🚀 go-pugleaf

Gunnar Pettersson (gunnar.pettersson@powrd.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: Set-up:
: Performa 630 4/500 with RamDblr (1.6.2)
: System 7.5.3

: The mystery is that when pressing any one of the same five keys (e,u,i,o,a)
: on any keyboard, suddenly none of them "register", they're all dead.

: Through a process of elimination I've found that the problem is _not_ with
: the keyboards or ADB cables. I tried three different keyboards, two Apple
: Designs and one Classic (god bless it, the best keyboard Apple ever
: produced, imho) and two cables - all of which work just fine on other
: machines. 

: Anyone heard of this before? Is it a hardware or software problem...?

	Years ago there was a silly little anthology of apps called, 
Stupid Mac Tricks (or somthing like that).  One of the apps was a 
prankster app designed to open at startup. The app would remain invisible 
and act like a virus, eliminating all vowels on the keyboard.  Very 
annoying... very frustrating... very silly.
	The other possability is that you've downloaded a virus.  This 
program is extremely simple to write and to hide... so if you've downloaded 
any text files, small apps, or misc. files off the internet lately it's 
very likely that one of them was a virus.
	I'd first check your startup folder for anything that doesn't 
belong in there, and then scan your drives with a virus checker.

: Any help appreciated
: Gunnar  

	Hope that helps.

-Kevin Stone
 Stone Entertainment

In article <5l5gkr$ltk@enet1.enetis.net>,
stone@enetis.net (Kevin and Brian Stone) wrote:


>	Years ago there was a silly little anthology of apps called, 
>Stupid Mac Tricks (or somthing like that).  One of the apps was a 
>prankster app designed to open at startup. The app would remain invisible 
>and act like a virus, eliminating all vowels on the keyboard.  Very 
>annoying... very frustrating... very silly.
>	The other possability is that you've downloaded a virus.  This 
>program is extremely simple to write and to hide... so if you've downloaded 
>any text files, small apps, or misc. files off the internet lately it's 
>very likely that one of them was a virus.
>	I'd first check your startup folder for anything that doesn't 
>belong in there, and then scan your drives with a virus checker.
>
>: Any help appreciated
>: Gunnar  
>
>	Hope that helps.
>
>-Kevin Stone
> Stone Entertainment

So far no luck. There's nothing in the start-up folder. I've tried turning
off all extensions and control panels. Disinfectant reports no virus.

One of the problems is it's my kid's machine and he's put in a whole load
of 'funny' voices, pictures, fonts etc - not to speak of games - but they
are almost all of them off Mac magazine CD-ROMs. I suppose a major cull
should be undertaken next, in the vain hope of unearthing the Vowel
Killer...

In article <AF9B9CF8966825F68@powrd.demon.co.uk>,
gunnar.pettersson@powrd.demon.co.uk (Gunnar Pettersson) wrote:

> Set-up:
> Performa 630 4/500 with RamDblr (1.6.2)
> System 7.5.3
> 
> The mystery is that when pressing any one of the same five keys (e,u,i,o,a)
> on any keyboard, suddenly none of them "register", they're all dead.

They're all 'dead keys': used with the option key to introduce
characters with accents on.  You may have corrupted your system
file.

Assuming that you've tried all the normal stuff (booting from a
'Disk Tools' disk, for example), you've probably blown your ADB
port by plugging stuff in while the Mac's on.

PS: don't cross-post between '.misc' and specific groups, please.

Simon.
-- 
Simon Slavin -- Computer Contractor. | "Do you really want to use the word
  http://www.hearsay.demon.co.uk     | 'braindead' in your mail to 'boss'?"
Check email address for spam-guard.  | -- warning proposed by David Fetrow
Junk email not welcome at this site. | <fetrow@biostat.washington.edu.NJ>

Gunnar Pettersson <gunnar.pettersson@powrd.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> 
> So far no luck. There's nothing in the start-up folder. I've tried turning
> off all extensions and control panels. Disinfectant reports no virus.
> 
> One of the problems is it's my kid's machine and he's put in a whole load
> of 'funny' voices, pictures, fonts etc - not to speak of games - but they
> are almost all of them off Mac magazine CD-ROMs. I suppose a major cull
> should be undertaken next, in the vain hope of unearthing the Vowel
> Killer...

I found this in the Macintosh Virus FAQ which hasa just been posted to
one of the Mac newsgroups:

>       NVP - modifies the System file so that no vowels can be
>         typed. Originally found masquerading as 'New Look', which
>         redesigns the display.

This does sound like the problem you're suffering from - Disinfectant
*ought* to be able to find it - try a fresh copy of Disinfectant 3.6 and
if that doesn't work, try re-installing the OS.

Rowland.


-- 
Take the continent out of the line below to construct my email address:
  rebecca@astrid.africa.u-net.com
Sorry - the spam got to me.
The last junk emailler to bother me was Tele987@cobunet.com

In article <AF9B9CF8966825F68@powrd.demon.co.uk>,
gunnar.pettersson@powrd.demon.co.uk (Gunnar Pettersson) wrote:

> The mystery is that when pressing any one of the same five keys (e,u,i,o,a)
> on any keyboard, suddenly none of them "register", they're all dead.
> 
> Through a process of elimination I've found that the problem is _not_ with
> the keyboards or ADB cables. I tried three different keyboards, two Apple
> Designs and one Classic (god bless it, the best keyboard Apple ever
> produced, imho) and two cables - all of which work just fine on other
> machines. 

There is an prank/joke extension called NVwls (No Vowels) which will do this.
If you can't find it by that name, whoever put it on your system may have
changed the name and icon. Use Find File to look for something with it's
creator set to NVwl and you should catch it.


Followups set to comp.sys.mac.system

---< jsmdt @ acad1 . alaska . edu >-----------------------------------------
I know a room of musical tunes / Some rhyme, some ching, most of them are
clockwork / Let's go into the other room and make them work -- Syd Barrett
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ignore these (spam traps): <root@[127.0.0.1]> <postmaster@[127.0.0.1]>
<abuse@[127.0.0.1]> <support@[127.0.0.1]> <webmaster@[127.0.0.1]>

If it is not a virus problem, perhaps there is something screwed up with
the Keyboard control panel.  I know I had a problem at one point where
my keyboard layout would inexplicably change to another language.  I
fixed it by deleting all but one layout.  Good luck!

tb

I would have to say it is the former. The program was called
"NoVowels."

>         Years ago there was a silly little anthology of apps called,
> Stupid Mac Tricks (or somthing like that).  One of the apps was a
> prankster app designed to open at startup. The app would remain invisible
> and act like a virus, eliminating all vowels on the keyboard.  Very
> annoying... very frustrating... very silly.
>         The other possability is that you've downloaded a virus.  This
> program is extremely simple to write and to hide... so if you've downloaded
> any text files, small apps, or misc. files off the internet lately it's
> very likely that one of them was a virus.
>         I'd first check your startup folder for anything that doesn't
> belong in there, and then scan your drives with a virus checker.
> 
> : Any help appreciated
> : Gunnar
> 
>         Hope that helps.
> 
> -Kevin Stone
>  Stone Entertainment

schuster@ctaz.com wrote:
> 
> I would have to say it is the former. The program was called
> "NoVowels."



There is an antidote program called "Yes Vowels".

I had the same problem as you a while back after browsing through the 
games section of a CD-ROM. I must have opened "NO Vowels" without 
realising what it did. I resorted to reloading the system disks, and 
only later found "Yes Vowels" in the same folder as the offending 
program.

Mail me if you can't find it online.

-jim