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> But seriously, we expect people to have a second computer around when doing anything involved with their hardware. Not in this particular case. If you are i
by II2II 6y ago
> But seriously, we expect people to have a second computer around when doing anything involved with their hardware.
Not in this particular case. If you are installing an OS on a new drive, all you need is the installation media. You can get that from someone else or prepare it ahead of time. You certainly don't need a second machine on hand at the time of the upgrade or repair. On Macs of a certain vintage, you did not even need that. The firmware has the ability to download the operating system itself over a network connection.
Even in the other cases, a second computer is not necessary. It may be convenient to test a component that you believe has failed before purchasing a replacement, but you certainly have the option to purchase a replacement without testing it. It is also relatively rare these days to require a computer from the same vendor to do testing. As for pinging a computer on the network, that implies that you have a second computer to network with. It does not have to be from the same vendor.
Even though it is likely an unintentional consequence of Apple's design decisions, this does make a relatively simple upgrade or repair less accessible. About the only thing I can say in Apple's favour is that Mac Pro owners probably have easy access to another Mac. (After all, it is quite an expense to accept without having prior experience with Apple hardware.)
- KptMarchewa 6y agoEh, to be honest, even simple Windows and Linux installations can go so wrong that I'll never do that without having second computer with internet access.
- Blikkentrekker 6y agoMethinks that's excessive. All one really needs is something such as SystemRescueCD on a u.s.b. drive on hand, which I always have with me. If one's machine be sufficiently destroyed that it can no longer boot from that, I don't think another computer can fix it.
- KptMarchewa 6y agoSecond machine is usually for googling unexpected problems. I'd never attempt using something like SystemRescueCD without that possibility.
- Nullabillity 6y agoUsually a phone would be enough for that. Hell, with something like DriveDroid[0] you don't even need a separate computer to flash the rescue image. [0]: https://www.drivedroid.io/ https://www.drivedroid.io/
- Blikkentrekker 6y agoOne can do that on SystemRescueCD; I don't understand your angle. It comes with internet and a web browser.
- KptMarchewa 6y agoSo would you boot the CD, google the question you want to google, write answer down to paper notebook or make photo, and then restart to resume installation?
- Blikkentrekker 6y agoNo, I fix my machine from SystemRescueCD if anything go awry. I wasn't thinking of “resuming installation” so much as “accidentally made my machine inoperable”, which becomes apparent when rebooting after the installation. If the machine were not made inoperable, I would simply use the web browser that comes with the live medium of the installer.
- II2II 6y agoIt's good to have an internet connected computer on hand, and I haven't been in a situation in decades where that wasn't the case (even if it was just a mobile device for looking up documentation). Yet there is a bit of a difference between it being a good idea and it being required. There is an even bigger difference between it being required and requiring equipment from a particular vendor. Requiring specialized tooling should not be required for replacing a modular component. I understand that this case involves the security chip, but surely Apple would be able to implement a solution that is integrated into the system's firmware. Macs are already capable of connecting to a wireless access point to download and install the operating system via the Internet[1], so this seems like a reasonable approach. [1] At least they had that capability when I purchased a 2012 MacBook. I'm not sure if things have changed since then.
- josefx 6y agoAll I need for that are bootable usb drives. Someone would have to lock down the boot order in bios and forget the password for that to go wrong.