The most persistent malware we've seen is the Smart Search weknow.ac. This malware has the usual launch agent, browser extension, install files, but this one also changes the chrome profile. This is some pretty serious stuff that get's deep at the heart of Google Chrome, so even when you remove the files, the malware search page persists. Don't worry! We'll fix this together. 
​
How do you know if you have this particular Malware:

1. Your search engine on your browsers says "safe search."
2. You cannot change your browser homepage, it simply returns to the safe search.

Remove is pretty simple. Go screw yourselves malware jerks. Here's what you do:

• Run the latest trial version of Malwarebytes to easily remove all the instances on the Mac (then uninstall Malwarebytes by clicking help>uninstall ~~ you don't need to buy the subscription).
• In Google Chrome, go to
  • preferences.
  • click "advanced" at the bottom.
  • click "restore setting to their original defaults" (at the bottom).
• Next, open terminal. Enter each line, hit return, and repeat with the next line (enter password if needed):
  • defaults write com.google.Chrome HomepageIsNewTabPage -bool false
  • defaults write com.google.Chrome NewTabPageLocation -string "https://www.google.com/"
  • defaults write com.google.Chrome HomepageLocation -string "https://www.google.com/"
  • defaults delete com.google.Chrome DefaultSearchProviderSearchURL
  • defaults delete com.google.Chrome DefaultSearchProviderNewTabURL
  • defaults delete com.google.Chrome DefaultSearchProviderName
• Next quit and restart Google Chrome. 

The end. You're welcome. 

Apple has upgraded some security features in macOS starting with Sierra. Sometimes when you install an app that needs an extension to run it prompts you to open Security and Privacy preference and click the "Allow" button. BUT, apple has restricted that click to a physical click of the trackpad or mouse, so what if you're remoting into the Mac? 

Here's the fix:

• Download this script that will do the clicking for you: here.
  
• Open the script with script editor (in the utilities folder).
• Open the system preferences.
• Open security and privacy preferences. 
• Unlock the panel by clicking the lock icon in the lower right and entering your credentials. 
• Move the whole window to the top left of your screen. 
• Click the play button in script editor.

The script will run and click the Allow button. You're welcome. 

Sometimes you want to install some app from the internet, and your Mac gives you an error that says something like "can't be opened because it's from an unidentified developer" or "...is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash."

Well if you trust the app, and want to install it anyways. Just disable macOS Gatekeeper.

• Open the terminal in your utilities folder. 
• enter the code: sudo spctl --master-disable
• Enter your password
• Open your app.

You're welcome. 
Re-enable gatekeeper with: sudo spctl --master-enable

Apple Mail has been a finicky bit of software since its inception. Some love it, some hate it. One problem we've seen recently in V10 with High Sierra is that emails display [the usually] hidden HTML code. This can be frustrating. Some have 'solved' it using Apple Mail's built-in "rebuild" option, but the problem seems to return pretty quick.  Here's how you can solve this issue and other weird mail issues too.

1. Open System Preferences > Internet Accounts> iCloud > UNCHECK "Mail"
   
2. Inside Apple Mail > System preferences>  disabled Junk mail filtering. 
   
3. Inside Apple Mail > Export your local mail to keep a copy safe: Highlight the mailbox in the list on the left and click "Mailbox," then in the upper menu click "Export Mailbox," then choose a place to save the folder. Repeat this for all the mailboxes you want to keep safe. 
   
4. Quit Mail.
   
5. Delete folder: ~/Library/Mail/
   
6. Delete ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail
   
7. Launch Apple Mail
   
8. Re-Enable iCloud Mail, reverse step 1.
9. Import each mailbox that was deleted in step 4. Inside Apple Mail Click "File" then "import mailbox." Select the folder of all your mailboxes that you saved and import. 
   
10. Re-enabled rules and junk mail filter (if you want).

You're welcome. 

The java on your mac can easily become outdated. Apple doesn't love java, so the auto tools to "update" it often don't work. Here's how you can check which version you're currently on, and how to remove it. 

Note: the current version of Java JDK is V10. (8/23/18) found here.
Check the current version:

• First open the terminal on your mac. 
• Enter this java -version
• It will spit out some info, look for:
  • java version "1.6.0_65" . <--version 6
    Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_65-b14-468-11M4833)
    Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.65-b04-468, mixed mode)

Uninstall Java:

• In the Terminal window Copy and Paste the commands below:
  sudo rm -fr /Library/Internet\ Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin 
  sudo rm -fr /Library/PreferencePanes/JavaControlPanel.prefPane 
  sudo rm -fr ~/Library/Application\ Support/Oracle/Java

I like the stable Java Version 8. Found here.

You're welcome. 

Super fast one. You lost your notes in the notes app. You have a backup (hopefully), here's where you go to retrieve them:

/Users/[youruserfolder]/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes

Simply copy the folder "group.com.apple.notes" from your backup to the same location on your Mac.
Boom, notes are back.
​You're welcome. 

Sometimes Dropbox wont install/load if there was a previous version installed, or if you changed the name of the home folder on your Mac. Get it up and running again.

• Open terminal in your utilities folder. 
• Paste and hit enter: mv ~/.dropbox ~/.Trash/dropbox.old
• Paste and hit enter: mv ~/.dropbox-master ~/.Trash/dropbox-master.old
• Open your root library folder and delete the folder "DropboxHelperTools"
• Restart your Mac.
• Download the latest Dropbox here, and install.

You're welcome. 

Maybe you wanna start using 1password or lastpass, but you have all your passwords saved in google chrome. Export them, duh, it's easy.
​ 

• Open google chrome.
• in the URL bar type: chrome://flags
• in the next window you'll see a search bar, type: password
• a few results will come up, look for "password export" and "enable" it with pull down menu to the right. 
• restart chrome. 
• in the URL bar type: chrome://settings/passwords
• in the next window look for the heading "Passwords" and click the three vertical dots, select "export."
• in the next warning window select "export passwords."

A CSV file will be downloaded that contains all your passwords. You can import that to most password applications. 
DON'T LET ANYONE GET YOUR PASSWORD CSV FILE. DELETE IT ASAP. 

You're welcome. 

There are lots of long blogs about how to do this. Some are written for the beta version of High Sierra and are wrong. Here's the quick and dirty on trashing your APFS disk in High Sierra and go back to HFS. 

Why?
APFS is brand new disk partition type that Apple introduced in High Sierra. Although it has some benefits, I don't care for it. Anything that apple releases that is brand new, be weary, there are usually issues with it. Also, if you're a mac tech reading this, upgrading OSes or converting from HFS to APFS to solve performance problems is not a solution. If you need help understanding why, email me. 

***WARNING: THIS WILL DELETE THE CONTENTS OF YOUR HARD DRIVE. MAKE A BACKUP***

FIX:

• boot into the recovery partition by holding command-R during boot.
• click utilities in the top menu. 
• select terminal.
• type and hit enter: diskutil list
• you'll see the list of all the drives. look for "APFS" then the disk identifier to the right, something like "disk0"
• type then hit enter: diskutil apfs deleteContainer disk-identifier-here

That's it. You can now re-install, re-store, re-image to your HFS disk however you like. You're welcome. 

if you've goofed around and tried to change your user name though the advanced settings in your mac, you may have ended up with your user switching back to a standard account. if you only started with one account, then you've left yourself with no admin account. Aaaand you can't change anything. Here's is what you do:

• reboot your mac
• hold command-S before you hear the chime
• you'll see a bunch of verbose text fly past. when it's done...
• enter: mount -uw /
  
• hit return
  
• enter:  rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
• hit return
• hit control-D on the keyboard to restart.

Your mac will now boot and start the setup wizard again. Go ahead and create a new admin user. 

​You're welcome.