Listed below are some of the questions I get asked on a regular basis so I thought I would add a Frequently Asked Questions page for your convenience.

Can’t find the answer to your question? Feel free to email me or go to my Contact page for more contact information.

Question: How do I take a “snapshot” of something on my screen?


You have two options to take a picture of your screen.

(1) If you want a picture of everything on your screen then you press the following key combination – Apple+Shift+3
(2) If you want a picture of a specific area then you press the following key combination – Apple+Shift+4. This presents a crosshair on the screen (+) You drag this “box” around the area you want to take the picture of.

Both this pictures will appear on your Desktop (or Hard Drive in Mac OS 9) with the file name of “Picture x”

Question: How do I Zap The PRAM? (And what is it and why would I do this?)


(The Parameter RAM (or PRAM) is a little chunk of memory that doesn’t get erased when the power goes off. Your Mac stores things like the current day, time, and which printer is chosen in that memory. Sometimes it becomes corrupt and can cause problems.)

To do this:-
1) Choose Restart from the Apple Menu ()
2) Straight away hold down the Apple-Option-P-R Keys (Stretch those fingers!)
3) Keep the keys hold down until you hear the normal startup chime about 3-5 times.
4) Release the keys.

You will need to reset a couple of settings, (local network, printer in the chooser, colour and mouse settings – these are in the Control Panels)

You can also rebuild your desktop after this (which cleans up your invisible database file), which is done by:-

After 4 above
5) Hold down the Apple-Option keys, and when asked to “Rebuild the desktop” click OK, and let go of the keys! (This will only work in Mac OS 9)

Question: How do I set a Background Picture in Mac OS X?


If you have download a picture or have something you want to use as your background it is very easy to change. Go to System Preferences and choose “Desktop”. Where the current picture is, under “Current Desktop Picture” drag and drop your new Desktop picture into the “well”

Some ‘OPTION’ key helpful hints!

(The ‘Apple’ Key also known as the ‘Command’ key)
Option + click on desktop or other application = hides the current application after switch
Option + about this Macintosh = about the finder (with a nice picture too!)
Option + empty trash = trashes locked items without asking
Option + collapse window = collapses all windows
Option + dragging item to another directory or desktop = copy to new location
Option + Apple + Escape = Force Quit
Option + Apple at Start up = Rebuilds Desktop
Option + Apple + P + R at Start up = Zaps the PRAM
Option + Apple + Power = Force Sleep
Option + Apple + Power + Shift = Force Shutdown
Option + Apple + Mouse Drag = Create Alias where mouse button is released