Strangeness

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, or if my problems even stem from the OS or something else or even if they're related at all, but I'm hoping somebody here can help.

Vital Stats:
Macbook Pro, Mid 2010, 2.8GHz Core i7
8 GB RAM 1067 MHz DDR3
OSX 10.7.3

Symptoms:
In Safari, when I drag a tab off the main window, to create a second window, it takes up to 20 seconds for the new window to render. During that time, I'm unable to do anything at all, as the mouse pointer is showing a miniature of the web page and clicks on nothing.

When typing multiple instances of the same character, I can no longer simply hold down a key. I must press multiple times. This isn't a big problem for me, but it's an interesting - and recent - change.

Adobe programs are messed up. Clicking a text box in InDesign, for example, take 3-5 seconds to allow input, and usually, ends up minutely moving the box as well. It's like the system hangs for a moment - but CPU doesn't show any increases. Similar manifestations are happening in Illustrator, and Acrobat Pro. All are part of CS5.5.

By themselves, I wouldn't be unduly concerned. But all together, all starting at around the same time (a week ago), and all surviving after reboots, raises some flags in my book.

Does anybody have any advice?

Thanks in advance,

Z

I ran Onyx to verify my startup volume, repair disk permissions, and clean the system, user, and internet caches. No effect on these problems.

I did notice that, when clicking the "Fit one full page to window" button in Acrobat that it's not Acrobat which locks for several seconds, but the whole system. I can't click back to Trillian or Safari, for example. Automated processes like iStat Menus appear unaffected as the CPU indicators continue moving, and Little Snitch's monitor still shows activity (from Dropbox usually).

The typing multiple instances of the same letter - yes, that is a change (I think with the first version of Lion) and some people did find it annoying.

I have an older MBP than you with inferior specs to yours and I'm running Lion. I dragged a tab off Safari to open a new window and it only took about 2 or 3 seconds to render. So you may have a problem there. You say you ran Onyx. Did you verify and repair permissions with Disk Utility too? Just curious.

No. I didn't do it with Disk Utility. I figured (perhaps incorrectly?) that the two do the same thing.

I found the problem. All my troubles were being caused by a program called "Right Zoom". I discovered it while methodically killing processes. When I nuked it, everything was normal. Just to be on the safe side, I rebooted and the problem returned until killing Right Zoom again ...

... Which is a real pity too because I LOVE what that program does. C'est la vie.

Thanks for all your attention.

Z

Thanks very much for posting that! It will be a great help to somebody, I am certain.

To follow up, if anybody wants to acquire or retain the functionality found in Right Zoom without the headaches, I found SizeWell. It does the same thing, but has no nasty side effects as far as I can tell.

Cheers,

Z