Need Help Troubleshooting Account in Tiger

[AlDavis]

When I create a new account, the problem is gone. So the problem has something to do with my first account.

My OS X has an erratic behavior. When I go to any application's menu to select, everything in the menu to select get highlighted and it goes up and down with constant audio beeps from the studio speakers.

This only happens with my first account and the activity monitor goes crazy. I can not even safe boot.

Therefore, how do I troubleshoot the account to fix a bug in it? I don't need two account?

Thanks,
Al

 

[mad jew]

Which part of Activity Monitor is going crazy? Which processes are using lots of resources or hanging (coloured red)? Also, what apps are you running? Do you have any theme changers or system hacks installed? What is listed in your dodgy account's Login Items in System Preferences?

 

[AlDavis]

Which part of Activity Monitor is going crazy?

Under "Active Process"
1.Update
2.Configd
3. UniversalAccessApp
4. Safari
These processes appear and disappear every 1-2 seconds. Is this normal?

Which processes are using lots of resources or hanging (coloured red)?

WindowServer jumps from .10% to 4.0% of CPU all of the time.

Also, what apps are you running?

I mostly uses Logic Pro 7, Propellerhead Reason, Safari and Mail. That's basically it. Just studio stuff.

Do you have any theme changers or system hacks installed?

No, because I don't know what that is.

What is listed in your dodgy account's Login Items in System Preferences?

The only login item that I see from System Preferences is iTuneHelper. The hide button is unchecked.

I hope this helps.
--Al

 

[mad jew]

It doesn't really help. Okay, so what were you sorting the processes by in Activity Monitor when these active processes were appearing and disappearing randomly? It could be that they're just being moved up and down the list, in and out of view...

What happens when you try booting into Safe Mode? Have you tried verifying your drive in Disk Utility? Sorry for not being more helpful but I don't think we've found the cause quite yet.

 

[AlDavis]

It could be that they're just being moved up and down the list, in and out of view...

I now see that my other Mac moved up and down the list. So that's not it.

What happens when you try booting into Safe Mode?

I have OS X 10.4 and it will not boot to safe mode. It just hangs at the Apple logo and the CPU fan get louder and louder to where I have to shut down the system.

Have you tried verifying your drive in Disk Utility? Sorry for not being more helpful but I don't think we've found the cause quite yet.

Yes, I tried Disk utility. The problem still exist.

Thanks,
Al

 

[mad jew]

The first thing Safe Mode does is to verify your drive. When you verify your drive in Disk Utility, how long does it hang for?

 

[AlDavis]

The first thing Safe Mode does is to verify your drive. When you verify your drive in Disk Utility, how long does it hang for?

I have to boot-up from the factory CD when using the Disk Utility. Safe mode don't work. It hangs near 3-5 minutes. Then the CPU fans kicks-in at high speed to where it gets scary. So I shut down the machine. Someone told me that their machine did the same thing and shut down automatically. Therefore, the only true safe mode is me pushing-in the off button when the machine sounds like it's going to blow.

--Al

 

[mad jew]

So you're not letting it verify (or repair) the whole way through?

 

[AlDavis]

So you're not letting it verify (or repair) the whole way through?

I can boot from the CD to use the Disk Utility. Booting-up from the CD is different.

The disk is now repaired by the Disk Utility tool. When I press the shift key for safe mode, it will not work. However, the Disk Utility did repair the disk, but my problem still exist.

 

[mad jew]

Continue repairing it until it makes no changes. In other words once it has come back okay, repair it again.