Pointer freezes onstartup- OS9.2

arandagirl · #1 May 3rd, 2008, 10:18 PM

Hi

I have acquired a G3 so that I can use Pagemaker etc as I once could before my G4 died...

My problem is that the pointer freezes in the top left corner every time I start up. It stays frozen and therefore I cannot proceed. Once I caught it during the early stages of start up and moved it away from the corner. That fixed the problem for that session. But I have only managed this once...

Anyone know what to do? I have run disk doctor and Norton from another disk and according to them the system is OK

Regards

Bruce

**Cheryl** · #2 May 4th, 2008, 07:16 AM

Sounds like you have an extension conflict. Try starting up the computer with all extensions off by holding down the shift key at start up. If it doesn't freeze on you, then you know there is an extensions problem.

If you go to the Extensions Manager in Control Panels you can select OS 9 only or even better All Apple extensions and then restart. If all is well, you need to go through the list of extensions and control panels turning on just a few, restart, and see if one of those is the problem. You have to continue to do this, until at start up you find the culprit.
Once you find the file that is causing the problem, keep it turned off.

arandagirl · #3 May 4th, 2008, 08:15 AM

Thanks Cheryl

I tried your suggestion but the pointer stays frozen even when I start with extensions off...

I have been able to trick it a couple of times, by pressing a D or the Option or some other key during start up, but this is totally random.

Regards

Bruce

**Cheryl** · #4 May 4th, 2008, 04:37 PM

One down, several others to go

*Restart your computer while pressing the Command (apple) and Option keys.
When you see a dialog box with the message, "Are you sure you want to rebuild the Desktop file on the disk "your disk"?," release the keys and click OK. This rebuilds the desktop files.

*Have you checked the memory? It could be a failing memory chip.

*How much room is left on the hard drive? Any SCSI drives attached? If so, take them off. The black magic of SCSI may be in play.

*Third-party items added to the Scripting Additions folder may cause the computer to stop responding during startup.
Open the Scripting Additions folder, which is in the System Folder.
Temporarily remove non-Apple items (place them on the desktop or in a folder outside of the System Folder). Leave these items in the Scripting Additions folder:

Desktop Printer Manager
Dialects folder (Mac OS 9.1 only)
FileSharing Commands
Keyboard Addition
Keychain Scripting
MonitorDepth
Network Setup Scripting
Remote Access Commands
Sound Scripting (Mac OS 9.1 only)
Speech Listener (Mac OS 9.1 only)
Standard Additions
URL Access Scripting

Restart the computer.
5. Third-party items that were removed from the Scripting Additions folder should be added back to the folder a few at a time (followed by a restart), to isolate the issue further.

When you used Disk First aid was it Disk First Aid 8.6.1?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75102

arandagirl · #5 May 4th, 2008, 07:52 PM

Thanks again Cheryl

I had already rebuilt the desktop using Techtool from a CD. I also zapped the PRAM.
Yes Disk First Aid was 8.6.1
Memory seems OK
The hard drive is empty except for the OS and PageMaker & Photoshop (which I have just installed from original disks.) There is 390MB unused
No SCSI drives, in fact no external items at all attached
I opened the scripting editions and the only items there are the ones that you listed (no Dialects folder or URL Access Scripting though)

So no advance yet

My trick of holding Option and the D key during startup seems to allow me to move the pointer in one try out of three or so. Random and certainly not scientific...

Regards

Bruce

**Cheryl** · #6 May 5th, 2008, 06:46 AM

Once it does start up, go to System Folder>Preferences. Trash the finder preference file. Restart. It will generate a new one.

arandagirl · #7 May 5th, 2008, 08:17 AM

I think that I have found an answer to this issue...

I had already sent the finder preferences to the trash...

So in desperation I connected a USB keyboard to the G3. It had an older (Apple connector) one with it.

So far it starts up perfectly now, with this newer keyboard. No idea why...

So thank you again for your detailed input Cheryl. It looks like this little problem is over.

Best regards

Bruce