I tried rebooting several times. I can move the mouse around but when I try to open programs, I'm not able to. I bought this MacBook in 2009 if that helps.
MacBook Pro
In 10.8 go to apple the force quite and choose finder.
Option+Command+Esc keys bring up the same screen. Think of it as the CTL+ALT+DEL of Mac. 😉
Thanks I've done that but it doesn't help . I have to shut it by holding the button then when I turn it back on it doesn't again. I've had some success by shutting it for an hour or so. Do u know why this happens and how to stop it?
Might be time for an OS reinstall. Back up all your data and try that. You don't have to erase the partition first, just install on top of what you have as a refresh. If that doesn't fix it, then do a full wipe and reinstall. If the problem persists, then it's a hardware issue.
You can try an SMC and PRAM reset prior the OS reload options to see if that fixes it since that doesn't require a ton of work and won't cause loss of data.
How do I do either of those?
What is your OS X version? Are any external devices connected via USB or Bluetooth?
How do I fix a frozen screen on MacBook Pro where you can still move the mouse?
