Blue & White G3, keyboard stops working after random time, weird symptoms

Hello, people!

I recently got my hands around an old Power Macintosh G3, with no keyboard.

I managed to get a brand new USB keyboard working with it, but after some random amount of time (It has been as little as 5 minutes after boot, as much as 5 hours), the OS stops responding to the keyboard, any key, and it starts flashing the three keyboard LEDs, twice each time, at a set interval.

I could not isolate a cause to the problem, so at this point it isn't reproducible.

I am new to the Mac world, so I don't know if this is some kind of known issue. I couldn't find references on the Internet.

Any thoughts?

Thank you all in advance

edit: I forgot to mention that it runs OS X 10.4

[I have a similar setup/situation, seldom used these days.]

First, what OS are you using on the G3? They were issued originally with OS 8.5, but will cope with Panther (10.3.x), perhaps Tiger (10.4.x). If you're using OS 9, there are known issues with USB.

When you first started using the keyboard, were you prompted through the setup process, eg. "press the following keys ....."?

I am running OS 10.4 on the G3. According to Wikipedia[1], they can handle up to 10.4.11. I don't know if that information is reliable.

I got the computer with the software already installed, matter of fact I've never installed OS X before. Albeit extremely slow, it appears to be running correctly.

The first attempt I made to use a keyboard was with an adapter that turns one USB port in two PS/2. The computer would show the "Press the key to the right of your Shift" message but wouldn't recognize the keypress.

Then I tried with an USB keyboard and it was correctly recognized and installed. It began presenting those weird bugs maybe two days later. Which indeed reflects a time the problem usually takes to kick in.

As a matter of fact, I've been using it since morning and it hasn't failed yet.


Thank you for your help

[1] ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Macintosh_G3_(Blue_&_White)#Models

Not all PC keyboards work real well with G3's. Go on eBay and find a Apple keyboard for an old Imac the color ones will work great. You can use like a Microsoft laser mouse.

And connect the keyboard directly to the computer. Hubs often do not have sufficient power and cause drop ours similar to what you are experiencing.

Mac SK said:

Not all PC keyboards work real well with G3's. Go on eBay and find a Apple keyboard for an old Imac the color ones will work great. You can use like a Microsoft laser mouse.

Click to expand...

I'll be sure to pass on the suggestion should I pass on the computer, but right now I am on a short budget, my main objective being getting the rig to work with the current setup.

But thank you for the tip (Y)

harryb2448 said:

And connect the keyboard directly to the computer. Hubs often do not have sufficient power and cause drop ours similar to what you are experiencing.

Click to expand...

Hmm. I am not using it with a hub but was thinking about getting one out of the closet. Seams to be a bad idea, then...

Yes, that G3 will struggle with Tiger, I'd recommend nothing later than Panther. Use Mactracker (free) Mactracker - get info on any Mac or Mac Specs, Prices, Answers, & Comparison @ EveryMac.com - Est. 1996 to gather information about your Mac - Wiki gets lumbered with inaccurate info at times.

However, the question about USB is answered. I use an old Apple ADB keyboard OR a common old USB cheap-as-chips Win type (I prefer them) OR a (horrible) Apple USB k/b, (the type with black keys, it came with my iMac), with my G3 b/w. The problem may be the keyboard, so the process of elimination is probably your best bet. Try as many different USB k/b's as you're able.

When you next have a/the keyboard connected, go to System Profiler > USB and see if it's being recognised by the OS.

Keyboards draw very little power from the USB port, so a powered hub is probably unnecessary, but direct connection, as Harry suggests, is best. I use powered hubs as a matter of course now, leaving two direct USB ports free for casual use (flash drive etc).

Double-post removed, M-F server went awol for about 20 minutes.

That happened with the dynex keyboard I got at best buy when the eMac was running 10.4.11... also in 10.5.8 when I upped the OS. I got my old Apple Keyboard to work again though... problem avoided.

A Blueberry Imac USB keyboard is like $14.99 encludes shipping. I got my latest one at the thrift store like $2.02