Cannot click on certain area of the screen

Question

Level 1

14 points

Cannot click on certain area of the screen

I'm not sure if this is a display or a mouse issue. I have had my 24" iMac since June and have just started having this issue. I cannot click (left or right mouse button) on one specific part of the screen. I can click on links and buttons, form boxes, bring up the contextual menu (right click) or do pretty much anything you do with the mouse on most of the screen. However in this approximately half inch high and a few inches long area just above the middle of the screen on the left hand side there is no response from computer when clicking with the mouse. I can click on a link in the browser above this space and below it but not on the link in it. If I move the browser window so that same link appears in a different part of the screen I can click on it fine and cannot click on the link now in the affected area.

This is the same for any clickable item placed in this area of the screen. Is this a display or a mouse issue?

iMac 24", Mac OS X (10.6.1), Standard mighty mouse

Posted on Nov 7, 2009 7:22 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

den.thed

Level 9

77,134 points

Nov 7, 2009 7:45 PM in response to bercg

Hi bercg

Wow, that is a strange problem that I've never seen here before?

Please standby, while I do some checking around to see if I can locate someone who has.

Dennis

Reply

Answer 2

bercg Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 7, 2009 7:51 PM in response to den.thed

thanks because this is really annoying me. It just started happening the last day or so. I am worried it might mean getting my iMac replaced.

Reply

Answer 3

Nov 7, 2009 8:09 PM in response to bercg

Does this happen immediately after you startup, from the Mac being powered off?

As a test, try creating a new admin user account in System Preferences Accounts pane

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8235.html

Log off and log in to the new account. This will help to narrow down the cause. If the problem does not recur in the new account, the cause is likely to be in your normal user account. If the problem does recur in the new account, then the cause is likely to be related to the overall system installation, or some odd hardware-related issue.

Reply

Answer 4

bercg Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 7, 2009 8:17 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

It happens all the time. The issue is the same in other user accounts too.

Reply

Answer 5

Nov 7, 2009 8:19 PM in response to bercg

Hello b:

Since your computer is still in warranty, I would take it to an Apple store for diagnosis/repair/replacement.

Barry

P.S. I seriously doubt it is a mouse issue.

Reply

Answer 6

bercg Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 7, 2009 8:26 PM in response to Barry Hemphill

Thanks. I submitted a support request to Apple too so I'll see what they advise. I'm sure I'll end up just having to take it in.

Reply

Answer 7

Nov 7, 2009 8:28 PM in response to bercg

If you have an external drive that can be erased, you could try installing a new system there and setting the Mac to boot from it. That will determine if it is related to the current system installation, or if it is more likely to be a hardware problem. You can obviously also back up your data, erase your internal drive, and reinstall a new system there.

Alternately, as a test, you can just startup from your Mac OS X installation disc. At the first installer screen, go up to the menu bar. Under Utilities, run Disk Utility. Move the Disk Utility window around the screen as needed to see of the same problem exists while booted from a different system. If it happens there, then it is more likely to be some odd hardware-related issue. If it does not, it is possible a fresh system installation will resolve the problem.

Reply

Answer 8

den.thed

Level 9

77,134 points

Nov 7, 2009 8:54 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Excellent troubleshooting advise there Ken, your the man! I also thought of booting the Install Disk or Backup Drive and checking the dead spot, but you beat me to it.

Reply

Answer 9

Tuttle

Level 7

29,541 points

Nov 7, 2009 9:07 PM in response to bercg

May be no help at all, but this used to happen when people used the Minimize Desktop option in OnyX. Haven't seen it since 10.3 or so, but it's worth mentioning.

Reply

Answer 10

bercg Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 7, 2009 11:34 PM in response to Tuttle

ok guys thanks for your advice. i think tomorrow i'll try booting up from the OSX installation disk and see if the issue remains.

Reply

Answer 11

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Nov 9, 2009 6:25 PM in response to bercg

It sounds like some sort of software based pixel mapping problem , rather than a hardware fault with either the mac or the mouse, to me.

Is the same area "unclickable" if you change the screen resolution in display preferences to a different setting?

Cheers

Rod

Reply

Answer 12

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Nov 14, 2009 6:08 PM in response to Rod Hagen

Hi again,

It appears that there is an issue with using hidden features in Expose that can cause this problem.

The issue is discussed at http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20031028081746219, including the suggestion that the "unclickable bit of screen" problem can be fixed by deleting ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist

You will lose your current dock settings when you do so , however.

Cheers

Rod

Reply

Answer 13

bercg Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 17, 2009 12:07 PM in response to Rod Hagen

OK I finally figured out what the problem was. I noticed that the unclickable area was directly in line with the top of the dock (I have the dock on the left side of the screen). I moved the dock to the right and the problem went away. I had previously changed the image files for the dock on the left in order to make it transparent. It appears this somehow affected the area of the screen next to the dock, hence the lack of the problem when the dock was on the right (the images files are separate for each side).

I can now click again but am back to the regular dock which I hate. Does anyone know of a way to make the dock transparent on the side?

Thanks for all your suggestions guys 🙂

Reply