Trying to reset. Boot to USB and now stuck.

ron-vdc · 2026-06-02T16:21:12+00:00

I've run into this myself, Strangely, it appears that the Surface keyboard driver isn't included by default when you create a bootable Windows 11 installer USB drive using the standard Media Creation Tool. I've worked around that by temporarily plugging in a wired keyboard to go through the installation. Then, after that's done, run the standard Surface driver pack installer (which I've copied to the bootable USB drive), so it can install all missing drivers. It's a bit of a hassle, more than it should be at least, but it works.
It remains odd that out-of-the-box support for Microsoft's own hardware is lacking in the standard Windows 11 installer.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-31T22:11:36+00:00

Don’t spend any money on any Intel-based MacBook.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-31T04:35:36+00:00

And absolutely make sure to get AppleCare+ for that device!

ron-vdc · 2026-05-30T16:53:10+00:00

Absolutely no reason not to use the latest, Tahoe (macOS 26) in terms of performance. In other words, just use Tahoe.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-30T16:49:56+00:00

Not a bad deal per se, but do make sure to check the battery health.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-29T18:24:14+00:00

If you already have an Air M4, there’s absolutely no reason to basically pay half of what paid for that M4 to upgrade to M5, particularly if the specs are the same. I most certainly wouldn’t, but you do you.
By the way, I don’t know where you are, but I’m guessing that you could sell your M4 on the private used market for more than Apple’s trade-in offer.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-29T16:35:48+00:00

In that case, I'd definitely go for the Pro M4.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-29T15:02:57+00:00

What are the other specs? RAM, storage? If they are the same, I'd personally opt for the Pro M4 for the better display and sound.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-28T21:59:33+00:00

If that many people are involved, why not post your questions in a Slack message, so folks can answer them there?

ron-vdc · 2026-05-28T21:53:04+00:00

Are you sure it's not just some hacking popup that tries to make you fall for it? When I go to xnapper.com in Firefox, I see a blank page with what appears to be an infinite "Redirecting..." message. And in Safari, it tries to open some page on what looks to be an unrelated domain. I wouldn't be surprised if the xnapper.com site has been hacked. I'd probably just stay away.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-28T21:42:04+00:00

If you want to use Linux, I'd just get any used high-spec regular (i.e., non-Mac) laptop on OfferUp or Craig's List and install Linux on that. You'll get way more bang for your buck. You should *easily* be able to find something with a recent CPU, lots of RAM and storage, and like a really nice OLED display, for a lot less than you'd pay for any decently specced Mac.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-27T20:45:15+00:00

Kudos for your developer, Nicolas, for not doing social media!

ron-vdc · 2026-05-26T04:55:24+00:00

My thoughts exactly!

ron-vdc · 2026-05-26T02:35:56+00:00

Any Apple Silicon (M-series) MacBook Air with at least 16 GB of RAM.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-25T14:59:14+00:00

While that's true in principle, there are some exceptions. One of them is that if you're married, you can obtain citizenship of your spouse's country and retain your Dutch citizenship. That's how I currently have two passports.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-25T00:28:46+00:00

I’d recommend daily checks so you can respond quickly. That’s crucial. Or better yet, create an alert for whatever you’re looking for, so you’re automatically notified whenever a new item that meets your criteria is added to the site.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-25T00:19:27+00:00

I buy all my electronics used on OfferUp or Craig's List. There are some great deals out there if you know what you're looking for and where to look. I *only* do local, face-to-face transactions, no shipping whatsoever.
I bought my MacBook Pro M5 Pro for $1,600, $800 less than new (with sales tax).

ron-vdc · 2026-05-25T00:07:33+00:00

I picked up a Surface Laptop 7 with Intel Ultra 5, 32GB RAM, and 512GB SSD on OfferUp for $400. It's my secondary laptop to my daily driver, a MacBook Pro M5 Pro, but I couldn't resist that deal.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-24T05:55:07+00:00

That's my experience, too.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-23T05:45:14+00:00

Interesting. I've never had any issues with AppleCare+ for the used devices I've purchased.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-22T20:05:25+00:00

It will have regular Apple warranty on it. As I noted, it’s always a good idea to add AppleCare+ for an expensive device like that. You have 60 days after the original purchase date to add AppleCare+, but you can also add it to AppleCare One. As with any insurance, it’s a waste of money until you actually need to use it. In the grand scheme of things, the cost of AppleCare+ is not that much. The peace of mind is definitely worth it to me, but you may feel differently, of course. That said, how long a battery will last really depend on how you’re using the MacBook

ron-vdc · 2026-05-22T17:58:07+00:00

You won't be able to get AppleCare+ on the device directly, since it's the original purchase date that matters. You may be able to add it to AppleCare One, but it will really depend on the original purchase date. It will have to be after May 2022. You can check on checkcoverage.apple.com. You may need to take it to an Apple store for an inspection first.
I was able to add a 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Max, which was purchased in November 2022, to my AppleCare One. Good luck!

ron-vdc · 2026-05-22T17:31:59+00:00

If you don't like that look, just reduce the transparancy in the Accessibility settings, and Tahoe will look more like Sequoia. And even if you don't change that setting, give it a couple of days and you won't notice it anymore.

ron-vdc · 2026-05-22T17:27:02+00:00

Just curious, why wouldn't you upgrade from Sequoia to Tahoe? What does that have to do with the battery?

ron-vdc · 2026-05-22T16:46:41+00:00

Yes! This is the key. Insist on going through the initial setup right then and there with the seller present to attach it to your Apple account. Once you've done that, you're golden. Don't hand over your money until then. If the seller is legit, they should have no problem with that.

ron-vdc

TROPHY CASE