[mitchell_pgh]

Something is wrong with my PowerMac keyboard/mouse. From time to time, my mouse/keyboard will quit. I'll be in any application and the keyboard and mouse will stop and not respond to keyboard or mouse movement. It's strange because it seems that the mouse triggers the problem. The issue never starts when I'm typing... only using the mouse.

I've tried both usb ports with no help.

I think it may be software/OS related because it never seems to happen when I'm typing, just when I'm using the mouse (but once the mouse dies... so does the keyboard... but not the other way around)... but in the back of my head, I I'm considering it must be hardware related (do mouse drivers go bad on Macs?). I'm guessing I should just go out and buy another keyboard and mouse, but was wondering if anyone had a similar issue.

HARDWARE
Machine Model: Power Mac G4
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (2.1)
Number Of CPUs: 2
CPU Speed: 867 MHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 256 KB
L3 Cache (per CPU): 1 MB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 133 MHz

OS
10.3.8

Any ideas?

[Detrius]

Turn on the separator blinking for the menubar clock. See if that stops too. If so, you've got much bigger problems than just a mouse.

[reader50]

The next time it happens, unplug the mouse. If the system hasn't locked (which is what Detrius is checking for) and the mouse cable is the problem, then unplugging the mouse should free up the keyboard again.

Also, try unplugging both, then plug just the keyboard back in. The mouse cable gets flexed more than any other cable, eventually they all fail. Eventually can be a good many years, depending on usage.