Apple Bluetooth mouse battery replacement

Hi, Dave —

Please accept a warm welcome to Apple Discussions!

Sorry, but my reaction to your post is, "Huh?" You seem to have connected [<small>yeah, pun intended</small>] to the initial post, but not to the entirety of the thread.

The idea of a "BT module reset" (turning off / unplugging the Mac) as a troubleshooting step for Bluetooth connectivity should, imho, not be standard practice but a very, very, very rare event indeed! Although AppleCare does have it on their list of suggestions for users suffering from chronic connection problems, nowhere have I seen them recommend it as an everyday procedure. But what do I know? Kicking the tires seems to work, sometimes, too.

Having to do a mouse "reset" via removing its batteries is helpful, once in a Blue Moon. Only because there's no reset otherwise.

The procedure I described in msg. #4.1 above is tried-and-true, for me. Works 99.9% of the time. (Failed once when my BT keyboard failed requiring replacement — and mysteriously affected my mouse's connection. That's when I called AppleCare and tried everything — much of it irrelevant.)

But I shouldn't-oughta argue with a rain dance — if you really like it and it works for you — I'll just suggest you try other procedures. Or perhaps there's something else going on?

Your thoughts?

Cheerfully,
Dean

I had the trouble reconnecting my BT mouse and had to call AC too. So far so good. I am scanning the threads hoping to find something suggesting what is the best kind of rechargable battery to use in our keyboard and mice. I do not see a thread for that so I might start one. In the meantime, I found this thread and wanted to ask if Dean's directions for looking in the system profiler for which version of firmware we have works for all macs? I have a g5 iMac and when I open the system profiler window by going to about this mac/more info/ I do not have a item listed as bluetooth in any of the lists. Where else might I find this?

thanks,
Michelle

Hi, BellaMIchelle!

Rechargeable batteries. There have been threads here in the past about using different types of batteries in Bluetooth devices. Try searching (e.g., at the top right-hand-side of the Bluetooth forums index page) using terms like <rechargeable (battery OR batteries)>. I don't use rechargeables — but I can vaguely remember a little from others' posts. The main issue I recall is that some Bluetooth devices can be very sensitive to the "available" voltage. So an issue would be that a rechargeable system take and maintain a charge so the batteries' voltages stay near the specified requirement.

Bluetooth hardware/software info. I'm confused why you wouldn't be able to find Bluetooth Hardware and software information in your System Profiler application — unless (a) the Bluetooth module is not working, or (b) you don't have Bluetooth.
A comment about (a): Quoting from this article about USB device troubleshooting: "If the device shows up in System Profiler, even if the device doesn't work, the issue is usually due to software." Thus, if it doesn't appear, this may indicate a hardware failure.
I can't recall hearing about a case before where this condition occurred for a reason other than these — unless due to a reading error. Looking back at this thread, it seems as if I did an OK job in <small>msg.#1.1.1</small> above of explaining how to find the general Bluetooth info by inverting the gray "disclosure triangle" next to "<small>Hardware</small>" so that it points down. There's no Bluetooth info provided when you click the gray triangle?
Assuming not —
I guess my first question — please forgive if this is too "dumb" — is this: is your iMac G5 newer than May 2005 (when Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR was first incorporated via a built-in Bluetooth module soldered to the logic board), or did you order Bluetooth as a "built-in module option," if it's older? Or are you using an external USB plug-in Bluetooth module (e.g., a "D-Link USB Adapter, revision B2 or later")?
If your Bluetooth is provided by a "built-in module," we should be able to determine the Firmware version (at least that originally installed) based on the model and release date of your iMac G5.
Does a Bluetooth pref pane (deep blue icon) appear in <small>System Preferences »» Hardware</small> on your iMac G5?
If none of these is "Yes," you can look for software version information directly, e.g., in your /System/Library/Extensions/ folder — check the <small>IOBluetoothFamily.kext</small> and <small>IOBluetoothHIDDriver.kext</small> extension versions, and post back to discuss this further. . .
Warm regards,
Dean

Hi Dean,
I do NOT have a BT item when I click and open the choices under hardware under about this mac. I do have Bluetooth as I use a wireless BT keyboard and mouse from Apple. I don't know when my computer was made. I do not see anything in the system profiler that would tell me that either.
I do have a BT icon in my system preference panel but I do not see where to find the version. I will look in the library.. ok I find IOBluetooth family is vr1.5.4 and driver is v 1.1.2

what does this tell me?
LOL
Thanks for stayng with me.
Michelle

Hi again, BellaMichelle —

No problem "hanging in there."

Bluetooth's "built-in" — ?

Sorry, did you notice I kept editing after initially posting? See the addition about the KnowledgeBase article on USB troubleshooting. Point being that, if we exhaust the other possibilities — I think I've been thorough in my explanation — then what you don't see may indicate a hardware problem. Is Bluetooth working properly?

I'm still thinking — more in a minute. Keep posting. . .

Or this could be telling me that I'm all wet!
Dean

BellaMichelle —

A few more thoughts — which overlap a little:
] (a) To learn when your iMac was built — follow the link on this ars technical webpage
] (b) About the IOBluetoothFamily.kext and IOBluetoothHIDDriver.kext versions — my eMac's are version 1.6.6 and 1.1.4, respectively. These are Bluetooth software — not Firmware. (Duh?) Have you downloaded and installed Bluetooth Software 1.5 for Mac OS X: Information and Download?
]Note that the reported versions of Firmware/software on different Macs may differ — even though using the same installer packages... But I'd expect an iMac G5's software to have a higher number than mine — provided they've both been updated from the same Installer. So I suggest you try this download/installation.
] (c) One way to ~indirectly determine your Firmware version would be to download and run the Bluetooth Firmware Updater 1.2. A few comments on this may help & explain why: The download/install process is a bit "odd" compared to what we're used to. Download, then double-click to open, and follow the Installer's instructions. At this point, you may think you're done — but No. Go to /Applications/Utilities/ and open the newly filed Bluetooth Firmware Updater. This is when the actual installation ("flashing") of yur Firmware is done. Somewhere during this process, the Installer will do two things that may be helpful: ℹ (Try to) "connect" to the Bluetooth module so it can "flash;" (ii) search your system to confirm that the update is actually needed. These may help to answer your question(s), by inference. The Installer won't go forward if your Firmware is already current. (Folks with newer "built-in" Bluetooth have a different chip with Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, and shouldn't/couldn't be flashed, anyway).

Meanwhile, back at the ranch — if the "fixes" you worked out with AppleCare have continued to work, then this issue may be unimportant, if perplexing. Perhaps it'd be a good idea to call AppleCare again about this System Profiler thing, when you get a chance.

I'd be interested to hear back about how you're able to work it out.

"Thanks anyway?" Is that like "I'm getting sick of your crazy ideas!" or "Thanks, but no thanks"? Just kidding.

Best wishes!
—Dean

No, it is working jus fine. I was just curious to what firmware I have when I read your post and see I do not have it listed in they system profiler. I was surpised when I could not find it and just wondered where it might be if it was not there.

thanks anyway,
Michelle