NEW TO ME

[torvan]

Yay, I just got a new-to-me G4 Sawtooth to add to my collection.

G4 450Mhx 2 GB RAM 80GB HDD. Case is in excellent shape.

Now, I have issues: No usb keyboard seems to be able to issue any commands to it until after the OS boots (no target mode, no open firmware, no option boot). So that leads me to think that perhaps there is some hardware problem, although the USB works fine in OS 9 and X.


That internal firewire 400 port, now that gives me an idea of putting a firewire hard drive in there.. . .  .

Or even moving my more modern G4s ( The QS? The MDD?) into it's housing......because the housing is in near new condition---and not that "only colour you can have is silver....."

Thoughts. . . . .

[GaryN]

Now, I have issues: No usb keyboard seems to be able to issue any commands to it until after the OS boots (no target mode, no open firmware, no option boot). So that leads me to think that perhaps there is some hardware problem, although the USB works fine in OS 9 and X.

Methinks you're probably not using an actual Mac keyboard…? Nothing else sends a Mac command or option key signal, so no "Command-anything" until after the kext has loaded to translate. Did you have to "identify" the keyboard to the OS the first time you used it?

[torvan]

Now, I have issues: No usb keyboard seems to be able to issue any commands to it until after the OS boots (no target mode, no open firmware, no option boot). So that leads me to think that perhaps there is some hardware problem, although the USB works fine in OS 9 and X.

Methinks you're probably not using an actual Mac keyboard…? Nothing else sends a Mac command or option key signal, so no "Command-anything" until after the kext has loaded to translate. Did you have to "identify" the keyboard to the OS the first time you used it?

Mac keyboards are all I have! Nope, never needed to identify it at all, I just plugged it in. I have both a 2007 wired keyboard (white and aluminum) and a standard black Pro keyboard. Using one each time, I tried and no result--it just booted straight into OS 9.

So let's hope I do not ever need to get into OF or do a reset of NVRAM! Although funny enough, Option boot is working after all, but any of the letters pressed it seems to ignore them.

[GaryN]

Okay… you've got me stumped. I can't think of one good reason for this.

[torvan]

Neither can I. But I have pressed the reset button on the system board and still does not work (that was the last idea I had). It does not make any sense to me, but alias it appears that this Mac just does not like the letter keys at boot. Sigh.

[Mat]

So USB is working well, but not during booting, right? Not at all? Really strange issue!
I expect that you already tried all different USB ports? And that you have no 3rd party hub inbetween or similar.

I would start deattaching everything that is possible.  RAM, PCI cards (if present), Airport card, CD/DVD drives, ... everything thats possible.

Subsequently I would take some different HD, and start to install the system from scratch, and see if the behavior changes.

[MacTron]

Or even moving my more modern G4s ( The QS? The MDD?) into it's housing......because the housing is in near new condition---and not that "only colour you can have is silver....."

The MDD motherboard doesn't fit into a Sawtooth case in any way. The Digital Audio and QuickSilver can, but take care of the fine print like audio connectors, and heat sinks  ...

[geforceg4]

dont gut the system.. sawtooths can accept many different cpu upgrades.. they are worthwhile to just leave as-is.


if u are having strange problems with a sawtooth..  i suggest u download and use the system-specific installers for the sawtooth AGP systems that i have posted about MANY times + posted download link to find .. u can use the search engine on your own i wont google it for u


or ignore what i said completely i really dgaf

[Steve_W]

I had this problem (no keyboard access during boot) on a G4 many moons ago.  The problem was a 3rd party mouse plugged into they keyboard, in turn plugged into the Mac.  I disconnected the mouse and it worked OK.

You've probably got a genuine mouse though!  Only other thing would be to remove mouse fully and only have the keyboard plugged in.

The only other thing I can think of, is somehow the kext is not loading properly when POSTing.

I'm n ot a programmer so that's the end of my tech support!

Good luck!

[torvan]

Solved the issue, and it was the one Steve_W noted--third party mouse in keyboard USB port.

So just plugged the 3rd party mouse into the Mac monitor (23" ADC) and now everything is fine and dandy.

Thanks to Steve_w for that!