Strange black box

A week ago, with no real specific event that I can remember that triggered it, my G4 computer OS 10.4.10 started to act weird. In all my programs, a black box started to show up. For example, right now I am typing in Apple Mail. the body copy box is rimmed all the way around with a thin black line. If I go to the desktop, and click on a folder, it will have a black box around it. If I open up a Word doc, there is a long vertical black box around the scrolling bar on the right. On and on.
Also, iTunes is strange in that I can be listening to an online radio like KCRW, and each time I click on an application, the computer voice starts talking. I.E if I starting typing right now, the voice is enunciating the individual letters. If I click on the Word doc I mentioned, the voice will say the name of the Word doc, then say "window scroll bar." Anyone have any thoughts on what is happening?

Thanks Malcolm. That did it. I didn't even know about that feature, or how I managed to turn it on. Much appreciated.

Similar Messages

Strange Black Box around every prompt I am given...

This is very strange. I started up iChat for the first time on MBP and am now having a very strange occurance. At every prompt there is a strange black box around it. For example, right now there is a black box around the back arrow in my safari browser. When I open the finder there is a black box around my hard drive. I just opened system preferences and there is a black box around the back arrow in system preferences box...
Can anybody help me?
MacBook Pro 2GHz, PowerBook G4, PowerMac G4 Mac OS X (10.4.5)

heheh ya it's funny when you look at the people who just hear the mac talking and they don't know wat to do.. but ya.. universal access is only for that.. for the F8 key is exposè, which is nothing related to Universal Access at all, so you can keep Universal Access options off and exposè will still running
Anyway, you can configure both from the System Preferences.

Strange black boxes appearing

We recently have had these black boxes appearing on our desktops. They appear on all of our software and even around the icons on our desktop. Mainly they appear where there is a box already but they're black. Sometimes they will fall in the correct area (directly over the box) or floating off but close to the boxes.
This isn't the best explanation but does anyone have any idea? We have tried rebooting and they are still appearing.

You're welcome.
Please mark your thread as Answered (Green Star). Also could you consider the awarding of a star using the Helpful/Solved buttons next to the Reply button in the appropriate post.
This is totally voluntary, but would be appreciated.
Green star = 10 points
Yellow star = 5 points
Steve

I have strange black boxes appearing at times on my desktop.

I'm not sure why these are appearing. But this is my system and most relevant information.
Model Name:          iMac
Model Identifier:          iMac5,1
Processor Name:          Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed:          2.16 GHz
Number Of Processors:          1
Total Number Of Cores:          2
L2 Cache:          4 MB
Memory:          2 GB
Bus Speed:          667 MHz
Boot ROM Version:          IM51.0090.B09
SMC Version (system):          1.9f4
I've found in my little bit of research that the graphics card may be dying. Here is that info from System Profiler.
Chipset Model:          ATY,RadeonX1600
Type:          GPU
Bus:          PCIe
PCIe Lane Width:          x16
VRAM (Total):          128 MB
Vendor:          ATI (0x1002)
Device ID:          0x71c5
Revision ID:          0x0000
ROM Revision:          113-xxxxxx-139
EFI Driver Version:          01.00.139
Displays:
iMac:
Resolution:          1680 x 1050
Pixel Depth:          32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Main Display:          Yes
Mirror:          Off
Online:          Yes
Built-In:          Yes
Display Connector:
Status:          No Display Connected
Any help is much appreciated.
Thank you!

You may be correct about your graphics card but:
As old as your iMac is, have you cleaned out the dust? Dust buildup can lead to over heating issues. Remove any and all things plugged into it including the power cord, Remove the RAM access grille. Vacuum all openings starting with the RAM access area (air intake). Vacuum all ports and plugs, DVD slot and the opening across the top of the rear of the body. Blow compressed air through all your openings and vacuum again to remove any dust you loosend. Reinstall the RAM grille. Plug in the keyboard and mouse if not blue tooth. Insert power cord...
You are now in a perfect position to do a
SMC RESET
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord and ALL peripherals.
Wait 15 seconds.
Attach the computers power cable.
Wait another 5 seconds and press the power button to turn on the computer.
Here is a Widget to monitor your temps and other operations:
http://islayer.com/apps/istatpro/

Strange Black rectangle in JPanel

I have created a program that uses 2 classes a driver class and a resource class. However, when I run the driver class, a window comes up with a strange black rectangle. To make things easier to understand, here are my two classes.
Driver Class:
   import javax.swing.JFrame;
   public class ProjectDriver
      public static void main(String[] args)
         JFrame frame = new JFrame("Project");
         frame.setSize(1000, 700);
         frame.setLocation(0, 0);
         frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
         frame.setContentPane(new ProjectPanelMine());
         frame.setVisible(true);
   }Resource class:
   import javax.swing.*;
   import java.awt.*;
   import javax.swing.event.*;
   import java.awt.image.*;
   import java.awt.event.*;
    public class ProjectPanelMine extends JPanel{
      private int grow = (int)(Math.random() * 4);
      private static final ImageIcon EUCLID = new ImageIcon("euclid.png");
      private BufferedImage myImage;
      private Graphics2D myBuffer;
      private Timer t1,t2,t3;
      private int xpoints[]= {(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000)};
      private int ypoints[]={(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000)};
      private int wpoints[]= {(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000)};
      private int zpoints[]={(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000),(int)(Math.random()*1000)};
       public ProjectPanelMine(){
         myImage = new BufferedImage(1000,700, BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_RGB);
         myBuffer = (Graphics2D)myImage.getGraphics();
         t1 = new Timer(5, new Listener1());
         t2 = new Timer(3000, new Listener2());
         t2 = new Timer(5000, new Listener3());
         t1.start();
       public class Listener1 implements ActionListener{
          public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event){
            if (Math.random()>.7){
               grow = (int)(Math.random() * 4);
                         if(Math.random() > .5)
                         grow = -grow;
                         System.out.println(grow);
            myBuffer.setColor(Color.blue);
            myBuffer.drawRect(0,0,1000,700);
            myBuffer.drawImage(EUCLID.getImage(), 10, 10,152,188, null);
            myBuffer.setStroke(new BasicStroke(3.0f));
            xpoints[0] += grow; xpoints[0] += grow; xpoints[1] += grow;
            ypoints[0] += grow; ypoints[0] += grow; ypoints[1] += grow;
            wpoints[0] += grow; wpoints[0] += grow; wpoints[1] += grow; wpoints[2] += grow;
            zpoints[0] += grow; zpoints[0] += grow; zpoints[1] += grow; zpoints[2] += grow;
                myBuffer.drawPolygon(xpoints, ypoints,3);
            myBuffer.drawPolygon(wpoints, zpoints,4);
            repaint();
       public class Listener2 implements ActionListener{
          public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event){
       public class Listener3 implements ActionListener{
          public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event){
       public void paintComponent(Graphics g){
         g.drawImage(myImage, 0,0,getWidth(),getHeight(), null);
   }And the result, again, is a frame with a black rectangle filling up most of my screen that I don't want.
So, what is the problem?
Thanks in advance,
Eric

However, when I run the driver class, a window comes up with a strange black rectangleBecause a newly created image starts off as black. The blue color fills in as you consecutively draw polygons.
I would have a thin line of white around the strange black box. Because you did a drawRect instead of a fillRect.

Importing Photoshop elements ... weird black boxes showing up in Motion.

When I try to import a layer from a PSD file into Motion, it imports with a strange black box of the same dimensions as the layer.
For instance, if I'm animating several letters of a word, and I import the letters separately, each letter comes into Motion bound within a black box ... almost as if I flattened the text against a black background.
It's pretty annoying--any thoughts?

The problem lies with the psd file. Could be a couple of things. Presumably, there is a proper alpha channel in Photoshop?
Did you make sure that the image mode is set to RGB? Other color modes will give you strange results.
If you select the psd in the Media tab, what does the inspector say about the alpha interpretation.
Usually this works perfectly fine in Motion, so I'm leaning towards a problem with the picture.
Andy

Strange Black Outline Box Highlighting EVERYTHING after 10.4.7

Strange thing has happened to me since updating Tiger.
Now in every app the active text or button is surrounded by a thinline black box. I can't make it stop.
I originally did the upgrade via System Update, then repaired permissions as I usually do after an update. After I discovered the problem, I downloaded the Combo Update and tried again. No luck.
Perhaps this might also be a factor--my 19 month old daughter got to my system and when I intervened I found that she had opened up Automator. Via random keystrokes and mouse clicks, could she have used Automator to screw up my Finder.
Also, under the Apple pulldown, I now have two separate restart, shut down, and log out options. Is this true for everyone after this update?
This is my first major OS X screw up ever. HELP?!?

I just figured this out moments before reading your replies.
I had been using an external sound card and was not wearing my headphones. Once I popped them on, I heard the synthetic voice and realized what had happened.
Thanks, everyone!!

Strange... Black boxes around buttons and files

Anyone seen this issue or know how to fix it?
Sometime last week, black boxes started appearaing around files or folders on my desktop, buttons in the finder, and file names in open windows. It is always one box at a time (whatever I select or mouse over.)
The box is 2-3 pixels thick and has a white stroke around it. It's not effecting performance, but it is really anoying.
Thanks in advance!

Ugh, sounds like your video card may be going.
If you create a new, clean & fresh account and log in, do you get the same thing?

I have these black boxes surrounding things, e.g., there is a black box around the red "close" button on the upper left corner of this page. There is also an oblong black box

Hi - I'm not only having trouble waking up my MBP from sleep and having to restart repeatedly which is a pain in itself, but now when it restarted, I have these black boxes surrounding things, e.g., there is a black box around the red "close" button on the upper left corner of this page. There is also an oblong resizable black box sitting on top of anything. The content changes depending on the actions I take. Right now it says, "You are currently on a close button. To click this button, which closes the current window, press Control-Option-Space." Right now I'm open in Firefox, but it doesn't matter if only Finder is open, it's still there. I've tried closing all my applications and restarting and I also reset the PRAM. It won't go away. It's probably something simple, but I don't know how to get rid of it. Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
Janet

Thanks so much. I saw this on "desktop strangeness" immediately after I posted and tried to retract my question. It worked perfectly. I'm not sure how VoiceOver got turned on unless something happened when I was trying to wake up the computer. I open the lid and it flashes whatever is open and then the screen goes black and I can't wake it up. Still looking for the resolution to this.

Black box (line) surrounds and follows mouse, 'mini' screen size, PIP?

Hi,
I just tried to install the new wireless mighty mouse and wireless apple keyboard.
The mouse worked for a minute, but the install of the keyboard killed the BT mouse and now there's this ANNOYING black box around the mouse cursor.
After playing with it I've noticed that the pointer cursor, which is surrounded by this box (4:3 ratio box, approx 2" wide by 1.5" tall on my 20" 1600x1200 monitor).
The odd thing is the cursor's position within this box moves in correlation with where on my overall desktop the cursor is placed: If I put my cursor in the upper right corner of my whole screen, the mouse cursor is also in the upper right corner of the small 'box'; if I move it to the lower left of the screen, it is also in the lower left of the box, and so on for the other two corners, and if it's in the middle of the screen, it's in the middel of the little black box.
So this seems very strange.
Oh, and neither the BT keyboards or the new mighty mouse BT will show up in the BT menu as recognized devices, though they did just briefly in the beginning.
So after buying a new USB hub to be able to plug in the Apple/Belkin USB hub along with the Apple store's D-Link USB Bluetooth adapter and a new BT keyboard and mouse - $200 for a wireless keyboard and mouse, all I have is ultra annoying new software problems and all the same wires as before, with an additional keyboard and mouse on my desk. UGH!!!
Can anyone help with this 'black box around the keyboard issue, at least?
Thank you soo, so much for any solutions!
Sarge
Oh and this weren't enough my barely used video ipod video 60 GB self-distructed this AM - melted inside somehow. I am in Apple ****.

GREEN STAR FOR YOU!
Of all the things - somehow, and I've never even been into this control panel, inside the Universal Access/Seeing/Options dialogue, the box was checked saying "Show preview rectangle when zoomed out".
I unchecked this, and it went away. I had not selected this, ever. How it happened, I don't know except that I do have a Logitech NuLOOQ tooldial device which I had unplugged from USB while troubleshooting my BT wireless keyboard and mouse, and this device requires having the 'enable access for assistive devices' checked in the Universal Access control panel.
Perhaps unplugging that device somehow lead to this problem, but otherwise I've never 'visited' the UA pref panel or checked anything in it.
Odd, but THANK YOU for the suggestion!!!
Sarge

Black box or line appears in New Message when forwarding MS Word or PDF doc

Strange thing...
Ever since I formatted and rebuilt my iMac and MacBook Pro last week with Snow Leopard, Mac Mail is acting funny. When I forward a document from MS Word or Acrobat Reader, I get a large black box or black line in the New Message line which wipes out my signature. I have a screen shot but I don't see a way to post it with my inquiry.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
Darin

I am experiencing the same problem. It does not happen when I drag a PDF from Finder into a new Mail message. It does happen, though, when I try to "Mail Selected PDF Document" from Preview. The problem didn't start until I installed Safari 5.
My workaround for right now when I see the black box in Mail is to: select all, cut, hit delete (this gets rid of the last strip of black), then paste. This re-places the PDF without any kind of black box.
Fingers are crossed that this gets fixed sooner rather than later....

Strange white boxes behind text. Help!

I am in the middle of working on a very important document. In one section, an autobiographical section, I added sidbars. The background of text box is grey. Everything looked great, including when I printed last. Today when I was working on the document, I noticed that the headings (in the text box sidebars) have white behind the text. I tried troubleshooting:
I thought maybe there was a font trouble? tried changing fonts.
I thought maybe it was text box fill problem? changed colors of font and text box fill... No go.
Please ignore the terrible black boxes. I chose to black-out any personal data. The problem is the strange white boxes behind the headings (in the sidebar). Any ideas?

bump! help requested please

Webcam shows black box in flash player

I have a very strange problem with getting picture from my
webcam. Instead of a picture I get a black box. I see that camera
is active (I have Logitech 9000 with led shining when camera is
on). The camera is working perfectly in other applications (like
skype).
I tried both Firefox and InternetExplorer.
I have WinXP as an OS.
What is wrong and how to fix it?
Thanks a lot.

change this line:
document.write(' <PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="main.swf">
<PARAM NAME=loop VALUE=false> <PARAM NAME=quality
VALUE=high> <PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE=#000000> ');
to
document.write(' <PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="
intro.swf"> <PARAM NAME=loop VALUE=false> <PARAM
NAME=quality VALUE=high> <PARAM NAME=bgcolor
VALUE=#000000> ');

Cairo Dock Flashing Black Box on sub-dock

Hello,
I've been playing with different panels and I really like cairo dock. However, I'm having a strange issue with the subdock. Currently I have icons displayed from open applications and group them in the same icon. When I hover over it, a subdock appears. Everything works as it should except that there is a slight flicker of a blackbox after the menu fades away. I've tinkered with every possible setting and went through each option in compton to see what is causing it but no luck.
Has anybody ran into this issue? It's a quick flash of a black box in subdocks.

Turn off VoiceOver in the Universal Access pane of System Preferences.
(63660)

This black box is making noise--what is it? (pictures)

I know there have been several threads regarding the white noise given off by Motherboards under heavy load. I also have a K7N2G-ILSR and it has made the noise since day one. Like others, I have tracked the noise to the little black box just above the mosfets near the CPU.
When I press on it, the pitch of the noise varies. Ideally, I would like to strip the tape from around the box and hot-glue the entire thing, but I want to make sure it won't hose everything. I don't care about the warranty, but if I can't make the sound stop, I'm liable to kill someone.
I would like to know what the black box does and if anyone has any luck silencing the sound!
Thanks!

In this case it stores energy and timely releases it, In MSI's words, this is normal, as the environment is high frequency.
To elaborate further on what I said before, what's likely happening is some of the components or that choke may be at the bottom or top of the allowable tolerance for manufacture. All electronics are not EXACTLY the same as far as components go. This is what's referred to as "parametric differences." You have the PCB, (printed circuitboard) CPU, RAM, peripherals, power supply, and, add to that, all the components that populate a PCB. A PCB is used on your VGA card, RAM, power supply, and ALL of your peripherals. All of these parts are manufactured with allowable tolerances, same goes for the PCB. Get the idea? See how this becomes an environment where things can easily get out of hand? Couple that with the fact of how many possible configurations can take place, and also that many of the componets and parts are manufactured by many different vendors.
Take a circuit board for example, you have multiple layers, dielectric in between those layers, the foil or copper layers in the internals are a set weight or thickness but the outer layers are usually plated up and/or etched down (this can include the internals). The etch process is done with acid, and you get a minute bit of what's called "etch down" where if you were to look at a cross section of a routed trace, you would notice that there is a slight "V" shape since the acid will etch around the sides. The board vendor must compensate for the etch down by enlarging the original artwork. However, it will NEVER be exact every time. The general specs for most of the boards we produce are +/- 20% of the original artwork supplied in the design data. That is, if you have an .008 thousandths trace, we can be within .0016 of the original.
Granted some tolerances are tighter when manufacturing high speed and impedance controlled designs, but you get the idea.
Now, you have basically the same scenario when it comes to components as mentioned previously. That is why you see users reporting strange behavior, mind you, it's a small percentage, but it is generally exacerbated when multiple parts, components, and peripherals operate in a high speed, high frequency environment like today's performance PC's. It only takes a few things to be at the top or the bottom of a tolerance to create this anomaly, or another issue altogether.
This is what I know personally through my experience as a PCB designer and manufacturer, and then being in the electronics and IT industry, and of course, an enthusiast

Strange black box

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for