My pointer keeps turning into a colorful spinning pinwheel. Mac OS X (10.5.8) using a wireless mouse and keyboard, desktop computer
My pointer keeps turning into a colorful spinning pinwheel. Mac OS X(10.5.8) using a wireless mouse and keyboard ,desktop computer.
The spinning wait cursor (or "beachball") generally means there's some problem that's causing the current app to freeze, or slowing down the current application, or that's slowing down the whole system.
Here's an overview of the spinning wait cursor.
Make a backup first, using the Disk Utility tool booted from your installation DVD to external storage. This backup to ensure you still have access to your most current and complete data, shut this be a problem with your hardware.
Then use Utilities > Activity Monitor.app and the Utilities > Console.app tools to see what's going on, and whether there are related errors being logged.
There are some general troubleshooting articles around, too.
Similar Messages
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TS3048 how to turn on bluetooth when you only have a wireless mouse and keyboard
How can you turn on the Bluetooth when you only have a wireless mouse and keyboard?
Hello:
Read this (the part about OS X not allowing Bluetooth to be turned off unless a USB mouse is connected):
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3048?viewlocale=en_US
I have an old USB mouse available in case something happens to my BT mouse.
Barry -
Why do I keep getting a round colored spinning dot when I am trying to change sites or type?
Why do I keep getting a round colored spinning dot when I am trying to bring up a site or type?
The next time you have the problem, note the exact time: hour, minute, second.
If you have more than one user account, these instructions must be carried out as an administrator.
Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.
Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn't, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left. If you don't see that menu, select
View ▹ Show Log List
from the menu bar.
Scroll back in the log to the time you noted above. Select any messages timestamped from then until the end of the episode. Copy them to the Clipboard (command-C). Paste into a reply to this message (command-V).
When posting a log extract, be selective. In most cases, a few dozen lines are more than enough.
Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.
Important: Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting. -
My screen laptop Satelitte M305D-S430 have turned into purple color screen
I got a problem with my laptop. Suddenly, My screen laptop have turned into purple color screen.
As a result I could not see clearly the colors on my laptop.
Colors such as yellow and green looks to be black, red looks like orange and other bright colors look the other colors.
I don't know and confuse with my laptop, whereas previously fine after being repaired flexible cable for 2 weeks ago.
You think what's happened with my laptop?
Please help me! >,<
this is my specification laptop:
Toshiba satellite M305D-S4840
AMD Turion Ultra X2 Dual Core Mobile Processor ZM-80
4096MB 800MHz SDRAM
250GB (5400RPM) HDD
Windows Vista Home Premium SP2
THX before...Looks like hardware problem.
What do you see when you connect an external display to the SVGA port. This sould tell you if it is the display panel or the motherboard. -
my iphone 4 keeps going into guided acess mode were i cant touch anything. i have for gotten my password and i cant seem to press the home button to go home. it tells me to put a password in but i have no clue. please HELPPPP!!!!!! im getting worried i have no clue whats going on. help and advice would be highly appriciated.
Just reset your phone:
Press the Sleep/Wake button & Home button at the same time, keep pressing until you see the Apple logo, then release.
This should let you use the phone normally, no restore needed. -
Mouse and keyboard freezing when first turn on computer
Everytime I fully shut off my computer and turning it back on, my mouse freezes when i press something on my keyboard. Even my keyboard stops working. This problem stops happening after i restart my computer, then my mouse and keyboard starts working. Because of this i keep my computer on all the time so i don't have to keep restarting everytime i start the computer. Is this a normal problem and is there a way to fix this? It tends to get really annoying.
Everytime I fully shut off my computer and turning it back on, my mouse freezes when i press something on my keyboard. Even my keyboard stops working. This problem stops happening after i restart my computer, then my mouse and keyboard starts working. Because of this i keep my computer on all the time so i don't have to keep restarting everytime i start the computer. Is this a normal problem and is there a way to fix this? It tends to get really annoying.
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turned off my desktop mac, now both my mouse and keyboard are not connected. i am not logged in yet as well, dont know what to do ?
Try resetting the SMC (no peripherals required).
Barry -
How do you turn on audiio, video is fine but no audio. I'm using a macbook pro and 10.6.8
how do you turn on audiio, video is fine but no audio. I'm using a macbook pro and 10.6.8. this is on facetime.
D_avid wrote:
1. I ran software update and am up to date. Does this mean that my yet to be activated Boot Camp ap is also up to date?
There are 4 confusing pages of updates listed at Apples website for Boot Camp. I am having a hard time understanding what I need and don't need. For example, what version of Boot Camp do I have? I have Boot Camp Assistant version 3.0.4. Does this mean I have Boot Camp ver 3?
You have Mac OS X Snow Leopard, so you are going to use Boot Camp 3 on Windows. After installing Windows 7 on your MacBook, insert the Snow Leopard DVD and install the Boot Camp drivers from here. Then, as the Boot Camp drivers that your Snow Leopard disc contain are outdated, open Apple Software Update on Windows to install the most recent Boot Camp drivers.
D_avid wrote:
2. The printed Boot Camp instructions do not explain the process of using downloaded Windows drivers; the instuctions only refer to drivers on the original disks. I have the original install disks from around mid 2010 but I am sure many things have been updated by now. Wouldn't the best idea be to download and install? But the instructions only cover using the original disks. How do I use downloaded drivers?
On Snow Leopard, you can only download the Boot Camp drivers for the Late 2010 MacBook Air. On Lion and Mountain Lion, you have to download the Boot Camp drivers for all the computers. If you try to download the Boot Camp drivers on Snow Leopard with your computer, you will get a message telling that there aren't any drivers to download for your MacBook Pro -
Airport Express as an end point on a wireless network and connect a computer via the ethernet port?
Can I use my Airport Express as an end point on a wireless network and connect a computer via the ethernet port? - I'm wanting to connect a computer that does not have wireless and is in another building.
The requirements for this to work are:
1) The AirPort Express must be the 802.11"n" version. Model Number is A1264
2) There must be adequate wireless signal stength where the Express will be located
3) The Express must be configured to "join" the wireless network with the option checked to activate the Ethernet port -
Re: magic mouse
I use Mavericks and I notice that when I put my mac to sleep and have my magic mouse on and when i go to wake the computer up with the mouse on my wi-fi will not connect?
Put if i shut off the magic mouse and put the computer to sleep and turn my mouse back on and wake the computer up the wi-fi connects, this is a bit strange. This there anyone out there with same problem? is this a Mavericks thing that is not working with the apple magic mouse?
Interested in hearing from you.
ThanksMr. iPadfan wrote:
... does my iMac model... support Hibernatemode 3 alias "Safe Sleep" to protect my Mac against damages due to power outage?
You can set hibernate mode to 3, but it seems to me its only benefit could be if power were to be lost after the iMac was already sleeping. Sleepimage is written to disk prior to system sleep. If your iMac lost power while it was "awake" you would certainly lose any unsaved work no matter what hibernate mode you choose.
The problem is that an iMac without power no longer sleeps, it's dead. Upon restoring power you need to cold boot, and I seriously doubt sleepimage can be forced to load in that event. Sleepimage is loaded upon wake from "safe sleep", not from boot as far as I know.
It is simple enough for you to try, so go ahead and see if it does what you want. Other than creating a 16 GB sleepimage file it did not appear to do anything beneficial on the iMac I am using though (a later model).
The file location is /private/var/vm/sleepimage
Configure hibernatemode, verify the file is created, do some work on your Mac, don't save it to disk (and don't use Pages or similar app that saves work on its own), let it sleep, then pull the plug. I think you will see what I mean. -
When I boot into Win7 I see the windows boot up logo, the. I see my mouse and the screen goes black! It goes black in the login screen, I type my password and I hear the login sound but when I press F2 the brightness won't change! Please help!!!
Hi Emma,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
I understand that your Thunderbolt display is just showing a black screen when you boot your computer. The following article should be of help in troubleshooting your display.
Apple computers: Troubleshooting issues with video on internal or external displays - Apple Support
Cheers,
Jeff D. -
MOUSE AND KEYBOARD KEEP FREEZING- Have to constantly unplug to unfreeze!!
Hi There guys,
I have a really annoying problem with my white emac… (made even more annoying by the fact that I just bought it!!)
My mouse and keyboard keep on freezing. I have to constantly pull out the cords from the usb to get it unfrozen. After I do that it starts working but then freezes again.
This happens every 5-10 seconds. I have tried switching the cords in the different usb ports and I have even switched keyboards from my new white keyboard to my old imac black one… The problem still persists!
Does anyone have any answers as to how I can fix this?? It's got progressively worse.
I can’t return the computer because it is not under warranty.
I have downloaded OS X 10.3.9 again recently to try and fix the problem but it is still here.
Please help me!!!
I am soooooo frustrated! Any ideas is much appreciated
emac 700 Mhz PowerPC G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)I second this request for an answer. not as often as other post, but still frustrated.
*sally.
Original Post::>>>>>
Hi There guys,
I have a really annoying problem with my white emac…
(made even more annoying by the fact that I just
bought it!!)
My mouse and keyboard keep on freezing. I have to
constantly pull out the cords from the usb to get it
unfrozen. After I do that it starts working but then
freezes again.
This happens every 5-10 seconds. I have tried
switching the cords in the different usb ports and I
have even switched keyboards from my new white
keyboard to my old imac black one… The problem still
persists!
Does anyone have any answers as to how I can fix
this?? It's got progressively worse.
I can’t return the computer because it is not under
warranty.
I have downloaded OS X 10.3.9 again recently to try
and fix the problem but it is still here.
Please help me
I am soooooo frustrated! Any ideas is much
appreciated
emac 700 Mhz PowerPC G4
Mac OS X (10.3.9)
G4 - 1GHz / 256 / 80 / SuperDrive / 56K /110v Mac OS X (10.0.x) -
Tabs keep turning into new windows
I keep many tabs open both on this work computer and my home computer. This morning, at work, when I go into a tab, Firefox pops the tab out and turns it into a new window (and removes the tab from my regular viewing screen). This is quite frustrating. i don't have nearly as many tabs here as I have at home (where this has never happened) but I rely on tabs to keep things organized and streamlined. No particular rhyme or reason for this. It isn't happening every time or to every tab. But it keeps happening randomly.
Make sure that you do not drag a tab down in the browser window.
Firefox 3.5 versions and later have a feature called tear-off tabs.<br />
You can detach a tab from the current window and open it in a new window by dragging a tab in the browser window.<br />
You can drag that tab back to the tab bar in the original window to undo that detaching.
* Drag Tab as Shortcut: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/drag-tab-as-shortcut/
* bug489729 (Disable detach and tear off tab): https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/12276 -
Tools keep turning into the Hand Move tool
all of a sudden I am having a problem with my tools turning into the hand move tool, no matter which tool I use.
I moved the Wacom pen 5 feet away (this moving away seemed to fix it before but not now).
Any suggestions?
Bobmove the wacom pen AND mouse away, unless you're using the mouse.
smack the space bar a couple times. sometimes they stick. -
I cannot log onto the App Store, the page appears when I call it from the dock or the Apple menu and I can call the log-in box from the menu bar, but on signing in the spinning icon just keeps spinning,(not the beachball). Using 10.6.7 and up-to-date on all software. Any suggestions?
Could be a third party app preventing you from being able to login.
Mac App Store: Sign in sheet does not appear, or does not accept typed text
If it's not a third party issue, follow the instructions here.
Quit the MAS if it's open.
Open a Finder window. Select your Home folder in the Sidebar on the left then open the Library folder then the Caches folder.
Move the com.apple.appstore and the com.apple.storeagent files from the Caches folder to the Trash
From the same Library folder open the Preferences folder.
Move these files Preferences folder to the Trash: com.apple.appstore.plist and com.apple.storeagent.plist
Same Library folder open the Cookies folder. Move the com.apple.appstore.plist file from the Cookies folder to the Trash.
Relaunch the MAS.
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