OSX Upgrade

[indago]

I recently upgraded my MacBook Pro Silver OS to the new Sierra 10.13.1. Now, when I turn on the Mac, the WiFi turns on automatically, or, it has been on all the while My Mac has been off. It wasn't that way with the OS 10.12.3. I had to turn it on manually, which was the way I wanted it.

I am using a direct Ethernet connection, so I don't need the WiFi on. I turn it off, but when I turn off the Mac, and turn it back on again, the WiFi is on already. This happens MOST of the time. Sometimes, but seldom, it isn't on.

What do I have to do to disable the WiFi from coming on automatically?

 

[honestone]

Hmm, I saw that it was on, via the Network System Preference, for my Mac Mini, which like you has a direct Ethernet connection. So, I turned it off, shut down my Mac Mini, started it up again, and now it is off.

I do have V10.13.2 of High Sierra installed, so not sure if that makes a difference. Also, I did a clean, fresh, "virgin" installation of High Sierra, instead of doing the upgrade "in place".

You can download and install the OS 10.13.2 Combo upgrade from here:

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1944?locale=en_US

See if that helps.

 

[indago]

I installed the upgrade V10.13.2 and now the WiFi doesn't come on when I start up the computer. It will come on when I select it, which is the way I would expect it to work, so problem solved.

 

[honestone]

Once you select it to be on (via the Network System Preference), it should stay on, even when you shut off and then start up your Mac again. That has always been the case for my Mac Book Air.

 

[indago]

I collect a lot of news articles on many subjects for reference in discussions at a later date. For instance, I'll create a document entitled: Cities/States/FiscalCrisis. As I compile news articles on the subject, the document enlarges to 99K words, and I stop adding to that document and open another entitled: Cities/States/FiscalCrisisB, and label the original document: Cities/States/FiscalCrisisA. I go on like this, labeling the documents C, D, etc.

Using the Finder, I might use the Contents Contains function to find a document containing a particular word. In the list of documents that emerge, Cities/States/FiscalCrisisB and Cities/States/FiscalCrisisD might appear, and I can open the document and search the document for the word in question. This has worked well for me for several years now.

I am using:

MacBook Pro Silver

macOS. Sierra Version 10.12.3 10.13.1 10.13.2

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)

Processor: 2.6 GHz. Intel Core i7

Memory: 16 GB 2133 MHz. LPDDR3

Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 530 1536 MB

Since I have upgraded my system to 10.13.2, the Finder no longer works for newer documents. For instance, I'll have several documents listed as A, B, C, D, and D is the latest document created a couple of months ago. I know the word is in Document D, but only B and C show in the list.

What happened to the Finder in this new upgrade?

 

[honestone]

First, does the WiFi work as expected?

Secondly,I assume your Mac has an SSD inside. Thus, welcome to the world of APFS! When you do an installation of High Sierra (I believe that's also the case when you upgrade "in place": is that what you did?), internal SSDs get reformatted as APFS (Apple File System), versus HFS+ (Hierarchical File System Plus). That could be the reason why such searches as you used to use no longer work.

 

[indago]

I downloaded the upgrade from the Apple Store. What can I do to restore the functionality of the Finder as it used to be?

 

[indago]

I can turn the WiFi on or off as I please, although, I don't use the WiFi: I use the Ethernet connection. But I can disconnect the Ethernet connection and turn on the WiFi if I want to. I can turn off the WiFi upon turning off the computer and it is off when I turn the computer back on again.

Concerning the Ethernet connection, I have a ANGNO device. It read just plug it into the computer connection and you are good to go. It starts up when I turn the computer on, and turns off when I turn the computer off. Turning off the computer turns off the power to the ANGNO device.

One problem though: I have to unplug it if I don't want to be Ethernet connected while working with the computer without being on the Internet. Is there a way to disconnect without unplugging the device?

 

[honestone]

So, regarding the WiFi, does it stay off all the time (without you changing it)? Given that you have an Ethernet connection, it would make sense that is the way you want it. As I mentioned, I have it that way with my Mac Mini (Ethernet connection, WiFi off), and the WiFi always stays off,

 

[honestone]

I downloaded the upgrade from the Apple Store. What can I do to restore the functionality of the Finder as it used to be?

Unfortunately, unless you go back to Sierra, you are stuck with the APFS format on your SSD. This Apple article explains it:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208033

(If you made a backup of your "Sierra" system before you upgraded, and and either that is a bootable backup (made with SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cloner), or you still have the "Install macOS Sierra" file, you can go back to Sierra. I actually have been contemplating doing just that (I have bootable backups made via SuperDuper!), as I see nothing in High Sierra that is an improvement over anything that I use).

I have a minor bug with Quicken 2007 with High Sierra. When I am finished with a Quicken 2007 session (say, for example, I add a new transaction), and then quit, the program offers to back up the Accounts file. Up until High Sierra, this has always worked. But with High Sierra, it does not. When I say Yes to it making a backup (and I can "see" the backup file), I get the error message "Quicken was not able to back up your file". I credit that to the APFS file system. (Quicken 2017, however, works fine, including backing up the Accounts file).

Regarding that Contents Contains function, have you checked with the developer about it? I just tried to do a google search of that, and nothing definitive comes up.

 

[indago]

So, regarding the WiFi, does it stay off all the time (without you changing it)? Given that you have an Ethernet connection, it would make sense that is the way you want it. As I mentioned, I have it that way with my Mac Mini (Ethernet connection, WiFi off), and the WiFi always stays off,

My computer WiFi connection to the ATT router is off. It stays off whether I turn the computer on or off. I can turn it on if I want it on, and turn it off when I want it off. As mentioned, I don't use the WiFi for the newer computer, only the older one.

Now, the router is another matter. I went on the ATT Community message boards and asked: "Why is my ATT WiFi light on and flickering when my computer WiFi is off and my computer is off and I'm not using it?"

After a few other responses, an ATT employee answered:

Employee: "5268 gateway? If yes, the gateway received an update that includes band steering. Band steering with WiFi mesh support means the WiFi is always on and active, thus the light will be flashing as gateway in a sense is connected to it's own WiFi. It will always be on and blinking."

Indago: "Well, that answers that problem. Yes, I have the Pace 5268AC Gateway."

I also noted: "I recall a few days ago I went to use the system and the gateway was powered off. There was no power failure, just the gateway was off. I waited a few minutes while watching the lights on the gateway start to turn back on, while the gateway was rebooting itself. Since that time I've had the problem with the WiFi light being on all the time and blinking, and as I have noted, I'm not using the WiFi, just an Ethernet connection, although I use the WiFi for the older Mac."

Then, I asked this question:

Indago: "It was previously noted that when the WiFi light is on, and blinking, data is being transferred. You have noted that it is now always on and blinking, referring to the latest update. What data is being transferred, and to where, and from where?"

A strange silence. No response, from anyone.

 

[indago]

Unfortunately, unless you go back to Sierra, you are stuck with the APFS format on your SSD. This Apple article explains it:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208033

(If you made a backup of your "Sierra" system before you upgraded, and and either that is a bootable backup (made with SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cloner), or you still have the "Install macOS Sierra" file, you can go back to Sierra. I actually have been contemplating doing just that (I have bootable backups made via SuperDuper!), as I see nothing in High Sierra that is an improvement over anything that I use).

I have a minor bug with Quicken 2007 with High Sierra. When I am finished with a Quicken 2007 session (say, for example, I add a new transaction), and then quit, the program offers to back up the Accounts file. Up until High Sierra, this has always worked. But with High Sierra, it does not. When I say Yes to it making a backup (and I can "see" the backup file), I get the error message "Quicken was not able to back up your file". I credit that to the APFS file system. (Quicken 2017, however, works fine, including backing up the Accounts file).

Regarding that Contents Contains function, have you checked with the developer about it? I just tried to do a google search of that, and nothing definitive comes up.

I checked in the File Menu in Get Info after selecting the Macintosh HD in both the older and newer computer:

Old Mac

Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled)


New Mac

Format: APFS (Apple File System)

I also found this: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7894416

I'll have to look it over and see what I cAn find out.

 

[honestone]

Do were those File Menu selections done on the same Mac? If so, I assume the first one was done before you upgraded to High Sierra, and the second was after you upgraded. Is that correct?

If it was done on separate Macs, then your older Mac has Sierra on it, correct?

 

[indago]

Do were those File Menu selections done on the same Mac? If so, I assume the first one was done before you upgraded to High Sierra, and the second was after you upgraded. Is that correct?

If it was done on separate Macs, then your older Mac has Sierra on it, correct?

Old Computer:

MacBook Pro 17" 2.53GHz Core i5 (A1297) Mid 2010 MC024LL/A SKU17697 MC024LL/A GS17697

OSX Version 10.6.8 Safari Version 5.1.10 (6534.59.10)


New Computer:

MacBook Pro Silver

macOS. Sierra Version 10.12.3 10.13.1 10.13.2

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)

Processor: 2.6 GHz. Intel Core i7

Memory: 16 GB 2133 MHz. LPDDR3

Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 530 1536 MB

"were those File Menu selections done on the same Mac?" No.

 

[indago]

I did some experimenting. As I had mentioned, the Finder Contents Contains would not show newer documents created with the new Sierra when I was searching for a word. Neither would it show a newer document with a title word that I was looking for. In my experiment, I put into the Finder a word, looking for document titles with that word in it, looking for a specific set that I had created. Listed came up titles with the A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M. I knew there was an O document. I located the folder that those documents were in, and all were listed there, including the O document. I was curious about the difference in the documents, so I selected a document O and selected Get Info in the File menu. I looked through the various items, and got to the Name & Extension item. It gave the Name with the O at the end, and added was .docx. I checked the other documents, and none had the .docx added. I went back to the O document and removed the .docx. Then, I went back to the finder and tried the Finder Name Contains with a word in the file name. It worked. The O document was now listed.

So, when making a new document, go to the File Menu and select Get Info, and select Name & Extension, and remove the .docx from the Title, and the Finder will work as before. So far, so good...

 

[indago]

When I purchased the new Mac a year ago, it had the Sierra OS. I also purchased a newer version of Microsoft Office. I made a new Form that I use for creating new documents that has a special formatting. It is this newer version of Microsoft Word that would not show up in the new Sierra Finder. After finding the problem, I changed the Name & Extension from FormA.docx to just FormA. Now, future new documents that I make with this form will be found by the Sierra Finder, working as the older Finder did for many years.

I went into the Finder and set it for documents created the past year. I selected each Microsoft word document and used the File Get Info to changed the ones that had the .docx. Now, all those documents appear in the Finder when I search for them.

 

[indago]

I recently upgraded Mac High Sierra to 10.13.4 and now Spotlight and Finder can't find some of the words that I am searching for in some of my Microsoft Word documents. I know they're there, and I have reindexed Spotlight. Is Mac having a war with Microsoft Word, what can I do to repair this, and is there a recommended Search system that I can download that is more reliable than Spotlight and Finder?

 

[honestone]

I also just recently installed OS 10.13.4 (did a full, clean installation, instead of upgrading from OS 10.13.3), and the Finder's Find function worked for me. In fact, it was fast! I also have Word 2016 (latest version), and I had created a Word 2016 document that had the text "M325" a number of months ago. When I pressed Option-F in the Finder and entered M325 in the search filed, it found that document right away.

I don't use Spotlight, preferring to use the excellent freeware program EasyFind:

https://www.devontechnologies.com/products/freeware.html

That also worked, although it took longer to find it.

 

[indago]

I also just recently installed OS 10.13.4 (did a full, clean installation, instead of upgrading from OS 10.13.3), and the Finder's Find function worked for me. In fact, it was fast! I also have Word 2016 (latest version), and I had created a Word 2016 document that had the text "M325" a number of months ago. When I pressed Option-F in the Finder and entered M325 in the search filed, it found that document right away.

I don't use Spotlight, preferring to use the excellent freeware program EasyFind:

https://www.devontechnologies.com/products/freeware.html

That also worked, although it took longer to find it.

Strange! I downloaded the EasyFind, and put the word that I was looking for into the search query and EasyFind brought up the same documents that Finder did and didn't include some that actually have the word in it, just like Finder. I can go right to the document and the word is there.

 

[indago]

Can you believe it! I went to the Apple forum Communities, and presented this problem. The first thing the first responder mentioned was did I have "Documents" selected for searching. I went to the Finder and "Desktop" was selected. I selected "Documents" and now everything is working as before. I just wasn't paying attention.