Federal Agency Project Manager.  He loved how organized I was.  Some people have all their files dumped in "Documents".  I have 6 folders just for categories of pictures and all my spreadsheet and word documents are similarly separated by subject. He loved it.  And it demonstrated to him that my computer was working fine after the "operation".

He loved my keyboard.  That might not seem odd, but I wear the letters off regular keyboard in mere months.  I found one with ingrained keys (daskeyboard) months ago and there isn't the least loss of key symbols since.  He didn't love my motley assembly of adapters.  Said they were slowing things down and making the hard drive work slightly harder.  And it is true.  I have adaptors to adaptors.  I keep old equipment connected until it just doesn't work anymore.  

So he gave so free advice and brought up sites that provided more direct connections.  I mean, even the 2018 Mac Mini has ports I couldn't understand.  So he explained:  Those tiny ones are "thunderbolt ports".  My external multi-port adapters I was using were really slowing things down.  And that I had wireless connections I wasn't using.  There is an Satechi Apple-dedicated keyboard he thinks I might prefer.  There is also a Satechi base that exactly matches the Mac Mini and adds various ports.  Add he says they provide the best adaptors.  I'll be looking at them...

I know about "last mile" cable connections causing slowdowns.  And I know about UPS and FedEx using the USPS to make final divers for cost and speed cost and efficiency reasons.  I DIDN'T know that last inch of adaptors was slowing things down.  Normally, I don't do things that require much speed.  BUT!  It makes a difference when downloading updates to apps or the whole O/S.  And I HATE sitting around for an hour during some major updates.  

I need an update to Firefox.  I'll see if it "feels" like it works faster after this RAM upgrade.  But mostly, I will know if the RAM upgrade helps if I stop getting warnings to "free up some RAM".  And if the computer wakes up from "sleep mode" and doesn't make the monitor go on and off fuzzily several times "sometimes" before coming up normally.

If all this makes sense to you, GREAT.  If not, just read it as details of me learning from a tech guy and relating it to past and present experience.  I know "some stuff" but not much.  Hardware is nearly invisible.  Software is easier, only because the apps guide me through the choices.  And even the software drives me crazy.

I have the RAM upgraded.  Now it is time to tackle the tangle of email apps.  AOL recognizes my cavebear account but not marksmews or yardenman.  Apple email reads marksmews and yardenman, but not cavebear.  And I can't reply FROM marksmews or yardenman, so have to forward those emails to AOL cavebear.  

I have an AOL, gmail and an iCloud email account for cavebear.  It has gotten TOTALLY out of control!    AOL is threatening my account there because of "3rd party" reading issues, gmail (Google) wants to make itself my exclusive provider, and I don't like that Apple iCloud keeps my data "away".  I love my stuff "here on the Mac Mini (safer from data-extraction).  

So that's the work for this week...