Bluetoth mouse (need a downloadable driver)

Hi again, ramamccabe —

OK. Thanks for clarifying that we're talking about an Apple wireless mouse. That's a lot simpler situation than if you were using a "3rd-party" Bluetooth-enabled mouse. Now that's straight, let's get back to the original issue:

"i have lost the CD that comes with the mouse so i cant get a connection between my mac book pro and the mouse. is there a driver i can down load so i can get a connection between the mouse and the computer... i was in a mac store and they said that i needed a new driver..."

(1) No driver needed. Was this an Apple employee? I can't imagine why they told you that "a new driver" is needed for your mouse — the Bluetooth drivers for your mouse are "built-in" to Mac OS X. You don't need to do anything; it's done for you.
(2) Your Bluetooth software and firmware should be up to date already. As I understand it, the Mac OS X 10.4.6 Combo for Intel Updater should have updated your MacBook Pro's Bluetooth software and firmware to the most current versions — including drivers. I've read about a few cases where Mac owners who updated using the Software Update version had some problems that were resolved by downloading and applying the "Combo" version I've just linked.
(3) Resources about "pairing" and connecting your mouse. If you're having trouble pairing &/or maintaining a connection with your Apple Wireless Mouse, please review these articles carefully:
• Bluetooth: How to Set Up Your Apple Wireless Mouse
• Apple Wireless Keyboard and Mouse: Troubleshooting Connection Issues.
If the instructions provided in the first article don't work, try altering steps 5 through 8 as follows. At the "Select Device Type" panel, select Mouse. Leave the LED cover closed ("off" — so you can't see the red light). Click "Continue." After the progress wheel on the "Searching for your mouse" screen begins to spin, ~quickly open the LED cover. Soon the red light should begin to blink and the mouse's name should appear in the device list of the Search pane. Click "Continue." The red light should begin to blink rapidly, and the Bluetooth Setup Assistant should congratulate you on successfully pairing. If not, back up and repeat each of these steps.
Ignore what the second article says about firmware and software; as I've explained, yours should already be current.
I don't want to complicate this issue any further at the moment.
(4) To get a replacement disc... I just spoke with AppleCare about another subject — and checked your question while I was at it. I was told that AppleCare could send a complimentary "fulfillment disc" in a case where a new product's disc has been lost. I don't know where you're located, but I suggest you contact AppleCare directly and explain the circumstances in detail. Hopefully, that will resolve this question.
(5) If you still need help troubleshooting pairing &/or maintaining a connection for your Apple Wireless Mouse, I believe it's unrelated to what's been discussed so far — but we can help you to troubleshoot it, either here or in the MacBook Pro Bluetooth, USB, FireWire... forum. Please talk to AppleCare, then post back if you need further help.
I hope this helps!
Regards,
Dean
p.s. I suggest that you forget about a 3rd-party driver for now. You may want to try it someday for the sake of finer controls (such as for mouse tracking speed/acceleration) and programmability — but it's not needed for an Apple mouse to connect and perform all its basic functions. (The links I provided for SteerMouse here and twice above all go to its home-page; there's a "Download" link in the top-left-hand corner.)

Say Hey, Rama!

OK...

Actually, before trying to answer this specific question, I'd like to share a few comments, if I may:

Bluetooth is the wrong technology for this.
If your response is, "Huh?"...
...I'll explain briefly. Bluetooth is a "low-bandwidth" technology, intended for much less intensive data transfer tasks than exchanging files between computers. It's simply too slow and too prone to interference/connection issues under that type of burden. Although the Mac implementation of Bluetooth since what Apple calls "Bluetooth Software 1.5" does include the Bluetooth File Transfer Profile (see Article 151411: Which profiles does Apple Bluetooth support?), this is really intended for lower-bandwidth activities like sending a "business card" from a PDA to a laptop, syncing Bluetooth-enabled PDA - phone - laptop, etc.
Transferring files between Macs such as your MacBook Pro and PowerBook G4 is a task that's much better suited for AirPort ("WiFi") or for a "small Ethernet network" in which your Macs use a "crossover cable" (or a "normal" Ethernet cable through a router) to communicate. Much faster, simpler, more reliable for this objective.
These KnowledgeBase articles (and the links within them) will help you to understand small Ethernet networks, etc.:
• Creating a small Ethernet network
• Mac OS X: About File Sharing.
You should already know about using AirPort Extreme technology, as both of your laptops have it "built-in." Since it's fully capable and appropriate to the task, this is what I suggest for transferring files.
Rama, I'll be happy to help if you want to discuss this further — but I recommend you initiate a new thread about the topic. This thread is already "answered" — and, more important, other participants who have questions like this would find the topic much easier to find if the thread has a relevant title. If you decide to do this, it'd be helpful to others if we provide a link back to here, to minimize redundancy and confusion.
Warm regards,
Dean
p.s. For future reference, please add a few details to your "My Computer" signature at the base of your posts, using the "My Settings" link in the right margin of this page. This will facilitate focusing more quickly on issues that may relate to your system. For example, I'm guessing that the "last PowerBook before the [MacBook Pro] came out is a PowerBook G4 1.67 GHz 15" model (see this article). And although there're only two MacBook Pro models at the moment, their configurations differ...
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Hi again, Rama —

You've absolutely nothing to feel sorry about, imo. I consider the idea of a "stupid question" too self-defeating to take seriously (at least, when I'm feeling that way). How else do we learn? Plus, all sorts of things can easily get a bit confusing...

To initiate a new thread (I think that's what you're asking...?), go to the " Post New Topic" link at the top left of this or another AppleDiscussions forum's index page that best fits your query. Leave the setting to "Mark this topic as a question," and go at it.

By trying to focus ~each question within its own thread, you make it easier to answer and easier to find when someone else is seeking answers. I try to keep in mind that many people visit threads who don't participate (as the "Views" total implies) — often hoping to find help that's already available...

Is that what you're asking?

Now, back to your 2nd issue about transferring files... What I was trying to suggest at the end of my last post was that, if my reply didn't fully answer your question, you go ahead and initiate another thread. (As I've just described.) Once I notice it, I'll be glad to add a "text link" from the thread back to this discussion, if you're not familiar with how to do so. Depending on the nature of your follow-up questions, I might suggest another forum — for example, there are Airport forums available, if that's what you'd like to discuss further. Please accept my apology if that suggestion was intimidating; that was not my intent. OK?
Regards,
Dean

Hi, ramamccabe —

Two questions:

What are the make and model of Bluetooth-enabled mouse?

How is the mouse described in System Profiler »» Hardware »» Bluetooth (with Views set to full profile)?

There are 3rd-party drivers that work with many products, such as SteerMouse, which is $20 shareware. But first, we should try to troubleshoot the problem a bit further; the driver may not be the primary cause. Please explain why you think that's the issue.

Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Regards,
Dean

Fine.

We may be able to make suggestions based on the specific make and model of the mouse for where you can download the latest driver version if the manufacturer has written one. (Many depend on the drivers "built-in" to Mac OS X.)

Aternately, SteerMouse can probably help — and you can download and try it on a trial basis before having to pay.

But there may be a specific driver available that's free — however you need to provide the requested info so we can help.

Looking forward to hearing back from you with details.

—Dean

You're very welcome!

Good luck. Looking forward to hearing from you again...

And now that I know you're "down under" in Oz —

Cheers!

—Dean