Weird! invisible text on password box..

ker


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Hi folks,

I have the weirdest experience today. When I try to install an app, it asks me for my username and password, it does except the text doesn't show up. Here's the attachment, one picture is worth thousand words.

Can someone please help?

Screen shot 2010-05-26 at 6.16.36 PM.png
 

chscag

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Which app is it that you tried to install? And did the invisible text work so that you could install?

Regards.
 
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Sounds like either the Window Server or the SystemUI Server are not liking the program (as they're responsible for providing text in a window.)

Or at least one of them is. What application are you trying to download, or does it do this on every application you try to download?
 
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It does it for all applications.

I would say it's the SystemUI/Window Server in Mac OS X. I'm not sure using the Disk Repair utility in Mac OS X will work (Applications>Utilities>Disk Utility, then click on Repair Disk Permission), but it could work, since it often cleans up Library files.
 
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I would say it's the SystemUI/Window Server in Mac OS X. I'm not sure using the Disk Repair utility in Mac OS X will work (Applications>Utilities>Disk Utility, then click on Repair Disk Permission), but it could work, since it often cleans up Library files.

I've done everything, disk repair, repair disk permissions, I almost re-installed the OS :)

No luck, weird.

Anyone have more ideas?
 

chscag

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Go into System Preferences, select "Universal Access", and make sure you do not have the "Display" set to "White on black". It should be set to Black on white for normal viewing. Sometimes, the settings in Universal Access can be accidentally changed and odd things happen.

Let us know.

Regards.
 
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Go into System Preferences, select "Universal Access", and make sure you do not have the "Display" set to "White on black". It should be set to Black on white for normal viewing. Sometimes, the settings in Universal Access can be accidentally changed and odd things happen.

Let us know.

Regards.

Nope, unfortunately that's not the cause. :(
 

chscag

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I've about run out of ideas on this one. Not quite yet.... ;D

Let's try this:

Create another account; call it test or whatever. Log on to that account and let's see if the same thing happens. Post back results.

Regards.
 
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How about installing the appropriate Combo updater.
ker - if u gave us the specs, we could give you the link.
 
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I've about run out of ideas on this one. Not quite yet.... ;D

Let's try this:

Create another account; call it test or whatever. Log on to that account and let's see if the same thing happens. Post back results.

Regards.

Created the test account, test account password boxes work properly! :)
Came back to my account, back to normal, empty password boxes...
 
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How about installing the appropriate Combo updater.
ker - if u gave us the specs, we could give you the link.

Macbook Pro 17" (Not the the new unified)
Mac OSX Version 10.6.3
2.4GHz Inter Core 2 Duo
4GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
 
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did you by any chance change the color of your fonts? ...it appears that you have personalized your desktop...if you personalized your desktop so that the font isn't differentiated from the background in dialogue boxes, the font may appear invisible. just a thought...
 

chscag

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Created the test account, test account password boxes work properly!
Came back to my account, back to normal, empty password boxes...

OK. That tells us that it's something you may have done to your main account. It either has to do with the font colors (as was suggested in the previous post) or perhaps some add in or app to change the desktop. Maybe something like "CandyBar" or one of the many available apps which alter the desktop.

If that's the case, try uninstalling whatever it is that you installed. :) ?

Let us know.

Regards.
 
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Alright ladies and gentlemen, after spending hours on research, re-installing OSX, disk repairs, permission repairs and an appointment to Apple Genius Bar, I found the cause and the solution of the problem. So I first did a clean install to see everything works fine, and that went well. Password box works seamless. Then I started installing my usual apps one by one. I installed Airfoil but then if I want to watch an AVI movie on it's video player it has problems, I looked on their manual and they say I should install Perian (QT component). So I did, once I install that it asks me for my account password, which is normal. But then it starts to make the text invisible. So basically the source is Perian.

So what I did next was to leave Perian installed, and do another Snow Leopard install but this time archive and install. What it does is, it takes your account to the side, re-installs the operating system clean and errorless. Now I have Perian installed, can watch AVI movies, and password box text is not invisible.

This was the weirdest bug I've ever seen. Thanks for all your help.
 

chscag

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Thanks for posting the fix. That is indeed a weird bug and has me wondering if it's an isolated thing to your system or not? Reason is I also have installed Perian and am running Snow Leopard but have not seen the invisible password problem that you've run into.

Regards.
 
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Thanks for posting the fix. That is indeed a weird bug and has me wondering if it's an isolated thing to your system or not? Reason is I also have installed Perian and am running Snow Leopard but have not seen the invisible password problem that you've run into.

Regards.

Weird, I had 10.6.3, you?
 

chscag

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Same. I'm running 10.6.3. Gremlins? O:)

Regards.
 

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