Mac mini USB issue

[MacPC]

Hi,

I have a Mac Mini G4. The USB doesn't seem to work too well. Almost every time I start the Mac, either the USB printer/scanner or the USB keyboard won't work until I unplug them and re-plug them, then they wil work fine. I wonder if there is a known issue with the Mac USB port that I was not informed? Does this happen to anyone else?

MacPC

 

[nagromme]

What keyboard, what printer, and are you chaining them or are they all plugged right into the Mini?

The one thing that I know can make a USB device unreliable is if it draws a lot of power and try plugging it into the back of the keyboard, which doesn't deliver as much power as the Mini itself does. That doesn't sound like it would affect you though.

Also do you have any third-party system add-ons installed, that have something to do with USB?

 

[MacPC]

USB issue

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

I have a Macally keyboard. The mouse is connected to the USB port on the keyboard and the keyboard is connected to the Mac.

A USB hub connected directly to the Mac, An Epson CX4200 printer/scanner and a Logitec Mic connect to the hub.

However, this problem exist even before I use the hub. In the first few days I got this Mac, which was about half a year ago, I had this problem and when I call Apple tech support, the guy just said that sometimes I just have to switch the usb cable with the ports, this doesn't sound right to me.

MacPC

 

[JAT]

I have had similar issues with my 2001 iMac DV (only 2 USB ports) and a 7 port USB hub. I'd have to unplug and replug a couple devices occasionally, I think my mouse and printer. It finally seemed to calm down when I moved my Kensington mouse to one of the iMac's ports instead of going through the hub. Haven't had this problem in years, now. Maybe switching some of your stuff around will find a pattern that works. It could be a power issue, that your most power hungry device needs to be attached to the Mac or something.

BTW, I never put anything in the keyboard's 2 USB ports except a flash drive occasionally. Way too underpowered.