I do whatever I do on my computer. I shut it off for the night. Wake up in the morning, turn it on, about to type in my password when I realize neither my mouse or keyboard are working. I unplug them and both plug them back in. Nothing. I switch them around. Nothing. I shut down the computer and turn it back on. Nothing. I figure maybe the keyboard is broken so I plug it into my Windows PC but it works. I decide to plug in my iPod on the Mac to see if that works. Nope. I have the latest iMac bought in November 2008. Never had problems with it. Im very sad because I cant log into my Mac to do anything. Ive done a some googeling all the solutions require me to actually be logged in with a working keyboard. Can anyone help?
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USB ports not working
- Thread starter Carneta
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Try starting the computer while holding the option key. If nothing happens and the Apple logo appears, you have a hardware issue. If you get a boot menu, the problem is with your install of Mac OS X.
Try putting the restore DVD's that came with your MAC inside and seeing when they boot if your keyboard and mouse work then. If they do, you will have to reinstall Leopard, if they dont then you can take the computer to your Apple store and let them look at it.
I did this and I got a screen Ive never seen before. A grey one with my Macintosh HD in the middle. My mouse actually worked! but as soon as I hit Mac HD I got my username/password screen and the mouse and keyboard didnt work.
Well, there you go. Software problem.
As kastenbrust says, a simple reinstall should take care of your problem. Insert the restore disk that came with your computer and boot while holding the C key until the Apple logo appears. Be sure to select to archive and install and to preserve users and network settings. As well, I suggest using the customize button on the last screen and deselecting anything you don't use. A lot of space is taken up by printer drivers, language localizations, and iLife. I never use any of them, so that's about 8 GB of hard drive space saved.
When the install is done, you'll need to patch back up to the latest version of OS X and its apps. Run Software Update a few times and you'll be good. You shouldn't have to reinstall any applications, and all of your files will be preserved.
As kastenbrust says, a simple reinstall should take care of your problem. Insert the restore disk that came with your computer and boot while holding the C key until the Apple logo appears. Be sure to select to archive and install and to preserve users and network settings. As well, I suggest using the customize button on the last screen and deselecting anything you don't use. A lot of space is taken up by printer drivers, language localizations, and iLife. I never use any of them, so that's about 8 GB of hard drive space saved.
When the install is done, you'll need to patch back up to the latest version of OS X and its apps. Run Software Update a few times and you'll be good. You shouldn't have to reinstall any applications, and all of your files will be preserved.
Holy Cow, that is the Microsoft approach!
"Just reinstall the whole thing"
I'd try first a safe-boot (boot with the shift key pressed) and trash the preferences.
Or: safe boot, create a new account and log into that (turning off automatic login), see if the problem persists.
Of course, this assumes that the keyboard/mouse work in safe mode. Worth the 3minute try before the 3hour reinstall.
Or, if you have another mac around: boot the sick one in target mode and trash the preferences using the healthy one.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455
Restore using external hard drive
I have a copy of OSX on two image files. Anyone know if there is a way to restore OSX using an external hard drive, instead of burning the images files to a dual layer disk? My dual layer disks 99% of the time won't burn properly.
I have a copy of OSX on two image files. Anyone know if there is a way to restore OSX using an external hard drive, instead of burning the images files to a dual layer disk? My dual layer disks 99% of the time won't burn properly.
Yeah, but with Mac OS X, everything is just as it was before and the reinstall only takes 20 minutes. It's easier than spending that 20 minutes tinkering around with stuff trying to get it to work properly.
Yes there is, but search or at least create your own thread to find out how.
Maybe easier, i doubt shorter and probably not quite safer.
20 minutes?
I have installed Leopard and never took less than 40 (maybe the computer was slow).
Then add the time to download all the upgrades (and hope that the 10.5.6 works for you, it did not for me at first, I had to take the combo. There goes 1 hour of frustration): depending on how old your install disk was, that could be quite some journey.
And finally, hope that it solves the problem! Since I am not sure whether a reinstallation leaves the configurations intact (where the problem may be), it may solve nothing.
Actually I am surprised nobody suggested yet the "repair disk/permissions from the install disk" dance. So here I am doing it.
I had this problem on my Pro desktop. I tried a bunch of stuff that didn't work, then I finally powered down, unplugged every thing (keyboard, mouse, printer, external disks, even speakers), and unplugged the machine from the AC outlet. I left it that way overnight, then hooked everything back up the next morning and it worked fine.
There is a lot of good info re: USB ports on the Internet. I read a bunch of stuff when I was searching for a solution. Apparently this isn't a rare problem.
There is a lot of good info re: USB ports on the Internet. I read a bunch of stuff when I was searching for a solution. Apparently this isn't a rare problem.
Actually the unpowering thing might work, it sounds like a bios error anyway with the logic board not recognising the USB busses. Leaving it unpowered overnight might cause a bios flash which would fix it.
In that case the procedure is a reset of the nvram and pram.
Very harmless procedure, definitely worth a try.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379