Spontaneous volume-change and program-launch in OSX
December 24, 2009 3:53 PM Subscribe
Spontaneous volume-change and program-launch in OSX.
MacBook Pro, OSX 10.5.8. I was using iTunes to put some stuff on my iPod (I think the only other programs I had pen were Firefox and maybe Preview) when all of a sudden my computer's volume started to increase and decrease spontaneously (complete with the speaker image and volume level indicator on the screen and accompanied by the click sound), and then Front Row opened and closed a couple times. I turned off AirPort, disconnecting from the Internet, but again my volume spontaneously changed. I restarted my computer, keeping it offline, and the same things happened again. Any ideas what's going on? I'm really freaked out. I can't think what it might be; a few people were watching movie trailers on a mac in the same room while it was happening, but I guess that couldn't be relevant, since stuff happened after I disconnected from the network...
MacBook Pro, OSX 10.5.8. I was using iTunes to put some stuff on my iPod (I think the only other programs I had pen were Firefox and maybe Preview) when all of a sudden my computer's volume started to increase and decrease spontaneously (complete with the speaker image and volume level indicator on the screen and accompanied by the click sound), and then Front Row opened and closed a couple times. I turned off AirPort, disconnecting from the Internet, but again my volume spontaneously changed. I restarted my computer, keeping it offline, and the same things happened again. Any ideas what's going on? I'm really freaked out. I can't think what it might be; a few people were watching movie trailers on a mac in the same room while it was happening, but I guess that couldn't be relevant, since stuff happened after I disconnected from the network...
… a few people were watching movie trailers on a mac in the same room while it was happening …They weren't using an Apple remote while doing this, were they? Unless the you've specifically paired a Mac with a particular remote, it'll respond to all remotes within range.
posted by Pinback at 4:01 PM on December 24, 2009
Response by poster: They weren't using a remote, no... Maybe they were using a mouse or keyboard with infrared connection, but not a remote. Maybe someone could have been using a remote elsewhere in the house, but that would have been pretty far away...
posted by Cucurbit at 4:26 PM on December 24, 2009
posted by Cucurbit at 4:26 PM on December 24, 2009
Those are easy to do on the command line. Make sure you don't have Remote Login turned on.
Go to System Preferences > Sharing. If it's on, there are a few ways to catch them in the act if it starts happening again and even mess with him.
posted by CZMR at 9:58 PM on December 24, 2009
Go to System Preferences > Sharing. If it's on, there are a few ways to catch them in the act if it starts happening again and even mess with him.
posted by CZMR at 9:58 PM on December 24, 2009
I know you already nixed this suggestion, but this really, really sounds like an IR remote. The things you describe are exactly the things you can do with the Apple remote.
Turn off your IR receiver.
posted by Mwongozi at 5:22 PM on December 25, 2009
Turn off your IR receiver.
posted by Mwongozi at 5:22 PM on December 25, 2009
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In the system preferences, under Security, there's a checkbox "Disable remote control infrared receiver". You might want to turn it off.
posted by xil at 3:59 PM on December 24, 2009