[macforray]

This just started yesterday and I can't seem to figure it out. Anytime I highlight something on my desktop, in Finder, or in my Widgets (there may be more), a bold black box is exhibited around the file, folder, back button, widget, etc.... It will not go away until I choose something else, which then is "boxed". Also, on my "Apple" menu pulldown, I have duplicate Restart, Shutdown and Logout choices. I can't figure out how to fix it.

I am running 10.4.3 since the upgrade came out. I do not recall any software additions or upgrades except going to the latest release candidate for Firefox. The Firefox browser works fine with none of the "black lined boxes". I still need to check Safari and Camino.

None of this seems to affect performance or operation, but it is annoying as h***.

Your input is appreciated. I am a "switcher since 8/4/05 after 20 years of using and cursing Windows. I love my Mac Mini.

Thanks.

[TETENAL]

You accidently turned on VoiceOver by pressing ⌘F5.

Turn it off again in System Preferences->Universal Access->Seeing->VoiceOver.

[macforray]

Thanks. I will put that one in the memory bank. All is well.

[tooki]

Originally Posted by macforray

This just started yesterday and I can't seem to figure it out. Anytime I highlight something on my desktop, in Finder, or in my Widgets (there may be more), a bold black box is exhibited around the file, folder, back button, widget, etc.... It will not go away until I choose something else, which then is "boxed". Also, on my "Apple" menu pulldown, I have duplicate Restart, Shutdown and Logout choices. I can't figure out how to fix it.

I am running 10.4.3 since the upgrade came out. I do not recall any software additions or upgrades except going to the latest release candidate for Firefox. The Firefox browser works fine with none of the "black lined boxes". I still need to check Safari and Camino.

None of this seems to affect performance or operation, but it is annoying as h***.

Your input is appreciated. I am a "switcher since 8/4/05 after 20 years of using and cursing Windows. I love my Mac Mini.

Thanks.

Just a correction: of you looked carefully, NO commands are duplicated. Each one is slightly different. (Either one asks for confirmation and the other doesn't -- that's what the ellipsis means -- or other differences like that, e.g. "Close Window" becoming "Close All Windows"). They're all commands that existed before, but quasi-hidden behind modifier keys.

And note that this very question was asked not long ago. A search might have found the solution! Also, did you not hear the "VoiceOver On" announcement when you turned it on by accident? The computer literally speaks it out over the speakers.

tooki

[ghporter]

Suddenly this thread feels like a time warp! Are a lot of people suddenly "accidentally" turning on VoiceOver, or is it simply that more people are admitting their computers are acting oddly?

Either way, I've been hesitant to play with all the function key combinations because of this sort of issue. Maybe there should be a sticky with generic OS X info like key combos (what to use and what to avoid) and other type stuff, just for those of us who, new to OS X or new to Macs overall, want to find out what's there.

[Tesseract]

The Keyboard & Mouse preferences pane lists most (all?) of the system-wide shortcuts. You can change or disable them there also.

[ghporter]

Thanks-I never played with those settings because the computer "just worked" so I hadn't seen that.

[macforray]

tooki writes:

"And note that this very question was asked not long ago. A search might have found the solution! Also, did you not hear the "VoiceOver On" announcement when you turned it on by accident? The computer literally speaks it out over the speakers."

tooki,

Sorry about not searching. Still fairly new to the forum. Did not hear the activation because:
1) I keep my speakers off unless I need them
2) It may have been my 3 year old or one of her five older siblings
3) It could have been one of our three cats walking accross the keyboard
4) Possibly (?) a software glitch?

I did try searching the Apple Help with no "hits". I continue to learn a great deal from everyone on this forum. Bottom line is that the problem has been corrected and I am smarter for it.

macforray