Little red button, why are you evil sometimes?

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Level 1

16 points

Little red button, why are you evil sometimes?

Anyone ever had this problem?

You click the red button for a window, any window – it doesn’t matter what program, and the window won’t close. The problem happens randomly, that is, not every time you go to close a window. You can sit there clicking away with your mouse or trackpad, and not a thing happens. If you move the mouse off of the red button, and then bring it back, the window closes. I find this happens the most with Finder windows and with Safari windows.

It’s most certainly a software glitch. I can replicate it with a USB mouse, a wireless Apple trackpad, and the trackpad on the MacBook.

It happened to me with Tiger… and it happens with Snow Leopard.

The only way I have ever found to get rid of it is to do a clean and complete re-install of OS X, which is terribly time consuming considering how much third party software I have to re-install along with the operating system.

I know what you are thinking. The answer is “no.” Resetting PRAM and the SMC does not work for this issue.

So… Has anyone ever experienced this and do you have any suggestions?

MacBook Pro -13 inch - Mid 2009, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Oct 20, 2010 4:53 AM

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Answer 1

CT

Level 7

24,281 points

Oct 20, 2010 4:58 AM in response to Ludus Parvus

Since the vast majority of people (including myself) have never experienced this issue, my first thought would be that some of that third party software is not quite compatible with OS X.

charlie

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Answer 2

Ludus Parvus Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 20, 2010 5:03 AM in response to CT

I was just doing some back searching on this, and others have had this problem. I found a number of posts on this topic, but there isn't really anything that gives a substantial solution.

I think you guess related to third part software is a good one Charlie. I was thinking that as well.

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Answer 3

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Oct 20, 2010 5:06 AM in response to Ludus Parvus

To follow up on CT's thinking...

Since a clean install fixes the issue, I can only think it is something you're migrating back that's causing the issue. What happens when you Safe Mode (It will take more time to startup in Safe Mode because it runs a directory check.)

If your apps window buttons correctly that way, go to System Preferences >> Accounts >> Login Items, and remove them. Boot normally and test. If not go to Users/(yourname)/Library /Contextual Menu Items and move whatever is there to the desktop. Then do the same with /Library/ Contextual Menu Items. Lastly, try moving ~(yourname)/Library/ Fonts to your desktop and restarting.

Log out/in or restart, if that sorts it start putting items back one at a time until you find the culprit.

-mj

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Answer 4

Ludus Parvus Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 20, 2010 5:21 AM in response to macjack

Thanks for the suggestions. I will give these things a try.

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Answer 5

sghael

Level 1

0 points

Oct 30, 2010 7:06 AM in response to Ludus Parvus

I just want to validate this but report. I have exactly the same issue. Sometimes the red close button just doesn't want to work. I'm on Snow Leopard 10.6.4

The only other clue/workaround I have is that if you press the alt/option button before clicking the red button, it then will then work. It's as if pressing alt/option will reset the window focus so you can actually click the red button.

Would love for Apple to just fix this super annoying bug.

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Answer 6

Ludus Parvus Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 30, 2010 7:37 AM in response to sghael

I have to confess that I have not tried MJ's suggestion as of yet. I am a graduate student and I am in the middle of some academic things. I don't have the time to do much experimenting right now... and if I mess things up, I definitely don't have time to play the reinstall game.

Thanks for the suggestion on pressing alt/option sghael. I have noticed that this problem isn't just happening with the little red button, but it is happening in other places as well, so this information is helpful. Likewise, if you want to use the keyboard to close the window, you can always simply do command/w and that will do it.

Again, I think it is related to third party software... and maybe to system restores. I just had my Mac into the local Apple Store before this happened for a hardware repair. There was a software problem after I got the machine back related to Airport, so they did some sort of partial reinstall of the OS. It may be related to that...

Also, I downloaded a game as well shortly thereafter. When I was using Tiger on my PowerBook G4, I noticed a correlation to the problem with certain games.

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Answer 7

Oct 30, 2010 8:03 AM in response to Ludus Parvus

I've noticed a similar random problem for several months. Click on the red button and instead of closing, the window collapses into the Dock. Don't know why. it's been a minor annoyance so haven't worried about it. Happens in Tiger and SL.

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Answer 8

Nov 4, 2010 7:50 PM in response to Ludus Parvus

I have this annoying problem and been searching for a solution. There isn't any so far. I really hope that apple could fix this annoying bug.

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Answer 9

Ludus Parvus Author

Level 1

16 points

Nov 8, 2010 10:27 AM in response to Ludus Parvus

The alt/option suggestion has really helped me out on a number of occasions, like when I click on a spot where I should be able to type text and... guess what? Nothing happens -- the little cursor doesn't show up. Alt/option to the rescue!

Has anyone tried what macjack has suggested? See up above if you don't know what I am referring to.

-LP

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Answer 10

thomas_r.

Level 7

32,031 points

Nov 8, 2010 10:34 AM in response to Ludus Parvus

I trust that you've found others who have had this problem - indeed, some have posted here! - however, take my word for it that this is not a widespread problem. I've never seen this sort of thing on any of my Macs, Tiger through SL, nor have I ever heard even a single report like this on these or any other forums.

Due to the rarity, and the fact that you've tried with many different hardware pointing devices, the only decent possibility is a bug in some kind of third-party software, which you say you have a lot of. You seem reluctant to try macjack's solution, but it's really the best one. You need to eliminate as much of the third-party software that is running at login (or that installed kexts) as possible.

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