Engineering Support Manual

Locate the issue first, then restore your cloud Mac in order

For development teams connecting to, configuring, or maintaining RunAMac M4. Follow actionable checks, completion criteria, and ticket templates without jumping between scattered answers.

Open console Contact support
Coverage
6 common issue types
Deployment reference
About 4 minutes
Supported hardware
Dedicated physical machine
RUNAMAC SUPPORT RUN SHEET Issue Investigation Run Sheet
Collect first, change later
INPUT
Preserve the original error output

Record the time, node, command, and complete error message. Do not keep only the last line.

CHECK
Troubleshoot layer by layer from the local path to the host

Verify the network, port, session, and environment dependencies separately. Change only one condition at a time.

PROOF
Confirm the result with reproducible steps

Record the success criteria or failure log so the next person can reproduce the same conclusion.

When human follow-up is needed Order ID + node + timestamp + error output + reproduction steps
Quick search

Find the right entry point for the affected layer

Enter a symptom, command, or management action, or choose a category. Search highlights the most relevant content without hiding other troubleshooting steps.

Connection

Unable to find connection details, unexpected host identity changes, failed sessions, or outdated initial credentials.

View connection steps

Account

View orders, delivery records, rental terms, and ticket status, or confirm which instances belong to the account.

View management details

Network

Troubleshoot layer by layer across the local path, target node, port policy, session state, and diagnostic logs.

Open troubleshooting guide

Build environment

Check the status of Xcode, Command Line Tools, certificates, dependency caches, and CI runners.

Use the environment checklist

Storage

Decide whether +1TB SSD, +2TB SSD, or Thunderbolt 5 daisy chaining fits the current workload.

Compare storage options

Billing

Confirm the billing cycle, add-ons, USD amount due, payment records, and invoice download location.

View billing details
First connection

Complete four checks before starting a development session

Use the connection details in the console delivery record as the source of truth. Do not copy an address from chat or an old document, and do not skip host identity verification.

01

Read the connection details for this order

Sign in to the console, open the relevant order and instance details, and verify the node, host address, port, username, and connection method. When multiple orders exist, first confirm that the order ID matches the node.

Completion criteria: the address, port, and username all come from the same delivery record.
02

Verify the host identity

When the encrypted connection is first established, the client displays the host fingerprint. Compare it with the console record. If an identity-change warning appears unexpectedly after a previous connection, stop and submit a ticket for verification.

Completion criteria: the host fingerprint matches the current instance record.
03

Start a command-line or graphical session

Use the delivery details to start the session, then verify keyboard input, clipboard policies, and basic network access. On a high-latency network, reduce image quality first before deciding that the host is at fault.

Completion criteria: you can reliably access the macOS graphical interface or command line.
04

Change the initial credentials and save recovery information

Change the initial credentials immediately after connecting and save them using your team’s approved credential-management method. Never put passwords, private keys, or certificate contents in build logs, ticket text, or code repositories.

Completion criteria: the new credentials work and the old credentials are no longer used for subsequent sessions.
Do not overwrite local records when the identity warning changes

First save a screenshot of the warning, the timestamp, and the order ID, then verify it through a console ticket. Accepting a new host identity without verification removes an important security check.

Deployment timeline

About 4 minutes from order confirmation to connection details

Each step has an observable completion criterion. Actual progress is determined by the console response; refreshing the page does not change an order that has already been submitted.

  1. 01 About 1 minute

    Order confirmation

    The system verifies RunAMac M4, the rental term, node, and add-ons, then creates the record for this order.

    Completion criteria: the console shows the order ID and confirmed configuration.
  2. 02 About 1 minute

    Physical node assignment

    The order is mapped to a dedicated physical machine in the selected region, with device resources not shared with other renters.

    Completion criteria: the instance details show the node and device identifier.
  3. 03 About 1 minute

    System initialization

    The system prepares the basic access environment and performs the required instance checks. Do not create the same order again at this stage.

    Completion criteria: the instance status enters the deliverable stage.
  4. 04 About 1 minute

    Connection details delivery

    The console writes the host address, port, username, host identity information, and corresponding connection instructions.

    Completion criteria: all connection fields are available in the instance details.
Development environment checklist

Establish a reproducible environment baseline before adding build jobs

RunAMac provides a dedicated Mac mini with a complete macOS environment. Your team should verify software, versions, and project dependencies against the build baseline; software not listed in the order should not be assumed to be preinstalled.

A

Xcode and active developer directory

Record the Xcode version required by the project and confirm that the active developer directory matches the build scripts. After switching versions, recheck the SDK, simulator runtimes, and archive commands.

B

Command-line tools

Check that the compiler, Git, shell, and package-management commands work. Xcode launching in the graphical interface alone does not mean automated builds are ready.

C

Certificates and signing assets

Confirm that signing certificates, provisioning profiles, and Keychain access policies meet project requirements. Import sensitive assets through a controlled process; do not place them in repositories, ordinary logs, or ticket attachments.

D

Dependencies and caches

Record dependency lockfiles, cache directories, and invalidation policies separately. For the first build, establish an uncached baseline, then enable caching to compare duration and hit results.

E

Continuous integration runner

Verify runner labels, working directories, concurrency, startup method, and log-retention paths. If one runner fails, first confirm that the job was not incorrectly assigned to another environment.

Network troubleshooting guide

Narrow the fault domain one layer at a time along the connection path

Do not change the network, client, and connection parameters at the same time. Change one condition per test so you can identify what restored service.

L1

Check the local path

Confirm that the local network can reliably access other services, testing wired, wireless, or backup paths separately. Record persistent packet loss, proxy interference, or corporate network restrictions.

Evidence: local egress, test time, consecutive failure count.
L2

Confirm the target node

Read the current instance address from the console again instead of continuing to use information from an old order or node. RunAMac M4 is available in Singapore, Japan (Tokyo), South Korea (Seoul), Hong Kong, and the US West.

Evidence: order ID, node name, target address.
L3

Verify the port policy

Confirm that the connection port matches the delivery record, and check whether the local firewall, corporate egress policy, or security software is blocking it. Do not permanently disable protection for testing.

Evidence: port, client error code, policy-change result.
L4

Check the session state

Determine whether the issue occurs before connection establishment, during authentication, or after entering the desktop. If only the display is lagging, record input latency and connection interruptions separately.

Evidence: failure stage, duration, reproducibility.
L5

Collect diagnostic logs

Keep client logs and complete error output, recording timestamps with an explicit time zone. If logs contain a host address, username, or path, redact them as necessary before submission.

Evidence: log excerpt, timestamp, reproduction steps.
Ticket information template

Give the support team a directly reproducible case

Providing context by field is easier to reproduce than saying “cannot connect.” Do not include passwords, private keys, certificate contents, or payment credentials in a ticket.

Order ID:
Node:
Issue time and time zone:
Connection method and client version:
Complete error output:
Checks performed:
Shortest reproduction steps:
Expected result and actual result:
Storage and daisy chaining

Choose add-ons based on data volume and how devices need to work together

First distinguish insufficient capacity, inefficient read/write paths, and multi-device collaboration needs. Add-ons are billed for the selected rental term; before changing them, assess data-migration and task-interruption risks.

Capacity expansion

+1TB SSD

Suitable for workflows that need to retain dependency caches, multiple medium-sized code repositories, build archives, and test artifacts over time. Check peak usage and cleanup policies before enabling it.

Daily
$2.3
Weekly
$6.2
Monthly
$11.4
Quarterly
$31
High-capacity expansion

+2TB SSD

Suitable for large build artifacts, multi-project caches, small AI experiment datasets, and longer retention periods. More capacity is not a substitute for backups; keep an independent copy of critical results.

Daily
$4.6
Weekly
$12.4
Monthly
$22.8
Quarterly
$62
Device daisy chaining

Thunderbolt 5 daisy chaining

Billed per device, suitable for collaborative workloads that clearly require high-speed device-to-device connectivity. Before requesting a change, specify the device count, connection topology, data direction, and acceptance commands.

Daily
$1.9
Weekly
$5
Monthly
$9.3
Quarterly
$25.3

Complete three checks before changing anything

01 Record the current state

Confirm used capacity, running tasks, and data paths that must be retained.

02 Choose the effective term

Verify the add-on, current rental term, and USD amount due returned by the console.

03 Verify the change

After completion, recheck mounts, available capacity, read/write permissions, and task paths.

Account and rental term

Manage rental terms, configuration, and invoices through order records

The console is the single place to view delivery, rental terms, and amounts due. When managing multiple instances, verify the order ID and node before every change.

Escalate to human support

Submit context that can be reproduced directly

For technical issues, associate the order through a console ticket first. For pre-sales, partnerships, or account access issues, prepare the email through the contact page.

01

Order and node

Provide the order ID, RunAMac M4 configuration, and node. If the issue involves multiple instances, identify each device separately.

02

Timestamp

State the issue time and time zone, and indicate whether it is continuous, intermittent, or occurred only once.

03

Error output

Paste the complete error text or provide a redacted screenshot. Do not submit passwords, private keys, certificate contents, or other private credentials.

04

Reproduction steps

Start from a known initial state and list the commands, inputs, expected results, and actual results step by step.

How do I add more information after submitting a ticket?

Add new timestamps, logs, and verification results to the same console ticket. Avoid creating multiple tickets for the same issue so the complete troubleshooting trail is preserved.

What should not be included in a ticket or email?

Do not submit passwords, private keys, certificate contents, payment credentials, or unredacted project secrets. When paths or usernames must be mentioned, include only the minimum information needed to locate the issue.

How can I contact the team if I cannot sign in to the console?

Go to the contact page to generate a structured email, or send an email directly to support@runamac.com. Include the account email, associated order ID, and the error message shown when sign-in failed.

When your context is ready

Hand the troubleshooting record to the support team

Associate existing orders and instances through a console ticket. Send pre-sales inquiries, partnership messages, or account access issues to the same support team through the contact page.

Submit a console ticket Go to the contact page