Lesson 21: Installing Software on Your Mac
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Installing software on your Mac
Nov 06, 2011 i am unable to install new software on my macbook because i do not have either the original install disc or the administrator password.I have mac os x snow leopard which is compatible with the machine but cannot install.Please help. They can also install any software, which may be a risk, if the software is malicious. Standard users, on the other hand, have limited access rights on a Mac. They can use, change and create files in their home folder, access folders on shared volumes if the permissions allow it, change settings to non-secure preferences in System Preferences.
Your computer allows you to do some really amazing things. Digital photo editing, sophisticated computer gaming, video streaming—all of these things are possible because of different types of software. Developers are always creating new software applications, which allow you to do even more with your computer.
Installing from a CD-ROM
From the mid-1990s through the late 2000s, the most common way to get new software was to purchase a CD-ROM. You could then insert the disc, and the computer would walk you through through the installation.
Now, almost all software has moved away from this model. In fact, Apple no longer sells computers that include a CD-ROM drive.
Installing software from the Web
Today, the most common way to get new software is to download it from the Internet. Applications like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop can now be purchased and downloaded right to your computer. You can also install free software this way. For example, if you wanted to install the Google Chrome web browser, you could visit this page and click the Download button.
The installation file will usually be saved to your computer in the .dmg format. Pronounced dot d-m-g, this is the standard extension for installation files on Mac computers. You can follow the steps below to install an application from a .dmg file.
- Locate and download a .dmg file.
- Locate and select the .dmg file. (It will usually be in your Downloads folder.)
- A dialog box will appear. Click and drag the icon to your Applications folder.
- The application is now installed. You can double-click the icon to open the program.
- On the desktop, there will probably be a disk drive icon with the name of the application. This is known as a volume, and it is not needed after the application has been installed. You can simply drag it into the Trash on the dock.
Some applications will use the .pkg extension instead of .dmg—in this case, you can simply follow the instructions to install the software.
Tips for finding software
In our experience, the easiest way to find new software is to search the Web. For example, if you were looking for a way to edit some personal photos on your computer, you could run a Google search for free photo-editing software. If you're not exactly sure what kind of software you're looking for, try describing the tasks you want to complete. For example, if you wanted a way to create to-do lists and organize your appointments, you might search for something like free calendar organizer software.
The Mac App Store
If you're using macOS, you can download and install software from the Mac App Store. The Mac App Store is meant to simplify the process of locating and installing software from third-party developers—when you find an app, you won't have to do any extra work to install it.
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Recently, I connected an old HP Officejet Pro 8500 to my network and tried to add the printer to my Macbook Pro running OS X Mountain Lion. I was able to install the printer fine on my PC, but when I tried to add the printer to OS X, I got the following error message:
Can’t install the software for the HP Officejet Pro 8550 printer because it is currently not available from the Software Update server.
After doing some research online, it seemed I had to perform a Software Update since the driver for my HP printer was supported by Apple. I performed a software update, but there was nothing to update! So now I was pretty confused as to what I should do. Luckily, I was able to figure it out, but it does take a few steps to get your printer properly installed on OS X.
Firstly, you have to manually download the printer driver package for your printer brand from Apple. You can see a list of all the printers supported by Apple on this page:
First make sure your printer is actually listed there because if it isn’t, then you won’t be able to install the printer on OS X no matter how hard you try. Your only other option at this point is to check the manufacturer’s website and see if they have a Mac driver you can download that maybe isn’t included in the Apple driver package yet.
If your printer is listed there, then you need to download the driver package and install it. It would have been nice if they had links directly from that page to the driver packages, but they don’t. If you want the driver package for HP, go to Google and search “HP printer drivers mac” and the first link will bring you here:
Here are the links for a couple of more, but to find any other brand, just put the brand name followed by “printer drivers mac” and you’ll find them. Make sure to look for a URL that says “support.apple.com”.
Canon – http://support.apple.com/kb/dl899
Brother – http://support.apple.com/kb/dl894
Lexmark – http://support.apple.com/kb/dl1397
Epson – http://support.apple.com/kb/dl1398
Samsung – http://support.apple.com/kb/DL905
Fuji-Xerox – http://support.apple.com/kb/dl904
Download the DMG and install it on your Mac. Once you have installed it, go ahead and restart your computer. Now we have to reset the printing system and then reinstall the printers. To reset the printing system, click on the Apple logo and then click on System Preferences.
Now click on Print & Scan under the Hardware sub-heading:
Now in a white area in the list of printers box, go ahead and right-click. A menu will pop up and the only option is to Reset Printing System.
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Note that resetting the printing system will remove all the printers from your computer. However, for the ones that were already there, don’t worry because you can add them back without needing to reinstall the drivers or use the CD or anything else. When the printing system is reset, the list box will be empty. Now go ahead and click on the + sign at the bottom of the list box.
It should automatically detect all the printers connected via USB or wired or wireless. First go ahead and add back the ones that were not causing the problem. Then go ahead and add the one that was giving you the error message.
How To Install Mac Programs
Hopefully, now when you choose the printer, it should install automatically without any errors because you downloaded and installed the driver package manually. If you’re still having trouble, post a comment here and I’ll try to help. Enjoy!