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Joined: Dec 2008
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My Mac computer has been acting strange lately (the last 2 months). When my Mac is in sleep mode, sometimes when I walk by it, it comes on. Never did that before. I’m wondering if the camera is spying on me. Any ideas about this phenomenon? Could it be all the creepy music that’s in it?
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Joined: Jul 2006
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A sensitive mouse? Sometimes just air hitting a mouse can light up a sleeping monitor..
What things can take your Mac out of sleep mode, other than a mouse? Any other hardware?
Is there a pattern with the monitor turning on and you recieving updates?
Can you check to see if your "power saving" template is still what you set it to be, such as "go into sleep mode after 15 minutes of inactivity" etc etc..
I don't know Macs, but in "System Properties" PCs have a check box that can allow (or not) other PCs to tap into one's computer's "remote settings" and "remote assistance," and if someone was inside your PC/Mac that way, it would also be a cause for turning on the monitor.
Or yes..maybe your music is giving Mac a chill!
Mike
Last edited by Michael Zaneski; 02/02/18 10:26 PM.
Fate doesn't hang on a wrong or right choice Fortune depends on the tone of your voice
-The Divine Comedy (Neil Hannon) from the song "Songs of Love" from the album "Casanova" (1996)
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Joined: Nov 2017
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My guess is static or yeah malware. It is a common misconception that apple devices don't get infections. We have cleaned some very viral infected macs in recent years. If you have been on the internet, and look, there you are! You could have some junk on it.
Download AVAST antivirus free for the mac and do a full system virus scan with it. It's what all the cool kids use. ;-)
You can tape off the camera. If that fixes it you have a virus / malware on it I would expect.
Last edited by RonnieDean; 02/02/18 10:30 PM.
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Thanks guys for the possibilities. No Ronnie, I use my PC for the Internet. The Mac's for music production only. Best, John
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Joined: Feb 2005
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John:
I've experienced the same situation on a Dell Laptop running Windows 10. I sat down to log on and the computer was already turned on by Microsoft during the night. After touching the keyboard (or was it the mouse?) I heard the shutter snap on the on-board camera. Talk about a creepy feeling. I went into the system, located the camera controls and turned it off. As an added precaution against unwanted snooping from malware, etc., you can always place a small piece of tape (the plastic electrician's type) over the lens. Easily removed when you have need for the onboard camera... which I never do.
The same general routine would be something you can do with a MAC. (My old iMac now occupies a space in the storage closet, being saved for future art or photography projects requiring a drawing tablet.)
Both computers, the Windows 10 Laptop and the Linux Desktop use the same Wi-Fi system. My music computer, a Windows XP Desktop is not connected to the internet or Wi-Fi. Files are transferred via memory sticks. I realize there is some risk during that process (if the memory stick has a bug) but that is less risky and my catalog and database have a reasonable amount of protection that way.
If the problem persists, Roy Cooper is our resident genius.
Best, ----Dave
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Thanks for the info Dave, Ronnie, and Mike! It's not the camera. I never activated that. Not sure what it is. I stood in front of the Mac this morning waving my hands, yelling, blowing air over the mouse and keyboard, and everything else I could think of. Didn't come on. The only change that's been made on my computer since this started was adding a new keypad. I spilled coffee on the old one and fried it. Best, John
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Joined: Feb 2005
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Sounds like a "conflict" between the new keypad and the operating system. Surely the OS's setup will allow the installation of a new one. Perhaps you need "drivers" for the keypad to allow the Mac to "handshake" properly. Be prepared for a long siege... or find a young geek who works with Macs and knows his/her way around these things on Apple products. They (Apple products) are a "horse of a different color" and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing, finding help is more difficult.
Best of luck, ----Dave
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Joined: May 2001
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John, That is your computer telling you to write another song! Now you talk about quirks, my computer, on it's own when I am on the Net goes into shutdown and Re-Start. Not on any regular basis but it just happens. I don't have any thing set to do this so, I am puzzled. I am not Computer savvy by the way.
Ray E. Strode
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As long as you keep your system updated its extremely unlikely that your Mac would get a virus, even when connected to the net.
As for why it might have happened - do you have it on wifi? If so, there is a facet to the current OS that allows your Mac to wake itself if mail comes in. But being that you say its not a internet connected computer, then its likely something like the mouse may have triggered it by the vibrations of your walking by.
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Joined: Apr 2001
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As long as you keep your system updated its extremely unlikely that your Mac would get a virus, even when connected to the net.
As for why it might have happened - do you have it on wifi? If so, there is a facet to the current OS that allows your Mac to wake itself if mail comes in. But being that you say its not a internet connected computer, then its likely something like the mouse may have triggered it by the vibrations of your walking by.
I think it it the vibrations... or the reptilians.
Brian Austin Whitney Founder Just Plain Folks jpfolkspro@gmail.com Skype: Brian Austin Whitney Facebook: www.facebook.com/justplainfolks"Don't sit around and wait for success to come to you... it doesn't know the way." -Brian Austin Whitney "It's easier to be the bigger man when you actually are..." -Brian Austin Whitney "Sometimes all you have to do to inspire humans to greatness is to give them a reason and opportunity to do something great." -Brian Austin Whitney
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