Virus??? No Installs, Mail and other Apps open then close

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Hi,

Got a 26 inch Mac desktop in December 2009. Now operating most recent Snow Leopard update, with parallels.

First indication of problems was a hang, then I restarted and it went into safe boot. Then I discovered that Mail wasn't working. On clicking INFO (for mail) I discovered that it had opened, but I assume been closed down instantly. Same with other apps and almost all the utilities. iCal, iChat, Photo Booth, Preview, Airport, Disk and network Diagnostics all open then shut down within 1 sec. Safari, Itunes, Parallels still work and iPhoto opens, but hangs. Been trying different things for two days, but no luck.

I also discovered that I couldn't install anything. I thought I was somehow still in safe boot mode, but no, I can still gain access to USB, CD/DVD (though I can't run anything, see utilities on the OS disk). Nothing from CD, or downloaded from the internet can be installed. I click the install button and it seems to work for about one second, then nothing happens.

I managed to open disk utilities using 32 bit and did a disk verify. Came back with green message "the volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK.

I don't think I've opened anything I shouldn't have and not seen anything suspicious. A colleague said some of my mail was getting sent back last week and the computer did seem to be slowing down. Surely this can't be what I think it is??? Ive tried installing antivirus software but as I said before nothing can be installed.

Any ideas?

Many thanks
 
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I think you mean 27" iMac?
Did you try calling Apple Support yet? Or take it into your local Apple Store (if one is nearby)? If you cannot resolve your issues, you need to exchange it for a new one.

It's not a virus. There aren't any viruses for Mac, so you can rule that out.
 
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thanks,

Yep, corrected, 27". Tried all the stuff recommended in the sticky above. I'm really hoping I dont have to do a full install again, I'll loose my OEM windows 7 and have to repurchase, and spend days getting all the software on again.

Whilst I've just purchased a Time Capsule to do a backup just in case it's a rebuild, it wont allow me to install the Capsule. Question though.... if the TC gad been installed prior to this would I have been able to go backwards like in Windows where you can restore the system to a previous date?

Its my first Mac so apologies for appearing a bit dumb!
 
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21" iMac 2.9Ghz 16GB RAM - 10.11.3, iPhone6s & iPad Air 2 - iOS 9.2.1, ATV 4Th Gen tvOS, ATV3
If you have backed up (and i do recommend you do a bootable Back Up too with either Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper) it wont be a full install per se. With SL its like the old Archive and Install which will bring the system back to the way it was set up just prior to you doing the install. You will only need to get the 10.6.3 Combo Update and then update all your 3rd party apps you have.  have made it easy for us now :)

Then once you have done the new install just use Migration Assistant to help you move everything back.

Viola Simple ;)

Cheers
 
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Have you tried running Disk Utility to "repair permissions" yet ? I'd do that before anything else, then do a cold boot.

Doug
 
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NO. It's not a freaking virus.
 
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Qwaf, bring this site to its knees with the ubiquitous Mac virus. Go ahead, have at it...
 
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I'm not a troll. It is unfortunate that my first post was that, but i recently registered after i got my Macbook pro 15" i7 model, and i came across that post.

It is silly to think macs don't have viruses, or any malicious software of the type. Anything you can write your own software for can have malicious software. I'm not going to sit here arguing with you, because there is nothing to argue, it is a fact the mac can get viruses and malicious software can be run, it may not have even a fraction of the problem of a certain other operating system, doesn't mean they don't exist.
 
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There are ZERO virii for OS X. A "virus" is a self replicating program. Since all *nix based systems require root privileges to run any script and install any software, especially software that acts at a system level, then no, there are NO virii for OS X. There can be trojans and other malicious software, sure. But nothing that self replicates itself.

That doesn't give you an excuse to be a total moron with your information, but it means that things won't install without you knowing.

Welcome to the place where people actually know what they're talking about.
 
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Yep, DR is right. I don't know of any Solaris systems that run AV as well. Sorry, they just don't exist. The only way that a malicious script could get on the system, replicate and spread is if you allow it by giving it root permissions and even then it would be limited to just that machine as the others on the network would require local permissions for it to be installed and run. For what it is worth, I have never run AV on any nix system that I have administrated (Solaris, Linux, OSx).

Malware is not a virus.... This could happen but the user still has to install it to work.
 
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They don't exist. IF there was one, it would make the TV news, newspapers, might even get you a robotic phone call from Steve Jobs...

Malware, yes, for the careless. Not one virus for Mac, .
 
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because there is nothing to argue

That is the truth as there are no OS X viri and we are still waiting for you to tell us about them.
 

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