iMac Pro New iMac Pro: Startup/Login Issue

[Bryan Bowler]

I just received my new iMac Pro and unfortunately, I'm encountering an issue. I'm hoping someone here can help me sort it out.

After powering off and back on, when I get to the login screen where you can choose which user you want to login as, the Magic Mouse and the Magic Trackpad are unresponsive. In order to highlight the Administrator account, I have to hit the left arrow twice on the keyboard to highlight the user account and then I can press Enter to get the password input box to appear. The iMac Pro is sluggish when doing those steps. After I enter the password, the iMac Pro boots normally and the mouse and trackpad work correctly after the login is complete.

Here's what I've done so far to try and resolve this:
1) powered off all nearby computers and bluetooth devices near the iMac Pro
2) reset the SMC
3) reset the NVRAM

None of the above has fixed this issue. I'm going to call Apple Support in an hour, but I already know how this will likely go. They will want me to the do the same steps as above and them wipe and reload the operating system. I'm really trying to avoid wiping and reloading the OS since I just spent half a day installing all of my work software on this new machine.

And if I go through Apple Support and spend hours wiping and reloading everything, if the problem still exists, Apple Support will simply refer me to a "Senior Advisor" who will then have me do the same thing (and waste another half day of time) before they elevate it "the Engineering team". If I sound a little sour, it's because I am. In recent years, MacOS has presented me problem and problem and it costs me dozens of hours of precious work time.

Sorry...allow me to get off the whining wagon and get back down to business. Can anyone think of any other steps to take that might fix this issue?

Thanks!

 

[floridaman]

I just received my new iMac Pro and unfortunately, I'm encountering an issue. I'm hoping someone here can help me sort it out.

After powering off and back on, when I get to the login screen where you can choose which user you want to login as, the Magic Mouse and the Magic Trackpad are unresponsive. In order to highlight the Administrator account, I have to hit the left arrow twice on the keyboard to highlight the user account and then I can press Enter to get the password input box to appear. The iMac Pro is sluggish when doing those steps. After I enter the password, the iMac Pro boots normally and the mouse and trackpad work correctly after the login is complete.

Here's what I've done so far to try and resolve this:
1) powered off all nearby computers and bluetooth devices near the iMac Pro
2) reset the SMC
3) reset the NVRAM

None of the above has fixed this issue. I'm going to call Apple Support in an hour, but I already know how this will likely go. They will want me to the do the same steps as above and them wipe and reload the operating system. I'm really trying to avoid wiping and reloading the OS since I just spent half a day installing all of my work software on this new machine.

And if I go through Apple Support and spend hours wiping and reloading everything, if the problem still exists, Apple Support will simply refer me to a "Senior Advisor" who will then have me do the same thing (and waste another half day of time) before they elevate it "the Engineering team". If I sound a little sour, it's because I am. In recent years, MacOS has presented me problem and problem and it costs me dozens of hours of precious work time.

Sorry...allow me to get off the whining wagon and get back down to business. Can anyone think of any other steps to take that might fix this issue?

Thanks!

My recommendation would be to reinstall the operating system. Any programs you have installed will still be there. I had problems with my machine out of the box. After I did a migration and some other things I tried to restart the machine and it would just hang on the Apple logo. Finally I reinstalled the operating system and it fixed my issues. After you do the install you should probably do the OS X supplemental update as well.

 

[Strider64]

I know it's a a little too l late, but I don't do migration unless it is the last the resort. I just bought an iMac Pro myself and ending up just installing the applications new and importing the data to those applications respectively. However, before I do I make sure to update OS X that way I give a better chance of having no problems. After being a Windows person for 30+ years and building my own PCs I learn that starting everything new even on the Software side is better. While it might sound easier migrating software from one computer to the new computer, but in reality I have found that it wasn't that much harder to install everything. It also didn't take that much longer. I know what I would do, but you already stated that you don't want to start will a clean slate, so maybe flordiaman's advice would be the best. Go Blue!!!

 

[OBirder]

The iMac Pro is sluggish when doing those steps. After I enter the password, the iMac Pro boots normally and the mouse and trackpad work correctly after the login is complete.

I know you followed many posts regarding the iMac Pro. Bluetooth issues and sluggish input at login screen had been reported by various people. I do experience it too. I typically wait a few seconds before I start logging in and it's already much improved. I only have one account.

Since my computer is always on and I only reboot every few days I stopped investigating further and moved on. I think it's a software issue which eventually will get resolved.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

Thank you everyone for the replies so far. I really appreciate it. My apologies for not clarifying in my original post, but I did start with a clean slate. I did not use Apple’s data migration. I installed all of my software fresh.

OBirder, I’m considering letting it go. Like you, it seems like a software issue that will (hopefully) be corrected with time.

floridaman, I might take your advice and bite the bullet now and do a fresh install before I get even deeper in the setup process. Assuming there are no problems with a fresh install, it should cost me 4-6 hours.

I’ll update this thread as I learn more, but if anyone has any additional insight, please keep it coming!

 

[chabig]

In order to highlight theAdministrator account, I have to hit the left arrow twice on the keyboard to highlight the user account...

You can also just type the first letter of the account name to select the account, then tab to the password field.

 

[boto]

I also experienced some strange keyboard activity when I first received my iMac Pro a couple months ago. I would suggest to try debugging, removing, and pairing them again to see if if gets fixed. There hasn't been any issues since then except when using Windows and installing patches that brick all Apple bluetooth devices.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

I also experienced some strange keyboard activity when I first received my iMac Pro a couple months ago. I would suggest to try debugging, removing, and pairing them again to see if if gets fixed. There hasn't been any issues since then except when using Windows and installing patches that brick all Apple bluetooth devices.

Thank you! Your advice was a big help.

Using the Debug menu (accessed by holding down Shift - Option and then clicking on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar) I reset the Bluetooth module. Then, under the same Debug menu, I chose Factory Reset all connected Apple Devices. Afterwards, I used the included lightning cable to re-connect the trackpad, mouse, and keyboard to the iMac Pro.

After completing the above steps, the trackpad and mouse still do not work on the login screen following a reboot. However, they do come up after clicking the mouse or trackpad...and then I can navigate the pointer over to my User account and login.

I know that I can navigate there by hitting the left arrow on the keyboard...or navigate there by typing the first letter of the User Account (thank you chabig)...but I wanted to dig deeper to ensure that I did not have a hardware issue. Last thing I want to do is put this machine into production and then realize that it has to be repaired. The more I think about this, the more I think it is a software issue specific to the iMac Pro and 10.13.3. I feel better now about bringing this beast up to speed and then seeing if Apple corrects this in a future software update. I will go ahead and take the time to report the issue to Apple and open a ticket. Apple needs visibility on this in order to fix it.

Thanks again everyone! For now, you've saved me a lot of time from having to wipe and reload the OS and all of my software. Much appreciated!

 

[AC2000]

Thank you! Your advice was a big help.

Using the Debug menu (accessed by holding down Shift - Option and then clicking on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar) I reset the Bluetooth module. Then, under the same Debug menu, I chose Factory Reset all connected Apple Devices. Afterwards, I used the included lightning cable to re-connect the trackpad, mouse, and keyboard to the iMac Pro.

After completing the above steps, the trackpad and mouse still do not work on the login screen following a reboot. However, they do come up after clicking the mouse or trackpad...and then I can navigate the pointer over to my User account and login.

I know that I can navigate there by hitting the left arrow on the keyboard...or navigate there by typing the first letter of the User Account (thank you chabig)...but I wanted to dig deeper to ensure that I did not have a hardware issue. Last thing I want to do is put this machine into production and then realize that it has to be repaired. The more I think about this, the more I think it is a software issue specific to the iMac Pro and 10.13.3. I feel better now about bringing this beast up to speed and then seeing if Apple corrects this in a future software update. I will go ahead and take the time to report the issue to Apple and open a ticket. Apple needs visibility on this in order to fix it.

Thanks again everyone! For now, you've saved me a lot of time from having to wipe and reload the OS and all of my software. Much appreciated!

Thank you! Your advice was a big help.

Using the Debug menu (accessed by holding down Shift - Option and then clicking on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar) I reset the Bluetooth module. Then, under the same Debug menu, I chose Factory Reset all connected Apple Devices. Afterwards, I used the included lightning cable to re-connect the trackpad, mouse, and keyboard to the iMac Pro.

After completing the above steps, the trackpad and mouse still do not work on the login screen following a reboot. However, they do come up after clicking the mouse or trackpad...and then I can navigate the pointer over to my User account and login.

I know that I can navigate there by hitting the left arrow on the keyboard...or navigate there by typing the first letter of the User Account (thank you chabig)...but I wanted to dig deeper to ensure that I did not have a hardware issue. Last thing I want to do is put this machine into production and then realize that it has to be repaired. The more I think about this, the more I think it is a software issue specific to the iMac Pro and 10.13.3. I feel better now about bringing this beast up to speed and then seeing if Apple corrects this in a future software update. I will go ahead and take the time to report the issue to Apple and open a ticket. Apple needs visibility on this in order to fix it.

Thanks again everyone! For now, you've saved me a lot of time from having to wipe and reload the OS and all of my software. Much appreciated!

Exactly the same problem. I bought the iMac Pro for a week. I formatted the iMac Pro and re-installed Mac OS from scratch. I tried bluetooth debugging ... but nothing has changed! I honestly don't know what to do!