Powerbook Issues

[iMax]

Hey everyone,

I just got a new 1Ghz powerbook, and I love it to death. It is a wonderful machine, and I am having a great time using it. That said, I am ahving a few problems with it that I was hoping someone here may have the answers to.

The first and most annoying is that sometimes after I put it to sleep, and then later open it again, the trackpad doesn't function. EVERYTHING else on the computer works, but the mouse won't move... I've even forced the finder to relaunch several times, but the trackpad is still stuck. It's only after I reboot the computer entirely that it works again. I'm not quite sure wunder what circumstances of sleeping and waking up causes this, but I have a hunch it is whenever the power source (adapter/battery) is changed while it is alseep.

Also, IE has a bad habit, under OS X, of unexpectantly quitting much too often, to the point where it ahs become totally unusable... and the network which I am on won't let me use Opera for some reason, I have yet to figure out why, so mI have resorted to using IE through classic, which, while not totally a problem, is still annoying.

Also, is there anyway to convert an old OS 9 version of Appleworks into a functioning one in OS X? Do I just need to download a patch, or a new version, or must I buy the same version again, which I don't want to do, especially with a major update on the horizon...

If you can help me with any of these issues, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much!

[gotohamish]

Originally posted by iMax
The first and most annoying is that sometimes after I put it to sleep, and then later open it again, the trackpad doesn't function. EVERYTHING else on the computer works, but the mouse won't move... I've even forced the finder to relaunch several times, but the trackpad is still stuck. It's only after I reboot the computer entirely that it works again. I'm not quite sure wunder what circumstances of sleeping and waking up causes this, but I have a hunch it is whenever the power source (adapter/battery) is changed while it is alseep.

That's just plain wrong - call AppleCare about this, and check the Knowlege Base for articles here.

Also, is there anyway to convert an old OS 9 version of Appleworks into a functioning one in OS X? Do I just need to download a patch, or a new version, or must I buy the same version again, which I don't want to do, especially with a major update on the horizon...

AppleWorks 6 can be updated for free to the AppleWorks 6 OSX versions - look for the update on this page.

[Bradcoe]

In Jaguar, there is a control panel option under mouse that disables the trackpad when another usb mouse is connected. Do you have any USB devices plugged in?

IE crashing is nothing unusual. Reinstalling it might fix it. Microsofts website has a section where you can download and install it again.

Appleworks should launch under OS X if you download an update from Apple's website.

For such a new computer and freshly installed OS, these problems seem weird. If all your self-created data files are backed up, or you don't have much on your laptop, I would recommend doing a reinstall from the included disc. Wipe the HD and reinstall it. If that doesn't fix the Trackpad problem, it's probably hardware related and a call to Apple will fix it for free.

I should know. They've replaced my iBook's HD 3 times, the LCD hinge, and now the battery. All since Sept. 2001. Buying the Apple care protection plan was well worth it.

[Thirteenva]

Originally posted by iMax


Also, IE has a bad habit, under OS X, of unexpectantly quitting much too often, to the point where it ahs become totally unusable... and the network which I am on won't let me use Opera for some reason, I have yet to figure out why, so mI have resorted to using IE through classic, which, while not totally a problem, is still annoying.

Have you tried chimera? its one of the best browsers for OS X. Mozilla is also good. So is netscape 7

www.mozilla.org - mozilla

www.mozilla.org/projects/chimera/ - chimera

[iGav]

I'm with Bradcoe on this!! Flatten the HD and re-install the OS...... If that doesn't cure it, take it back to where you bought it and get it replaced!! Pronto!!

[BenderBot1138]

The key with many of these problems are the words "Sleep" and "Trackpad". Trackpad control, along with hard disk spin down, back lighting, and some I/O port location functions are all components of portables that can be affected by uncallibrated batteries. The other source is a portables Power Manager (onboard integrated circuit) that may need resetting.

The trackpad is one of those parts of your computer that is affected by waking from sleep in a situation where your battery is not, or never was, properly calibrated. A portable's Power Manager is suspect next if the battery is verified as callibrated.

Originally posted by iMax

The first and most annoying is that sometimes after I put it to sleep, and then later open it again, the trackpad doesn't function. I'm not quite sure wunder what circumstances of sleeping and waking up causes this, but I have a hunch it is whenever the power source (adapter/battery) is changed while it is alseep.

I'm speculating that you might not have callibrated your battery when you first got your computer. This is common in the face of a bright shiny Titanium Computer (alas, I nearly fell victim myself). Potentially you need to reset your Power Manager.

The OS reinstall others above are suggesting may be needed later, but try this first:

Originally posted by BenderBot1138

A good first step might be to make sure your battery is Calibrated. If it is, it is possible that your Power Manager has become unstable - indicated if your portable is showing some strange power related issues. Apple has very good coverage of how to reset your Power Manager (step two below).

Two Steps

First
Try to reset your portable computer's battery by using the Apple Knowledge Base recommendations in this document. If recalibrating your portable's battery doesn't work, the second step (below) which discusses resetting your portable's Power Manager (an onboard integrated circuit).

Second
Try looking at this Apple Document relating to resetting your Apple portable computer Power Manager that may work if the step above didn't work.

WARNING Apple says: Resetting the Power Manager on any PowerBook or iBook will permanently remove a RAM disk, if present, and all of its contents. ...

AppleCare Knowledge Base ID Documents:
First Step: 58616
Second Step: 14449

You indicated you have the new GHz Powerbook. Click here to see a section about resetting the GHz Powerbook's Power Manager.

[BenderBot1138]

Unfortunately Internet Explorer has a tendency to crash on a regular basis. This is not uncommon, and happens on Windows machines as well.

I've seen posts here that talk about the crash frequency, and my personal experience is that once a session is to be expected, twice a norm. It's unrelated to your mouse problem.

[iMax]

thanks a lot for all the helpful response - I did call apple and spent about an hour on the phone with someone, rebooting and doing disk checks, etc... still no dice. He recommended I do an archive install, 'csue i've got about 16 gb of mp3s on here and though they are backed up, its a pain in the neck to bring em all over again... So I'm going to try that in about a week and half when I get back home, I don't have my reboot disk at school... and as long as I dont put it to sleep and disconnect to power cord, I have no problems.

thanks again for all your help.

-iMax

-and looks like im finally a member. woohoo!

[Santiago]

I have a PowerBook 800 MHz I got about six months ago, and there have been three occasions where this happened to me. You wake it from sleep, and the trackpad doesn't respond. One of these occasions, I also had an external mouse, and it didn't work either. I suspect that the USB bus sometimes fails to initialize correctly. On two of these occasions, simply going back to sleep and waking up again fixed it. (On the third occasion, it refused to go to sleep.) If it's happening frequently, then it definitely indicates a problem of some sort. Did you try resetting your power manager? It requires taking out the power cord and battery, then hitting a little button underneath the keyboard (at least on the 667/800 models--it may have changed yet again, as on earlier ones it was done via the now-nonexistent reset button).