Mouse stops working intermittently, but it's not the mouse

Hi,
I too am having this exact same problem. I did figure out that I could ssh in from a linux computer in another room and reboot from the console. I am also using 10.4.11 tiger. I've recently added an Apple keyboard (the small, aluminum wired one without a number pad) and started syncing an Ipod Touch. It seems before these additions, everything worked smoothly but I've only had the Mac a few weeks.

It's curious though that from the console when I ssh in, everything seems fine. When I use the top command, nothing seems to be wrong or hanging.

My wireless Logitech mouse dongle has been plugged in to the usb at the back of the machine and the keyboard into the back of the 17" Cinema Display, usb port.

OK, it's starting to look like we are not all on the same page, here - that is, our similar problems may not be that similar.

Unlike Don Archibald, I do not have any one USB device plugged into another. Each and every one of my USB devices is plugged into: EITHER one of the 2 USB ports on the back of my G4 - OR one of the 4 external USB ports supplied by my Belkin USB 2 card (PCI).

I have a similar keyboard to that used by Todd Collins - mine is also an Apple aluminum wired, but mine does have the 10 key (numbers). However, I do not have anything plugged into the USB ports of my keyboard, so the problem described by the Apple bulletin does not apply to me. Additionally, my history of freezes starts before I installed the Apple aluminum keyboard, so I don't believe that is the root cause, either.

On the other hand, the freezes I experienced before installing the Apple keyboard were all associated with either viewing movie content or encoding movie content, whereas the freezes after installing the keyboard seem to be more random - so maybe the I have two causes, and the keyboard is one of them??

Patrick Besong reports success in recovering from a freeze by bringing up the Force Quit dialog, but that has never worked for me because after a freeze my keyboard does not work. I don't know of any way to bring up the Force Quit dialog other than: "Command OptionEscape" - useless when my keyboard does not work.

I would be most interested to learn if Don Archibald and Todd Collins can confirm or deny if they had USB power after a freeze. That is, can you tell me for certain if the Caps Lock light on your wired USB keyboard and/or the tracking LED/laser on the bottom of your wired USB mouse definitely did - or did not - work after a freeze?

Thank you.

Today when I found it in such a state, the Logitech mouse was unplugged and I plugged in the original Apple Pro mouse that came with it. No, the red eye on the mouse did not light up. The usb being without power would explain for me, why there was no response to the keyboard or mouse but the G4 was not locked up. Oh, and the keyboard cap lock didn't light up either.

Thanks - That matches my observation, and I believe it is significant! Sadly, a solution does immediately follow.

You say:
"there was no response to the keyboard or mouse but the G4 was not locked up"
... from my point of view, if the keyboard and mouse do not respond, then the computer IS locked up - please clarify.

Well, you have a point. I was referring to the (my) ability to login to the G4 from my linux server via ssh. Of course this is "console only" from another room. I've locked up the linux server where you don't get in period and only a hard reset will get it cooperating 😉

That usually only happens when hardware is failing in my experience with linux. The fact that I can still get in gives me hope somewhat.

Thanks! Very helpful!