Q: my keyboard and mouse cease to function properly once my mac mini goes to sleep
Hi folks,
My mac seems to have developed this peculiar problem as of the last week. I should note that I have not installed anything new, and the only update of which I am ware was the latest OS X patch.
It seems that whenever my mac goes to sleep and is awaken, both the keyboard and the mouse cease to function properly. I say "function properly" because as I try to log in, instead of seeing my password being entered, I see nothing and sometimes hear error tones (as if the input was being rejected by the system). In fact, the only time I see anything being entered into the password window is when I press ENTER, which oddly enough usually submits the password and not enters characters into it. If I "Switch Users" and click again on my account, the keyboard works again - at least temporarily, as sometimes it ceases to function properly again during normal operations. The mouse also seems to be in perpetual "right-click mode" and remains so unless the system is restarted.
Below are my specs. Any ideas as to what may be causing this?
Marc'
Hardware Overview:
Model Name: Mac mini
Model Identifier: Macmini6,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i7
Processor Speed: 2.3 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Boot ROM Version: MM61.0106.B0A
SMC Version (system): 2.8f1
Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4)
Posted on Apr 4, 2016 7:25 PM
That is an odd situation, and you may have to try a few things to see if they can
help troubleshoot or alleviate the symptoms. One thing to try, is to be sure to have
a good backup from before this situation happened as well as one of the current
situation. You could try a restore from an older Time Machine version to see if the
issue goes away. Could be there are some software items that are not compatible.
Or there may be some hardware problem, if not software.
Did you notice any error messages, or other logs relating to the exact time this happens?
The Console utility has records of everything, however information is limited in usefulness
to most users. There may be some obsolete startup items or other software bits from an
earlier OS X version pre-dating El Capitan 10.11 that may finally be acting up.
If you start in Safe mode, and test the computer, can you get further along without issue?
• Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up - Apple Support
Part of the instruction for using it, involves more troubleshooting beyond the startup itself.
Sometimes, restoring or migrating from an older backup can bring up issues; so to have
the system backed up, yet not import that into a fully new installation, helps troubleshoot.
Since there were a few items included in the recent OS X update, beyond security, any
bits that may not play well with older software perhaps from earlier OS X or third-party
makers, could be suspect.
There may be an intermittent power supply issue, regarding the USB; if so, that may be
a reason to take the computer to an Apple Store (official retail) for a Genius to check it
or an Authorized Apple service provider, to test and check it using indepth diagnostics.
Did you try an SMC or system management controller 'reset' to see if that helps USB issues?
• Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support
Usually that is considered a last resort; so read through to see how it may apply. Also note
there is another reset for NVRAM that can affect the computer in other ways.
• How to Reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support
There shouldn't be any fear in trying these in the course of troubleshooting; even if or when
some aspects of this may be off-target. Especially if a software conflict may be the cause.
Not sure what else to suggest; in the meantime I'm going offline...
Good luck & happy computing!
Posted on Apr 5, 2016 10:36 AM