keyboard and mouse acting weird in FCP6 after computer meltdown

[Josh Bass]

So, can't say for sure what caused it, my guess would be a recent storm, but my Imac simply wouldn't boot up when I came home from work the other day (worked that morning). Had to do a restore from Time Machine from the day before's "state".

Everything seems to be working fine. . .mostly.


In FCP 6, I have just noticed that the keyboard and mouse are doing strange things. For the most part, they work as expected. However, if I, say, want to rename a bin, clip, whatever, I simply can't select the text with the mouse anymore. Furthermore, if I start typing, it acts like I'm not trying to do anything of the sort, and the keys simply trigger regular FCP keyboard shortcuts ("a" goes back to regular mouse, etc.) Also, say I select a clip, and hit (doesn't matter whether on numpad or number keys on the QWERTY portion) "+ 2", for instance, to move that clip two frames down the timeline. . .nothing. I see the box where the numbers appear flash like it knows it's getting keyboard input, but it stays at 00:00:00. Seems to apply to any function similar (moving playhead, etc.).

Everything else seems to work fine. . .I can drag clips with the mouse, I can right click, I can command+X to cut a clip, etc. It's just those few, albeit critical things that seems screwed.

This is with an Imac 08 with the aluminum keyboard that came with it and I have tried two different third party mouses (got rid of annoying one button mac mouse).

Yes, all other programs seem to work fine with keyboard and mouse as usual.

Any insights? Thanks.

[Josh Bass]

Ok, I unintentionally lied. Other weird things are happening. "get info" on any file or HD doesn't work. . .finder screen just flashes, every icon disappears, then comes back. Trying to rename files in the finder no worky either.

So. . .yeah.

[Rick L. Allen]

First try a different mouse but MOST likely your system drive is about to crash and burn and needs to be replaced ASAP. If you haven't regularly run disc utilities, defragged your drive and done regular safe boots I guarantee your Mac is about to brick.

[Josh Bass]

That sounds like the way my week is heading. What can.i do about it? keep in mind this is an imac. I ran disk utility to verify permissions and verify the hd just recently (after the restore) . It thinks everything is okay. Is it wrong?

[Pete Cofrancesco]

I once wiped down my keyboard with water/bleach solution to clean off those white keys. While the computer was off the keyboard was still plugged in. Never worked properly again. exhibited same weird behavior. but maybe a power surge could do a similar thing.

[Josh Bass]

Good idea, but doesn't seem to be a keyboard thing. The keys work, just not in certain situations.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

if it was a pc I'd say it was a virus

[Josh Bass]

Yeah. I don't think macs are as immune as people think they are though. Anyway, I've been dealing with it for a few days now, troubleshooting with the folks on the apple support communities forums. So far, the computer seems to think it's fine and nothing SEEMS wrong.

Everything else works except that anything involving renaming things in, it seems, any program doesn't work. EVEN THE FINDER! Can't rename files in the finder, and can't do "get info". . .screen flashes like finder is relaunching and then nothing else happens. Rebooted numerous times without issue, run verify permissions, repair disk, etc. Everything comes up green.

[Rick L. Allen]

Originally Posted by Josh Bass

Everything else works except that anything involving renaming things in, it seems, any program doesn't work. EVEN THE FINDER! Can't rename files in the finder, and can't do "get info". . .screen flashes like finder is relaunching and then nothing else happens. Rebooted numerous times without issue, run verify permissions, repair disk, etc. Everything comes up green.

Clearly "everything" is not fine. Just finished rebuilding a friends Mac Pro edit machine exhibiting many of the same symptoms. His hard drive was shot and I was lucky enough to get his projects transferred before the drive totally crapped out. I have 4 FCP edit stations and 15+ years of Mac experience tells me your hard drive is about to die. Replace it now.

[Josh Bass]

Think its hd and not just os issue?

More symtpoms ive recently found:

Cant open photoshop...says not enough ram

Couldnt install a plugin from an mpkg

Iphoto library disappeared

Guess its off to the apple store for a final diagnosis and likely an hd replacement

[Josh Bass]

Whoever guessed "you need a new hard drive," DING DING DING! YOU ARE A WINNER! Please tell me to which address you would like your day-old, half-eaten scone sent.

[Josh Bass]

Well this is very lame. Got the computer back from Apple store. When I went in there, one of their "geniuses" initially diagnosed it with a failing hard drive, and they were going to replace it.

I go to pick it up and find instead that they decided to erase/install the OS, and something something the partition (I have a windows partition on there). Did nothing to the hard drive at all. Told me that they'd decided the problems had something to do with the partition not being formatted incorrectly (????). Sounds moronic being that it worked just fine for FOUR FREAKIN' YEARS before suddenly having a nervous breakdown.

So I go home, boot it up. I have to watch the little mac movie, then it asks me language, etc. Asks me if I want to install the OS, restore from time machine, etc. I choose time machine. it starts calculating the size of all my apps, data, etc. Then it resets. Now I watch the mac movie again. Then it asks me if I want to do time machine, install OS, etc. I choose time machine. same thing. Three times (at least) I put up with this before booting from the OS CD and restoring from time machine. It works. Takes a few hours. Seems like I'm back in business.

I go to "get info" on a file. Nothing. Try to open photoshop: fails, not enough RAM.

So they fixed nothing. On the other hand, I was also charged nothing. Still very lame. No idea why the work order that I'd already authorized was suddenly changed.