Apple Mighty Mouse - a replacement

[alanuk]

Amongst the Mac users here, I've a feeling that I was probably one of the few using an Apple Mighty Mouse. For some time now, I'm often thought that it was least successful Apple products as it would often refuse to scroll using the miniscule scroll wheel on the top of it.

It is a "sealed for life" product and the only cleaning possible was to invert the thing and run the scroll ball over a piece of paper (I used a glasses cleaning tissue). Sure enough, this would restore scrolling downwards for about a week before giving up again. It hasn't scrolled up since the day after the warrantee ran out!

Today, I was Googling for a suitable replacement as I'd had enough of the blooming thing and I found that there is now an Apple Magic Mouse!

This is Bluetooth again (I can't cope with a wired mouse) and has no scroll ball or wheel at all. The top of the mouse is touch-sensitive and you just drag your finger over it; a similar principle to the Itouch and Iphone, I assume (not that I've got either but seen our kiddies at the Mad House showing them off).

So, I've had it for an hour now and all still going well! Let hope it continues to do so.

[George]

Alan, I agree about the MM it is the weak point, but IS repairable.
I have had and still have the same problem with the MM but I strip mine down and clean the scroll bars periodically to restore full scrolling.
I was contemplating a new one but on reading some of the reviews I was put off as it wasn't received well. Keep me posted on what you think please as I could still be persuaded

[alanuk]

Interesting to know, George. How do you take it apart, please? Mine seems to be glued together and there is no obvious signs of any screws holding it together.

Any guidance would be welcome.

[George]

Alan the only bit that's glued is the base ring and then only in about half a dozen spots. I will endevour to take a few photos to illustrate the procedure for its removal and then the full overhaul.

[George]

Right Alan, pay attention, I will say zis only wornse.
Photo 1... Use a craft knife slice around the joint between the ring and mouse body. It's only glued in a few places. It doesn't really matter if you break the ring as the mouse will work OK without it.

Photo 2.... After ring removal.

Photo 3.... Lever out the pivots on both sides.

Photo 4.... View of open mouse showing pivot points.

Photo 5.... Lift the locking bridge to enable the ribbon cable to be released

Photo 6.... Remove the 3 screws and lift out the roller ball assembly.

Photo 7.... Assembly removed

Photo 8.... Unclip the white cradle on both sides

Photo 9.... Unclipped, but remember which way it goes back, long edge to the camera

Photo 10.... Cradle removed showing the 4 motion sensors and dirt.

The motion sensors have a magnet (BLACK) at one end, use a metal screwdriver to lift the sensors out and clean serrated shaft.

Assembly is a reversal of the above procedure

You can if you wish glue the base ring back but there is no need to, however you may experience some jamming of the click action due to the exit cable grip jamming if you don't. Photo 11
I do not glue the ring and position the cable on my desk so it doesn't cause any jamming.

I'm sure you will be able to effect a successful repair but if you baulk at the prospec you can post the MM to me and I will do it for you.

[George]

Cont.....

[George]

Cont.....

[George]

Cont....

[alanuk]

George

What can I say? You really are a star for taking all this time and trouble

I will certainly give it a go; Apple really don't make it easy, do they? (Probably want to sell new mice, I guess. ) If I can renovate my Mighty Mouse, then that will be useful with the Macbook Pro. I've been using my original wired mouse on that and have been frustrated that the cable is really too short (the USB port is on the left and I'm right-handed). Plus, it will free up a USB port (only two on the Macbook).

At the moment, I'm still loving my new Magic Mouse. A laser instead of an LED and you just stroke its back to scroll up or across....mmmmmm

Thank you so much for doing this (and for the offer of the clean!).

Best wishes

[alanuk]

Stand back in amazement! It works again!

Until the took the thing apart, I hadn't realised that how so tiny, tiny those little rollers were. It was great fun (not!) trying to fit them back in with a magnetic screwdriver The hardest part was trying to refit the "foil" cables. My mouse is different to yours because its a wireless Bluetooth mouse so space was more limited. I missed the point that they were help in place with a clamp; luckily a pair of fine-nosed pliers seemed to get the ends pushed back in - brute force and ignorance sometimes works. Next time, I'll RTFM!

So, having coped with the poorest piece of Apple design I've come across (well, they can't always get it right, I guess), I now feel up for the easier challenge of perhaps some brain surgery

Luckliy, the Magic Mouse has none of these moving bits so it should last slightly longer.

Anyway, all this has made me too tired to sort out the garden today so I'll just have a little nap instead.

Thanks again, George.

[George]

Well done that man
Lucky you not damaging the foil ribbon, now go put the lottery on
Glad it works.

[Merlynn]

As a mere bystander in this Apple mouse repair post, I am amazed that a relatively simple piece of equipment, shouldn't have an equally simple method of cleaning, I use a Logitech Laser mouse at present, but I still have an earlier Microsoft ball and rollers mouse, it only required an anticlockwise twist of a small holding plate and the ball dropped out, revealing the rollers ready for cleaning, then back in with the ball, a clockwise twist of the holding plate and bingo! , cleaning job done, ready for action!, thats Microsoft for you

Merlynn.

[George]

How very true Merlynn, no challenge tho'

[Merlynn]

Oh George you didn't bite after all , I only posted to get you going ,
I must add that both text and images contained in your DIY post (cleaning the not so Mighty mouse), were excellent, even I could understand the instructions,
well done!

(psst why not offer the remedy on Ebay, must be worth a bob or two to get a defunct mouse working, make a ruddy fortune )

Merlynn.