Digital camera, MP3 player - USB peripherals will not mount onto desktop

[RobCub]

Hello,

I'm running Tiger on a G4 and have happily been connecting to my digital camera and MP3 player via the USB socket on the keyboard.

And then one day it stops working.

I have tried two separate USB cables and tried it through the USB at the back of the computer.

Would appreciate any help.

Regards,

Rob

 

[blasto333]

I know this sounds like a stupid question, but have you tried restarting your computer, repairing permissions, or used any other devices?

It just seems odd to me that they don't even work though the back of the computer.

 

[mkrishnan]

Do any devices that work via USB that do not mount on the desktop still work (if you have a USB KB, Mouse, printer, etc)?

Do you see the mountable devices on the upper left side of a Finder window?

If you go to Finder preferences (from the menu in Finder), in the General pane, are all three boxes at the top (HDs; CDs, DVDs, and iPods; Servers) checked?

 

[RobCub]

Thanks guys for your comments.

Have repaired permissions and restarted, blasto333.

I have a printer that is working through the usb port at the back of the computer, mkrishnan, the other one goes to the keyboard. The mouse works fine through both keyboard ports.

One more thing I tried today was a little usb stick that somebody'd given me. I stuck it in the back and it gave me the spinning coloured disc and I had to force-quit the finder.

I really can't work out why I can't get anything to mount!

Best regards,

Robert

 

[mkrishnan]

Oh, you're probably running into the new PornSafe™ feature that was added mid-cycle to Tiger. (that was a joke. )

Okay, thank you for the more detailed explanation. You're doing good.

Here's the first suggestion... spotlight the file com.apple.finder.plist and delete it. Then relaunch Finder through the force quit window.

 

[RobCub]

Ha ha! Nice one! And I thought I'd never knowingly post a double entendre. I must be getting old!

Thanks for the suggestion, mkrishnan, I'm afraid it didn't work.

Any other ideas?

Regards, Rob

 

[mkrishnan]

Does the spinning beachball behavior happen for all the devices or just one? I think it's likely that if it happens for just one, it is happening because that device was previously not properly ejected. Not that OS X should behave so badly, but that would be my guess.

Try running disk utility and then plugging these devices in while DU is running, and then see if they show up.

Also FWIW, scroll back up and do check those Finder settings I mentioned previously.

And third suggestion... how many USB devices do you have altogether? Do you have a powered hub by any chance? If you do, try the devices with the hub if you have not already. If you don't, then unplug everything except the keyboard and mouse and try only one additional USB device at a time beyond that (in case it's a bus power issue).

 

[Monk Edsel]

I have no idea why this has occurred, but a year ago when I was in college, the same thing would occur with random PowerMacs in random labs. You would plug in a USB device and... nothing, no matter where you plugged it in. The keyboard and mouse would work fine, though. I don't think it's a hardware issue, and I don't think it's a matter of some preference getting turned off. I think there is some file or app or something that handles USB that gets screwed up. Good luck.

 

[RobCub]

Spinning beachball only happened when the little memory stick was in the usb port round the back of the computer.

With the other two usb devices that I have - a camera and an MP3 player - I just get nothing, no beachball, nothing on the computer, although I do get a flashing light on the camera!

I don't have a hub.

I have checked the finder preferences and all three boxes are ticked.

Tried disc utility.

To be honest, at one point one of the devices may have been physically disconnected first whilst still being on the desktop. It wouldn't have been the usb stick, though.

I appreciate the comments, mkrishnan, Monk Edsel and others.

Regards, Rob