JRT59

Q: Apple Wireless Keyboard won't power up

I have a Model A1016 Apple Wireless KB. It stopped working and it will not power up (and therefore won't pair with my Macbook Pro). Tried many batteries - no luck.

MacBook Pro 15", Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Nov 20, 2008 2:41 PM

Close

Q: Apple Wireless Keyboard won't power up

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

first Previous Page 7 of 9 last Next
  • by johnfj,

    johnfj johnfj Jan 24, 2012 3:54 PM in response to johnfj
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2012 3:54 PM in response to johnfj

    Its the brand and shape of the battery that's the problem...

    I don't reconmend putting steel wool or any other deposits down inside your keyboard.

  • by irishjackal,

    irishjackal irishjackal Feb 4, 2012 4:42 AM in response to JRT59
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 4, 2012 4:42 AM in response to JRT59

    HI folks

     

    My alu wireless KB was doing same I used a small ball of tin foil following advice on here and it works:-)

  • by dph012000,

    dph012000 dph012000 Feb 7, 2012 6:34 AM in response to JRT59
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 7, 2012 6:34 AM in response to JRT59

    As of Feb 7, 2012, this aluminum ball of life trick still works. I have a 2007 wireless keyboard and the darn thing gave me about 1.5 nanoseconds of warning before it stopped working (it did make for a short day at work yesterday, though).Either way, I did have to do it three times to get it to work out. I am also using Energizer Max (the green ones) rechargeable batteries... whether this helped or not, I rubbed each end of each battery on my fleece pullover prior to layering in on top of the Reynolds-God-like creation and this time was the charm... it fired right up, green light a-go-go and all systems cool. That's a (Reynolds) wrap!  ...now if I just don't run out of aluminum before Dec 12... this thing will have worked for the rest of my life! haha

  • by Hans P,

    Hans P Hans P Feb 18, 2012 8:12 AM in response to acona003
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 18, 2012 8:12 AM in response to acona003

    I am also happy again after solving my dead keyboard with a bit of Alufoil.

    The guys at the macstore told me to ditch it, I am happy I looked up the fora. Thanks to all the people out there sharing their magic tricks!

  • by Gellywen,

    Gellywen Gellywen Mar 5, 2012 1:32 PM in response to Hans P
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 5, 2012 1:32 PM in response to Hans P

    Yes, the tiny ball of foil works great! I used foil from a chocolate bar. Love these old school fixes. Thanks!

  • by robertstpl,

    robertstpl robertstpl Apr 12, 2012 8:23 PM in response to JRT59
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 12, 2012 8:23 PM in response to JRT59

    So this failed keyboard thing happened to me again today (newer - titanium kb). I tried all sorts of batteries and then came to this site. After a while I remembered it happened to me a year or so ago. Then I remembered I fixed it by dropping in a little spring from a cheap ballpoint pen. This had obviously dropped out today in my battery changing frenzy. I looked around and found the little spring and dropped it in again and all was OK. So for those of you who dont have steel wool, a 3/4 inch ballpoint pen spring works just fine. Just dont forget that you need it next year ...

  • by Rosiefromwa.,

    Rosiefromwa. Rosiefromwa. Apr 29, 2012 8:44 AM in response to robertstpl
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 29, 2012 8:44 AM in response to robertstpl

    Great suggestion!  I just got my keyboard working again using aluminum foil as suggested in an earlier post.

  • by Rudolf Bausch,

    Rudolf Bausch Rudolf Bausch May 9, 2012 2:28 AM in response to Rosiefromwa.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 9, 2012 2:28 AM in response to Rosiefromwa.

    Excellent solution and worked like a charm for my 4 years old BT Keyboard

  • by erbrill,

    erbrill erbrill May 14, 2012 10:04 AM in response to JRT59
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 14, 2012 10:04 AM in response to JRT59

    Yippee!  Thank goodness for this exchange.  Even nicer than saving the $$ for a new keyboard is the reassurance that simple works and I figured it out myself.  Confirmation from this group makes me feel a bit less silly for putting that stupid little plastic ring in backwards.  Nice to know it's bad design and not stupid me!

  • by bluesdiva2001,

    bluesdiva2001 bluesdiva2001 Jul 3, 2012 12:12 PM in response to JRT59
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 3, 2012 12:12 PM in response to JRT59

    Wow, this thread goes back a few years...  Thanks everyone for your work on this issue!

    I have the "mini" bluetooth keyboard, requiring 2 AA batteries. After replacing them the

    first time, guess what?  Yes, the keyboard didn't work properly.  Trying a bunch of things

    that I read here, I was about to try the "aluminum foil ball" trick, when my husband said

    "Why don't you just reboot and see if that fixes the issue?"

     

    I was thinking "reboot?  but this is mac, not windows!". ha ha ha.

     

    I rebooted and the keyboard sync'd up with the mothership and all is well.

     

    I have MacOS Lion.  I've noticed that this version of OS is less Mac-like, and more Windows-like

    (argh!) in some ways.  And this is another example....

     

    When in doubt, reboot.  It can't hurt. That is all.

  • by Pro4Mac,

    Pro4Mac Pro4Mac Nov 21, 2012 5:28 PM in response to dph012000
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 21, 2012 5:28 PM in response to dph012000

    Yep! The aluminum foil did the trick for me. I had two wireless keyboards laying around, and it worked. I created a disk of foil about the size of a flat battery in a HP calculator. I'm typing on it right now. Great tip!

  • by mary2121,

    mary2121 mary2121 Nov 21, 2012 6:11 PM in response to JRT59
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 21, 2012 6:11 PM in response to JRT59

    OK - aluminum ball worked for awhile.... steel wool worked for awhile.... now all I get is a blinking green light... and it is not discoverable.  Is it junk?

    ALSO- is the green light supposed to stay on the whole time? 

  • by Rosiefromwa.,

    Rosiefromwa. Rosiefromwa. Nov 21, 2012 6:43 PM in response to mary2121
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 21, 2012 6:43 PM in response to mary2121

    hi Mary,  the green light only shows up when the keyboard is powering on...do you have any other devices with which you can try to link the keyboard, like an iPad/Pod/Pad?   see if you can get it recognized by another device.    If so then you can at least know whether it's an OSX recognition issue or ?

     

    did you try new batteries at this point?

     

    good luck.

     

    RosieinWA

  • by Rosiefromwa.,

    Rosiefromwa. Rosiefromwa. Nov 21, 2012 6:44 PM in response to Rosiefromwa.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 21, 2012 6:44 PM in response to Rosiefromwa.

    oops,  cancel that 2nd iPad in my list and try iPhone

  • by mary2121,

    mary2121 mary2121 Nov 21, 2012 6:48 PM in response to Rosiefromwa.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 21, 2012 6:48 PM in response to Rosiefromwa.

    you are so sweet!  (RosiefromWA) Thank you!  Since my post...determined to make it work... HA..... I did get my keyboard to work again... wonder how long it will last this time but sure love the freedom the wireless keyboard and mouse offer.  Using my bluetooth nouse again too but it wont work like it shoud... (the scrolling features) but regardless happy it is cooperating this time.  Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving!

first Previous Page 7 of 9 last Next