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User profile for user: dazed
dazed Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

iMac ringing

My iMac suddenly starting getting wonky, for want of a better term. I could not scroll with magic mouse - I would start to scroll and then the scroll bar would rapidly move to bottom of screen. If I tried to scroll back up to the top, it kept going down to the bottom again. I was able to click on the icon for my home screen and successfully got there. But again the scrolling downward began, sort of like a magnet was attached. Quit Safari. In Finder, clicked on Help. The search bar opened and the magnetic force (whatever) went to end of field and said something like 'no results found'. (Indirect quote) I had not even typed anything into the Help search field when it did this. Then, and for me this was the scary part, a loud ringing noise started going off. Sounded like an alarm. Somehow (sorry, didn't occur to me to take notes) I was able to get to the Support Community to see if anyone could help me with either the scrolling issue or the alarm. I promise if this happens again I will take step by step notes. It's just that one doesn't expect an alarm to go off so one wouldn't be taking notes.


I did have the scrolling issue in the past and although I asked the community about it, I never got a satisfactory reply. Was told that it had to be my mouse. Period. Now it might be the mouse and maybe I didn't understand. But what would cause a very loud alarm to start?


iMac mid-2011

Yosemite OS 10.10.5

Safari 9.0


No other hardware that might cause interference: no laptop, no iPhone (sigh), no nothing. Even have printer turned off and unplugged.


And I really don't know where to post this other than OS X Yosemite. Really, really have no idea what Category to select. Feel free to redirect. Thanks.

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Oct 7, 2015 6:14 PM

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8 replies
User profile for user: dazed
dazed Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

Oct 7, 2015 8:34 PM in response to John Galt

John -


A couple quick questions before I start AHT. The instructions say to disconnect basically everything. Should I disconnect my backup hard drive? (That's a split decision arguing in my head.)

Here's the sillier question. STEP 2 says to press & hold the D key before the gray startup screen appears. Ok. But it never says when to let go! Does this mean I can let go once the gray screen does appear or keep holding until . . .?

Also, will results be in code or in plain enough language (English in my case) for me to either interpret or repeat to someone else for more help?


Thanks.

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User profile for user: John Galt
John Galt
User level: Level 10
140,954 points

Oct 7, 2015 8:52 PM in response to dazed

Should I disconnect my backup hard drive?

It's not necessary, but if AHT concludes with a report of a failure then more investigation would be required. Depending on the particular failure, disconnecting any hardware that could contribute to its cause would be justified.


The 2011 model year includes Macs that shipped with discs and Macs that did not. If you have your original Applications Install DVD and your iMac's optical drive is still working, insert that disk, shut down the Mac, then start it while pressing and holding the D key at startup. Release it when it is obvious the Mac is booting from that disc, or when the Apple Hardware Test screen appears. Holding it too long won't make any difference.


If you no longer have that disc, pressing option d (two fingers) at startup will load the Internet version of AHT. You will know that when you see the "spinning globe" picture appear. It is functionally identical to the disc-based version.


The test results are presented in readable, if somewhat cryptic English.


Reply with those results. "No trouble found" means exactly what it says... "trouble" may exist, but AHT just didn't find any.

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User profile for user: dazed
dazed Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

Oct 7, 2015 9:40 PM in response to John Galt

I ran both the basic test and then the extended test. Both said 'No trouble found'. And I guess that's better than finding trouble, but as you said, it just means AHT didn't find any.

If you or anyone else reading this can think of a reason for the alarm or any other test that would be helpful, please let me know.

Thanks much for your help!

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User profile for user: John Galt
John Galt
User level: Level 10
140,954 points

Oct 8, 2015 6:05 AM in response to dazed

Determine if the same problems occur in "Safe Mode":


  • Safe Mode or "Safe Boot" is a troubleshooting mode that bypasses all third party system extensions and loads only required system components. Read about it: Starting up in Safe Mode
  • You must disable FileVault before you can start your Mac in Safe Mode.
  • Starting your Mac in Safe Mode will take longer than usual, graphics will not render smoothly, audio is disabled on some Macs, and some programs (iTunes for example) may not work at all.
  • Merely starting your Mac in Safe Mode is not intended to resolve the problem, it's to observe its performance without certain additional components.
  • To end Safe Mode restart your Mac normally. Shutdown will take longer as well.
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User profile for user: dazed
dazed Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

Oct 8, 2015 11:27 AM in response to dazed

John, Eric, and Anyone Else following this:


I'm not sure that I need to do anything else at this time. Since the scrolling problem and the ALARM are not occurring now , I wouldn't know how to re-create my original steps to see if the problem still exists. As I said earlier, one is not usually tracking every step b/c, testing aside, an error never is expected. (Sorry about the bolding. I was thinking about how I felt when the alarm started.)


Am I wrong or missing the point?

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iMac ringing

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