It's a known fact that portables experience much more wear and tear than desktops so it's crucial to be  start off on the right foot by gently unpacking and removing your new MacBook or MacBook Pro from the box.  Place it on a stable surface such as a table and ensure that you do not place it upside down.  It's not that an Apple portable can't be placed upside down, it's just that you are performing the initial setup so be gentle.

Gently remove any plastic or protective packaging from the system and the MagSafe Power Adapter before you proceed.  Verify that the box contains everything as described in the "What's in the Box" on the box label.  If anything is missing or your computer is damaged, contact Apple support.

Plug it in
Fully extend the prongs on the AC plug and insert the AC plug into a functional electrical outlet.  Next insert the MacSafe connector to the MagSafe power port on the MacBook/MacBook Pro.  Align both ends to ensure a proper connection.  As you move the connector towards the portable, you'll feel the magnetic pull.  Simply line it up and the connection is complete.

After you make the connection check to see if the MagSafe connector indicator light is working.  If a light is not evident, check the connection and/or the power from the wall outlet.  If you see an orange like color the battery is currently charging.  If a green light is shown one of two things is happening.  Either the battery is fully charged (or not installed or functioning) or the portable is running on electrical power from the wall outlet.

Internet Connection
You'll need either a high speed or dial-up connection to access the Internet.  Connect one end of an Ethernet cable to the MacBook/MacBook Pro Ethernet port.  Connect the other end to either a cable modem, DSL modem, or network device such as a router.  If you have a dial-up connection, you'll need to connect your system to a phone line using the optional Apple USB Modem.  If you will be connecting to a wireless network just sit back as the MacBook/MacBook Pro come pre-installed with AirPort Extreme wireless technology.

Open the Display and Power Up
Lift the display to an appropriate viewing angle and press the power button located on the upper right side of the keyboard to power up your system.  Give it a few moments as it runs through the boot procedure.

Setup Assistant
Your MacBook will be booted for the first time since leaving the factory.  The Mac OS X Setup Assistant will start and will guide you through a series you of screens to setup your MacBook. or MacBook Pro.  Review the Mac OS X Setup Assistant Guide for details.

Start Using Your Portable
That's it.  The initial steps to setup your MacBook/MacBook Pro are now complete.  We recommend that you take some time to perform some additional steps prior to using your Mac.  A key step is to update your portable with any available software updates.

Updates

• February 26, 2009 - content modification