Impact09

Q: MacBook Pro - FileVault - Password Entry (Types By Itself)

Hello,

 

I have purchased a new MacBook Pro 15-Inch and immediately setup FileVault for whole disk encryption. From time to time now, when I turn the computer on after shutting it down (From the Apple Logo > Shutdown, with Resume disabled), the computer will automatically start typing in the password field to unlock the computer. It takes a couple minutes of tedius timing to get my password in there, character by character, trying to delete whatever characters are automatically typing in. I never have this issue anywhere else on the computer, everything works perfectly fine. I haven't had multiple characters type, or the computer act strange anywhere else, except at the FileVault unlock screen. Has anyone had this problem and know a solution for this? It doesn't happen every time, it may happen once or twice a week.

 

Turning the computer off, resetting SMC, moving to a different room, nothing fixes it. I do not have Bluetooth turned on, and no bluetooth devices at my house. I am completely up to date and no issues in Disk Utility.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Nov 30, 2012 6:54 PM

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Q: MacBook Pro - FileVault - Password Entry (Types By Itself)

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  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Nov 30, 2012 9:22 PM in response to Impact09
    Level 10 (207,990 points)
    Applications
    Nov 30, 2012 9:22 PM in response to Impact09

    It may be pairing automatically with a Bluetooth keyboard used by someone else. Although it's not documented, I believe that at the pre-boot authentication stage, Bluetooth is always on and operating in security mode 2, which means that it will establish a connection with the first device found.

  • by Impact09,

    Impact09 Impact09 Nov 30, 2012 9:42 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Nov 30, 2012 9:42 PM in response to Linc Davis

    I checked this, because I was curious if this was the issue. I do have a wireless keyboard, but it is off and I have taken the batteries out and it happens as well. I have been at school and it happens, at my apartment, and at a friends house. So it doesn't seem to be isolated to one location, it happens everywhere. And it seems like 2-3 characters are typed in that password box every second, nonstop.

  • by DjChelley,

    DjChelley DjChelley Dec 8, 2012 1:12 PM in response to Impact09
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 8, 2012 1:12 PM in response to Impact09

    Hello,

     

    Impact09 - did you ever resolve this? My MBP did this yesterday.  Scared the daylights out of me.  For 2 hours, I could not log on. It kept entering keys faster than I could delete them.  I kept restarting it & finally was able to start typing my p/w before the MPB began entering characters. 

     

    Were you ever able to figure this out?  I would love some help or to know what caused this.

     

    Thank you.

  • by jcapotos,

    jcapotos jcapotos Dec 9, 2012 8:12 AM in response to DjChelley
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Dec 9, 2012 8:12 AM in response to DjChelley

    I have a similar issue on my new Retina MBP 15" that happens randomly and I cannot force the issue to occur.  On occasion, when I boot up and select a user, the next screen shows the password field and it starts populating and filling the field automatically.  I cannot delete the characters.  My only resolution is to shut down and reboot. Sometimes it works on the first reboot and sometimes it may take several reboots.

     

    I have been working with Apple Care for two weeks and have tried many attemps at fixing this issue.  I have: created a new user account, run Disc Utility, reset the SMC, reinstalled OSX. No success. I went for 12 successful start ups before the problem reoccured. And now I am into the 17th start without the issue.  I have a call back with Apple Care for Monday.

     

    This has been very frustrating. My prior MBP 15" never caused any issues from day one.  I decided to upgrade to the maxed out Retina MBP 15 and a TB Display and have been disssapointed after shelling out over %5000.

     

    If anyone has a solution or more info on this issue I would love to hear about it.

    Thanks

  • by jcapotos,

    jcapotos jcapotos Dec 9, 2012 8:21 AM in response to jcapotos
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Dec 9, 2012 8:21 AM in response to jcapotos

    I forgot to mention that in my ongoing tests to isolate the problem, I have removed batteries all blue tooth devices and disconnected my TB Display. I am up to date on all software and firmware releases.

  • by Christopher Baldwin,

    Christopher Baldwin Christopher Baldwin Dec 9, 2012 9:17 AM in response to jcapotos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 9, 2012 9:17 AM in response to jcapotos

    I can't believe I found this thread. This is also happening to me, and has been for over 3 months. AND with ALL my apple devices. iPhones iPad Mac mini MacBook Pro. Everyone thinks I am insane.

    I have contacted apple care, gone to the Genius Bar and no one seems to be able to help. I was at my wits end. I do not feel safe on any of my devices. Even now as I type this, the iPhone screen goes blurry every few seconds like it is taking a screenshot of what I am writing.

    Every time I try to reinstall ML it never erases the drive and begins to lock me out of certain areas and websites when I get close to something.

    Enough of the bad:

    The good news is I believe I have found where the problem lies. It happens at boot. Commands are being written direct to my boot sequence to jump ahead of anything I can do with the keyboard. So I went into single user mode and discovered all the commands that are diverting everything. I don't know command line that well so I don't k ow what to do.

    Example: I tried to boot from disc drive; now that has been disabled with an I/O command in the boot sequence.

    I tried to enter safe mode and after doing so once or twice it "learned" and disabled my keyboard at login so shift will not work after a set amount of time, then only caps lock and volume buttons work, hence I cannot type my password.

     

    I know the keyboard works because I am using it in single user mode right now without a problem.

    I have an appt (3 actually) today to go into the Genius Bar with the mini, MacBook Pro and iPad to try and get this sorted out.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Dec 9, 2012 9:21 AM in response to Christopher Baldwin
    Level 10 (207,990 points)
    Applications
    Dec 9, 2012 9:21 AM in response to Christopher Baldwin

    Commands are being written direct to my boot sequence to jump ahead of anything I can do with the keyboard.

     

    What are these commands?

  • by Yuval Tobias,

    Yuval Tobias Yuval Tobias Mar 29, 2014 9:12 AM in response to Impact09
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Mar 29, 2014 9:12 AM in response to Impact09

    This is happening to me as well, on a 2013 Mac Mini running Mac OS X Mavericks.

     

    When it happened, I turned off both bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and disconnected all USB devices (external drive, web cam, etc.), but the characters kept typing themselves -- about one per second.

     

    This happened on multiple reboots, so the only way to use the machine was to reboot a few times until it stopped happening.

  • by de03ley,

    de03ley de03ley Jun 22, 2014 3:18 PM in response to Impact09
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 22, 2014 3:18 PM in response to Impact09

    I'm also getting this issue now and then.  Did anyone sort it out? 

  • by Mukitelan,

    Mukitelan Mukitelan Nov 28, 2015 2:31 PM in response to Impact09
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 28, 2015 2:31 PM in response to Impact09

    Hello,

     

    Sitting with a brand new iMac and are experiencing exaclty what is described above. Did anyone figure out this or are you living with the problem?