Mac OS X on x86 Hardware 2008–2024 Technical Archive
InfiniteMac OSx86 › Leopard 10.5 › USB problem
4,117 reads · 2008-09-25

USB problem

Hi i have a strange problem with usb : when i insert a device like pendrive and other nothing happens: mac doesn't recognize usb! how can i resolve? thank a lot

Primary Author
@colataroc Published 2008-09-25
Collection
Leopard 10.5
Archival Footprint
4,117 historical reads · 3 curated field notes (from 6 dispatches) · 2008-09-25
Credited Voices (4)
@colataroc (3)@maya77@peppi911@nfoav8or

Hi i have a strange problem with usb : when i insert a device like pendrive and other nothing happens: mac doesn't recognize usb!
how can i resolve? thank a lot

Author Updates & Technical Revisions

Follow-up dispatches by @colataroc

Author Update #1 @colataroc 2008-09-25 ↳ Re: @peppi911
@peppi911do you have IOUSBFAMILY.kext IOUSBMassStorage.kext ?

of course i've also replaced IOUSBFamily.kext but now when i turn on my mac, a window appears and it says that there is a problem with that kext. I've tried to replace the original but nothing happens and i have the same problem. Now my mac can't use usb mice and usb keyboards and also ps/2 mouse and keyboard. I'm desperate!

Author Update #2 @colataroc 2008-09-25 ↳ Re: @nfoav8or
@nfoav8orWhat kind of problem is OS X saying it is having? if it is simply that the permissions are incorrect then you can boot up via "-s" and perform the following: /sbin/mount -uw / cd /System/Library/Extensions/ chmod -R 755 * && chown -R root:wheel * cd .. rm -R Extensions.mkext kextcache -a i386 -e reboot this will simply repair the…

i've tried to do that but when :/root appears it also appears error: fireware unable to determinate security mode etc.. and it'a impossible to write anything…

what can i do?

EDIT: i've boot in single user mode with -x -s and i've modified the permissions now i can use my mouse and my keyboard! THANKS YOU VERY MUCH

Synthesized Community Field Notes

3 technical responses curated from 6 original dispatches

Field Note #1 @maya77 2008-09-25

Did it worked before?

Ensure that you have matching versions of mach_kernel and system.kext.

Non-matching versions can cause problems with USB devices not mounting.

Field Note #2 @peppi911 2008-09-25

usb

do you have
IOUSBFAMILY.kext
IOUSBMassStorage.kext
?

Field Note #3 @nfoav8or 2008-09-25

What kind of problem is OS X saying it is having? if it is simply that the permissions are incorrect then you can boot up via "-s" and perform the following:

/sbin/mount -uw /
cd /System/Library/Extensions/
chmod -R 755 * && chown -R root:wheel *
cd ..
rm -R Extensions.mkext
kextcache -a i386 -e
reboot

this will simply repair the permissions and rekext your Extensions folder for the follow-on boot.

If the problem is not the permissions, let us know...

EDIT: glad you caught that… "-x -s" should have been what I wrote so you would boot in safe single user mode instead of simply single user mode. Thanks.

Sources & Contributor Provenance (4 credited usernames · Thread #1373)
UsernameDossier ContributionDispatchesActive Window
@colatarocPrimary Author32008-09-25
@maya77Contributor12008-09-25
@peppi911Contributor12008-09-25
@nfoav8orContributor12008-09-25