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We've tried to install a Perl package unsuccessfully on a Mac and, as it turns out, you need to do a few things before you can run CPAN and install packages. Specifically, you need to install developer tools:

xcode-select --install

Once that installs, you should now be able to run cpan and install packages. Make sure cpan runs as a super user (ie sudo):

apple logoWhen you enable the VNC connection on a Mac, it will not let you login directly to the current user, but rather it will present you with a login screen after you've authenticated with VNC. This is convenient when you want to login to another account remotely, but not so much if you are trying to assist the current user (this is especially annoying for IT technicians, accessing the computer remotely and not knowing the user password)

apple logoThere are various ways to restart and shut down your mac. The obvious one is through the Apple menu (there's very little magic about that), but the one that is more useful is using a command line. Because MacOS is a derivative of Unix, it has many tools hidden from an average user. To restart the system using a command line, open a terminal and run the following:

apple logoQ. Hello IT Support, I know there's a feature in BIOS for PCs to be turned on after a power outage. Is there such a function in a Mac?

A. Yes, this is a useful feature to have for remote computer access. If you login with an account that has administrative privileges, you should be able to do that. Go to:

apple logoIf you want to boot from a USB (or CD) on a Mac, you can do so by putting in the bootable USB in and boot holding the "Option key" pressed (Alt key if you use a PC keyboard). Once the system starts, you will be presented with the the following set of options (or similar):

Let's say you are trying to change the permissions of some files (using chown or chmod), but you get an error:

Operation not permitted

Apple and Mac IT SupportThis is (in most cases) because the files are locked (you can verify that by going to "Get Info" for each file or directory). One way to solve it is to go through the list of permission errors and manually unlock them using Finder. A quicker way is to do it on a command line:

Last updated Mar 18, 2024