Not sure if this is the correct place for this posting or not, but here goes. I think my iMac is possessed. At very random times, it starts playing techno type music. I have closed all open applications, and this doesn't seem to stop it. I am at my wits end here. My brother in law is now living with us, and was caught downloading porn a week or so ago, and I am concerned that it may have been the cause of this seemingly random music playing. I am not sure where to look, or how to figure this out. Again, I have closed all open applications, but still hear the music. It generally plays for 5 minutes or so, and stops as mysteriously as it begins. PLEASE HELP! Any suggestions, would be very appreciative.
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Possessed iMac
- Thread starter blackfx35
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This is actually quite strange. I am highly doubting its a mac virus...if it is you have found one of very few. The only thing i can think it is is something he has downloaded that is opening at random. If the problem continues i would contact apple and tell them whats happening...."dont say its porn though 
" and explain the problem
A wipe and re install might be the safer option just incase it is a worm or virus
Also are you sure your not hitting the "Play" button on your keyboard that auto launches iTunes? it could be playing the first song on its playlists
ML
" and explain the problemA wipe and re install might be the safer option just incase it is a worm or virus
Also are you sure your not hitting the "Play" button on your keyboard that auto launches iTunes? it could be playing the first song on its playlists
ML
Is it a Dashboard widget?
Also, it sounds like it's time to set a password on the computer and get your brother-in-law his own limited account.
Also, it sounds like it's time to set a password on the computer and get your brother-in-law his own limited account.
You could use the app ProcessViewer and see if there is anything strange running?
Actually the user above made a valid point... could be dashboard
Actually the user above made a valid point... could be dashboard
Is it a Dashboard widget?
Also, it sounds like it's time to set a password on the computer and get your brother-in-law his own limited account.
I think you are onto something here. I have received an error message about something dashboard related. It gave me the option to hit ignore or report, so I just hit ignore. I didn't think the two were related, so I didn't think anything of it. And I have never used dashboard widgets (to my knowledge anyhow). How can I check if it is infact a dashboard widget? The damn thing just played again, and now I am fuming!!! (in a funny way - my wife thinks I am going crazy).
I did create a guest account for the BIL, and used parental controls to try to monitor the sites he was accessing, however, it wouldn't let him log into sites like gmail or monster.com. I couldn't figure out how to fix it, so I removed the parental controls from his profile. Long story short, he has moved in with us, and needs to find a job so he can move out (so he needs access to the computer). I didn't want to inhibit his search for a job, because it means he lives under my roof longer....
On the dashboard note, how can I look into that?
Open Dashboard..? You can close a widget by holding the option key and left-clicking the X that appears in the top-left corner.
There were at least two other people here in the last year or two describing exactly the same thing (including the techno-type music), and in both cases it turned out to be a Dashboard widget doing it, as BlueRevolution suggested. Remember that they can get pushed way to the edge of the screen to the point it's barely visible.
An easy way to test is to see if, after rebooting the computer, the music ever comes on BEFORE you've activated Dashboard for the first time. Widgets don't load until the first use of Dashboard, so if it stays quiet (and/or it starts immediately after bringing up Dashboard), you can be pretty certain that's what's doing it.
An easy way to test is to see if, after rebooting the computer, the music ever comes on BEFORE you've activated Dashboard for the first time. Widgets don't load until the first use of Dashboard, so if it stays quiet (and/or it starts immediately after bringing up Dashboard), you can be pretty certain that's what's doing it.
Sorry, had to do some research to figure out what Dashboard was (have never used it). Looks like this was the problem though, there was a Mac Pinball that had background music that it played....looks like once I closed this, the problem was solved (and I dont feel like I am going crazy anymore). Thanks for the quick response.
On the Parental Controls issue, any idea why it wouldnt allow logging into sites like gmail, monster.com, even usair.com flight check wouldn't work.
An easier way to test it is to see if there's anything on your Dashboard making noises.
You have parental controls enabled on your own account?
I had parental controls set up on my brother in law's profile so I could monitor the sites he visited. I didn't want to restrict sites he visited, I just wanted to be able to monitor it. However, with parental controls turned on, he was not able to access a number of sites that required a log in (like gmail.com or monster.com), or sites like usair.com (the flight status section). So, due to the inability to access those sites, I turned parental controls off on his account.
I am trying to figure out how to use parental controls on his account, without limiting the sites that he is able to visit. I just want to monitor the sites...
Yup. I even created a second profile for him to see if that would help - unfortunately that didn't work either though. I am thinking about purchasing a 3rd party program, although I think that is a bit of a waste of money since the Parental Controls should do what I am looking for.
Send it to a church, where they can appreciate this type of stuff.
Directly to the Pope would be best.
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Utilities / Activity Monitor.app / All processes should help to narrow down what app is responsible when the music plays. Though if it is at the top of the hour or quarter hours, somebody might have played with the time settings and set up a musical chime.
Hey dude has the problem been resolved?
ML
Yes, the random music problem has been resolved. Thanks. I will repost the parental controls question to see if I can get that resolved too. Thanks.