Locked keyboard!! Heeeeelp please

Hi, I can use the trackpad to move the cursor but I cannot click on anything and get any response! I also tried command q to quit safari - which was what I was using- but that didn't work either. I then realised my kitten had stood on the keyboard and assumed a connection and presumed that she had pressed 2 related keys and invoked a shortcut to lock the keyboard. I am also unable to turn off the machine either by using the on/off button or the apple symbol. I also cannot force quit safari. The dock also doesn't move if I hover the cursor over an icon. The only other thing that I now realise might be an influencing factor, is that I got a message saying my start up disk was almost full but I have no idea what that means or what I should do about that. I have to solve the frozen keyboard problem first!! I would be most grateful for some suggestions. Thanks for your reply. Caroline

Thanks for your reply. I released the battery thus turning the iBook off. On turning back on it seems it had frozen for another reason as now it seems ok! I am still worried about the start up disk message as I don't know how to access files or delete them on that disk! I did, however, empty the trash and deleted a few obsolete downloads and documents. I'm thinking I should back up the important things in case the old girl dies since she is too old to run Firefox or run a tune up my mac program!! I would greatly miss having this little laptop but I have a rather useless mac mini and an ancient iMac 'pudding basin' so I would have connectivity at least until I'm sure the iBook is/is not ok. I'm most grateful for any help you can suggest. Thanks again, Caroline.

free space is 4.01GB. I'm thinking there's a lot of 'stuff' clogging my poor old ibook, but could you explain why, when I have just deleted a few old documents, there is now 3.78 GB available space?! And what can I do to free up some space? And thanks again for all the help this far. Caroline

Thanks for all this help!! To recap, yes trash emptied and cache and history and cookies cleared out just for good measure!

Opened utilities but unsure what you mean by repeating messages everything appears to be an application. I don't know which could be deleted n which must stay!! For instance what is ODBC administrator and RAID utility? All seem to be created in 1976 and modified in June 2011. All adds to my confusion :(

Having read the article from your link I opened omni sweep from terminal to find the largest file is Users within which I have music (in itunes) and photos (not in iPhoto as I don't have it loaded-2nd hand iBook!) I plan to download the images to my iMac which has iPhoto. Which will help, but I still am not sure what files I can safely delete as I don't know what they do!! What is .spotlight-V100? It has 42.2mb in it?

I just realised about a couple of months ago I had a whole day-it seemed - of pornographic pop-ups. Don't know how as I'm usually VERY careful about what might be nasty emails but I wonder if I opened one from a friend with a hidden attachment?! Now I'm wondering if that might be a symptom of a problem? However I haven't had anything pop up since, I presumed shutting down severed any link. Might that have been naive?

Do you think I should go to the Genius bar and get them to help?

Btw downloaded tenfourfox and feel much more at home than using Safari, thanks for that :)

I'm most grateful for all your suggestions I wish I knew more about what background programs should be there working so I could identify rogue ones! Caroline

Incidentally, I am unable to communicate with you via the laptop! I have to use my iPhone as I get an apache error message saying the page I want doesn't exist, when I attempt to access your reply to sign in and reply. I wonder if this is also a symptom....I think I'm just suspicious of everything now!!! Caroline.

Thanks so much for all you r help so far, I haven't yet been able to execute your last few tasks in your latest reply as I haven't had time to work on my own machine, sadly, I hope to be able to in the next couple of days!

I didn't want you to think I was ignoring your reply!

I am so grateful for your help, thanks

Caroline

Hi, I have now checked out the links you sent, starting with the CleanMyMac after which I checked malware and the trojan links. It seems all is well. I am still getting the Apache Tomcat error message when I click on the email link to get to the support community!:

HTTP Status 404 - /cp/images/invalid_image.gif

type Status report

message /cp/images/invalid_image.gif

description The requested resource (/cp/images/invalid_image.gif) is not available.

Apache Tomcat/5.5.27

I don't know if this is a symptom of a problem, but it persists after doing all the checks you suggested. It has been happening for months and often when I try to unsubscribe from emails!!

I haven't yet had time to transfer my music and photos but hope to find some time over the next few days. With luck that will be a big help. I haven't deleted any files from your first suggestion as I still don't know which I can/can't delete so no further space on the disk 😟 33.51GB used, 3.63GB free! I need to get on and transfer music and photos! Thanks again for all your help, I am most grateful. Caroline

Hi, Ironically the Tomcat appears in a new window when I click from my email message forwarded from Apple Support, it will not allow me to click to the message, I have to access the Apple website directly, although I shouldn't have to! I also get the same message mostly when I attempt to use an unsubscibe link from emails I have no wish to recieve any longer.

As for space, how do I know if I delete large files that they don't include vital programs for running the system? I don't know what some file extensions mean therefore I wouldn't be able to make an educated guess!

Appreciate your thoughts 🙂

Caroline

BTW I realise rather late, the music is on the laptop due to homesharing, so not too sure how I can un-share iTunes....any suggestions?