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What are the first few things I should do when I get my new MBP?

A

AbhiKap55

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 17, 2012
39
0
Hello, AbhiKap here.

I am getting a new Apple MacBook Pro 13. 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 4GB of RAM. I am really excited and I would like a list of a few things that I should do first when I get it. It can be anything fun, for example, "download a new game from the Mac App Store" or something lik et ht

thanks
 
If you have the facility for it (Time Capsule/External Drive etc) I'd suggest you make a backup if every thing is working okay
 
Play around with it for a couple of hours then...

Upgrade the RAM to 8GB and put either a hybrid hard drive (Seagate Momentus XT) or an SSD in it.

It'll be like getting a whole new computer from the future, for less than $200.
 
NewishMacGuy said:
Play around with it for a couple of hours then...

Upgrade the RAM to 8GB and put either a hybrid hard drive (Seagate Momentus XT) or an SSD in it.

It'll be like getting a whole new computer from the future, for less than $200.
Click to expand...

Um...I don't know about that, I don't plan on upgrading anytime soon. Also, I'm coming from a Windows PC, so I'd like suggestions that include features from OS X or something like that, it can also be new features in mountalon lion
 
Now I know this might seem crazy, but try this:

Think of things you do in Windows and things you want to do in general, and research those things for the Mac.

*Gasp* crazy I know, but it just might work.
 
Right after entering all your data to get things going on first start up, I suggest you go to System Preferences > Security and Privacy to Enable the built in Firewall.

Next go to System Preferences > Users & Groups. Create a second user and make that a Standard account for daily use.

After setting that up, switch to that account. Go back to System Preferences and go through each of them to see the options they provide.

Maybe not as much fun as installing a new game and playing that but getting familiar with those System Preferences and perhaps a little bit of the reasons for their existence will make using your Mac more enjoyable in the future.
 
bluespaceoddity said:
Right after entering all your data to get things going on first start up, I suggest you go to System Preferences > Security and Privacy to Enable the built in Firewall.

Next go to System Preferences > Users & Groups. Create a second user and make that a Standard account for daily use.

After setting that up, switch to that account. Go back to System Preferences and go through each of them to see the options they provide.

Maybe not as much fun as installing a new game and playing that but getting familiar with those System Preferences and perhaps a little bit of the reasons for their existence will make using your Mac more enjoyable in the future.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks!
 
Bro there is no way around, you gotta upgrade :D:D:D

Bought the same one 3 weeks ago. The speed up in boot up times from simple RAM and SSD upgrades is mind boggling!!!

Base config: 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD - 42 seconds
Upped RAM to 16GB - 33 seconds
Replaced startup HDD with Samsung 830 SSD - 7-8 seconds!!!

I still gotta experience that mysterious 'beach ball' everybody is talking about :D:D:D
 
richnyc said:
Bro there is no way around, you gotta upgrade :D:D:D

Bought the same one 3 weeks ago. The speed up in boot up times from simple RAM and SSD upgrades is mind boggling!!!

Base config: 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD - 42 seconds
Upped RAM to 16GB - 33 seconds
Replaced startup HDD with Samsung 830 SSD - 7-8 seconds!!!

I still gotta experience that mysterious 'beach ball' everybody is talking about :D:D:D
Click to expand...

Et voila!
 
Install SizeUp. It's the best program I know for windows management (maximise, snap to half/quarter screen, move between screens and spaces)
 
richnyc said:
Bro there is no way around, you gotta upgrade :D:D:D

Bought the same one 3 weeks ago. The speed up in boot up times from simple RAM and SSD upgrades is mind boggling!!!

Base config: 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD - 42 seconds
Upped RAM to 16GB - 33 seconds
Replaced startup HDD with Samsung 830 SSD - 7-8 seconds!!!

I still gotta experience that mysterious 'beach ball' everybody is talking about :D:D:D
Click to expand...

You see, I don't really mind waiting 42 seconds for it to turn on...I'm used to this on Windows and I'm really excited about switching to Mac OS X.
 
One of the first thing I did was to configure the Trackpad to work the way I want to.

Then of course u fire up Safari, and it's so much more fun to work with along with the trackpad's gestures.

My old PC was too slow to run Google Earth so that was one of the first few things I downloaded and play with.

Another thing unique to Apple, one can mirror the laptop's screen to the big screen TV wirelessly. Needs $99 Apple TV however.

First tip for Windows' convert: Get to your Windows' drives on the LAN by telling Finder, "Connect to Server -> smb://server//shares/" Of course there is a VNC OSX for remote desktop.
 
Mrbobb said:
One of the first thing I did was to configure the Trackpad to work the way I want to.

Then of course u fire up Safari, and it's so much more fun to work with along with the trackpad's gestures.

My old PC was too slow to run Google Earth so that was one of the first few things I downloaded and play with.

Another thing unique to Apple, one can mirror the laptop's screen to the big screen TV wirelessly. Needs $99 Apple TV however.

First tip for Windows' convert: Get to your Windows' drives on the LAN by telling Finder, "Connect to Server -> smb://server//shares/" Of course there is a VNC OSX for remote desktop.
Click to expand...


Yes, thanks for that advice. Will definetely change some settings and personalize it in System Preferences. Thanks. Anything else?
 
After 25 years+ years with DOS and windows, w/o unwrapping manuals, I bought the kindle version of David Pogue' Missing Manual for Mountain Lion. OSX may feel intuitive when you know it, but I was spending too much time on the transition.

Then I forced myself to live without antivirus software, but I did install a password manager, 1Password, and cleaned up all those easy-to-crack and obvious passwords. Then I relaxed and had fun.
 
jrs22 said:
After 25 years+ years with DOS and windows, w/o unwrapping manuals, I bought the kindle version of David Pogue' Missing Manual for Mountain Lion. OSX may feel intuitive when you know it, but I was spending too much time on the transition.

Then I forced myself to live without antivirus software, but I did install a password manager, 1Password, and cleaned up all those easy-to-crack and obvious passwords. Then I relaxed and had fun.
Click to expand...



Cool, thanks for the advice. Will try 1Password
 
AbhiKap55 said:
What are the first few things I should do when I get my new MBP?
Click to expand...
All the things you bought it for in the first place. :D

AbhiKap55 said:
I'm coming from a Windows PC, so I'd like suggestions that include features from OS X or something like that, it can also be new features in mountalon lion
Click to expand...
What did you do on Windows? Info like that would help if you want recommendations. Nothing is one-size-fits-all so asking for random recommendations is fairly pointless.
 
takeshi74 said:
All the things you bought it for in the first place. :D


What did you do on Windows? Info like that would help if you want recommendations. Nothing is one-size-fits-all so asking for random recommendations is fairly pointless.
Click to expand...

Ah, but you aren't use to the OS crashing nearly as much as OSX. SSD's are awesome and do make the boot time very quick. But, if you don't need the speed why waste money on it?
 
richnyc said:
Bro there is no way around, you gotta upgrade :D:D:D

Bought the same one 3 weeks ago. The speed up in boot up times from simple RAM and SSD upgrades is mind boggling!!!

Base config: 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD - 42 seconds
Upped RAM to 16GB - 33 seconds
Replaced startup HDD with Samsung 830 SSD - 7-8 seconds!!!

I still gotta experience that mysterious 'beach ball' everybody is talking about :D:D:D
Click to expand...

Did you just swap the standard 500 gig drive for an SSD?

Presumably, you took a backup via Time Machine and then just put that on the SSD and carried on?

I've got my first MBP arriving this week, it's a 13", 2.9ghz i7, with 8 gig of RAM and a 750 gig HDD.

I've heard you can fit an SSD where the HDD is and then move the HDD to the optical bay, is that right?

I'd love to put 16 gig of RAM in (about £60) and put a small SSD in as a boot drive and move the 750 gig HDD to the optical bay (assuming its even possible).
 
Azzin said:
Did you just swap the standard 500 gig drive for an SSD?
Click to expand...

Yep, and followed About OS X Recovery to install Mountain Lion fresh for the first time;)

Azzin said:
Presumably, you took a backup via Time Machine and then just put that on the SSD and carried on?
Click to expand...

No need, I did it as soon as my MBP arrived and since I'm new to Mac I had nothing to restore. From reading here, my understanding is that folks prefer to use Carbon Copy Cloner and clone their HDD to the SSD before replacing it.

Azzin said:
I've got my first MBP arriving this week, it's a 13", 2.9ghz i7, with 8 gig of RAM and a 750 gig HDD.
Click to expand...

That's a sweet rig;)

Azzin said:
I've heard you can fit an SSD where the HDD is and then move the HDD to the optical bay, is that right?
Click to expand...

Yep, lots of folks have been doing just that. If you search the forums, you'll find plenty of advice how to do it. I myself will use OWC Data Doubler and put another SSD (512GB Crucial m4) in the place of the Superdrive. Don't want any moving, spinning, vibrating and heat-generating, battery-sapping HDD in my laptop anymore:D:D:D

Azzin said:
I'd love to put 16 gig of RAM in (about £60) and put a small SSD in as a boot drive and move the 750 gig HDD to the optical bay (assuming its even possible).
Click to expand...

It is definitely possible, go for it!!! There is no way around it, the SSD really supercharges your MBP!!!
 
+1 for one password
make sure you get dropbox and sync 1password to dropbox
 
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