Troubleshooting Mac OS X 10.2.8 (build 6R73): Mouse/trackpad problems; Black screen problem spreads to beige G3s; more
Troubleshooting Mac OS X 10.2.8 (build 6R73): Mouse/trackpad problems; Black screen problem spreads to beige G3s; more
Wading through the reports for the revised version of Mac OS X 10.2.8 (build 6R73), it appears that most of the conistently appearing problems have been fixed. The issues that are appearing now seem to be based mostly on individual user configurations, and are in line with problems caused by every incremental Mac OS X release.
Still, we are investigating a number of issues that are affecting specific system configurations.
Mouse/trackpad problems Several users are reporting USB mouse/keyboard/trackpad issues after applying the revised Mac OS X 10.2.8 update. Specifically there are two corroborated issues: Loss of USB communication and the absence of the proper device tabs in System preferences.
MacFixIt reader Gabe describes the loss of communication issue "This morning I installed the Mac OS X 10.2.8 update and upon reboot I noticed that my USB mouse was not working. A quick look at my hub reveals that most devices are not being initialized, and that even the special keys on my Apple Pro keyboard are not responding. Thinking that it might be a USB hub issue I plug the keyboard directly into the machine, then try the Apple optical mouse but still no success. I tried a few other things (removing third-party RAM, hard-reset on the motherboard, etc...) but USB devices were still not being initialized... until... I pop in the 10.2 installer disc, and within the installer everything starts working again. In short: it appears 10.2.8 disabled USB functionality on my QuickSilver 933MHz desktop. True, this may be unrelated to the update, but my machine was a clean install of 10.2.6 as I am preparing to sell it on eBay, and my troubles began just after the update."
Peter Boehi corroborates "After upgrading to the first version of Mac OS 10.2.8 (which was pulled) my mouse pointer freezed (the mouse is attached at the keyboard). Sometimes unplugging and replugging made it work again, sometimes un-/replugging the keyboard helped. But most of the time only a reboot (using the main button) solved the problem for a certain period of time. The second version of the 10.2.8 update (released yesterday) didn't help."
The second issue, the absence of the proper device tabs in System preferences, is causing loss of functionality for trackpads and mice with scroll wheels. Katherine Sears-Lent writes "Since I downloaded Mac OS X 10.2.8, I noticed that my track pad setting (on my PowerBook G4 1GHz) stopped its double tap drag. I went to the preference pane thinking Mac OS X 10.2.8 changed a setting.
However, I found that in the Keyboard and Mouse preference pane (where there should be four tabs: Keyboard, Bluetooth, Keyboard access and either Track pad or Mouse, depending if you are on a desktop or laptop) my System Preferences only display a 'Mouse' option and not the 'trackpad' of before. naturally, the Double Tap- Drag feature is gone. My sore thumb will be so grateful to anyone who has a suggestion more helpful than to reinstall my OS."
In some cases this problem can be resolved by deleting a specific preference file: com.apple.systempreferences.plist. You can find this file by searching with the Finder's "Find" command (visible and invisible files).
Black screen problem spreads to beige G3s One of the most widely reported problems with the initial (pulled) build of Mac OS X 10.2.8 was the appearance of a corrupt, or simply black video display after repairing disk permissions on Lombard PowerBook G3s. Interestingly, several beige G3 owners are now experiencing the same problem with the revised (6R73) release of Mac OS X 10.2.8. Norman Nager writes:
"Even though both my beige-G3 computer and monitor energy saver preferences are set to 'never' sleep, the display goes to a permanent black screen in the middle of running the installed Repair Permissions. I noticed that another user reported the same problem in the versiontracker.com feedback: at 10/4/2003 12:23AM PST: 'Still can't repair permissions without monitor going to sleep and cannot wake. Must hard restart. Changing sleep setting from never to a real value makes no difference.'
You can run Repair Permissions from the command prompt in single user mode by starting up while holding down Command-S then typing the following string "sudo diskutil repairPermissions /" Apparently some users have had success with this method instead of using Disk Utility from within the Finder.
America Online over TCP/IP MacFixIt reader David DelMonte talked with America Online technical support after experiencing problems with version 10.3 of the AOL software and Mac SO X 10.2.8. Based on his discussion, it appears that certain AOL files may get corrupted when trying to connect. The symptom is that after entering the user name and password, AOL cannot verify TCP/IP (step 1 in the connection process), and the program hangs and has to be exited with a force quit.
The workaround is as follows:
- move the entire AOL folder in ~home/library/preferences to the trash
- in folder /users/shared/america online, move the art database and all files with a date/time in the name, e.g. "Data 02/28/03 9.47.14 PM" to the trash.
- AOL should now function properly
- Empty the trash.
Success with re-calibration for PowerBook batteries Several readers are reporting success with re-calibrating their shortened-life PowerBook batteries after applying the revision 2 Mac OS X 10.2.8 updater. Ben Hansen writes "After updating my Titanium PowerBook G4 preformed a re-calibration cycle during the cycle my battery apparently charged to over 107 percent. As soon as the maximum charge was reached it jumped back down to 100. In subsequent cycles it apparently recharged normally (only to 100) although i have not noticed any actual longer life to discharges i also have not experienced any more forced sleep either."
Meanwhile, other readers are reporting complete battery death after applying the revised Mac OS X 10.2.8 update. David Ordoubadian writes:
"I installed the new 10.2.8 update last night and it killed the brand new battery in my IBook SE. The battery is only a month old and won't charge any more. I've reset the Power Manager, done the Open Firmware reset several times and nothing works. X-Charger indicates charging for about 12 minutes after resetting but during the time no increase in charge is registered. After 12 minutes, the charging light switches to green and then nothing else happens. No charge is made and the system shuts down within 1 minute if I unplug the computer."
AirPort/networking issues A handful of readers are reporting problems with AirPort networks after applying the revision 2 Mac OS X 10.2.8 updater: On reader writes "I uninstalled the update this weekend I'm now having problems with my ibook G3 600. I have a airport card and a d-link wireless router. I have to reset the router to factory settings twice today. I set it up again for once I turn on the 128 bit on the router and give the network a name and a hex. It works fine until I put my Mac to sleep or shut it down. This network has worked fine for me for the past 8 months I think it has to be the update."
Fix for iMic inoperability We continue to receive reports that the Griffin iMic is non-functional for some users after applying the revised Mac OS X 10.2.8 updater.
MacFixIt reader Rex Raymond reports that replacing the AppleUSBAudio.kext at /System/Library/Extensions with the version from OS X 10.2.6 fixes the audio input problem with the Griffin iMic.
In order to replace this file, you will need access to Mac OS X 10.2.6 system or install disk, and an invisible file utility like Invisible Finder.
Crashes caused by MOTU drivers, fix If you are not using the latest drivers for your MOTU FireWire audio interface, you may be receiving kernel panics. Mat Fletcher writes:
"Installed the 10.2.8 update last night and after the restart the machine hit a major kernel panic. A couple of restarts later with the same effect made me disconnect all the peripherals. I traced it to my MOTU828 firewire audio interface which needed a new driver from MOTU. MOTU's new driver had yesterdays date on it (10-3-2003) so no-one would have had a chance to get it before the Apple update. With the new driver the Mac (Dual 1GHz MDD) works brilliantly."
You can obtain the driver update from VersionTracker.
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