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Author Topic: My iMac Is Possessed  (Read 2502 times)

Offline Texas Mac Man

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My iMac Is Possessed
« on: July 20, 2016, 04:48:03 PM »
Have a strange problem and have not been able to solve. iMac is running El Capitan 10.11.6.

If I click on a file or folder on the desktop, the file/folder attaches to the mouse cursor. The file can't be dragged/dropped into a folder nor can it be moved to the hard drive icon. The only way to stop the attachment is to restart.

I've restarted numerous times, restarted the finder, ran Disk First Aid and zapped PRAM.

Any thoughts? Is it a corrupted preference file somewhere?

Tom
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Offline jchuzi

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« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2016, 05:17:54 PM »
That's weird. See if it happens with a different mouse.
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Offline gunug

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« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2016, 05:30:25 PM »
I've used ONYX to fix various problems like this; not sure they have a version that works in 10.11.6.  

Also are you using a trackpad or a mouse; I have seen "sticky" behavior like this with a Macbook Pro trackpad that was getting worn or perhaps
something about the Accessibility section having to do with the mouse or trackpad.  Ancient Mac history is full of things caused by Accessibilty settings!
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Offline jchuzi

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« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2016, 07:45:18 PM »
QUOTE(gunug @ Jul 20 2016, 06:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've used ONYX to fix various problems like this; not sure they have a version that works in 10.11.6.


You can get it here.
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Jon

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Offline Xairbusdriver

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My iMac Is Possessed
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2016, 08:17:22 PM »
Easiest things first. Change mice/try a trackpad. I suspect a sticky mouse button, or maybe enough dirt on the contacts that the OS 'thinks' it's still pressed, even when you release it. Oh! I still use a wired mouse, but you probably have a wireless/blue tooth mouse? How well charged are its batteries?

Even if you are using a mouse, check Accessibility->Mouse & Trackpad->Trackpad Options->Enable dragging->without drag lock/with drag lock/three finger drag.

Also check Accessibility->Keyboard->Sticky Keys. There may be a key selected that and it may be stuck down.

Finally, check Accessibility->Switch Control->General. Is "Enable Switch Control" checked? BTW, I have no idea what "Switch Control" is used for. blush-anim-cl.gif

If you have OnyX, Cocktail, etc. go through all their options/tools/functions to see if any of them affect the mouse buttons. wallbash.gif
« Last Edit: July 20, 2016, 08:20:43 PM by Xairbusdriver »
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Offline Texas Mac Man

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« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2016, 03:50:41 PM »
After trying many software related things without success, I tried (at ichuzi's suggestion) using a different mouse. The iMac came with a bluetooth wireless mouse, but I didn't really like it, so I used my older MacAlly wired mouse that I used with an old G4 years ago. The mouse was the culprit. I guess the mouse just met it's click life. RIP mouse.
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Mac PRAM, NVRAM, CUDA/PMU & Battery Tutorial
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Offline Texas Mac Man

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« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2016, 03:59:12 PM »
[attachment=3290:mouse.jpg]
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Offline Paddy

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« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2016, 07:13:52 PM »
laugh.gif
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Offline jcarter

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« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2016, 06:22:33 AM »
Several years ago, my mouse was whacky. I took it apart and cleaned it several times, still whacky.  Took at apart again, used a mag glass, and there was a dog fur stuck up inside the little optical thing. Tweezers, and pulled it out. Solved.
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