Odds and Ends: Internet Explorer Search Bar blank; Logitech Control Center 1.2 bug; Reviving Cube FireWire ports; KB updates

Internet Explorer Search Bar blank Users of both Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 report recent problems with Internet Explorer's Search Bar -- the tab in the Explorer Bar on the left-hand side of Explorer windows that allows you to perform Web searches. The report from MacFixIt reader Nancy Gwen (running Mac OS 9.2.2) is typical:

"All the tabs open a side screen when clicked on but when I open the "search" tab and the screen slides open it is completely blank except for at the very top on the gray bar there is the "new search" button and the "customize" button. I have tried re-installing Internet Explorer and even re-installed by OS 9.2.2 but I still have this problem."

We can confirm this issue here at MacFixIt when using Internet Explorer for Mac OS X -- although we don't know how long this issue has existed, as we never use IE's Search Bar. In fact, if we click the Customize button in the Search Bar, the resulting dialog never progresses past "Loading search settings..."

Logitech Control Center 1.2 bug On Tuesday Logitech released Logitech Control Center v1.2, a new version of the driver for Logitech keyboards, mice, and trackballs. MacFixIt reader Craig Crossman reports that the new version breaks the accelerated scrolling feature of the software, and notes that the only fix for right now is to revert to an older version:

"I have been in touch with Logitech and they are working on a fix for the broken accelerated scroll. In the meantime...just revert back to the good old 1.1.1 version. Just remember to first uninstall 1.2 using the supplied Uninstaller. If you didn't [back up] your old 1.1.1 version, [you can get it from] here."

Reviving Cube FireWire ports MacFixIt reader Colleen Thompson reports success in reviving her Power Mac G4 Cube's "dead" FireWire ports using a very simple procedure:

"From reading in the forums of cubeowner.com, dead firewire ports are an occupational hazard for Cube users. Mine bit the dust last week. I tried all the recommended fixes: zap PRAM a few times, reset Open Firmware a few times, press CUDA button on the motherboard. I even upped the voltage on my Gigadesigns processor upgrade in case it was a lack-of-power issue. No go. Ports were dead-dead-dead in Panther as well as in 9.2 (and reported as Defective by Relax's Firewire Browser).

"Then I found an obscure post on cubeowner.com which reported a 'programmer's reset' solved the problem for the poster. I tried it, and voila! I have firewire again. To invoke [the programmer's reset]: Shut down computer, hold down programmer's button, and press the power button to start up. If the power light flickers you've done it correctly."

New/Updated Knowledge Base Articles

Mac OS X 10.2 or Later: Firewall Blocks Internet Sharing notes that in order to share your Internet connection (via Internet Sharing) when Mac OS X's firewall is enabled, you need to open port 443.
Apple Remote Desktop 1.2.1: Meanings of the menu bar icons describes the various "contextual" icons Apple Remote Desktop places in the menu bar.
iSight's video "stutters" in low light when I turn it on notes that the iSight camera automatically switches from 30 frames per second to 15fps in low light conditions to improve picture quality, and that it can take up to 10 seconds for this switch to occur.
Using Digidesign Mbox with GarageBand explains how to enable GarageBand in the Mbox's list of supported applications.

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