Guys, I've spent the entire long weekend researching and reading up on Macs. I'm not afraid of learning something new. I'm just trying to absorb it all. For example, you guys talk about the "Intel" macs like they just started. Isn't that all they've used for at least 13 or 14 years? Anything built before that is pretty much useless nowadays anyway. I know all the iMacs, Mac Minis, and Macbooks I've looked at were Intel.
As far as hard drives go, they fail all the time. Apple uses the same drives as everyone else, they're no more immune than any other OS. I just was trying to understand how to go about replacing one and restoring the OS on a Mac. No particular apprehension involved.
My 2006 iMac core 2 duo is 64 bit, or at least About my Mac says it is. I've enjoyed playing with it, but can't use it as a daily because the OS is old and unsupported and vulnerable.
Thanks for all the comments and help.
Yup. The mac folks sure are dedicated. I've been doing all aspects computer related for eons it seems.
Mostly Windows/Linux flavors. Upgrades, builds. All that.
So when a Mac guy comes up one day with a toasted Nvidia card, no biggie. Run down to the computer supply and pick up a replacement. Right? On a Saturday evening.
No dice. Mac Nvidia is not the same as one used in your regular everyday "real" computer.
So hunt, search, find out why. Download and flash firmware into the card (on a Windows pc) to make it work. Jesus! Why?
Graphics card down the street...35 bucks. Same card for a mac ordered and delivered...add a leading 1.
I'm guessing it's because they (Apple) want to keep you in their belt loop. Okay, wallet.
Not being that familiar with Apple products I found out you could put macOS on an old Windows pc. "Hackintosh".
Drivers in the form of "kexts" and pretty good support sites. But just installing Intel osX on a plain old Intel PC?
Fuhgeddaboutit!
Did it just to become familiar and to be prepped to say "sure I can" when someone asked if I worked on Mac's.
Bla. macOS (something) sets on a separate drive waiting for F8 on boot.
Mac's (from what I see) make you buy anything that does anything usable. Just like their iOS line of products.
But their "owners" are dedicated. It blows your file management skills all here and gone.
Push a button and it's there (where exactly?) and push a button and it's back. And the cloud. What if I don't want it on the cloud?
Yeah I know....it's in the settings.
It's a different way to an old hard core like me. Would I buy one? Nah. But they do a great job at being obsolete resistant.
Then again there are many flavors of Linux out there that will make that old Pentium 4 purr too. Keeping your pockets heavy.