Total crash? Or a virus?

[Birgit Ha]

Am in big trouble. I open an excel sheet and as soon as my mouse is on the document it adds columns to the right endlessly. Only stops when I move the mouse outside the document. Cannot make any changes or whatsoever on the document.

In word everything moves to the right and the document view is larger than before.

Tried zoom in /out because I read it on the forum. No change.

In firefox - if I fill out a form or want to see my options/pick from a menu (with an arrow to click on, drop down menu) - I see it for a second but cannot make any choices.

In Photoshop I wanted to change the image size. Before I can enter a number or even touch anything the numbers start to increase by themselves - endlessly.
I am still ably to close those applications/programms. One time the screen froze - could not do force quit or anything else.

It seems to get worse day by day. Started with excel.....

Am pretty desperate!!! Anybody there to help????

Am on MacBookPro OS X 10.4.11.

 

[misterredman]

Maybe a stupid question: did you check if one or more keyboard keys are stuck? (for example the direction keys) The Keyboard Viewer could help with that.

 

[Birgit Ha]

Maybe a stupid question: did you check if one or more keyboard keys are stuck? (for example the direction keys) The Keyboard Viewer could help with that.

Yes, I tried that, also unplugged it, did the same thing with my mouse. No change at all.

 

[Makosuke]

Yes, I tried that, also unplugged it, did the same thing with my mouse.

A tad confused; you said you have a MacBook Pro, so what did you unplug? Are you using an external keyboard, do you mean you unplugged the mouse, or did you actually crack the computer open to unplug the built-in keyboard?

If you meant you unplugged an external keyboard (or mouse), that doesn't rule out it being the built-in keyboard. That's sure what it sounds like. Did you actually bring up the keyboard viewer to double-check? As suggested, if you bring up the keyboard viewer with no external devices attached, it sounds like it will show you what keys are stuck down (or otherwise registering as pressed, whether they are or not).

If you already tried that, sorry for misunderstanding. You could also try booting from the install DVD (with NOTHING attached but power) and see if it still behaves the same way there--if not, then it's got to be an OS-level thing and an archive-and-install may be in order. If so, it's hardware.

Also, do you have any system hacks/add-ons installed? Macro programs or somesuch?

 

[misterredman]

Already tried a safe boot? Maybe something is starting up at boot time.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393

 

[Birgit Ha]

Already tried a safe boot? Maybe something is starting up at boot time.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393

I have both - an external keyboard and an external mouse (that I unplugged). And after trying this and that and some advices..... thinking about the worst.... it must have been the external mouse - unplugged it, restartet and don't use the mouse anymore. Everything is fine.
Just was strange that some things worked just fine with it before and some did not.

Anyway - I am not in panic anymore. Thanks everybody for trying to help!