Overview of the Technology Tools Available to All AISD Teachers (AISD Intranet)

Troubleshooting Tips for OSX

Help for troubleshooting OSX (web)

Tips for OSX from MacHome (web)

90 Page PDF guide to Migrating to OSX.pdf

Font management in OSX (web)

Modifying the Student Account (pdf)

Troubleshooting tips for the AISD OSX image (AISD Internet)

Printing in OSX (AISD Internet)

iNotes in OSX (AISD Internet) (AISDWeb) (doc)

Please note that these instructions were written for experienced technical support persons and are not intended for use by the end user. If any part of these instructions are confusing or if you have questions relating to this process, please feel free to contact your IT Facilitator for clarification and support.

G3 Imaging Instructions For Using a Boot CD
Step by step instructions for the upgrade imaging process
iMacs (Bondi Blue, Grape, Blueberry), G3 Towers B&W

G3 Imaging instructions For Using a FireWire Drive
Step by step instructions for the upgrade imaging process
iMacs (Ruby, Lime, Indigo) White iBooks

G4 Imaging Instructions
Step by step instructions for upgrading eMacs. Currently we do not have a district image for G4 iBooks, Titanium G4 PowerBooks or G4 towers. For now, those will have to be updated individually using the Panther Install CD set.
White eMacs, G4 iBooks

Building a Custom Image
Directions for building a custom image containing campus software and specific server shortcuts and printer settings.

Carbon Copy Cloner Instructions
Step by step instructions for using Carbon Copy Cloner to create a clone of a custom campus computer image.

Making a FW Drive Bootable
Step by step instructions for imaging an external FireWire drive so that it can be used as a bootable drive to speed up the imaging process on campus. NOTE: Your FW drive needs to be reformatted in Tiger to use the Tiger images.

Making a Bootable CD for Use With Reimaging
Step by step instructions for making a CD that will boot your Macs with no FW drive so that they can pull down the image from a central location.

Using an campus Mac as AFP Imaging Server to image G3 computers
Step by step instructions for using an iBook, eMac, or newer iMac computer as an Apple File Protocol Server to reimage any macs on your campus but in particuclar those that do not have a FireWire port.

AISD Macintosh Computer Inventory
This district inventory currently shows all macs that received RAM upgrades this past year. Notice the worksheet tabs at the bottom of spreadsheet to find campus totals detailed listing of all macs by campus. Installers will be update the information for each campus and submitt eletronically and in hard copy to IT following upgrades. This spreadsheet will reflect progress of the project over the summer.

Setting up automatic logon to a server at user logon
Step by step instructions for setting up automatic server logon at user logon so that students and/or teachers can access required servers as soon as they log on as users in OSX. (coming soon)

Firmware information for Macs going to OSX This article on Apple's site explains all about which firmware is needed for which models, along with links to those firmware downloads.

Reimaging Troubleshooting Tips

District Macintosh Inventory.xls
This spreadsheet contains the inventory info for all district macintosh computers that received the ram upgrade in the summer and fall of 2003. Download this SS and modify the information for your campus macs. Email your updated info back to Steve Jeske at IT following the reimaging.

Netrestore & Carbon Copy Cloner's Website

Installs Server - http://uop/installs/
Contains copies of all images along with other helpful downloads
For downloading images directly to your desktop we recommend using afp://uop/installs/
login as guest. Drag the images you need to your desktop and they will download. Much faster and more reliable than http.

Airport Setup Instructions.doc
Following reimaging your iBooks will need to reestablish their network connection to your Airport Hub. These instructions help you accomplish this.

"How do I know if my campus software will work in OS 10 or Classic Mode?"
Various campus technology facilitators are in the midst of testing a wide variety of educational software for compatability issues. We will post their results as they come in. You can reference that list from this link.

"Why do we have to do this upgrade?"
Technology constantly changes. Normally this is for the better and in this case, moving to Apple's latest operating system will provide many benefits for both teachers and students.

"When do we have to do this upgrade?"
We encourage campuses to begin the planning for this upgrade now. We would like to complete as much of this upgrade as possible before summer. If you would like to wait until summer to perform this upgrade, you are more than welcome to do so. Budget contraints prevent Instructional Technology from promising to provide a stipend to complete this task after July 1st. If you wait to upgrade until August or next fall, there will be no stipends available to help complete the upgrade. It will be up to each campus to manage this process on their own after that.

"Which Macs do we upgrade?"
First, computers must have had the memory upgrade to at least 256 megabits of ram and hard drives with at least 4 gigabits of capacity.

G3 iMacs of any color
G3 Blue and White Towers
G3 PowerBook laptops (black)
G3 iBooks of any color
G4 eMacs
G4 PowerBooks
G4 Towers

"Which Macs can't be upgraded?"
PowerMac 5400's and older
Beige G3 computers without USB or FireWire ports
G3 All-in-ones without USB or FireWire ports

"My Mac will not keep accurate time and date settings. How do I fix that?"
First of all, if your time and date settings fail to stay current, you probably need a new internal batter for your computer. Submit a work order to resolve this. In addition, you can point your computer to the district's time keeper server.

(Panther) Go to Blue Apple/System Preferences/Date & Time

Check Set Date and Time Automatically.

Every time a networked computer is turned on, it will check with AISD's time server and the computer's settings will be updated.

"Why would I want to zap the PRAM?"
Zapping the PRAM on a Mac flushes out all perameter settings that are stored over time even when the computer is turned off.

Sometimes these settings get corrupted and cause your computer to act in strange ways.

Erasing these settings brings your computer back to default perameter settings.

NOTE: This will erase your monitor, printer, date, and other settings.

"How do I zap the PRAM?"
Zap the PRAM by booting the iBook while holding down these four
keys simultaneously: Apple-Option-P-R.
Continue to hold down these keys until you have heard the startup
"Chime" five times.
Then release these keys and let the computer boot normally.