Author Topic: Disappearing drivers & other weird things (Read 3936 times)

tesan · « **on:** April 17, 2003, 01:27:00 AM »

I have an iMac running OS 9.1. Not too long after a scanner crashed my Mac, it stopped recognizing drivers for my peripherals (printers and an Iomega Predator CD-R/CD-RW drive). When I tried to reinstall my printer's driver, it doesn't work, and when I try to use Iomega's driver control panel, it says there are no drivers installed. Also, if I try to start the computer with the CD-R drive hooked up to the USB, the computer won't fully start.
In addition, the Chooser no longer works, and the Recent Documents/Recent Applications folders in the Apple Folder no longer keep track of recent docs/apps. What's happening, and how do I get the Mac to recognize the drivers? Help!

pendragon · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2003, 07:08:00 AM »

Tesan, First of course, a most hearty welcome to TechSurvivors. Glad to have you amongst us. But not so glad to hear of your problems.

From the sound of things, it seems (to me) like a major crash may be near. So my first suggestion is to make at least two back ups of your critical data and to copy or take screen shots of important or obtuse settings.

You didn’t mention what corrective measures/remedies you have already attempted. For starters I would run Disk First Aid and TechTool (or Tech ToolPro) and then DiskWarrior. Also, because many of the mentioned problems appear to be USB related, what happens when you disconnect all peripherals (everything except keyboard and mouse) and then restart, is the Chooser problem still there? And finally, are you using an Apple keyboard and mouse?

Only as a guess, but it sounds like your scanner software has caused a major conflict or corruption and is at the root of the problem.

Later, when things get back to normal, I recommend upgrading to OS 9.2.2, which I found to be more stable, but then, I am not using an iMac.

I am sure others will be around shortly to provide additional (better) suggestions so not to worry (famous last words). Only rarely is a problem not resolved, so hang in there. Even if you need to reinstall the OS, the gang around here can get you through that with ease. Really!

Harv

jepinto · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2003, 07:45:00 AM »

Tesan Have you tried a clean install of your system software?

Info:
http://www.techsurvivors.net/faqs/when_cle...an_install.html
http://www.techsurvivors.net/faqs/ka_why_c...an_Install.html

Instructions:
http://kb.indiana.edu/data/aaqe.html
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60496

tesan · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2003, 05:08:00 PM »

Thanks Harv and Jepinto for your information and encouragement!

I'm saving a CI as a last resort because I can't find my 9.0 OS disc, and (more importantly!) I can't install anything without a CD-ROM drive. Yet ANOTHER problem I forgot to mention is that the door to the internal CD-ROM broke and won't stay closed. (BTW, all my problems were happening before the ROM door broke.)
Also, since I can't back up anything, I'm trying to avoid losing files I would lose in a CI. (HD space won't allow for 2 System Folders)

Know anyone selling brand new Macs for a $20?

Tesa - trying to figure how to backup files without having anything to use as backup

kelly · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2003, 08:32:00 PM »

Tesa. Welcome to the forum.

Which imac?

http://new.lowendmac.com/imacs/index.shtml

http://new.lowendmac.com/imac/ideals.html

tesan · « **Reply #5 on:** April 18, 2003, 12:12:00 AM »

Hi Harve!

Thanks for your welcome and for your help!

To answer your questions:
I tried a while back to use Disk First Aid, and it said it couldn't run on "this disc" whatever the hell that means. I only have one harddrive disc.
The Chooser is still there when I disconnect everything. (Its always there, it just doesn't work, no matter what is or isn't connected.)
I'm using an Apple Mouse and a Macally keyboard.
I trashed all the scanner files right after I returned the scanner to the store where I bought it (right after the crash).

I hope I'll be able to one day run 9.2.2. However, right now I can't install anything by disc because of the CD-ROM problem (yet ANOTHER problem I forgot to mention is that the door to the internal CD-ROM broke and won't stay closed. BTW, all my problems were happening before the ROM door broke), and I can't download any updates because they're too big and I always get some kind of download error (or damn AOL cuts me off) before its finished.

Because it's been so long since I installed 9.0, I don't know if I have the disc anymore. I may have to go back to 8.5, which then pretty ensures that I won't be able to use anything I have that uses drivers.
So it's looking like it's going to become a big Catch-22. It's very frustrating. Most frustrating of all is that I can't backup anything because nothing works that would be used for backup.
Oh, well. Maybe I'll find a couple of thousand dollars growing on a tree and buy a new computer. A girl can dream!

Thanks for your help and words of encouragement!

Tesa

quote:
Originally posted by pendragon:
Tesan, First of course, a most hearty welcome to TechSurvivors. Glad to have you amongst us. But not so glad to hear of your problems.

From the sound of things, it seems (to me) like a major crash may be near. So my first suggestion is to make at least two back ups of your critical data and to copy or take screen shots of important or obtuse settings.

You didn’t mention what corrective measures/remedies you have already attempted. For starters I would run Disk First Aid and TechTool (or Tech ToolPro) and then DiskWarrior. Also, because many of the mentioned problems appear to be USB related, what happens when you disconnect all peripherals (everything except keyboard and mouse) and then restart, is the Chooser problem still there? And finally, are you using an Apple keyboard and mouse?

Only as a guess, but it sounds like your scanner software has caused a major conflict or corruption and is at the root of the problem.

Later, when things get back to normal, I recommend upgrading to OS 9.2.2, which I found to be more stable, but then, I am not using an iMac.

I am sure others will be around shortly to provide additional (better) suggestions so not to worry (famous last words). Only rarely is a problem not resolved, so hang in there. Even if you need to reinstall the OS, the gang around here can get you through that with ease. Really!

Harv

kelly · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2003, 11:13:00 PM »

Tesa. Try starting with an OS Base or OS ALL set.

Check this.

http://www.iomega.com/support/documents/11287.html

Look hard for that OS 9.x CD. If you can't find it.

You can get another one here.

https://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Item.cfm...&Item=APLOS9CDL

You probably don't need more than 300 MBs for a Clean Install.

Are you sure you can't throw some stuff away?

Have you already Rebuilt the Desktop?

" Restart your computer while pressing the Command and Option keys."

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=10182

You don't need to quote Previous posts.

Just use the Reply button.

Great Mulder quote.

kelly · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2003, 11:23:00 PM »

Maybe you should just get something like this.

iMac G3/500 DV SE G3/500 for $550 shipped

http://dealmac.com/articles/50123.html

tesan · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2003, 07:32:00 PM »

Hi Kelly! Glad you like the Mulder quote. It's one of my faves.

FYI, I used the quote button because your board software is a bit unusual compared to other boards I've been on. Being new here and encountering some truly odd aspects of this software, I wasn't entirely sure where my replies were going to end up nor if my reply would make any sense if the posts I was replying to weren't included.
I hear the board is getting new software and I think that's a Good Thing ™, as Martha Stewart would say.

(BTW, are you aware that when one receives an email notification of a reply being posted to one's topic that the URL given in the notification email doesn't work?)

To answer your questions and suggestions:

I have rebuilt the desktop and zapped the PRAM many a time during this difficult time I'm going through with my iMac. It's probably saved me from going into a major crash, but it hasn't fixed any existing problems. They continued to escalate.

I went to the Iomega site a few weeks back and had gotten their support documents. Figuring I was having an extentions/file conflict, I had already tried what their documents said to do (start up from a base set, etc.)

Thanks to you and jepinto for the advice about the Clean Install. I'll definitely do that when I can. I can't currently do it because, besides space concerns, none of my CD-ROMs work. (My external CD-ROM isn't being recognized by the computer, while the door to the internal CD-ROM is broken thus preventing me from using it at all. Someday I hope to be able to afford to get it fixed, but that's just not plausible at the moment.)

I would love to buy a new computer, but I was recently laid off from my job. So unless there's a new one out there that costs $20, it's out of my budget range.
Being broke sucks. Being broke with a computer possessed by Satan sucks even worse.

For right now, it appears I need to concentrate on finding some kind of (free) online storage sites and upload as many files that I want to save as I can, and then just start deleting everything off my hard drive (except for system and other needed functionality files, naturally). Fortunately, I do have a lot of stuff backed up, from the good ol' days when I could burn files. Then I suppose I'll dive back in and do some more extentions-conflict detective work until I can afford to take it to the repair shop.

Thanks very much for all your help!

Tesa

kelly · « **Reply #10 on:** April 19, 2003, 09:48:00 AM »

Ok Tesa.

Backing up 300 MBs or more to Web is going to be tough.

Are you on Cable/DSL?

So you've done some troubleshooting.

Did you already Trash some Preferences?

Specifically:

Finder Preferences

Mac OS Preferences

System Preferences

Apple Menu Options Prefs

Do you know anyone with a mac Tower.

You could put your Hard Drive in one of them and Backup/Burn the Data.

Probably also run a Disk Utility.

Don't use the e-mail notification.

I'd have 50,000 e-mails if I did.

tesan · « **Reply #12 on:** April 20, 2003, 11:49:00 PM »

Kelly and Jepinto,

Thanks for your advise about trashing pref files and compressing files to make for more hd space.

To answer your questions:

Kelly:

No, I don't have a fast connection. I probably will be 90 years old by the time my 56 baud connection finally uploads the files I plan to store online.

I haven't trashed any pref files yet. I looked at my prefs folder the other night to see which I should get rid of. I have quite a few prefs to filter through. Just like everything else connected with this entire mess, it's going to take a long time. But since I'm unemployed, at least I have the time to spend.

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone with a Mac tower. (I only know one other person with a mac and he has the same model of iMac I do.)

I tried running the disk repair utility that came bundled with the OS software and it said it could run because it didn't recognize my HD. I wasn't amused.

Jepinto:

Thanks for reminding me that I do have Drop Stuff, (I'd forgotten about it!) so I'll definitely use it.

Now, to ask a stupid question: What (or who) is RhP?

Who or whatever it is, I'll certainly follow their advice and yours and do a start up from OS 9 base extentions and then start trashing what was suggested.

Thanks, again, Kelly and Jepinto for your help!

Tesa

kelly · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2003, 09:34:00 AM »

Tesa. Trashing those various Preferences is no big deal.

You don't have to start with Extensions off or anything.

Just put them in the Trash and restart.

They'll all be recreated. You'll have to reset a few options.

Desktop picture and that kind of thing. Depends what you trash.

RHP, listed as RHPConsult is one of our esteemed colleagues.

You can call him Richard or Dick.

News:

Author Topic: Disappearing drivers & other weird things (Read 3936 times)