[GreenMnM]

I have a very frustrating problem. I recently upgraded my iBook's (original 300 MHz tangerine with 96MB RAM) system from Mac OS 9.0.4 to Mac OS 9.1. Unfortunately, now each time I plug in a USB device to the one USB port the front-most application quits with a "Type 2" or a "Type 3" error. If the Launcher is the front-most application the message says that "The application " " has unexpectedly quit..." without the name "Launcher", but every other program's name appears in the error message (even the Finder).

Even more annoying than the crashes is that no USB device (I have tested with my Harman/Kardon SoundSticks, an external hard drive in a MacAlly USB case, a Griffin Technology iMic and a Targus mini-hub) is recognized by the system unless the computer is restarted with the USB device plugged in.

I decided to do a clean install, first of Mac OS 9.0, then the 9.0.4 update, and then the 9.1 update. The problem returned as soon as I installed the 9.1 update (it did not happen in 9.0.4). This was before I returned all my 3rd party extensions and control panels into my clean system folder.

I turned all the extensions off and then turned on one or two at a time with the Extension Manager Control Panel and restarted and restarted and restarted. I found that the problem was with the two extensions "Shared Manager Library" and "Shared Manager Library PPC" both versions 2.0.2. When either of those two extensions are active (they both need to be active to provide their functions which includes allowing QuickTime and Open Transport to function) I cannot use my USB port correctly. The version of the two extensions has not changed since Mac OS 9.0 so I could not downgrade them from an earlier OS. It happens with a copy of the "Mac OS 9.1 Base" and the "Mac OS 9.1 All" extension sets so I know it's not a 3rd party conflict.

I suppose I could just use Mac OS 9.0.4 for a while - I've ordered some more RAM and I was planning on upgrading to Mac OS X next month. But if 9.1 doesn't function correctly on my iBook all by its self I bet it doesn't work any better running the Classic mode under Mac OS X!

Anyone have any suggestions or advice? I actually wouldn't be surprised if it was some kind of strange hardware/software failure or incompatibility, this is basically the third iBook that Apple has sent me over the past year... the first one got so hot it made the plastic on the bottom deform, the second one had to be sent back after three months for a new motherboard, modem, keyboard, screen, hard drive, and track pad after multiple failures rendered my it pretty much non-functional. So, has my USB port bit the dust? It seems to work fine under Mac OS 9.0.4 but I'd really like to be able to upgrade!

-Doug

[Cipher13]

Hm... well you can't really mess with the shared libs, so what about the USB extensions/drivers?
Do you have any Epson USB extensions, or UMAX scanner software?
What version of USB do you have? Is it the latest one?

Are you plugging these devices straight into the computer or through a hub? If hub, powered or non-powered?
Shouldn't really matter though. Thats not the problem.

Cipher13

[This message has been edited by Cipher13 (edited 02-15-2001).]

[GreenMnM]

Originally posted by Cipher13:
Hm... well you can't really mess with the shared libs, so what about the USB extensions/drivers?
Do you have any Epson USB extensions, or UMAX scanner software?
What version of USB do you have? Is it the latest one?

Are you plugging these devices straight into the computer or through a hub? If hub, powered or non-powered?
Shouldn't really matter though. Thats not the problem.

Cipher13

[This message has been edited by Cipher13 (edited 02-15-2001).]

Well, since the USB software is stored in the Mac OS ROM, I checked the Apple System Profiler and it says it's version 1.4.6. The problem occurs when only the Mac OS 9.1 Base extension set is chosen (so no 3rd party USB extensions), the Mac OS 9.1 All set and my "My Settings" set is chosen. The only way to make it go away is to turn off the two SLM extensions. I thought that maybe my original download of the Mac OS 9.1 Update was corrupt, so I downloaded the 1 part installer (the original I downloaded was the 15 part one!) and used that one to update the last time with the same result.

Each device was plugged in directly to the iBook. But, after just a bit of testing, if I plug in the hub (with a crash then a restart for the iBook to recognize the hub) and then plug in a device to the hub the same crash happens. ARGH!

I do have several 3rd party USB drivers in my system, Epson printer drivers for my 740i, Formedia drivers for my MacAlly USB hard drive, and the Keyspan DMR 2.0 drivers but that's it! They all worked fine under Mac OS 9.0.4 and they work under 9.1 - with the Shared Library Managers turned off in 9.1 they work just fine too... only no Open Transport or QuickTime!!!

-Doug