Mac Pro will only boot in safe mode, will only type capital letters and hangs.

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Hi everyone, hope someone can help.

I've been using a Mac pro from new for just over 3 years. It has run like a dream every day without one single problem until yesterday.

The only thing that I have done was installed an update to macscan which I have done a number of times previously without incident so don't think that has anything to do with it.

Anyway, when I logged on as usual yesterday morning, everything was fine and normal except that I noticed that on nearly every forum I visited, a line ran through all the link text on all pages I visited, like the words were crossed out. Nothing else was wrong until suddenly, at about 9pm my keyboard would only type capital letters regardless of caps lock on or off. I quickly restarted my Mac but for the first time in 3 yeas it automatically started in safe mode, and once in, is terribly slow, unresponsive, hangs, freezes and crashes etc. I've read up and gone through everything advised on the forums apart from doing a full reinstall which I may have to do tomorrow. Have any of you guys heard of this problem before and any idea of what the issue might be? Could I have been hacked or something?

Thanks for your time.
 
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Have you done a Disk check by booting off the install DVD? Or a hardware test?
 
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Have you done a Disk check by booting off the install DVD? Or a hardware test?

Not as yet, this is my first mac and as it's never gone wrong once in 3 years I'm afraid I've become a little complacent when it comes to learning and doing these basics. If I do a disc check by booting off my install discs, will I lose all my iTunes etc?

I guess this will def happen if I have to do a full install. I've backed up most of it so won't lose too much.

I remembered that I did also install seoquake toolbar yesterday, I bet it's that causing the problem. I've tried everything to uninstall that toolbar / plugin and I just can't see how I remove it. Any ideas? Thanks for the help.
 

robduckyworth


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you havent been hacked.

have you tried another keyboard, and seeing if it still types in capital letters? could be broken key?

you wont lose data by doing a disk check. while you are booted from the discs, if there any any errors, do a repair disk on the startup volume.

it goes without saying that you should be backing up regularly.
 

bobtomay

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Unlikely that a Firefox plugin would affect your whole system.
 
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Thanks for the responses.

I've just installed timeport and it's currently doing a full backup, says it's going to take 24hrs. Very little works in safe mode but luckily the backup is working fine. I've tried a new keyboard and mouse and all same problems. Once the full backup has completed I'll try the test and if all else fails will then do a new install. Not that I've ever done one before or have a clue how to then get everything from timeport back on to my mac pro lol. Should be interesting. Still can't remove seoquake for safari toolbar. I've looked in Internet plug ins and it's not there, neither in applications, utilities etc. Anyone know how to remove seoquake? It's the safari version obviously and is working but seems impossible to remove.
 
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Hi again,

I can't actually believe that I'm going to post on a public forum what a complete moron I am but figured you never know, one day it might help someone who is as big a dumb-*** as me.

My life has been in complete turmoil for nearly 24 hours because...

I didn't notice that on my keyboard, the right side shift key button was stuck down and therefor pressed constantly. This is the reason for only starting in safe mode, only typing capitals and most of the other errors. The other keyboard and mouse I tried were non apple and to be honest were very old so maybe my mac just didnt recognise them at all.

Anyway, I picked up my keyboard, turned it upside down, gave it a bash and the key popped back in to its normal position. I restarted, and hey presto, no safe mode and back to normal. Nearly everything is fine again except that I still can't remove seoquake and when i visit any website, link text appears to be crossed out, for example, where it says my user name to the left of my post, mymacpro, for me, that text has a line through it, but these problems existed before my big "crash".

Anyway, sorry for wasting your time and thanks for the replies. I'll crawl back under my rock now.
 

robduckyworth


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Anyway, sorry for wasting your time and thanks for the replies. I'll crawl back under my rock now.

lol, get comfy. we have all heard sillier errors than this. dont put yourself down.
 
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And remember there ain't no dumb questions ~ just sometimes some dumb answers.
 
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Thank you!

"Anyway, sorry for wasting your time and thanks for the replies. I'll crawl back under my rock now"

Can I just tell you that your "dumb" post just fixed my life! I have been having a nervous breakdown, because guess what? ...My Macbook pro would only boot in safe mode, and would only type in capital leters...and the option to boot in bootcamp, which I use to run all of my Windows based work software had completely disappeared. I have been trying all sorts of crazy things, and thought that my computer was ruined. I found your "silly" question online, and it was the most useful thing ever. Bang shift key = completely fixed.

So, you can come out from under that rock now ;)
 
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Thank you

I cannot believe this. I live in Madagascar, there are NO mac shops or anything here. Mac was doing all the things you said and I am not good with technology. COMPLETELY PANICKED. I was on the verge of tears because I use this computer for work and communicating with family and everything and just couldn't figure out what was wrong- most of the suggestion for what to try i didn't even understand. Read your post on a friends computer- right hand shift key was looking SLIGHTLY wonky so i stuck a fingernail underneath the corner- PROBLEM SOLVED. You are my hero! :*
 
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capital keys - safe boot mode

This is just great MyMacpro!! One week looking for a solution, and contacting apple service by phone, reinstall OS X, etc, etc.... Saw this conversation and looked to the right shift key on my computer.... fantastic, this one has to be on the manuals!!! Thanks!
 

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