usb mouse stops working every 3 seconds. unplug & replug gets me 3 more seconds.

Question

usb mouse stops working every 3 seconds. unplug & replug gets me 3 more seconds.

I have an iMac running El Capitan and for the past few weeks the mouse stops working at random times. Unplugging it and replugging it in will get it working sometimes for minutes sometimes for seconds. I've tried three mice, and two different keyboards, everything is plugged into USB nothing is wireless. This has been getting worse everyday to the point now where the mouse will not work for more than 3 seconds at a time.

It doesn't matter if I plug it directly into the back of the iMac or if I piggyback the mouse off of the keyboard USB, furthermore unplugging the keyboard and replugging it in will also get the mouse to start working. I have already done a PRAM reset as well as a SMC reset to no avail. I ran the first aid in the disk utilities app and it came up with no errors.

I found another thread where "clever username" had the same problem:

"I tried a few more permutations of mouse and keyboard plugging and un-plugging, as well as software uninstallation and found that

It doesn't matter if you unplug and replug the mouse or keyboard, just doing it to one will allow the Mac to detect both"

There was no resolution to that thread and I'm not able to add or comment on it (seems like a locked thread)

Any tips or suggestions before I go out and buy a new desktop?

Thanks

Posted on Dec 20, 2020 5:50 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Saintlycycles Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 31, 2020 2:12 AM in response to Saintlycycles

I got the Magic Mouse 2 yesterday, charged it up and paired it to the bluetooth.

It works like a charm! Problem solved, its a pleasure to use the computer again!

I hate using a phone for browsing the net.

I'll update on the Ram install once it arives.

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Answer 2

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,796 points

Dec 20, 2020 4:52 PM in response to Saintlycycles

You can save you and us a lot of time and effort if you do the following:

Please navigate to the Mac App Store or navigate to www.Etrecheck.com and download the free version of EtreCheck. Once you have you downloaded the app and installed it, please run the report and save it. This report will help us get a good idea what has been installed on your system and help us be able to diagnose what may be wrong.

When you have your report, you can attach it when you reply to this message and we can then review it and help you determine what is needed to get your system running well again.

For instructions on how to download your EtreCheck report and attach it to your reply to this message please click https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250000211

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,796 points

Dec 20, 2020 6:37 AM in response to Saintlycycles

In order to reset the SMC properly it takes 3-4 attempts as the "reset" does not always work the first time. Also, when doing the reset, please disconnect any wired peripherals that are connected to the computer, for example scanners, displays, printers, etc...

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Answer 4

Dec 20, 2020 7:13 AM in response to rkaufmann87

Thanks for the reply, I'll try the SMC reset a few more times. There are no scanners, printers etc. Should I unplug the mouse during the reset?

Also, is there a wireless mouse that does not use usb ports to work with an imac? Could that be an option for me?

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Answer 5

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,796 points

Dec 21, 2020 7:40 AM in response to Saintlycycles

The computer is 13+ years old, have you considered replacing it. It was considered obsolete years ago. Somehow you have modified Mac OS and turned off it's security protection, so you need to address that. It is also starved for RAM, it only has 2GB of RAM. If you intend to keep it navigate to either crucial.com or macsales.com and install 6GB which is the maximum amount for a 2008 iMac. Also, there is zero evidence the computer is backed up. This is a guarantee of lost data. At the very least you should be using Time Machine to back it up.

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Answer 6

Dec 21, 2020 11:17 AM in response to rkaufmann87

I bought it 2 years ago, it was a geeksquad refurbished & updated unit.

Other than the mouse problem that has developed, this computer does everything I need it to do and it does it plenty quick enough for me.

I could see adding some RAM wouldn't hurt, but since it has 10.11.6 and is bluetooth equipped, would a magic Mouse 2 be my solution?

Not trying to be cheap, but I usually get 5-6 years out of a desktop. Just need the mouse to work.

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Answer 7

Dec 21, 2020 12:41 PM in response to Saintlycycles

Ok, I just pulled the trigger and 4 GB of RAM from Macsales.com and I also bought a magic mouse 2.

Crucial technologies.com said that my iMac would only hold a maximum of 4 gigabytes of RAM rather than six as did another online company, macsales.com said my iMac would hold six, but then sold the ram in two cards of 2GB for a total of four.

Maybe it can hold six, but at 4 GB I'm doubling what my machine has, so if it's a memory thing causing the mouse to jam up then I should be good now.

I report the results once I get and install the stuff.

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Answer 8

Dec 25, 2020 2:27 PM in response to Saintlycycles

First off, Merry Christmas and thanks for everyone who's helped me on this site.

While neither the ram nor the mouse has arrived yet, I have been cleaning out old files and deleting unnecessary things on my iMac while I'm waiting. One thing that seems to elude me is how to delete the old unused Bluetooth devices that have previously been paired to my iMac.

I've watched numerous YouTube videos and visited many forums most of which instruct you to go to system preferences---) Bluetooth and then click the x next to the device listed. Apparently I as well as many others have an issue where there is no x next to the listed device, therefore there is nothing to click.

If you turn on the Bluetooth then an x appears next to the device but clicking the x does not remove the item it causes the iMac to attempt to connect to the item, which of course it cannot do because the item is no longer here. I have not found a solution to this "lack of x" issue.

does anyone know another way to remove the unused devices?

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Answer 9

Dec 31, 2020 4:15 AM in response to Saintlycycles

There were 10 replied to this thread, but now it seems they are all gone.

For anyone searching the web for a solution to this issue, I bought a bluetooth mouse (Magicmouse II) and works great, the USB mouse still will not work, and it seems there is no known solution to that, but a bluetooth mouse makes the computer 100% useable again.

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