Mac Mini Keeps Looking for Bluetooth Mouse But I Don't Have One

December 28, 2006 7:11 PM

My Mac Mini shut off when the powerstrip got unplugged. Now when I power it on it loads up the "Bluetooth Setup Assistant" and keeps searching for bluetooth mice - which I don't have any. The Dock is gone and the top white menu bar is only partially painted.

To make sure it wasn't my USB hub I have now plugged the mouse and keyboard directly into the back of the Mac. The mouse has the red laser thingy so I know it is getting power - but doesn't respond to movement. The keyboard doesn't respond to anything. I'm not able to start in Safe Mode since the keyboard isn't responding.

Any ideas?

posted by ao4047 to computers & internet (15 comments total)

[even more]

Found this article which suggested resetting the PRAM - I tried that but the keyboard still doesn't respond.

To prove that the keyboard is getting power, I plugged the mouse into the keyboard's extra USB slot and the red thingy under the mouse comes on.
posted by ao4047 at 7:22 PM on December 28, 2006

Freaky. You definitely need to try plugging the keyboard into another computer to see whether there is a problem with the keyboard.

If it checks out fine, you should try holding down Option at startup time to see whether you can get the startup manager, or holding down Command-Option-O-F to see whether you can get into Open Firmware. If you can't do either of those things, then I'm shocked that the thing even boots. I suppose it would work if you had somehow managed to fry the USB ports...

Also, can you see the Mini on your network?

When it boots are you getting the boot sound, the grey screen with the Apple and the blue screen?
posted by bshort at 7:36 PM on December 28, 2006

The Bluetooth thing is the result of it not being able to find a wired mouse or keyboard, so you can ignore that.

Try booting off the OS install CD, or if you don't have it handy just hold down shift on start up to get the boot manager and see if you can even get to it and if the mouse works. That'll tell you whether it's the OS or a hardware fault.
posted by cillit bang at 8:06 PM on December 28, 2006

Plugging keyboard into a USB laptop running Windows causes no reaction (assuming that the keyboard would be recognized/usable by Windows).

Booting with the install CD inserted produces the same result - hanging on the Bluetooth Setup Assistant.

The Mini isn't configued to be shared via my LAN.

I put the install CD in. Start + Options produces nothing. I'm think it is the keyboard.

I'll get a new USB keyboard tomorrow and hopefully that will solve everything.
posted by ao4047 at 9:11 PM on December 28, 2006

- Windows doesn't always immediately recognise new peripherals. And you usually need to run through the configuration process, even for a keyboard.
- Try starting up without the keyboard plugged in and hold down the mouse button. The disk should eject. If it doesn't, your USB controller is probably fried.
posted by cillit bang at 9:16 PM on December 28, 2006

Windows doesn't always immediately recognise new peripherals. And you usually need to run through the configuration process, even for a keyboard.

I'd be surprised if Windows didn't pick up the keyboard, assuming that the keyboard is working.
posted by bshort at 10:00 PM on December 28, 2006

Windows didn't notice the keyboard - didn't even do the 'New Hardware Detected' balloon.
posted by ao4047 at 10:10 PM on December 28, 2006

What they said.

If you could boot, you could go to System Preferences > Bluetooth > Settings and uncheck "Open Bluetooth Setup Assistant at startup when no input device is present." It's checked by default for exactly the stated reason - so the OS can find and use a wireless keyboard and mouse if no wired or paired wireless device is available.

If it shows up, the OS is not recognizing your keyboard and mouse. Why that is, I couldn't say - try using another one, or taking the keyboard and mouse in question to another machine and running a USB prober of some kind to see if they got fried somehow. (If you take them to another Mac, choose "About this Mac…" from the Apple menu and click "More Info" to run System Profiler, then look at the USB listing to make sure they're there. Don't confuse them with the keyboard and mouse the system was already using.)

It sounds like they're no longer being recognized as USB devices. Try leaving them unplugged from everything all night long to make sure they dissipate all residual power and plugging them in again. If that fails, avail yourself of repair or replacement options.
posted by mdeatherage at 10:10 PM on December 28, 2006

Cillit and Bshort

he has a MAC, not windows
posted by crewshell at 10:20 PM on December 28, 2006

Try starting up without the keyboard plugged in and hold down the mouse button. The disk should eject.

No dice. Must be the USB controller.

Any idea if a USB controller can be replaced without having to buy a new logic board? Initially Googling is not helpful.

Thanks everybody for your help so far!
posted by ao4047 at 10:29 PM on December 28, 2006

Going to try a new USB keyboard tomorrow - might grab a wireless one + wireless mouse just in case the keyboard doesn't work.
posted by ao4047 at 10:30 PM on December 28, 2006

The USB controller can't be replaced. It's part of the main IO chipset on the logic board. It may just be an onboard fuse that has died, but unless you have a friend who is good with surface mount rework, that ain't getting replaced either.
posted by theducks at 2:35 AM on December 29, 2006

he has a MAC, not windows

Yeah, no shit, but we asked him to try his keyboard on another computer to see whether the problem was with the keyboard or the Mini. As it turns out, the other computer that he has is a Windows PC.

No dice. Must be the USB controller.

I disagree. If the keyboard isn't getting recognized by the Windows box then there's probably something wrong with the keyboard. Your plan to get a new keyboard is a good one.
posted by bshort at 4:33 AM on December 29, 2006

It might be the USB controller since the Mac isn't even registering the mouse when it is plugged directly into the back of the unit. We'll see. Thanks!
posted by ao4047 at 7:56 AM on December 29, 2006

Bluetooth keyboard and mouse are working. I'll test the USB controller with an external drive in a bit.
posted by ao4047 at 10:00 AM on December 29, 2006