Launching Mail app on 10.3.9 eMac causes keyboard / mouse to stop working

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Launching Mail app on 10.3.9 eMac causes keyboard / mouse to stop working

Strange happenings... comp works fine until Mail is launched, then keyboard input / mouse clicks don't register. Only way to get out of the problem is to restart.

Any suggestions? I'd rather just reinstall the mail app if possible, but didn't find any procedures on doing that.

Thanks in advance !

viajero.

eMac, Mac OS X (10.3.x)

Posted on Jan 23, 2011 10:12 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 23, 2011 11:45 AM in response to viajero-yhz1

Hello viajero,

It may be a corrupted incoming email that is causing Mail.app to hang. Are you also getting a spinning beachball with the mouse keyboard freeze? Do you have your email backed up? Is Mail.app even opening at all?

On restart, can you go to your Mail folder found at ~/Library/Mail folder and try backing it up? Best to do that before troubleshooting so you don't lose anything important.

littleshoulders 🙂

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Answer 2

viajero-yhz1 Author

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Jan 23, 2011 1:43 PM in response to littleshoulders

Thanks littleshoulders!

Actually there is no 'beachball', the app opens as usual but sometimes displays mail in the inbox and sometimes not. Most notable is that sometimes all the email shows as not read and there is a note in the window indicating 'updating color'...

There is no email that is needed, so it seems that just reinstalling the app is the best thing to do.

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Answer 3

Jan 23, 2011 3:19 PM in response to viajero-yhz1

Hi again viajero,

Those symptoms suggest too full mailboxes perhaps. If you are determined to reinstall Mail.app you may wish to try deleting your com.apple.Mail.plist file found in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Mail.plist first and see if you can reset up your Mail account. You'll lose all your settings and email but you won't have to reinstall if it works. Make sure to write down all your Mail settings first in your Mail>Mail Menu>Preferences>Accounts>Account Information.

The next time you try to start Mail.app you should get a message asking if you wish to setup Mail.app.

Only do this if you are sure you do not wish to troubleshoot the issue further and are going to reinstall anyways.

post back if that fixes the problem,

littleshoulders 🙂

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Answer 4

viajero-yhz1 Author

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Jan 25, 2011 5:44 AM in response to littleshoulders

Thanks again littleshoulders 🙂

I deleted the .plist and set up the account again, same problem once mail launches... mouse clicks are ineffective and keyboard not responsive.

I restarted the computer with the 10.3 s/ware CD and the system just froze, so something else is going on.

Looks like a new iMac is in the works !

Cheers.

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Answer 5

Jan 25, 2011 10:14 AM in response to viajero-yhz1

Hi again viajero,

Make sure to unplug all peripherals except keyboard and mouse and then try to boot from your install cd/dvd.

When exactly does the computer freeze when trying to boot to the install cd/dvd? Does it load and then freeze when trying to boot up again at the install screen? Or does it freeze before this?

Do you have another keyboard and mouse to try?

There is other troubleshooting you can try if these steps don't help.

littleshoulders 🙂

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Answer 6

viajero-yhz1 Author

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Jan 25, 2011 11:23 AM in response to littleshoulders

Here are more details...

I have tried the keyboard and mouse on my laptop, no problem there.

The comp boots on the cd then hangs at the install screen.

Now, the problem has also been seen in Safari... can't click or use the keyboard to force quit.

Thanks again for your help... after eight years, it's time to get an iMac.

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Answer 7

Jan 25, 2011 12:10 PM in response to viajero-yhz1

I hope it is not the old eMac Freeze/Capacitor Issue!

Have you tried booting the computer in Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode.

If the freezes don't happen there then this might suggest it is software related instead of hardware. You can also try booting to your AHT (Apple Hardware Test cd) cd and run it if possible to check for hardware failures.

post back and let us know how it is going,

littleshoulders 🙂

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