Mac Mini G4 Ross's OS9 ISO Mouse Issue

[chris]

When i boot this ISO it boots fine and mouse is working while it is booting, as soon as it runs the Drive Setup and opens a text file with instructions the mouse just disappears to the right (off screen).

I  have booted it ten times now and the behaviour is always the same, boot menu (holding option) and holding C,

Any help would be appreciated!

Mac Mini G4 1.25Ghz, 1GB RAM, VGA monitor

[FBz]

First off… you’re holding down the Option key AND the C key?
One or the other normally, not both.

What mouse? Apple brand or other?
Connected to keyboard or the back of Mini?

Boot with CD inserted and holding down the Option key.
Select the CD when that choice presents on screen.
When it then boots from the CD and Drive Setup appears…
format your HD (and dual-partition / if wanting to OS X install afterwards).
Then do the actual OS 9 install from the properly burned install CD.

Again, may need to change USB connection for the mouse
and hopefully you’ve an Apple keyboard and mouse.

(That just eliminates some often pesky variables.)

[chris]

Hi no, i was saying it was happening both from the boot menu and just direct booting the CD. 

The fix was holding shift after ROM load to disable extensions, something was iffy, ran fine after that and install went well.

Thanks

[IIO]

it would still be interesting to learn if this happend with an apple mouse.

[chris]

I am using a Logitech MX Master 2S, my reserve is a Microsoft laser mouse of some sort, both are wireless with their own dongles.

I installed USB Overdrive 1.4 yesterday and noticed the same behaviour until i uninstalled it, i wonder if that is included in Ross's OS9 ISO.

[FBz]

With all of the problems often associated with the use of non-Apple, corded mice… it might be in your best interest to invest in (or temporarily borrow) a corded Microsoft or Apple mouse (at least to get you through the install process). Afterwards you might then attempt your dongle(d) wireless Logitec MX or Microsoft mouse.

You are currently expecting your Mini to recognize a wireless mouse (and its’ dongle?) during the installation process. AND - is that dongle plugged into the keyboard OR USB port on the back of the Mini?

IF you are “holding down the shift key after the ROM load to disable extensions”, are you not disabling extensions possibly needed to load whatever might be necessary for your USB / Bluetooth dongle to be recognized and function in the first place?

Maybe I'm missing something here but... get an Apple mouse and try again.

eBay search: “apple mouse”.
(Inexpensive and good to have at least one.)

[chris]

I am not sure you read everything i said heh, i have completed the install by simply disabling extensions on boot, i am using the mouse fine. It was recognised fine initially, USB Overdrive that was causing the issue.

[FBz]

So now I’ve re-read the thread. You weren’t having a problem with the install. That went fine.
It was only after you rebooted, AFTER the install - that you had problems. Mea culpa?

I’m now using a Microsoft (corded) mouse on this Mac, in your honor.

[GaryN]

Memories…

I'm really surprised that I remember this but:

I had this issue long ago. It turned out to be the Monitors Panel in the ISO was set up for dual monitors when there was only one. That caused the cursor to "park" itself in the netherworld where the second monitor was supposed to be. It seemed to be a mouse issue only because the mouse / cursor was the only visible symptom. I may or may not have been able to drag a window offscreen into the dark as well but I never could test / try that since the cursor was gone to begin with. It's also possible that repeatedly dragging the unseen cursor might eventually result in it appearing back onscreen but…? Point is, it had nothing to do with USB Overdrive directly but there was a weird initial conflict between Overdrive and the wireless dongle. You just naturally tend to make it the #1 suspect because it's a missing cursor problem. Disabling all extensions resolves the symptom because it also returns the Monitors setting back to default - which is one screen.

This is the kind of odd shit that doesn't happen with an original OS release. Assuming you have the same problem, your ISO was evidently compiled by someone who was running two monitors and simply wasn't noticed until someone else (you) tried to use it on a single-screen system.

OR…… It could be the ghost of Jobs messing with you and I'm just spitting into the wind here… 

[chris]

Memories…

I'm really surprised that I remember this but:

I had this issue long ago. It turned out to be the Monitors Panel in the ISO was set up for dual monitors when there was only one. That caused the cursor to "park" itself in the netherworld where the second monitor was supposed to be. It seemed to be a mouse issue only because the mouse / cursor was the only visible symptom. I may or may not have been able to drag a window offscreen into the dark as well but I never could test / try that since the cursor was gone to begin with. It's also possible that repeatedly dragging the unseen cursor might eventually result in it appearing back onscreen but…? Point is, it had nothing to do with USB Overdrive directly but there was a weird initial conflict between Overdrive and the wireless dongle. You just naturally tend to make it the #1 suspect because it's a missing cursor problem. Disabling all extensions resolves the symptom because it also returns the Monitors setting back to default - which is one screen.

This is the kind of odd shit that doesn't happen with an original OS release. Assuming you have the same problem, your ISO was evidently compiled by someone who was running two monitors and simply wasn't noticed until someone else (you) tried to use it on a single-screen system.

OR…… It could be the ghost of Jobs messing with you and I'm just spitting into the wind here… 

That makes a lot of sense to behaviour i have had from other systems over the years, i just never thought about it like that! Obviously being an install ISO there is not much i can change but it was a small thing, install worked perfectly with extensions disabled.

Thanks for the input!

[IIO]

the ross CD should not have monitor or usboverdrive settings that are different from default.

[FBz]

“…i wonder if that is included in Ross's OS9 ISO.” - chris

Yes, it is.



From the “About CD Extras & Read Me” on the Ross's Mac mini OS 9 v.9 CD:
NOTE: All CD Extras should be copied to your hard drive, then run when the Mac mini is booted from the restored system. They should not be run directly from the CD.

AND as always, yet another very interesting contribution from GaryN / concerning the dual monitor, Monitors Panel settings peccadillo. (ALWAYS something else to look out for.) Yet as mentioned by IIO - “auto” USB Overdrive installation OR dual monitor settings are not part of the .iso / CD.

I wonder if OP is still disabling all extensions at startup?

[chris]

Extensions were only disable during install, OS9 boots fine after install with extensions enabled. I only had to boot with extensions disabled after install USB Overdrive, i have removed it and back to booting fine.

[Dave 23]

I had a similar problem running 9.2.2 from Ross’ .Iso.    All the mice I had were limited to a single line of horizontal travel.
 When I found an old school, corded Microsoft optical mouse everything worked fine.

[ervinjelvos]

I had this issue long ago. It turned out to be the Monitors Panel in the ISO was set up for dual monitors when there was only one.

That caused the cursor to "park" itself in the netherworld where the second monitor was supposed to be.

It seemed to be a mouse issue only because the mouse / cursor was the only visible symptom.

I may or may not have been able to drag a window offscreen into the dark as well but I never could test / try that since the cursor was gone to begin with. It's also possible that repeatedly dragging the unseen cursor might eventually result in it appearing back onscreen but…?

Point is, it had nothing to do with USB Overdrive directly but there was a weird initial conflict between Overdrive and the wireless dongle.

You just naturally tend to make it the #1 suspect because it's a missing cursor problem.

Disabling all extensions resolves the symptom because it also returns the Monitors setting back to default - which is one screen.

[GaryN]

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   (Sing to the tune of "Spam" by Monty Python…)

Bot Bot Bot Bot     
Bot Bot Bot Bot

[IIO]

an attentive colleague recently found out that he mouse issues with the mac mini most likely do only appear when the mouse speed in USB overdrive is set to 1,0.

so you can basically say you will only run into it when you have a smaller monitor, which explains why feedback was so mixed in the past.

[frenchie]

For anyone else with the same problem as OP, holding Shift after startup (to disable extensions) worked for me.

More about the issue: when booting from the OS9Lives Universal 9.2.2 Install CD, my thrift store USB mouse (Lenovo) worked fine during the boot process. However, as soon as the system had fully loaded, any mouse movement would shoot the cursor to the far right side of the screen where it would refuse to move. I could still right-click and use the keyboard, but had to hard restart using the system power button.

It seems like this may be an incompatibility with USB Overdrive and newer (non-Mac) mice, because once I booted with extensions off (by holding Shift after startup) I was able to continue with my installation of OS 9.

What I'm up to: wiping the OS 10.4.11 system (with no Classic drivers) and installing OS 9 on a Quicksilver G4 that I found on the side of the road last week looking forward to revisiting all the classic Mac games of my childhood! Thanks to all who make this possible here! 

[Opualuan]

I had a similar issue, any movement would translate into cursor moving downwards. Very carefully changting settings in USB overdrive, fixed once a specific speed was selected (rather than relying on macos speeds). Unless there is a specific reason for it to remain, removing USB overdrive from the inage seems the best bet.

[Slimes]

USB Overdrive kills several of my mice.  I suggest removing it as well.