USB rear ports not working fine: any advice? (iMac Intel 20)

Hi everyone, and thanks in advance.

This is what's happening with my iMac: the rear ports aren't readig any storage devices (pen-drives, Hard Disks, SD cards) or printers, but are working fine with my Apple keyboard and a Genius mouse.

This is what i've done so far:

-Re-installed OS X 10.6 and updated it, but nothing happened, still can't read usb storage devices
-Tried using a powered hub, but nothing happened.
-Reseted my SMC and PRAM, the problem remains.
-Performed the tests included in the Apple Service Diagnostic DVD, and everything seemed to be fine.
-Tried using Disk Utility but that didn't help.

As a photographer, my work is suffering due to the lack of connection between my Mac and my devices, son any help is welcome!

Thanks a lot,
Agustín from Argentina (that's why my english isn't that good)

EDIT: My problems began when i installed and run MacKeeper.

Your English is perfectly fine. Better than many who only speak it.

Edit: Just to be absolutely clear… the keyboard will work using the exact same port that your other devices will not work in?

lifeisabeach said:

Just to be absolutely clear… the keyboard will work using the exact same port that your other devices will not work in?

Click to expand...

The keyboard and mouse work fine in every port available, the other stuff doesn't work in any of them.

Agustín Dib said:

The keyboard and mouse work fine in every port available, the other stuff doesn't work in any of them.

Click to expand...

Ok. Plug in one of your hard drives or pen drives. Be sure it is seated securely. Next run Disk Utility. Does the drive show up in its list on the left?

lifeisabeach said:

Ok. Plug in one of your hard drives or pen drives. Be sure it is seated securely. Next run Disk Utility. Does the drive show up in its list on the left?

Click to expand...

No it doesn't.
But thanks anyway, any hel is welcome.

Agustín Dib said:

No it doesn't.
But thanks anyway, any hel is welcome.

Click to expand...

That is just odd. You've already done everything I can even think of trying to solve this. Hopefully someone else will have some ideas.

lifeisabeach said:

That is just odd. You've already done everything I can even think of trying to solve this. Hopefully someone else will have some ideas.

Click to expand...

Does anybody thik the problem might be in the IOUSBFamily.kext and
IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext files? I'm not familiar with those files, but i've been doing some researh, and in some way it points there.

Agustín Dib said:

Does anybody thik the problem might be in the IOUSBFamily.kext and
IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext files? I'm not familiar with those files, but i've been doing some researh, and in some way it points there.

Click to expand...

Well if those files did go missing, then yes, that could cause a problem like this. The problem though is that you have already reinstalled OS X, which seemingly would be the fix.

If you reinstalled 10.6 over the existing installation, then what you should consider is using Disk Utility to split your hard drive in half, then install 10.6 fresh to the new partition. Go ahead and use the Migration Assistant to migrate your users and apps off the other partition. If this new installation works properly, then we can look at getting rid of the faulty installation.

lifeisabeach said:

If you reinstalled 10.6 over the existing installation, then what you should consider is using Disk Utility to split your hard drive in half, then install 10.6 fresh to the new partition. Go ahead and use the Migration Assistant to migrate your users and apps off the other partition. If this new installation works properly, then we can look at getting rid of the faulty installation.

Click to expand...

Well i'm not sure on how to do that, but i'm gonna give it a try as soon as i find how to do it, thanx a lot man!

Agustín Dib said:

Well i'm not sure on how to do that, but i'm gonna give it a try as soon as i find how to do it, thanx a lot man!

Click to expand...

Well here's one tutorial:
How to partition a startup drive | Macworld

Once done, boot off your install disc and install OS X to the new partition.

If the new installation does work, you can try copying those 2 files off of there to the old one to see if that fixes the problem.

Agustín Dib said:

The keyboard and mouse work fine in every port available, the other stuff doesn't work in any of them.

Click to expand...

I'm going to say that if a USB keyboard and a USB mouse work in these USB ports...it's not the ports that are the problem...it's something else.

Can you make a list of what "other stuff" doesn't work in these ports?...this may help identify what's up.

Thanks,

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Can you make a list of what "other stuff" doesn't work in these ports?...this may help identify what's up.
- Nick

Click to expand...

Sure, here's the list of things i plugged but aren´t working:

-2 GB Kingston pen drive.
-1 GB generic pen drive.
-HP Printer.
-Nikon D3000 Camera.
-Generic card reader (this one is the only device that works fine if connected via keyboard).
-Iomega external powered hard drive.

Thanx in advance!

Agustín Dib said:

Sure, here's the list of things i plugged but aren´t working:

-2 GB Kingston pen drive.
-1 GB generic pen drive.
-HP Printer.
-Nikon D3000 Camera.
-Generic card reader (this one is the only device that works fine if connected via keyboard).
-Iomega external powered hard drive.

Click to expand...

WOW...that's quite a list! So just to be 100% clear...if you plug a USB keyboard or a USB mouse into this very same USB port...they both work fine?

Thanks,

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

So just to be 100% clear...if you plug a USB keyboard or a USB mouse into this very same USB port...they both work fine?

Click to expand...

As you say, mouse and keyboard work fine on every USB rear port.

Agustín Dib said:

As you say, mouse and keyboard work fine on every USB rear port.

Click to expand...

Have you tried resetting the "SMC" and zapping the "PRAM"? If not...here are the instructions:

Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM

Hope this helps,

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Have you tried resetting the "SMC" and zapping the "PRAM"?

Click to expand...

Yes i've tried that, thanks for your interes!

Agustín Dib said:

Yes i've tried that, thanks for your interes!

Click to expand...

Sorry...I missed that you mentioned trying that in post #1.:Blushing:

- Nick

Agustín Dib said:

Yes i've tried that, thanks for your interes!

Click to expand...

Here's are two USB troubleshooting guides:

How to Troubleshoot Mac USB Issues | eHow.com
Tutorial: Common fixes for USB device issues (unrecognized, etc.) | MacFixIt - CNET Reviews

...I'm guessing you tried most of these options. Two things that I think have not been tried are:

- Reinstalling the OS (in case specific OS files are missing or have gotten corrupted)
- Running the free maintenance program called "Onyx"...which can clear caches...which may contain "bad" info

Hope this helps,

- Nick

p.s. One thing I almost always suggest is...try repairing permissions (within Disk Utility).

pigoo3 said:

Here's are two USB troubleshooting guides:

How to Troubleshoot Mac USB Issues | eHow.com
Tutorial: Common fixes for USB device issues (unrecognized, etc.) | MacFixIt - CNET Reviews

- Reinstalling the OS (in case specific OS files are missing or have gotten corrupted)
- Running the free maintenance program called "Onyx"...which can clear caches...which may contain "bad" info

Hope this helps,

- Nick

p.s. One thing I almost always suggest is...try repairing permissions (within Disk Utility).

Click to expand...

Man, the second link looks very interesting, i' gonna try some of those suggestions, and let you know what happens. And the repairing permissions... i don't kwnow what that is!!

Again, thanks a lot!

Agustín Dib said:

Man, the second link looks very interesting, i' gonna try some of those suggestions, and let you know what happens. And the repairing permissions... i don't kwnow what that is!!

Again, thanks a lot!

Click to expand...

Hopefully one of the troubleshooting ideas from the links will work.

Repairing permissions:

- Open "Disk Utility"
- Click on the button that says "Repair Permissions"

...then let it do its work (it may take a few minutes to complete).

- Nick