About Macs: How and When to Reset Your Mac's SMC

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Macs Macs Basics Reviews Tips & Tricks From Tom Nelson, your Guide to Macs I had a bit of a problem last Sunday. I started up my Mac and discovered that all the USB ports and the built-in Bluetooth were dead. Without the ports working, I had no control over my Mac. I couldn't even try any keyboard startup shortcuts to force the Mac into various troubleshooting steps. Luckily, I remembered that the USB ports and, I believe, the Bluetooth circuits are tied into the Mac's SMC (System Management Controller) unit, which can be reset. After a bit of fiddling, and then resetting the SMC, my Mac was good to go. If you're not sure what the SMC does, or how to reset the SMC unit, you will find instructions linked in today's newsletter. We also have a review of a wide-format inkjet printer, which may be just the upgrade you need for those spectacular photos of yours that you've always wanted to print big, and I do mean big. Resetting the SMC (System Management Controller) on Your Mac What do you do when you start your Mac and discover that your keyboard and mouse have mysteriously stopped working? After a bit of investigating, you realize that it's not just the keyboard and mouse; your USB ports and built-in Bluetooth aren't working, either. Before you rush your Mac off to a repair shop, try resetting its SMC. This can fix a great many issues, and it won't hurt your Mac a bit... Read more See More About:  troubleshooting  smc  pram Epson Stylus Photo R2000 Review - Wide Format Printer The Epson Stylus Photo R2000 is one of the most affordable high-end, wide-format inkjet photo printers currently available, and it doesn't skimp on quality or features. At $499.99 (or $399.99, if you take advantage of a $100 mail-in rebate available through February 29, 2012), it's not out of reach for serious hobbyist photographers who want to take their work to the next level. The R2000 is also a good choice if you're an illustrator, designer, or painter, particularly if you create your work on a Mac. In this review, we take a look at the Epson Stylus Photo R2000, a seven-color printer that can create prints up to 13x44. Of course, it also handles the more standard sizes, including 4x6, 8x10, and 11x17... Read more See More About:  using iphoto  aperture  photo printers Help Select the Best of the Best - Readers' Choice Awards We need your help again to select the best of the best for the annual Readers' Choice Awards. We want you to nominate the best products or services in 8 different Mac categories. Time is running out, with the nomination phase of the Readers' Choice Awards closing February 15th. So drop by and let us know who deserves to be named the best of the best this year... Read more See More About:  readers choice awards  macintosh hardware  macintosh software Add, Delete, and Resize Existing Volumes With Disk Utility Running out of room on that hard disk partition you created? Wish you had made the partition a wee bit bigger? Well, you can do something about that, without worrying about losing your existing data. Ever since Apple released Leopard, the built-in Disk Utility application has had the capability to resize a partition without having to first erase the drive it belongs to. That means you can increase or decrease an existing partition to better meet your current needs. There are a few caveats, but in general, these restrictions are pretty straightforward. If you're ready to do a little partition rearranging, then let's get started... Read more See More About:  os x installation  using disk utility  tutorials Macs Ads Mac OS Inkjet Printers Mac Printers Mac Troubleshooting Password Reset Pro Featured Articles Hook Your Mac Up to Your HDTV Mac Performance Tips - Give Your Mac a Tuneup How to Copy iPod Music to Your Mac SuperDuper 2.6.4 Review Installing Mac OS X Lion Server Add a Recent Applications Stack to the Dock   More from About.com What is PMDD? If prior to your period you experience emotional symptoms that are severe enough to interfere with your day-to-day functioning, you may have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). More> Living with Infertility Infertility is extremely difficult emotionally, and it's easy to start feeling overwhelmed. Here are 10 ways to cope and keep infertility from taking over your life. More> This newsletter is written by: Tom Nelson Macs Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Macs newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Mac News & Events Apple Reveals iBooks 2, iBook Author, and Updated iTunes U Apple Steals & Deals: Sunday, January 22, 2012 Starry Night: Tom's Mac Software Pick   Follow me on: Advertisement