How do I enter password to wake up iMac if wireless keyboard isn't connected?

[curtisinoc]

Strange issue this morning:

I wasn't able to "wake up" my iMac (2011) this morning because my keyboard, trackpad and mouse (all 3 wireless) weren't "connected". When I got to the screen to enter my password to get into the system (by pressing power button because my wireless devices wouldn't wake iMac), I wasn't able to enter my password because my devices somehow disconnected from iMac while in sleep mode. (Keyboard has fresh batteries).

I eventually had to do a "hard reset" by holding down the power button until it turned off. When I restarted my iMac, everything (keyboard, trackpad and mouse) all connected again, and I was able to enter password.

This is my first iMac and the first time this happened. Is there another way to solve this issue if it happens again other than "hard re-booting" the system?

 

[rkaufmann87]

Strange issue this morning:

I wasn't able to "wake up" my iMac (2011) this morning because my keyboard, trackpad and mouse (all 3 wireless) weren't "connected". When I got to the screen to enter my password to get into the system (by pressing power button because my wireless devices wouldn't wake iMac), I wasn't able to enter my password because my devices somehow disconnected from iMac while in sleep mode. (Keyboard has fresh batteries).

I eventually had to do a "hard reset" by holding down the power button until it turned off. When I restarted my iMac, everything (keyboard, trackpad and mouse) all connected again, and I was able to enter password.

This is my first iMac and the first time this happened. Is there another way to solve this issue if it happens again other than "hard re-booting" the system?

It's not a bad idea to keep a cheap USB keyboard around in the rare event this happens. It can be any kind of USB keyboard so look for a used one or if you have one left over from your old PC that would be fine too.

DO NOT make it a rule to shut down the way you did, OS X does not like that. If you find yourself stuck call AppleCare for some instructions.

 

[curtisinoc]

It's not a bad idea to keep a cheap USB keyboard around in the rare event this happens. It can be any kind of USB keyboard so look for a used one or if you have one left over from your old PC that would be fine too.

DO NOT make it a rule to shut down the way you did, OS X does not like that. If you find yourself stuck call AppleCare for some instructions.

Good call on keeping a spare USB keyboard. Thanks

Edit/Update: Per AppleCare, if everything becomes unresponsive (keyboard, trackpad & mouse) and you don't have a wired keyboard/mouse as a backup, the only solution is to do a "hard reset" followed up by a PRAM reset (recommended)