Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ncis.llnl.gov!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!UMass.BITNET!Leopold
From: Leopold@UMass.BITNET
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: problems
Message-ID: <890301143043BB5.AQIM@Mars.UCC.UMass.EDU>
Date: 1 Mar 89 20:01:37 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 40


     It is interesting that just now people are mentioning problems with mice,
because I just had one surface on me this week.  This USUALLY happens after
I've been using my machine for a couple of hours, but it's not predictable and
sometimes happens as soon as I turn the machine on.  Moving the pointer with
the mouse (not the key equivalents) will cause it to jerk its way over to the
left side of the screen.  Also, it generates constant keyclicks as if a key is
held down.  I can only presume it is generating the escape key because if I
am in the normal desktop, for instance, with a directory window open, it will
cause it to repeatedly update.  Hitting a key will stop the keyclick, at least
until I move the mouse again.  I can move around normally with the alt-arrow
keys, although sometimes they seem to work more slowly.
     I doubt that it is the mouse itself, because a couple of times while this
has been happening I unplugged the mouse (Yes, I know it's not a good idea to
plug/unplug things from the system when it's on; I try very hard to avoid
that.) and the keyclick continues.
     I thought it might be a broken line in the mouse cord, but I fixed it in
place on it's back with the ball taken out and gently rolled the horizontal
roller with my finger, and I get the same effect.
     Another reason I doubt it is the mouse is because another problem has
simultaneously arisen.  When I first turn my system on after a period of non-
use, it will not even access the drive (I have a 1040), but will display in
low res a string of bombs straight across a white screen.  Turning it off and
then back on it usually proceeds with a normal boot.  Sometimes it will start
to boot and then hang about halfway through.
     Both of these problems I have to live with until the end of the week,
because I have some work I really have to get done, but I'm going to take it
in for service after that.  But I'm just curious if anyone out there has had
similar problems, or if they have opinions or solutions about this one.

     One final request.  I assume this must have been covered in past digests,
so could someone please email me the issues that cover using metafiles in
programs (using ones that have already been created) and the .GEM file format?
I can't find info on it anywhere.
     Sorry this was so long,

     Michael Kieras

P.S.  It isn't loose chips; I've opened up the machine and pushed in every
socketed chip.  Twice.