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[mcmcjohn]

Based on my own experience and feedback from others, it seems that wireless mouse compatibility is a known issue on Mac OS 9. There’s one common factor that stands out, these devices are "USB Composite Devices". That means a single USB receiver dongle includes multiple components such as a keyboard, mouse, and HID device.

As you can see in the image I uploaded (I’ve marked it with a red line), when I install the UGREEN receiver, three devices show up simultaneously, Keyboard, Mouse, and HID. For comparison, I tested another compatible wireless mouse, and in that case (shown at the very top of the image), only a single usb device(marked "마우스 (USB Receiver)") was detected.

That made me wonder, if it's possible to disable just the Keyboard and HID components of the UGREEN device, leaving only the mouse, perhaps the mouse function could work properly.

So I’d like to ask is there any way to disable or block specific USB devices in Mac OS 9?

[smilesdavis]

https://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=7530.msg58288#msg58288

same issue?

[mcmcjohn]

https://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=7530.msg58288#msg58288

same issue?

That is also my post, and I’m still looking for solution. T.T
I’ve found that a lot of wireless mouse don’t work on OS 9, and I’m trying to fix that.

[wove]

In OS X, BSD, Linux you would find a device id and vendor id listed in a config file and removing the device id from the config file would stop the deice from functioning. Perhaps in OS 9 one could check the resource fork of the extension or control panel and find those ids. Editing the resource to remove the ids would probably prevent the device from working. I have never looked into that, so I am just making a guess.

[smilesdavis]

if memory serves me right a DLINK bluetooth dongle of a specific kind an revision works

[aBc]

Might be helpful to know which specific Mac you’re attempting to use this with and whether or not you still have the NEC 2.0 USB card installed. And if so — if any other USB device is also still using that? Conflicts may arise and performance can certainly be affected. You might try all over again after removing the NEC USB card?

Also, which specific UGREEN wireless mouse are you trying to use? If it is similar to the one shown in the attached image below, and are you able to switch the Operating System and / or adjust the DPI settings?

Not my intention to imply that you haven’t covered all of the setup procedures, but often some things are simply overlooked or missed - and as you’ve implied… not all aftermarket wireless devices work easily, or at all (and especially with OS 9).

And how many USB devices do you have connected?

   

May try disabling the first two above and then try, try again?

Hopefully you will solve the problem and if you do, please post your solution.

[mcmcjohn]

Hi guys. After several attempts, I’ve finally managed to resolve the wireless mouse issue on Mac OS 9. It’s not 100% perfect, but it works reliably.

From what I’ve discovered, even though newer wireless mouse receivers appear to be recognized correctly in System Profiler when plugged into a USB port, a closer look using USB debugger shows they are not actually being recognized properly.

The conclusion I reached, you need to “Refresh” or “Probe” your USB devices.

Inside Apple’s final release of the Mac OS USB DDK (version 1.5.9), there’s an app called USB Prober. This app is what will make your mouse function properly.

Requirements:
You’ll need a wired mouse at first, since you need to be able to click on things. Also, the wireless mouse USB receiver must be plugged into the USB port.

Steps:
1. Place USB Prober inside the Startup Items folder within your System Folder.
2. Launch USB Prober.
3. Close any windows that pop up. Then go to the top Apple menu bar, click Windows > USB Bus Probe, and open the window titled USB Bus Devices.
4. At this point, your wireless mouse should start working properly. However...
5. Important: Never close the USB Bus Devices window manually. You must exit USB Prober using File > Quit from the Apple menu bar.

Why this is necessary is...
If you close the USB Bus Devices window and later reboot, USB Prober will launch again but the USB Bus Devices window won’t open automatically. This specific window is critical because it’s what triggers USB devices to be probed.

After startup or reboot, once USB Prober runs and the USB Bus Devices window appears, you should manually exit using File > Quit. (Do not close the window directly.)

*** By the way, I think it would be good to write an AppleScript that automatically quits the USB Prober app after booting, but I'm not sure if that's even possible, and I'm unfamiliar with this area.

It also works well with USB Overdrive. I’ve set it up to use right-click and reversed scrolling direction, just like in the current version of macOS.

I've also attached the 'USB Prober' app.

[robespierre]

Requirements:
You’ll need a wired mouse at first, since you need to be able to click on things.

Not true: you can tap the Option key five times to activate Mouse Keys. A physical mouse is unnecessary.

[mcmcjohn]

Requirements:
You’ll need a wired mouse at first, since you need to be able to click on things.

Not true: you can tap the Option key five times to activate Mouse Keys. A physical mouse is unnecessary.

Does tapping the Option key fve times on Mac OS 9 work...? I didn't know that... By the way, after I put USB Prober app in Startup Items folder, I removed wired mouse and now my 2.4GHz UGREEN mouse works perfectly!

[mcmcjohn]

Might be helpful to know which specific Mac you’re attempting to use this with and whether or not you still have the NEC 2.0 USB card installed. And if so — if any other USB device is also still using that? Conflicts may arise and performance can certainly be affected. You might try all over again after removing the NEC USB card?

Also, which specific UGREEN wireless mouse are you trying to use? If it is similar to the one shown in the attached image below, and are you able to switch the Operating System and / or adjust the DPI settings?

Not my intention to imply that you haven’t covered all of the setup procedures, but often some things are simply overlooked or missed - and as you’ve implied… not all aftermarket wireless devices work easily, or at all (and especially with OS 9).

And how many USB devices do you have connected?

   

May try disabling the first two above and then try, try again?

Hopefully you will solve the problem and if you do, please post your solution.

Thanks. And number one mouse on that picture is working fine and I installed to move and click anything because Ugreen mouse doesn't work T.T But today I've found proper solution and this solution may works with almost every wireless mouse in the market.

[aBc]

Okay mcmcjohn, BIG congrats on your success!

But you’ve still not revealed which Mac or the model number of UGREEN wireless mouse that you’re using. Is it a guarded secret? There are many hardware junkies acolytes fiends here that would be interested in such a new option.

Up until about a year ago I wouldn’t even consider the Microsloth Comfort Optical Mouse 3000 that’s currently attached to this machine... and I’ve often sworn more than once to attach an old honking-huge Kensington Turbo Mouse (via an ADB to USB converter) to more than one PPC machine here. But must have 8-ball, billiard ball substitute first.

So spill that info! And maybe while you’re at it, post something under the New Member Welcome topic about yourself.

And perhaps another archaic tidbit to possibly consider?

While it might now be a decades-long, deeply engrained behavior here for me (and others)… any time I install new software or hardware - this is usually quite unconsciously followed by zapping of the PRAM and also rebuilding the desktop.

Superstitious voodoo? Well, maybe.

Perhaps complete and utter folly on my part - yet the idea is / was, to allow the machine to take a proper accounting or re-accounting of (and perhaps make necessary adjustments for) anything newly added or ch-ch-changed.

Old habits die hard, ehh? (And then maybe some are worth keeping / testing too?)

Cheers and welcome aboard!

[mcmcjohn]

Okay mcmcjohn, BIG congrats on your success!

But you’ve still not revealed which Mac or the model number of UGREEN wireless mouse that you’re using. Is it a guarded secret? There are many hardware junkies acolytes fiends here that would be interested in such a new option.

Up until about a year ago I wouldn’t even consider the Microsloth Comfort Optical Mouse 3000 that’s currently attached to this machine... and I’ve often sworn more than once to attach an old honking-huge Kensington Turbo Mouse (via an ADB to USB converter) to more than one PPC machine here. But must have 8-ball, billiard ball substitute first.

So spill that info! And maybe while you’re at it, post something under the New Member Welcome topic about yourself.

And perhaps another archaic tidbit to possibly consider?

While it might now be a decades-long, deeply engrained behavior here for me (and others)… any time I install new software or hardware - this is usually quite unconsciously followed by zapping of the PRAM and also rebuilding the desktop.

Superstitious voodoo? Well, maybe.

Perhaps complete and utter folly on my part - yet the idea is / was, to allow the machine to take a proper accounting or re-accounting of (and perhaps make necessary adjustments for) anything newly added or ch-ch-changed.

Old habits die hard, ehh? (And then maybe some are worth keeping / testing too?)

Cheers and welcome aboard!

Ah, I totally spaced out because I was so focused on the mouse stuff.
When I get into something, everything else kind of fades into the background. 😅

So, my machines are a Power Mac G4 AGP Graphics and a Power Mac G4 Gigabit Ethernet, two units.
They’re not stock, though. I’ve upgraded both CPUs to 1.3GHz G4, and I’ve installed four 512MB Samsung SDRAM sticks for a total of 2GB RAM.
I’m currently using an ATI Radeon 9000 Pro, but planning to upgrade to a Quadro4 900 XGL soon.

And with the method I recently discovered, it looks like most of the mice that used to misbehave on Mac OS 9 now work just fine!
Even a generic Chinese wireless mouse I had (which never worked before) is now running without issues.

To be honest, my Macs aren’t all that special, just a pair of old, dusty Early Grey Power Mac G4s.
Nothing fancy! lol 😄

[aBc]

Thanks!
Still, what model UGREEN?
 
And if that ATI Radeon 9000 Pro is a 128 MB Mac model, this goon might be interested in it. (I dug through available video cards here this weekend and couldn't find a loose one for use in an MDD.)

Oh and nobody else here has that "everything else fades into the background" symptom. Yeah, you're the only one.
 
And I've a few of those older (quite dusty) machines here, slated for eventual resurrection...

[mcmcjohn]

Thanks!
Still, what model UGREEN?
 
And if that ATI Radeon 9000 Pro is a 128 MB Mac model, this goon might be interested in it. (I dug through available video cards here this weekend and couldn't find a loose one for use in an MDD.)

Oh and nobody else here has that "everything else fades into the background" symptom. Yeah, you're the only one.
 
And I've a few of those older (quite dusty) machines here, slated for eventual resurrection...

Oh, sorry about that. As I mentioned earlier, when I focus on one thing, I tend to lose sight of everything else. The UGREEN mouse is simply labeled as the "UGREEN Portable Wireless Mouse." The model number is MU001, and it’s currently a popular product on Aliexpress. It supports both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.0 dual modes. Surprisingly, it feels quite good in the hand, and overall, it's a really solid mouse.

And as I said, I have another mouses that doesn't work with Mac OS 9, after I applied that solution, every mouses started working fine.

Also, I said that I have plan to upgrade my GPU to Quadro4 900 XGL, but there is a serious problem. I don't have old legacy pc to flash that card... So I'm trying to figure it out how to flash without pc, but the only way is desoldering eprom and flashing with programmer and soldering again...

[mcmcjohn]

Thanks!
Still, what model UGREEN?
 
And if that ATI Radeon 9000 Pro is a 128 MB Mac model, this goon might be interested in it. (I dug through available video cards here this weekend and couldn't find a loose one for use in an MDD.)

Oh and nobody else here has that "everything else fades into the background" symptom. Yeah, you're the only one.
 
And I've a few of those older (quite dusty) machines here, slated for eventual resurrection...

And after looking at the photos, I still think the Gigabit Ethernet model is the best among those early Power Mac G4s. It has four RAM slots and supports CPU upgrades to a dual processor setup, so I believe it's the most capable of the bunch. That's why, among my modified Power Mac G4s, I use the Gigabit Ethernet model the most. I also purchased a 1GHz Dual CPU meant for the Quicksilver model to upgrade it, but finding a proper heatsink has been harder than expected, so it's currently on hold. 

[aBc]

I'll check the old boneyard here this weekend for a suitable heatsink for that DP QS CPU.
Cheers!