MattyRay

Q: Random Keys Working Sporadically

I have a MacBook Pro OSX, that I bought about 4 years ago. It has worked PERFECTLY for me. Until now. What is happening is at RANDOM times and for RANDOM lengths, a few keys (t,y,u,i,o) will STOP working. It is totally random and there seems to be no pattern to it at all - they simply will work, and the stop, and then work again (as you can see, they are working NOW). I brought it in to the local computer shop (Best Buy) and they did a hardware analysis to see if the keyboard was broken. It came back and said the keyboard was functioning fine. I don't know what to do at this point?? I've read about the battery perhaps swelling up and causing this, but IDK...ANY help would be GREAT!!!!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Mar 10, 2014 1:32 PM

Close

Q: Random Keys Working Sporadically

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

first Previous Page 8 of 9 last Next
  • by royH_,

    royH_ royH_ Jun 10, 2016 3:10 AM in response to MattyRay
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 10, 2016 3:10 AM in response to MattyRay

    As I was reading this thread because my A Q 1 and backspace often (normally when I turn on my macbook air 13-inch, medio 2013 or open it up after a couple of hours) don't work I came onto something but this can be wrong havent tested this because as I am writing this I stumbled upon this.

     

    My q a 1 (backspace) don't work it seems to happen only when my macbook in on something where the air can't escape from below because I always set it down on my lap and if I get my left leg away from the ven thats on the left side of my macbook the keys start working fine after a few second delay .

     

    I Hope that this thread is still being seen by people and i hope it wil work for the users having issues. it seems for me its not a hardware or software problem but a design problem (for me then )

     

    Note : it seems that its an overheating problem. ( I am not very technical but this is what i guess is wrong with the macbook('s)

  • by Fede Franco,

    Fede Franco Fede Franco Jun 13, 2016 12:44 PM in response to SorensenDK
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 13, 2016 12:44 PM in response to SorensenDK
    Wow, thanks a lot, it worked for me, i cant believe i am writing fluidly without having to press 'asd' keys repeatedly (this way i used to solve the problem when keys did'nt work), then after reading the entire thread i read your comment and realized that they work when PRESSED AT THE SAME TIME, thanks again, and if you solve the 'bug' problem please share the solution
  • by fastrgv,

    fastrgv fastrgv Jul 5, 2016 9:04 PM in response to MattyRay
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 5, 2016 9:04 PM in response to MattyRay

    Trolling the internet gave me a freakish solution:  press all the non functioning keys at once !!!

    My digits 1..9 stopped working twice now.  The second time it happened I saw this unbelievable solution, but it worked for me?

    I have a late 2013 Retina 15" with OS-X El Capitan.  Rod

  • by smittyrocks,

    smittyrocks smittyrocks Jul 14, 2016 12:04 AM in response to lannyripple
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jul 14, 2016 12:04 AM in response to lannyripple

    I have the exact same issue on the same model of MacBook Pro. This doesn’t appear to be hardware related, as the keys will start working again. The workaround is to press all keys that are not working together, they will start working again (for a while).

  • by Milevski,

    Milevski Milevski Jul 29, 2016 12:12 PM in response to MattyRay
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 29, 2016 12:12 PM in response to MattyRay

    So has Apple said anything about this? Not keen on buying another Apple product as they all slowly die within a 5 year period, no matter what product and how well you take care of the product.

  • by mvisc10,

    mvisc10 mvisc10 Jul 29, 2016 12:20 PM in response to MattyRay
    Level 1 (21 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 29, 2016 12:20 PM in response to MattyRay

    Hi Matty,

     

    What you're suggesting may be a software problem rather than a hardware problem. I would suggest to make a backup of your important files, then just to erase your computer. To do this do the following steps:

     

    1. Restart your Mac, and while restarting hold down CMD+R.

    2. In OS X Utilities, click on Disk Utility.

    3. Select the HD your OS is on.

    4. Click Erase, and make sure it is formatted as Mac OS Extended Journalled.

    5. Go back by closing Disk Utility by closing it.

    6. Click Install Mac OS X.

    7. Follow the steps on-screen.

     

    Good luck!

     

    Marco.

  • by elheuring,

    elheuring elheuring Jul 31, 2016 7:46 AM in response to MattyRay
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 31, 2016 7:46 AM in response to MattyRay

    This may or may not help you or others on this thread --

     

    I have been having this problem with my a, 1, and delete key on my 3 year old macbook air for several months now. They only work sometimes, and it's absolutely maddening. I took it to a very high rated repair shop, and they couldn't replicate the problem. Took it home, and it's still happening!

     

    I finally discovered that if I do not rest the heel of my wrists on my laptop while I type, the keys work just fine. I actually figured it out because I was trying to film the keys not working (to prove my sanity to the repair shop!), but every time I lifted my hands off the laptop to reach for my phone to film, they would start working again. So now I rest my forearms on the edge of the table and float my fingers above the keyboard, and I haven't had any problems. Not a great or convenient solution by any means, but for me it's better than buying a new laptop when this one works just fine in every other regard.

  • by jasonardell,

    jasonardell jasonardell Aug 3, 2016 4:25 AM in response to MattyRay
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Aug 3, 2016 4:25 AM in response to MattyRay

    My t, y, u, i, and o keys were working sporadically (mid-2011 13" MBP). After pressing down and holding (hard-ish) on the areas in between the keys they now work consistently.

     

    Seems to be some sort of loose connection below the keys.

  • by LShark,

    LShark LShark Aug 4, 2016 11:35 AM in response to spudnuty
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Aug 4, 2016 11:35 AM in response to spudnuty

    Thanks, Spudnuty!  You've given me the motivation I nee to take out my keyboard and look at it.  In my case, I have a suspicion that I may find cat fur lodged in there somewhere...

  • by cmonnow,

    cmonnow cmonnow Aug 6, 2016 11:31 AM in response to MattyRay
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 6, 2016 11:31 AM in response to MattyRay

    I solved it today after months just by changing time response at keyboard settings.

    Sistem Preferences....Keyboard....Key repeat (move slover)

     

    All the best,

    Sabina

  • by wytzeschouten,

    wytzeschouten wytzeschouten Aug 12, 2016 1:12 AM in response to MattyRay
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 12, 2016 1:12 AM in response to MattyRay

    Hi everyone, here's an overview of a lot of the ideas and solutions, and what may be the root cause of the problem.

     

    Problem

    Some keys on the Macbook's keyboard do not work. Specifics:

    • It's intermittent (they sometimes do work)
    • it's a row or a cluster of keys (they're all next to each other)
    • It doesn't affect all of these keys equally (one might work while others don't)
    • It can also involve keystrokes being delayed, i.e. you type "e" then "r" but it comes out as "re"

     

     

    First aid

    • There's a list in an Apple Help page which helps in situations where settings (mostly accessibility settings: keys doubling as mouse controls) are the cause.
    • EASY TO TRY: Other users have suggested and had success with tapping the option key five times. That is a way of switching between accessibility modes, which affects the keyboard.
    • EASY TO TRY: adding a new input source (e.g. a British English keyboard) via settings. This appears to reset the keyboard's connection with each of its keys, which may help.
    • MEDIUM EASY: Download TinkerTool (an app that basically gives you extra System Settings to tinker with), go to the General tab > Keyboard. There are two options: whatever is currently selected, try the other ("Support key repeat" or "Hold key to select diacritic character")

     

    However, these are not likely causes/solutions if only a bunch of keys (often the row between E and O) is affected.

     

    Causes

    • If it's only a few keys affected, the cause is likely to be a combination of hardware issues (i.e. there's really something wrong with the keyboard)
    • Software may play a part too: certain settings or OSX updates may make the computer more sensitive to physical problems with the keyboard. But doing something about the software will never solve your problem fully.
    • The hardware problem seems to be that the electric signals do not run correctly in this group of keys. This is usually caused by tiny specs of rust, moisture, hairs; by ruptures in the circuit; or by other ways in which the whole process (where tapping a key gets turned into an electrical signal) can go awry
    • Since they're grouped, a problem in one key may affect the others. In the E-O group, often the E and maybe the R will work, while keys farther to the right won't.

     

    Stopgap solutions

     

    On the hardware side, these solutions may help, but likely not for long or not for all keys.

     

    • tapping all the affected letters at once (this triggers a stronger electrical current, which can shock the keys out of their deafness). This is very likely to help you in the short term while you go Googling for answers
    • pressing hard on the aluminium casing nearby the keys. The layer below the keys which receives the electrical currents may have gotten too far away from the keys and the casing.

     

    Root causes:

    • It's your physical keyboard where the problems lie. Have you been placing it on your lap, holding it in strange non-horizontal positions, and has the laptop been hot while you were doing this? All of those things may eventually cause your laptop to slightly deform below the surface.
    • Have you been using diacritical sign often (é, ü etc)? And have you been doing this by long-pressing your keys? I have, and it just so happen that most of the keys I long-press (the vowels) are in the e-o section. I may have been pressing too hard, thus increasing the distance between the keys and the layer below them.

     

    Real solutions:

    • Cleaning below each key. If your E key works while those to its right don't, clean below the E and the R keys.
    • In the same spirit: vacuum your keyboard, and/or hold it upside down and gently shake or tap the laptop against a tabletop. In other words: clean out the junk.
    • Bend your outer case in such a way that the middle of the keyboard (the keys and the aluminum around them) will budge just a little bit closer to the core of the machine. Be careful with this! It's both the best solution and the most dangerous one for the life of your laptop.
    • Replace your keyboard (the plastic stuff below the aluminum casing)

     

    Good luck!

  • by mencarnacion,

    mencarnacion mencarnacion Aug 14, 2016 6:50 PM in response to honest abe77
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 14, 2016 6:50 PM in response to honest abe77

    It worked! Thanks.

  • by sameersam22,

    sameersam22 sameersam22 Aug 20, 2016 10:52 AM in response to MattyRay
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 20, 2016 10:52 AM in response to MattyRay

    Excellent

  • by LShark,

    LShark LShark Aug 20, 2016 12:18 PM in response to wytzeschouten
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Aug 20, 2016 12:18 PM in response to wytzeschouten

    This is a great write-up!  Thanks!

     

    I ended up replacing my keyboard.

    In case it helps anyone else, here's what worked/didn't work in my situation, when my a, s & d keys stopped working.  For all of the hardware stuff, I used the ifixit guides, which are excellent.  I didn't have the right tools, so I bought the Stronger-brand TK-LA40 toolkit from Amazon because it was cheap (about $15) and it ended up working surprisingly well. I've heard the ifixit tools are excellent, as well.  If you use the TK-LA40, I'd suggest also getting one or two pencil-like spudgers, because the ones that come with the kit are shaped like guitar picks, and they aren't useful in this particular situation.

     

    For anyone who has no experience with computer hardware but wants to try this on their own:  I have a few bits of advice that aren't mentioned in the ifixt manuals (which are otherwise excellent):

    1. You should either wear a grounding (anti-static) strap or make sure you touch the metal computer case before touching the logic board (static discharge can blow out the sensitive circuits on the board) AND, as much as possible, avoid touching any metal parts on the logic board.
    2. There are A LOT of different types and sizes of screws in the macbook.  Even some that you would assume will be the same (e.g., the 3 screws holding the fan to the logic board) will be different from each other.  DON'T TRUST YOUR MEMORY.  What I like to do is draw a rough outline sketch of the part I'm working on and then tape each screw to the right place on the drawing as I remove it.  Not only does that ensure I know what goes where, it keeps the screws from getting lost and saves time later, when I just grab the screw off the drawing instead of sorting through a pile of them to find the right one.
    3. Keep a magnifying glass handy.

     

    So here's what I did BEFORE replacing the keyboard, to verify I really had to:

    1. Rest SMC and PRAM: didn't help.
    2. Took off all key caps and meticulously removed all dust, crumbs and cat fur.  That made no difference.
    3. Attached a bluetooth keyboard; a, s & d worked fine with that, confirming my suspicion that problem was hardware, not software/settings.
    4. In System Preferences, changed the modifier key layout to use caps lock as a command key, since the similar key on the cheapy keyboard wouldn't work for that.
    5. Downloaded Karibiner (free keyboard remapping app) so I could disable the built-in keyboard and set the bluetooth on top of it.  I have a cheapy keyboard originally intended for use with and Android tablet, and it is almost exactly the same size as the built-in keyboard so it fits there perfectly while the laptop is open.  I used this until I was able to fix the built-in keyboard.

     

    So none of that worked. Now, here's my experience with the new keyboard project:

     

    1. Ordered a new keyboard on ebay.  About $40, including shipping.  This was a major exercise in frustration because of the horrible little screws on the keyboard (50-60, depending on macbook model).  Having spent a good portion of my career working on computer hardware, I wasn't worried by the horror stories I read online about people not being able to get these screws loose; I figured it was probably due to their relative inexperience working on computer hardware, since many people had no problem.  I am now humbled. Even though I had the proper screwdriver, between the really tiny size of the screws, the Locktite that has the screws virtually glued in place, and my old eyes, I could only get about half of them out.  The rest stripped, and I couldn't see them well enough to tell they were stripping until it was too late.  As far as I can tell, it's luck of the draw whether it will be easier/harder to remove the keyboard from a particular laptop.  After trying various methods of getting the screws loose, I gave up and moved on.
    2. Bought a refurbished top case on ebay (about $65 including keyboard and shipping).  Relatively smooth sailing after that, with only one small hitch:
    3. Fired up the laptop and found that both Shift keys, the Control key, all Function keys and the left Command and Option keys did not work.  Since the keyboard cable is easily accessible once the bottom plate is removed, it was really easy to re-seat the cable; that did the trick.  The laptop is now working great!  Whew!
  • by Surnomgenial,

    Surnomgenial Surnomgenial Sep 5, 2016 1:23 PM in response to johnadel88
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 5, 2016 1:23 PM in response to johnadel88

    I have this problem for months now. Your solution worked for me right now and it's pretty impressive, because I had many keys not functioning just before doing your procedure. Just after adding a new keyboard, all keys are back! I don't know it will always solve it in the future, but thank you for sharing it.

first Previous Page 8 of 9 last Next