A thread in the iMac forum suggested turning off the USB Extension (in OS 9.0) to minimize USB conflicts, since this extension only controls USB speakers and microphones. I've been thinking about trying this, since I think I've been having USB conflicts. However...

According to Extension Overloadload, in 9.0.4 this extension also controls the mouse and keyboard.

Was the iMac post correct? Has there been a change in this extension since 9.0? Will I lose my keyboard and mouse if I delete this extension?

Thanks.

[jlbanker]

IMHO (in my humble opinion) don't risk it. If the extension says mouse and keyboard then that is what it works for... I have an ibook however and I will test this since I don't need the external mouse and keyboard. I will get back to you in a bit.

[jlbanker]

Tested. Mouse and keyboard are working still with the USB device Extention off so it must be true.

I just tried turning off the USB Device Extension. Although the mouse and keyboard still work, the USB card I just installed is not working. At startup I got aprompt warning that the extension required to run a certain USB device was not available.

Thanks for checking your laptop.

[WDL]

The USB Device extension is Apple's main USB software for many things - this is not the one to turn off.

What you may have seen and perhaps misunderstood is turning off other USB extensions, such as the
USB Iomega extensions etc. Even there, you may not have to turn them off, just get them to load
ahead of Apple's software - for example, click on the name of a given USB extension and insert one space before the start of the name - this advances that extension to the head of the line so that it is recognized before the Apple software kicks in.

Another workaround is to shut down, unplug all USB devices - startup, and after startup is completed, plug everything back in.

WDL

Sounds like good advise to leave that extension on.

I read about shutting the extension at this address: http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/Forum5/HTML/001397.html