Wireless Mouse Problem

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PLB - 23 Feb 2008 17:59 GMT

I am experiencing problems with my wireless mouse. Periodically it
looses connection with the iMac; the cursor freezes, and I needed to
force the iMac to shut down by holding the on/off button down. When
the computer restarts the mouse is functioning correctly. Then later
on in the day the same freezing will likely occur again.

The battery icon bar indicates that the batteries are OK. I have used
the computer for several years and never had this problem before.

Can you suggest what might be causing the problem? Are there any
diagnostics that I should run>

Thanks for our help

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Jolly Roger - 23 Feb 2008 19:33 GMT

In article
<074d7ad6-4edb-42fb-b261-f613aa0496e7@q33g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,

> I am experiencing problems with my wireless mouse. Periodically it
> looses connection with the iMac; the cursor freezes, and I needed to
> force the iMac to shut down by holding the on/off button down.

Holding the power button to shut down performs a hard shut down, which
can result in hard disk corruption; so I advise you not to do that if
possible.

You don't mention whether or not you tried turning the mouse off and
back on to restore functionality. I would certainly try that before
something as drastic as a hard shutdown. If the mouse has no power
switch, then removing the mouse batteries for a few seconds would
suffice. Have you tried this?

> When
> the computer restarts the mouse is functioning correctly. Then later
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Can you suggest what might be causing the problem? Are there any
> diagnostics that I should run>

The next time you lose the mouse, try to restore it by powering it off
and back on, as I outlined above. Then view the console and system logs
to look for mouse-related errors.

Viewing Crash, Console, and System Logs

1. Open /Applications/Utilities/Console.

2. From the Console menu bar, select File > View System Log.

3. From the Console menu bar, select File > View Console Log.

The system log will usually give you an indication as to what is causing
startup issues. The console log can show issues you experience after you
are logged into your user account.

If a particular application is crashing, you may find a crash log in
/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/ or /Users/you/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/.

(Feel free to post the logs here if you need help understanding them.
I'll be glad to take a look and tell you what I see.)

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Note: Please send all responses to the relevant news group. If you
must contact me through e-mail, let me know when you send email to
this address so that your email doesn't get eaten by my SPAM filter.

JR

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David Empson - 23 Feb 2008 23:25 GMT

> In article
> <074d7ad6-4edb-42fb-b261-f613aa0496e7@q33g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> can result in hard disk corruption; so I advise you not to do that if
> possible.

Further to that point: if the computer's keyboard is still functioning,
you can initiate a normal shut down from the keyboard.

With a modern Mac keyboard, pressing Ctrl-Eject will bring up a dialog
box that asks whether you want to restart, sleep or shut down (or cancel
the request). On a laptop, pressing the power key briefly will bring up
the same dialog.

The dialog has the Shut Down button as the default, so pressing the
Return key will do a shut down (in an orderly manner, like choosing Shut
Down from the Apple menu).

The other buttons recognise keyboard shortcuts of their first letter:
Restart is the R key, Sleep is the S key. You can cancel the dialog with
the Esc key.

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David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz

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Michael - 26 Feb 2008 05:19 GMT

> I am experiencing problems with my wireless mouse. Periodically it
> looses connection with the iMac; the cursor freezes, and I needed to
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Thanks for our help

Slightly (but not completely) OT: I have Windows installed using
Bootcamp for the one work from home program I need from my office, and
the clunker will not see the wireless mouse. I have to plug the corded
mouse in for Windoze to work. No better ad for the Mac OS than to watch
the two side by side (actually one after the other). Using Windoze on a
Mac is like running your Ferrari on kerosene.

Signature

Michael

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Jeff Wiseman - 26 Feb 2008 05:41 GMT

> I am experiencing problems with my wireless mouse.
> Periodically it looses connection with the iMac; the cursor
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Can you suggest what might be causing the problem? Are there
> any diagnostics that I should run>

This might be one of those sneaky little red-herring type problems.

Once or twice, I've run into a situation where even though the on
screen indicator showed good batteries I was having a similar
problem. Replacing the batteries actually fixed the problem.

This is definately worth a try, I swapped my mouse under
applecare and the new one behaved the same. There was just
something funny about the batteries (or one of them) that
changing them out fixed it. Maybe you're seeing the same thing.

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Jeff Wiseman
to reply, just remove ALLTHESPAM

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TaliesinSoft - 26 Feb 2008 05:52 GMT

> I am experiencing problems with my wireless mouse. Periodically it looses
> connection with the iMac; the cursor freezes, and I needed to force the
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Can you suggest what might be causing the problem? Are there any
> diagnostics that I should run>

I have a Kensington wireless mouse which occasionally fails to communicate.
What is odd is that if I remove and then replace the batteries all will be
well again! Don't ask! :-)

Signature

James Leo Ryan ..... Austin, Texas ..... taliesinsoft@mac.com

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Gene E. Bloch - 27 Feb 2008 01:13 GMT

On 2/25/2008, TaliesinSoft posted this:

>> I am experiencing problems with my wireless mouse. Periodically it looses
>> connection with the iMac; the cursor freezes, and I needed to force the
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> What is odd is that if I remove and then replace the batteries all will be
> well again! Don't ask! :-)

This might be what Jeff Wiseman is experiencing as well.

I have just opened the battery lid and rotated the batteries in place
(around their long axes, of course), and I got the same results you
both have had.

I blame it on deposits of oxides or grease or something - i.e., dirt.
That's just a guess, of course.

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Gene E. Bloch (Gino) letters617blochg3251
(replace the numbers by "at" and "dotcom")

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gtr - 27 Feb 2008 02:36 GMT

> On 2/25/2008, TaliesinSoft posted this:
>>> I am experiencing problems with my wireless mouse. Periodically it
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> I blame it on deposits of oxides or grease or something - i.e., dirt.
> That's just a guess, of course.

I haven't had this happen in a number years, but that use to be the
case with me too.

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Thank you and have a nice day.

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Jeff Wiseman - 27 Feb 2008 03:06 GMT

> On 2/25/2008, TaliesinSoft posted this:
>
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> I blame it on deposits of oxides or grease or something -
> i.e., dirt. That's just a guess, of course.

Although I have had that experience where cleaning the battery
terminals has helped, it wasn't the case that I was talking
about. I had removed the batteries and put them back in and it
made no difference. It wasn't until I put NEW batteries in that
the problem was corrected.

I'm guessing that one of the batteries had a high internal
resistance which allowed the open circuit voltage level (i.e.,
low load) to show a "good" battery on the monitor, but when the
unit started to operate and the LED came on, the voltage through
the bad battery dropped too much. to function well.

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Jeff Wiseman
to reply, just remove ALLTHESPAM

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Gene E. Bloch - 29 Feb 2008 05:50 GMT

On 2/26/2008, Jeff Wiseman posted this:

>> On 2/25/2008, TaliesinSoft posted this:
>>
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
> battery on the monitor, but when the unit started to operate and the LED came
> on, the voltage through the bad battery dropped too much. to function well.

OK, I didn't know you had already tried cleaning the old batteries.

The high-resistance thing is why professional (whatever that means)
battery testers put on a significant load. You just have to test
quickly and infrequently so as not to shorten the useful life of the
battery - sort of like Heisenberg :-)

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Gene E. Bloch (Gino) letters617blochg3251
(replace the numbers by "at" and "dotcom")

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Mac Forum / Applications / Mac Applications / February 2008

Wireless Mouse Problem