"Dear Apple Community,
For the first time in a decade, I'm getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

I've decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.

As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.

Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause-a hormone imbalance that has been "robbing" me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis.

The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment. But, just like I didn't lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple's CEO during my recovery.

I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple's CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first.

So now I've said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this.
-Steve"

"Hi Mike, I had the same problems that your reader had with a WD drive (ref: Dec. 31st post) but with a MacPower Taurus Raid (2x500 GB, RAID 1). (This was not related to 10.5.6 - seen with earlier OS X leopard versions.) There is no special software for these drives so I noticed the problems in Dreamweaver first. I tried to preview a webpage in Safari but all I got was an error message that Safari couldn't find any html file.

I checked the file path which seemed fine. I doublechecked it in the Terminal and noticed that my drive on the desktop was called "Media" but in /Volumes "Media 1". There was also an empty volume called "Media".
I had no other problems for month until my iPhoto library was also empty.
I tried renaming and reformatting the drive but since the "Media" path didn't go away, my drive was still called "Media" on the desktop. I couldn't get rid of the empty path so I ended with renaming it to something like "Media_xprtzkf" and now reformatting the drive brought back the right name under UNIX.
Luckily I had a TimeMachine backup which I highly recommend for everyone! All the best from Germany
-Goetz"

Having a current backup is a must IMHO (my work machine has TM backup as well as another (manual) backup, plus a CCC clone of the boot drive (although I've not updated my CCC clone from OS X 10.5.5 yet - I don't update the CCC clone until I've used/proven OS X 10.5.6 for at least a month.) Knock on wood, as I mentioned in the Dec. 30th posting I haven't seen any OS X 10.5.6 (or earlier) problems with 3 (oxford bridge based) FW drives (portable drive, Ministack V3 and Quad-Interface Dual-HD drive).
  

" To update you on my earlier emails, the recent MobileMe update didn't quite fix the problem with importing into Mac Address Book. It did fix the importing vCards problem mostly, as I was able to import any vCard that Outlook or Windows Address Book could spit out, no matter how messy.
But now I can no longer import .csv files at all, as Mac Address Book claims to not recognize the file as such, even when exported from excel as .csv, while these same exact files worked before the update.
Either way, importing via vCards is much easier anyway, and I suppose the broken .csv support is one way to avoid the multi-line address/note issue...
-Mike K."

Also added this to his earlier post on the archived Dec. 22nd news page.
  

"On 1-4-09, my G5, 2.5GHz PowerMac died (No start up). I took it into the Apple Store Genius Bar. He found a lot liquid coolant dripping inside the case (I watched at the desk). They gave me a brand new 2.8 GHz Quad-Core MAC PRO for FREE, saying they did not want me to go home with a leaking computer.
They took out my G5 Hard drive and installed it into my new Mac Pro. They kept the Mac Pro box to ship back the G5, but if I had brought my G5 box with me, then I could have kept the Mac Pro box.
-Matthew"

Also added this to the previous page on PowerMac G5 Coolant Leaks/Repairs that has reminders to check for leaks frequently, notes/pix on the 2 LCS systems, previous posts on DIY leak repairs (pump o-rings, replacement, etc.), out-of-warranty repairs covered, etc.
  

• Parallels Desktop 4.0.3810 Update
• Five things Apple needs to do at Macworld (computerworld)
• Apple has plans for iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro in 2009 (w/rumors of Core i7 based Mac Pro and 28in iMac)
• Analyst upbeat on Macworld without Jobs (Businessweek) (BTW - Now there's a rumor of Unibody 17in MBP, but w/o a removeable battery?)
• Jobs: Hormone imbalance causing weight loss (Fortune)
• The iPhone 3G Unlock Chart: Will Your Carrier Work? (Pcworld)
• iPhone 3G Carrier Unlock Released and Working Fine (ref: Dev-Team Blog)
• Apple's last Macworld beginning of new era (cnet)
• Soonr nails the desktop to cloud to iPhone connection for documents (venturebeat)
• AMD inside Apple in 2009? (cnet)
• iPhone applications get down to business (infoworld)
• LG adds direct Internet link to a line of HDTVs (cnet)
• Intel Core i7 Desktops Dominate PC Charts (still hoping for an i7 based Mac Pro soon)
• Need an SLR for traveling? Props to Olympus E-3 (cnet)
• Blu-ray Sales Grow Faster Than DVD (ITportal)
• My perfect new travel companion (Acer Aspire One netbook) (usatoday)
• Lenovo's Slick All-in-One PC Crams In Features (pcmag)

"AMUG has published a detailed review of the Sonnet Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard/34 ($299.95). MacBook Pro users looking for the fastest eSATA ExpressCard on the market will want the Tempo SATA Pro. This new Marvell based hardware can provide 30-40% higher direct connect RAID 0 performance than any other ExpressCard/34 currently available. Mac OS X SMART application support is another great feature provided by the Sonnet "Pro" ExpressCard."

"Subject: G5 CPU Upgrade, Now Fans Go Crazy
I have a G5 with dual 2.0 processors. I found a pair of 2.7 processors on Ebay and, after a lot more effort than I would have thought possible, installed them and my machine is running. The processors are running fine and are appearing in system info as anticipated.
However, the fans are now at full blast for the entire time the system is on now. A Google search indicates thermal recalibration needs to be done with Apple System Diagnostic. (This is done even if Apple replaces a defective CPU with the same series/speed.-Mike) I got a copy, burned a CD, rebooted with it and the program tells me there were CPU errors and I need to run thermal recalibration. I do just that and after five minutes the machine simply shuts down. Each time. (he later said they ran all day (w/fans at high speed) before the thermal recal attempt. Still not clear if that recal finished OK (or if there may have been several versions of apple's recal utility depending on the CPU/model)-Mike)

Did I miss something? Is there a problem? Should I hope I can find leaking coolant and Apple will give me a new machine? Thanks for any tips you or your readers may have.
(I asked Dave some questions including:

• Was your dual 2GHz LCS? (liquid cooled - 2.7GHz models were)
• Was the 2.7GHz CPU to heatsink fit good?
• Any more detailed info on the "CPU errors"? (did the thermal recal complete OK, or did it error out?)
• Any info in the logs that indicated thermal shutdown?
• If it will run long enough - have you checked reported CPU temps? (with utils like freeware temperature monitor))

I put some thermal paste on the new processors and now the machine won't boot with the new or old processors. (Too much thermal paste is worse than none. And did Apple use paste or a thermal gasket? - if a gasket and it's in good shape I'd just clean it and not use paste - if not in good shape remove it (carefully, not scratching contact surfaces).-Mike)
The 2.0GHz processors were not liquid cooled. (OK, that means an earlier logic board - from the initial comments on coolant leak I thought it was a later/LCS system.-Mike) Temperature gushe (?) said the 2.7s were running around 80C which I believe is very hot. I am seriously debating running to the apple store down the street and buying a new machine.
-Dave"

The 2.7GHz G5s used LCS - if you had a 2GHz air-cooled (like mine) that may be a factor (not just cooling/heatsink but the earlier logic board/rom, etc.) There's at least 3 different versions of the 970 CPU that I remember (original 970, die-shrink (90nm) 970FX in early 2004 and finally the Dual Core 970MP) and many different logic board versions. But since it won't boot now even with the original 2GHz CPUs installed (another thermal recal may be needed) I wonder if some damage was done during the upgrade. (And I wonder if the 2.7GHz were leftover parts from a failed G5 w/coolant leak.)
Not sure what those 2.7GHz CPUs cost, but personally I'd not have bothered with them even if you had the same series logic board and LCS. Selling the G5 (especially if a reliable air-cooled model) and pooling the sale price + the 2.7GHz CPU's cost may have bought you a used/refurbished Mac Pro with a little boot.
If anyone has done a G5 CPU upgrade (successfully), let me know.
A reader reply to this post with more notes on differences in various models (original 970, later 970FX and final (late 2005 systems) Dual Core 970MP)

" While I haven't personally tried upgrading a G5 system, I've done enough research to know that the hassle isn't worth it. Bricking a system is very possible so if you're not willing to take that risk, don't even think of it. One of the lesser known things about the G5 chip is that the processors do not initialize themselves when a system is booted, a service processor is used. This chip also handles the set up for thermal calibration and the changing of the front side bus speeds for low power operation. (the original catch-all page on PowerMac G5 info here mentioned this back in 2003 - from the original developer docs on the PowerMac G5 - called "Processor and bus slewing" (downclocking) - variable speeds depending on the Energy Saver Performance Option setting. It also stated if too high a temperature was detected, it would automatically reduce speeds (even if set to "highest performance" option).-Mike.) While the service processor can be an entirely different CPU, I believe Apple has integrated it into the northbridge chip on the PCI-X based G5's. In a pseudo related note, this is why there has been no overclocking of the G5 chips: everything needs to be done in software.

There are three versions of G5 chip: the plain PowerPC 970, the PowerPC 970FX (90nm, announced in early 2004) and the dual core PowerPC 970MP (announced in summer 2005). All 2.5 Ghz and 2.7 Ghz chips are of the PowerPC 970FX variety while there is a mix of PowerPC 970 and PowerPC 970FX chips at 1.8 Ghz and 2.0 Ghz speed grades. (the original 2003 G5s used the 970, FXs were used in later models (including some Xserve G5s (2004 article here)-Mike) There is a chance that all 1.6 Ghz models use the plain PowerPC 970 but I haven't extensively looked into in this. IBM changed a few things regarding power states between the plain PowerPC 970 and the PowerPC 970FX. (There's also notes on 970FX vdd limits in the Xserve G5s 2004 article here). There was also a (later rev) lower power 970FX announced at the same time as the 970MP (dual core).-Mike) Apple was able to accommodate those changes in the G5's firmware so that a single motherboard can work with either PowerPC 970's or PowerPC 970FX's. I can see an issue arise when a PowerPC 970FX chips is plugged into a motherboard whose firmware lacks support for that version of the G5. Before attempting to try any sort of upgrade, it'd pay to upgrade the G5 motherboard's firmware. (unfortunately apple firmware updates usually have checks to prevent applying them to later/diffrent models.) To further confuse the issue, the processor modules themselves contain a small firmware chip for their individual thermal profiles and clock speeds.

The PowerPC 970MP was only used in the ("Late 2005" series) PCI Express based systems. How the PowerPC 970MP handles thermal calibration is very similar to the PowerPC 970FX. However, due to the radical motherboard change alongside the introduction of the PowerPC 970MP, I would not attempt to use a PowerPC 970MP with a G5 motherboard that uses AGP. Apple had no reason to include support for the PowerPC 970MP chips on those early motherboards. (As the 970MP chip was not available when they did the earlier logic board designs, which have twin CPU sockets/bus design - not a single cpu w/2 cores. I would suspect the MP CPU has a different pin count/socket type also, but have not dug up the pkg/specs on it.-Mike)
IBM has a good technical library of the various G5 processors here:
http://www-01.ibm.com/chips/techlib/techlib.nsf/products/PowerPC_970_and _970FX_Microprocessors
Unfortunately, Apple does not publish the similar details for their motherboards and chipsets.
-Kevin G."

That's the same IBM page linked in the article here from 2004 on Xserve G5 power usage (including 970FX CPU notes).
Here's links from the FAQ's Apple G5 section here to Apple's general specs/info pages on the various PowerMac G5 models

• PowerMac G5 (Late 2005) (Dual Core/PCI-Express slots)
• PowerMac G5 (Early 2005) (last of the AGP/PCI-X slot models)
• PowerMac G5 (Late 2004) (AGP/PCI-X slots)
• PowerMac G5 (June 2004) (AGP/PCI-X slots)
• PowerMac G5 (first 2003 models) (AGP/PCI-X slots, all air cooled)

• Garmin WebUpdater 2.0.5 (reportedly working w/10.5.6)
• Unlocking the iPhone 3G - or maybe not
• Rumor: Apple to Give iMovie Big Update (I hope it's not 'Cloud'/web-based...)
• iPod and iPhone: TV out support (Apple)
• Apple CHUD Tools 4.6.1
• No big announcements expected at Macworld (still lists expected items like snow leopard, revised Mini, iMac, possible new Time Capsule, AppleTV, etc. - I'm still hoping for a Core i7 based Mac Pro...)
• Apple's Internet share registered strong gains in Dec. (fortune)
• Verisign Discontinues Flawed MD5 Certificates
• 10 Most Awesome iPhone Apps of 2008
• 5 predictions for 2009
• Macintosh at 25: Still the innovation leader (I still remember my first Mac - a 128K (floppy only) Macintosh first model - $2495 in 1984. I still have an SE and Color Classic...)
• PCmag Review: OWC Mercury On-The-Go 320GB/7200rpm (higher-cap/lower cost models are on the Site specials page)
• Review/benchmarks of Seagate 7200.11 1.5TB Hard Disk (PC tests/comparisons - didn't note Seagate drive firmware version)
• Linux Solid-State Drive Benchmarks
• Zune 'bug' fixed, says Microsoft
• These eight memorable DVD moments were tops in 2008
• Potent Pony: (2010) Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 (still way overweight...)

Friday Jan. 2, 2009

• Review of Sonnet's 'Pro' (Marvell chip based) eSATA Express/34 card
• Latest Turbo.264 Speed Tests (OS X 10.5.6/iMac 3GHz)
• 2GHz G5 Tower owner notes on 2.7GHz CPU upgrade (problems)
• Garmin WebUpdater 2.0.5 (reportedly working w/10.5.6)
• Unlocking the iPhone 3G - or maybe not
• Rumor: Apple to Give iMovie Big Update
• iPod and iPhone: TV out support (Apple)
• Apple CHUD Tools 4.6.1
• More rumors on announcements expected at Macworld
• Apple's Internet share registered strong gains in Dec.
• Verisign Discontinues Flawed MD5 Certificates
• 10 Most Awesome iPhone Apps of 2008
• 5 predictions for 2009
• Macintosh at 25: Still the innovation leader
• PCmag Review: OWC Mercury On-The-Go 320GB/7200rpm
• Review/benchmarks of Seagate 7200.11 1.5TB Hard Disk
• Linux Solid-State Drive Benchmarks
• Zune 'bug' fixed, says Microsoft
• These eight memorable DVD moments were tops in 2008

• More Tips for Firewire Drive Mounting Problems
• Another G5 Tower owner w/Coolant Leak damage gets new Mac Pro replacement
• Another ATI X1900XT Accelero X2 Cooler Swap
• OnyX 2.0.2
• Path Finder 5.0.5
• MobileMe, Apple ID: "This Apple ID has been disabled for security reasons" alert appears (Apple)
• MobileMe: Protecting movies, images in your Gallery with a password (Apple)
• Quad-core MacBook Pro on the way?
• Picturing a 9-inch iPod tablet (fortune)
• Apple's 5 biggest moments in 2008
• 21 Dumbest Moments in Business 2008 (Fortune)
• Users report 30GB Zunes seizing up
• Do-It-Yourself Free Xbox 360 Wireless
• Review of Lenovo's ThinkPad W700ds - 2 displays in one notebook
• Microsoft: MD5 hack poses no major threats to users
• AnyDVD claims it defeats protection on latest BD+ discs
• Top Five Most Disappointing Games of 2008

• More feedback on 802.11N card upgraded (core duo) MacBook Pros
• Some 10.5.6 users seeing Firewire drive mounting problems (w/Tip)
• Some DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter users seeing Display Distortion
• Rumors of Large Form iPod Touch To Launch in Fall '09
• MacZot New Years Special: 11 Apps for $59
• Cocktail utility New Years Eve sale
• Noise Ninja for Aperture 2.0.5
• Tap Defense 1.2 update (free iPhone/Touch game)
• Aurora Feint the Beginning v1.4 (free iPhone/Touch game)
• OS X Server 10.4/10.5: How to remove print jobs from the CUPS queue directory (Apple)
• Apple rumored to be planning new home server device
• New HP MediaSmart home servers automatically back up Macs
• Jobs' health rumors and a Whole Lot of 'Here We Go Again'
• Opinion: For Apple, '08 ends with the Macworld clunker
• Another case maker adds to the iPhone Nano speculation
• Researchers Devise Undetectable Phishing Attack
• Web browser flaw could put e-commerce security at risk
• Microsoft downplays Windows Media Player bug
• Intel Launches Fresh Mobile Quad-Core Chip