Black frame around items on screen

Question

Level 1

94 points

Black frame around items on screen

Hi I've got a mac mini which has suddenly started to have black frames appear around icons that are clickable. For example, in Safari, I get a black frame appear around the back button. Or, on the desktop, it appears around the hard disc icon.

I can't see that I have set anything to do this. Can anyone help me to switch this off? I'm new to macs so am not sure where to look.

I do have a screen shot of the problem. Can I post that anywhere?

I've also noticed that under the Apple icon in the menu, I have two of:

* Restart
* Shut Down
* Log off

But the shortcuts on the second items add an extra key.

Any help would be grateful.

Thanks

Mac Mini, Mac OS X (10.4.5), Intel Core Duo

Posted on Apr 1, 2006 1:48 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 1, 2006 1:55 PM in response to musicfan

Check your Universal Access System Preferences. It seems you've enabled Voice Over. You'll want to click the radio button so it's "off".

-Doug

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Answer 2

musicfan Author

Level 1

94 points

Apr 1, 2006 2:03 PM in response to Douglas McLaughlin

Fantastic!!! Thanks for your help Doug, it solved the problem. I guess it was a stupid user error!!

Thanks again.

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Answer 3

Apr 1, 2006 2:03 PM in response to musicfan

You're welcome. It seems you can enable or disable it by pressing command-F5 as well. I could be easy to accidentally hit that key combination!

-Doug

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Answer 4

musicfan Author

Level 1

94 points

Apr 1, 2006 2:05 PM in response to Douglas McLaughlin

arh, that explains it - I was trying to reload a web page using a windows short cut. That will teach me...!

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Answer 5

A3k

Level 1

8 points

Apr 11, 2006 2:07 PM in response to musicfan

Hi there!

I've got a brand new Mac mini CoreDuo with the same problem (I think). It seems that the prob appear after the sleep mode.
I checked if I have Voice over enabled but it's off 😟
Another thing I have noticed is that windows with the "brushed metal frame" have the effect, when I disable the enhanced frame the effect is gone at this window.

You can see this effect on 3 screenshots I have made ( http://www.kwiknet.de/pub/pics/with.pdf, .../without.pdf, .../frames.pdf)

Any suggestions? I have no more ideas... :-(((((

Bye... A3k

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Answer 6

Apr 11, 2006 2:28 PM in response to A3k

I can't see the black frame in either of your two pictures that I could see. I could not see your "frames.pdf", but here are links for the other two:

http://www.kwiknet.de/pub/pics/with.pdf
http://www.kwiknet.de/pub/pics/without.pdf

The "black frame" from the voice over looks like this:

-Doug

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Answer 7

musicfan Author

Level 1

94 points

Apr 11, 2006 2:31 PM in response to A3k

Hi

The problem I had was that the Voice Over feature was switched On. This created a black frame around the back button on Finder etc.

The frame you have around the Finder window is very different to the effect I had - mine focused on a button whereas yours is aroundthe entire window.

I'm not sure what to suggest, but thought I would say that the problem I had was different to this one.

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Answer 8

musicfan Author

Level 1

94 points

Apr 11, 2006 2:33 PM in response to Douglas McLaughlin

I think the black frame is the 'picture frame' effect around the Finder window.

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Answer 9

Joules

Level 1

0 points

Apr 17, 2006 12:39 PM in response to A3k

Hi there!

I've got a brand new Mac mini CoreDuo with the same
problem (I think). It seems that the prob appear
after the sleep mode.
I checked if I have Voice over enabled but it's off
😟
Another thing I have noticed is that windows with the
"brushed metal frame" have the effect, when I disable
the enhanced frame the effect is gone at this window.

I have the same issue, only got my machine a couple of days ago. Made sure my firmware was upto date, and that Voice over was switched off.

Joules

imac mini core duo Mac OS X (10.4.6)

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Answer 10

Apr 17, 2006 1:19 PM in response to Joules

So, Joules, you are seeing a frame like this:

If so, I think you should start a new topic of your own. Since this is not related to the Voice Over feature, you have a completely different problem that will need a different solution. I can't imagine what's causing another frame like this around windows. I don't think it's even part of Mac OS X and there must be some third-party software causing this. Also, since this topic is "answered" already, no one will be looking here to help.

-Doug

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Answer 11

Joules

Level 1

0 points

Apr 17, 2006 1:24 PM in response to Douglas McLaughlin

Yep Doug, thats exactly what I am seeing here. I will start a new thread.

Joules

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