Magic trackpad hangs on user switching
iMac 3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.7)
iMac 3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.7)
I too am getting very frustrated by this issue. Some things I have observed:
1) The issue starts with the trackpad not driving the cursor for several seconds up to a minute after a user switch, but then starts to function normally. Eventually the trackpad never resumes normal function, forcing a reboot of the iMac.
2) I have a wacom bamboo tablet connected to my iMac via USB, so I can still drive the cursor when the trackpad is acting up. I have observed that I can move the cursor over "clickable" elements with the tablet and "click" them with the trackpad while it is in this state of not working the cursor.
3) If I power off the trackpad, the iMac will display the "trackpad off" pop up message, so the computer is at some level communicating with trackpad (as also evident by 2 above). Powering the trackpad back on, the trackpad simply flashes its green LED indicating its looking for a pairing partner, but the computer never pairs with it, again forcing a reboot, after which the trackpad pairs with the iMac and functions normally.
4) I have tried to shutdown the Bluetooth stack and restart it. But when I select "Turn Bluetooth off" from the far righthand menu bar Bluetooth menu, the menu icon remains "selected" and the spinning beach ball of death appears over it and any menus to the right of the Bluetooth menu, again forcing a reboot.
It seems to me the Bluetooth stack on the computer is screwed up at some level. Rebooting the computer alone fixes the issue -- nothing needs to be done to the trackpad to restore normal operation. And, also, the battery level seems to play no roll in this issue.
I am getting very frustrated with having to reboot my machine every two to three days because of this issue.
Same here, after switching user, only clicking works, but the pointer won't budge. If I disconnect and reconnect the Trackpad via bluetooth menu, also click stops working. The only sure way to get it working again is restarting the mac, although _sometimes_ after leaving the computer alone for a few hours it starts working again by itself.
Count me in as one who is experiencing this exacty problem, on both Snow Leopard and now Lion.
I think I'm going to submit a support ticket.
FWIW, me too. I have a Mac Pro running 10.6.8. My bluetooth trackpad generally works just fine, but when I wake the machine from sleep, if I don't use the mouse for a minute or so first and touch the trackpad it never works. So frustrating. Rebooting seems to be the only remedy.
It's a joke looking at the trackpad in System Preferences saying "Searching..." endlessly.
Also on version 10.6.8 Trackpad hangs as soon as I switch user. Only a reboot sorts the problem. Massively frustrating.
Okay, may have found something, posted to my other thread on this topic: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3203906?answerId=15963083022#15963083022
Okay, some potentially good news:
Under System Preferences > Bluetooth > Advanced > option to Allow Bluetooth devices to wake this computer
This is turned on by default and is apparently a per-user setting, not a global setting, which is where the conflict begins, from what I can tell.
My guess is that, when turned on for all users, like it is by default, when the computer goes to sleep, the bluetooth signal gets screwy, probably stepping over itself, to listen for incoming requests for both users for both keyboard and trackpad. And/or, when a user wakes the computer by pressing one of these devices, the signal tries to relaunch the Bluetooth stack for both users for both devices immediately, again probably stepping over itself, setting up a chain of events that will cause Bluetooth connectivity to fail altogether after a few sleep/wake and/or Fast User Switching cycles.
So, for a couple days now I've been running with this option turned off for one user and on for the other user. So, depending on which user is currently logged into the console, you may have to wake the computer by way of the power button or the keyboard/trackpad. The good news, though, is that it would typically foul up after no more than a day, and it's gone a couple of days thus far without issue.
I have installed Lion a few days since its release, and the problem has apparently disappeared, at least until now (fingers crossed!)
This problem only just started for me a couple of days ago.
Has there been an official response/fix from Apple?
Not that I'm aware of.
Did you make any recent changes that prompted the problem? Did you try my workaround?
I found the same problem on my iMac with Lion. I found if I turn the trackpad off after switching users, wait a couple of seconds, then turn it back on, it comes back. This is not an elegant solution, but it's working for me.
I'd like to add another "Me too…" for this problem. Trackpad disconnects when switching users.
I also experience this problem. For now, I am trying the workaround supplied by bripab007. Will report later on.
Magic trackpad hangs on user switching