Q: cursor pinging and erratic
-
Jul 21, 2014 8:26 AMby rkaufmann87,I suspect you have installed either some malware or some other garbage applications on your computer. You mentioned CleanMyMac, this is total garbageware and possibly the cause of your system. Please post an EtreCheck report of your system so we can tell how your system is configured, you can find EtreCheck by clicking:
-
Jul 21, 2014 9:40 AMby Linc Davis,There are several possible causes for this issue. Please take each of the following steps that you haven't already tried until it's resolved. Some may not apply in your case.
1. Follow the instructions in this support article, and also this one, if applicable. A damaged or defective AC adapter could be the cause, even if it's the right kind.
2. Press down all four corners of the trackpad at once and release. If there's any effect, it's likely to be temporary, and in that case the unit must be serviced or replaced.
3. Open the Bluetooth preference pane in System Preferences and delete all pointing devices other than the trackpad, if applicable. Disconnect any USB pointing devices. By a "pointing device," I mean a peripheral that moves the cursor, such as a trackpad, mouse, trackball, or graphics tablet. A plain keyboard is not a pointing device.
4. Start up in safe mode and test, preferably without launching any third-party applications. If you don't have the problem in safe mode, but it comes back when you restart as usual, stop here and post your results. Do the same if you can't start in safe mode. If there was no difference in safe mode, go on to the next step.
5. Reset the System Management Controller.
6. If you're using a Bluetooth trackpad or mouse, investigate potential sources of interference, including USB 3 devices.
7. A swollen battery in a portable computer can impinge on the trackpad from below and cause erratic behavior. If you have trouble clicking the trackpad, this is likely the reason. The battery must be replaced without delay.
8. There's a report that a (possibly defective) Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter can cause the built-in trackpad of a MacBook to behave erratically. If you're using such an adapter, disconnect it and test.
9. There's also a of erratic cursor movements caused by an external display that was connected but not turned on.
10. If none of the above applies, or if you have another reason to think that your computer is being remotely controlled, remove it from the network by turning off Wi-Fi (or your Wi-Fi access point), disconnecting from a Bluetooth network link, and unplugging the Ethernet cable or USB modem, whichever is applicable. If the cursor movements stop at once, you should suspect an intrusion.
11. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine and/or external trackpad tested.
-
Jul 21, 2014 10:12 AMby John Galt,- performed a CleanMyMac twice
It is unlikely that CleanMyMac is the direct cause of the problem you describe, but it will cause other problems, and should be removed.
If you have a backup that you created prior to using CleanMyMac, now is the time to use it. For Time Machine, boot OS X Recovery, and at the Mac OS X Utilities screen, choose Restore from Time Machine Backup. Choose a date preceding the installation of CleanMyMac.
Using CleanMyMac to remove what it considers "junk" will corrupt a system.
Nothing less than erasing your Mac and rebuilding it from the ground up will undo the effects of having used it, and its developer's instructions for uninstalling it are not completely effective. Only MacPaw, its developer, can know the reason for that, but I can think of two possibilities: either they are purposefully leaving those components behind for reasons known only to them, or they simply don't know what they're doing. Neither one of those possibilities is particularly comforting for the user.
I know of no way to recover from the effects of having used CleanMyMac than to completely erase the volume on which it was used, reinstall OS X and essential software from their original sources, and restore your essential work files and other documents from a backup that has not been corrupted by CleanMyMac or anything else.
I know no other way to recover from having used it other than these recommendations.
-
Jul 21, 2014 11:43 AMby mabuk,Hello rkaufmann87
Never heard of EtreCheck so learnt something there and here is the report:
EtreCheck version: 1.9.12 (48)
Report generated 21 July 2014 19:39:49 BST
Hardware Information:
iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011) (Verified)
iMac - model: iMac12,2
1 3.1 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 4 cores
32 GB RAM
Video Information:
AMD Radeon HD 6970M - VRAM: 1024 MB
iMac 2560 x 1440
System Software:
OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 0 days 4:36:30
Disk Information:
WDC WD1001FALS-403AA0 disk0 : (1 TB)
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 999.35 GB (38.81 GB free)
Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
HL-DT-STDVDRW GA32N
USB Information:
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Apple Internal Memory Card Reader 15.93 GB
NO NAME (disk1s1) /Volumes/NO NAME: 15.93 GB (618.5 MB free)
Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
FireWire Information:
Drobo Drobo3 800mbit - 800mbit max
EFI (disk2s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
Sandbox (disk2s2) /Volumes/Sandbox: 499.02 GB (498.57 GB free)
Drobo (disk2s3) /Volumes/Drobo 1: 1.7 TB (747.03 GB free)
EFI (disk3s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
Drobo (disk3s2) /Volumes/Drobo: 2.2 TB (2.2 TB free)
Thunderbolt Information:
Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
Gatekeeper:
Mac App Store and identified developers
Kernel Extensions:
[loaded] com.TrustedData.driver.VendorSpecificType00 (1.7.0 - SDK 10.7) Support
[loaded] com.attotech.driver.ATTOiSCSI (3.4.1b1 - SDK 10.6) Support
[not loaded] com.drobo.SCSI.ThunderBolt (1.1 [66012] - SDK 10.8) Support
[not loaded] com.nike.sportwatch (1.0.0) Support
[not loaded] com.olympus.CamBlockCommandsDeviceUP (3.1.0 - SDK 10.6) Support
[not loaded] com.wacom.kext.wacomtablet (6.1.6) Support
Startup Items:
ProTec6b: Path: /Library/StartupItems/ProTec6b
Launch Daemons:
[failed] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support
[loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist Support
[running] com.attotech.iscsid.plist Support
[running] com.datarobotics.ddservice64d.plist Support
[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist Support
[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.Agent.plist Support
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist Support
[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist Support
[loaded] com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist Support
[running] com.trusteer.rooks.rooksd.plist Support
[running] com.xrite.device.colormunki.plist Support
[loaded] info.lokiware.attachmenttamer.securetool.plist Support
Launch Agents:
[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist Support
[running] com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist Support
[loaded] com.epson.ews.launcher.plist Support
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support
[running] com.nike.nikeplusconnect.plist Support
[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist Support
[running] com.trusteer.rapport.rapportd.plist Support
[running] com.wacom.wacomtablet.plist Support
[running] com.xrite.colormunkid.plist Support
[running] com.xrite.device.message.plist Support
[loaded] info.lokiware.attachmenttamer.setupagent.plist Support
User Launch Agents:
[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist Support
[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist Support
[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.diskSpaceWatcher.plist Support
[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.scheduledScan.plist Support
[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.trashWatcher.plist Support
[loaded] com.shirtpocket.backupbytime.plist Support
[not loaded] info.lokiware.attachmenttamer.cleanup.plist Support
[not loaded] jp.co.canon.Inkjet_Extended_Survey_Agent.plist Support
User Login Items:
GrowlMenu
iTunesHelper
AdobeResourceSynchronizer
Dropbox
Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX
DDAssist
Internet Plug-ins:
WacomNetscape: Version: 1.1.1-1 Support
Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.3.6 Support
WacomSafari: Version: 1.1.1-1 Support
AdobeAAMDetect: Version: AdobeAAMDetect 2.0.0.0 - SDK 10.7 Support
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support
LogMeIn: Version: 1.0.935 - SDK 10.7 Support
Flash Player: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
LogMeInSafari32: Version: 1.0.935 - SDK 10.7 Support
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8
AdobeExManCCDetect_x86_64: Version: AdobeExManCCDetect_x86_64 1.0.0.0 - SDK 10.7 Support
AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.3 - SDK 10.6 Support
EPPEX Plugin: Version: 3.0.5.0 Support
Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20913.0 - SDK 10.6 Support
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 7 Update 60 Check version
Safari Extensions:
AddThis: Version: 1.7
Add To Amazon Wish List: Version: 1.8
Evernote Web Clipper: Version: 6.1.3
WhatFont: Version: 1.6.99991
Audio Plug-ins:
BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9
AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9
iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
iTunes Plug-ins:
Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9
User Internet Plug-ins:
Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 Support
3rd Party Preference Panes:
Flash Player Support
Growl Support
Java Support
Trusteer Endpoint Protection Support
WacomTablet Support
X-Rite Device Services Support
Time Machine:
Skip System Files: NO
Mobile backups: OFF
Auto backup: YES
Volumes being backed up:
Macintosh HD: Disk size: 930.71 GB Disk used: 894.57 GB
Destinations:
LaCieBLACK TimeMachine [Local] (Last used)
Total size: 2
Total number of backups: 106
Oldest backup: 2012-07-24 02:20:13 +0000
Last backup: 2014-07-21 08:55:48 +0000
Size of backup disk: Too small
Backup size 2 < (Disk used 894.57 GB X 3)
Time Machine details may not be accurate.
All volumes being backed up may not be listed.
Top Processes by CPU:
2% WindowServer
0% fontd
0% Creative Cloud
0% Safari
0% Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5
Top Processes by Memory:
1.54 GB Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5
459 MB mds_stores
229 MB com.apple.IconServicesAgent
164 MB Mail
131 MB Safari
Virtual Memory Information:
17.11 GB Free RAM
5.32 GB Active RAM
7.66 GB Inactive RAM
1.91 GB Wired RAM
526 MB Page-ins
0 B Page-outs
Chinese to me but hopefully it means something to you.
Thank you!
-
Jul 22, 2014 12:07 PMby mabuk,Thank you John and as I just replied to rkaufmann87 I have uninstalled CleanMyMac2 and the problem is still there. However I haven't reinstalled OSX and rebooted from my backup as I cannot face yet the 21 hours that it took just to copy my files from the backup the last time... and not sure whether I would manage to reinstall OSX given my track record in that area.
-
Jul 22, 2014 12:22 PMby rkaufmann87,mabuk wrote:
I know John but I'm not confident enough to erase everything and start again as I am not particularly tech oriented - sorry!
If that is the case then you should take the machine into your local Apple Store or AASP and ask them to help you troubleshoot the problem. I would also follow Linc's advice, while not guaranteed to work he has a good understanding of OS X and iMacs.
-
Jul 22, 2014 12:28 PMby mabuk,Hi Linc and thank you for your reply. A few of the steps suggested don't apply as I don't have a track pad or Thunderbolt ethernet and I had changed the mouse and keyboard's batteries before the post.
The problem is definitely intermittent and doesn't follow a particular pattern and is more or less pronounced depending on the application I'm in. For example macMail and Lightroom 5 are virtually unusable but word, Safari and Photoshop CC are OK...
The cursor goes very randomly and, in terms of keys, the only 'constant' is that I cannot type a capital 'o' using the left shift key but I can using the right shift key. I can capitalise every other letter with the left shift key.
