menu bar seemingly frozen, stuck selected on one app

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menu bar seemingly frozen, stuck selected on one app

Hey guys, I've been having a problem with my Mac, almost every day at this point it seems. It goes like this:

I'll be randomly using my Mac, with any combination of apps open, such as mail, ichat, skype, adium, safari or firefox, address book, itunes. Sometimes some of those apps open, sometimes not all of them. But without a hint, suddenly my "selected application" will become stuck on any one of those apps. For example, the menu bar will be stuck on only displaying safari and its menu commands, even if i click on Mail, or an ichat window, or anything else. The keyboard will also only be able to type into whichever of those apps the menu bar has become stuck on. If I quit that particular app, the dock also becomes stuck and wont show the app closed, though visually it will have closed. But then the rest of the desktop becomes unresponsive, including I am not able to log out, or do a shut down or restart command. I'm only able to forcible shut down and restart at that point.

I've tried switching internet browsers, I've tried having some of the apps closed, etc etc, the problem still happens. I've used my Mac's the same way for several years now, but only in the past few weeks/months has this problem been happening, even though my usage has always been the same. Can anyone else identify with whats happening to me? Does anyone have any solution? Please help, thanks in advance!

- Nicky

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Apr 24, 2011 12:14 PM

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Answer 1

macjack

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Apr 24, 2011 12:19 PM in response to fatblast40

Create a new User go to System Preferences > Accounts > "+" (make it an admin acct) and test the apps in this new account, if they work the problem is isolated to your User and not systemwide.

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Answer 2

fatblast40 Author

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Apr 24, 2011 6:24 PM in response to macjack

The problem is, this doesn't always happen every time I use the computer. There's no specific action I do to trigger it, so would be hard to test out.

Though, I did run check disk for errors, and there were some corruptions. So I booted it in target disk mode, and did a repair disk on it from another mac, and it repaired and said its all good now. Anyway, using it for a few hours and so far no problems, but like I said, it may pop up again (the problem) anytime, but I'm optimistic now, since I did actually do some fixing by doing the repair disk function.

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Answer 3

macjack

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Apr 25, 2011 10:16 AM in response to fatblast40

If Repair Disk fixed errors, you may be trouble free now. If problems return lets us know.

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Answer 4

fatblast40 Author

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Apr 25, 2011 10:23 AM in response to macjack

Problems did return, unfortunately. I also have run a repair disk permissions, and I also re-installed 10.6.7 via the combo update download from the apple resources page.

What's happening is also exactly the same problem as referenced by the user in this thread:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2391556?messageID=11335598

Like he wrote, it happens when in any application, not specifically one or the other. And its totally random when it "strikes."

Anyone else have seen this problem? I'm sure theres others out there, and its just hard to exactly describe what is the problem, but I really hope someone at Apple knows what it is... thanks again for all the help thus far, hoping for a good fix soon!

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Answer 5

macjack

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Apr 25, 2011 10:27 AM in response to fatblast40

Use the install disks that shipped with your Mac and run Apple Hardware Test

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Answer 6

fatblast40 Author

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Apr 25, 2011 7:22 PM in response to macjack

Ran the Apple Hardware Test tonight, including the extended version of the check, no problems reported.... what else left for me to try, do I have to make a an appointment at a Genius Bar now? I really can't afford to be away from my computer for more than a day.... there MUST be others who have experienced the same problem before... anything else I can try from home?

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Answer 7

May 5, 2011 5:07 PM in response to fatblast40

I have had the same problem for what seems like months. When it happens, I click around from app to app and finally it starts following my clicks, and then I can go back to the original app that was stuck. It happens with about every app.

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Answer 8

May 19, 2011 2:25 PM in response to fatblast40

I have the same problem. I've had it for many months, and I have no idea what causes it. Found this thread while looking for a solution.

Edit: Found an interesting post on the support forum for MagicPrefs. Someone there tied this behavior to that app. I use MagicPrefs - I wonder if others here who experience this problem also use MagicPrefs?

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Answer 9

fatblast40 Author

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May 20, 2011 7:39 AM in response to Kurt Schwartz1

Hey Apple!!! Is somebody up there reading this post? This problem is clearly not an isolated incident, there are others of us experiencing the same problem, its hard to describe or predict when it happens, but its def a major problem! Can somebody at apple identify this problem and help us do something to finally fix it? Please!!!!

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Answer 10

fatblast40 Author

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May 20, 2011 7:40 AM in response to Kurt Schwartz1

I've never heard of, nor have I ever installed MagicPrefs... so at least for my Mac, its not possible that that thing is the cause of the problem...

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Answer 11

May 20, 2011 2:03 PM in response to fatblast40

Hey Apple!!! Is somebody up there reading this post?

If you mean someone besides fellow users, then the answer is no. If you want an Apple employee to read about the problem then you need to submit feedback here:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

Or else join Apple Developers and file a bug report.

Francine

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Answer 12

Apr 13, 2012 1:28 AM in response to fatblast40

Same problem here!

This usually happens right after booting up my machine.

I have found a workaround -

just close the lid once wait a few seconds and open it again.

(The same same helps with another annoying and maybe related bug: when the screensaver won't stop / login screen does not show up after running screensaver)

Anyway it is still very annoying!

Funny though - I had this problem appear first after the upgrade to Lion!

With my MacBook Pro (late 2008 unibody) I had leopard and Snow Leopard running on it before without any problems. The only thing I changed was putting in a bigger HD.

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