Complicated Problem With Cursor and Keyboard

[jdrp]

HI; hope someone can help with this as I am a bit stuck. I am running snow leopard on mac pro 2008 2x4 xeon 32G ram. Have installed mountain L. yosemite also. On mountain l. my cursor has stopped working; it just kind of jumps. I can get it to where i want it if i really concentrate moving it very very slowly. On yosemite it doesnt really work at all and i can't type my password even; if i type one letter it types about 6 and so on. I tried installing el capitan, but I am stuck at the place where it says "set up installation" as my mouse and keyboard don't respond at all. If i try restart and option key, it has stopped showing me the snow leopard option (this is the only one that works ok with the mouse and keyboard) and whichever hdd i take out it still seems to show me the "install OSX" page (el capitan) which I am stuck on. Snow leopard is on a separate hdd. This is really driving me nuts; if anyone can help I would really appreciate it.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

What type of keyboard and mouse are you using? Have you tried other keyboard and mice? Have you tried booting into Safe mode? Have you tried resetting NVRAM/PRAM?

 

[MacInWin]

Is the battery swollen? If it is, and it is pressing on the trackpad/keyboard, that could cause the symptoms you are seeing. You can check by using a straightedge (ruler, or anything absolutely straight) laid across the Mac in the space between the spacebar and the trackpad. It should touch all the way across. If it is bowed upward, it's most likely the battery.

EDIT: I did see where you said Mac Pro, but sometimes folks get the name wrong, which is why I suggested this. If it's really a Mac Pro, you don't have a battery.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Jake, no MBP I know had a Xeon processor, so if the OP knows that about the Mac, I'd assume they are correctly identifying it as a Mac Pro.

But just imagine the power if MBP's had Xeon processors, yes the battery life would be 20 mins, but it would've been a glorious 20 mins.

 

[lclev]

Are the keyboard and mouse hard wired or bluetooth or wireless adapter connected? That can make a difference trying to figure out the issue.

Lisa

 

[jdrp]

What type of keyboard and mouse are you using? Have you tried other keyboard and mice? Have you tried booting into Safe mode? Have you tried resetting NVRAM/PRAM?

thanks; kboard and mouse are fine; they work perfectly with snow leopard and windows; have tried pram but not nvpram; haven't tried safe mode, will try those. thanks.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

thanks; kboard and mouse are fine; they work perfectly with snow leopard and windows; have tried pram but not nvpram; haven't tried safe mode, will try those. thanks.

If it works with different versions of macOS and Windows, that's pointing more towards a software issue, and Safe mode will show that quickly. If things work fine in Safe mode, then you might want to do a clean install of Mountain Lion or whatever newer version and NOTHING else to see if things behave and then either restore your backup or install additional apps to see if the problem re-appears.

 

[jdrp]

If it works with different versions of macOS and Windows, that's pointing more towards a software issue, and Safe mode will show that quickly. If things work fine in Safe mode, then you might want to do a clean install of Mountain Lion or whatever newer version and NOTHING else to see if things behave and then either restore your backup or install additional apps to see if the problem re-appears.

thank you good advice I will try this.

 

[jdrp]

thank you good advice I will try this.

thank you; I tried safe mode and it was no different.

 

[jdrp]

Are the keyboard and mouse hard wired or bluetooth or wireless adapter connected? That can make a difference trying to figure out the issue.

Lisa

thanks ; hardwired both.

 

[pm-r]

thanks ; hardwired both.

Are they both Apple brand or third-party?

If third-party, do you have their appropriate Preference Pane and any other needed software installed?

Maybe try deleting the appropriate Preference files in case they are goofy or corrupt and then reboot. The Finder should build new ones automatically.



- Patrick
=======

 

[jdrp]

Are they both Apple brand or third-party?

If third-party, do you have their appropriate Preference Pane and any other needed software installed?

Maybe try deleting the appropriate Preference files in case they are goofy or corrupt and then reboot. The Finder should build new ones automatically.



- Patrick
=======

thank you, I appreciate your input, but it's not a problem with the mouse or keyboard; I have tried various mice, both apple and non apple. The keyboard is apple but works fine with snow leopard and windows also.