iCare - Support for the Apple computer
Welcome to the iCare Corner - your one stop for Apple laptop support. Please check out the links above and to the right to find more information.
iPod Promotion Available on Campus
You qualify for a free iPod Touch after rebate when you purchase your Apple laptop on campus at the Computer Store now through September 8, 2009. (Learn more about getting your free iPod!)
Teachers College Laptop Requirement
If you are planning to attend BSU in the fall of 2009, please read about the Laptop Requirement for Teachers College. The required Apple laptops for Teacher Education students are available at a special discount on campus at the Computer Store. Students can purchase their machines any time following your summer orientation, during the fall or spring semesters. Once you purchase your machine, come by the iCare Corner for help setting up and registering your laptop and with installing the software for your teacher education classes. (Read more.)
To help us insure availability, please visit the Purchase Your Laptop link at the top of this page and submit your request. If you need help or have quesitons, please feel free to contact the iCare Corner via telephone (765.285.4197) or email (icare@bsu.edu) or by stopping by when you are on campus.
Read about Accidental Damage and Theft Insurance. These is NOT covered under the three year Apple Hardware warranty that comes with all machines purchased on campus.
For questions about possible financial aid, please contact the office of financial aid or visit the frequently asked questions section..
Apple releases new laptop models
Apple recently released new MacBook and MacBook Pro laptop models that will soon be available on campus. (Learn more about the new models.) The previous models are now on clearance at the Computer Store.
iLife '09 now available...
If you purchased your laptop on campus before March 2007, you may qualify for a free upgrade to iLife '09. (Bring your laptop to the iCare Corner and we will check for you.)
If you purcahsed your machine after that date, iLife '09 is available at the Computer Store for $45.00. Check out the new features!
Need a Great Gift? Want a Mac before you graduate?
The Computer Store has recently recieved the newest MacBooks and MacBook Pros. You can view more information about the different models here. If you are interested in purchasing a new machine or need a great graduation gift, now would be a great time to buy. Click here to request or purchase the newest laptops.
Your Hard Drive CAN FAIL...
If you purchased your MacBook or Macbook Pro in 2006, please be aware that your hard drive could be part of the group that PHYSICALLY FAILS CAUSING YOU TO LOSE ALL OF THE CONTENTS AND INFORMATION ON YOUR MACHINE.
Please take the time to CONSISTENTLY back up all important data on your hard drive onto an external hard drive, CD's, DVD's, iLocker, or iWeb. There is a known issue that causes the 60 and 120 GB drives to CATASTROPHICALLY FAIL. If you have one of those drives and it fails, you WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET ANY OF YOUR SONGS, PICTURES, DOCUMENTS, or PORTFOLIO stuff back. If you don't know how to back up your hard drive or need help, please stop by the iCare Corner. The issue is not with Apple directly, but with the manufacturer of the hard drive (Seagate). To see if your hard drive is one that could possibly fail, check your system preferences Seagate 2.5-inch SATA model numbers ST96812AS and ST98823AS.
To find out if your hard drive is one that might have this issue, go to the apple in the upper left corner and click "About this Mac." Click "More Information" and then select the "ATA Serial choice on the left of that window. In the top box, to the right, you will see the model serial number for your hard drive. Look for model numbers ST96812AS and ST98823AS. If your is one of those numbers, BACK UP YOUR STUFF EVERY DAY!
Color Printing Available
If you need to print something in color for class, please first read Printing to A PDF. After you have printed it to a PDF document you can upload it to the iCare Website. After uploading it, bring your student ID to the iCare Corner and we will gladly print it out for you.VERY IMPORTANT - When running any installation of software (Office, widgets, Adobe Acrobat, etc...) or updates to software, make sure your laptop is PLUGGED IN and NOT running off of the battery. Be sure the energy saver is set to "never" on the sleep menu and the screen saver is set to "never" turn on. A problem has come up that the machine will try to go to sleep (due to non human activity), and when it does, it stops the install and thus can cause some major problems with your computer. The only remedy is to come to the iCare Corner with the cd's that came with your machine when you have 2 hours of free time.
After running any update via software update, you should be in the habit of running Disk Utility to Repair Permissions. Disk Utility is located in your Applications -> Utilities folder. Once you open Disk Utility, select the top hard drive on the left hand window, then press the "Repair Permissions" button and it will fix any problems you may notice. It is always wise to reboot your computer after running "Repair Permissions."
The Apple battery recall is ONLY for the iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 NOT the new MacBook. To find out if your battery is part of the recall, go to the Apple Support Page.
Any questions? Email us at icare@bsu.edu
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Last 3 Articles
Purchasing your Apple laptop
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Summer Promotion
If you plan to purchase your Apple laptop from the Computer Store on campus, waiting until early June has its benefits. When purchasing a qualifying Mac from the Computer Store, you have the opportunity to get a free iPod touch after rebate. This offer is for a limited time so plan to purchase your ...more...
Freshman Orientation
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