Unresponsive Keyboard and Trackpad problem FIXED/RESOLVED

What a difference a day makes. Last night I powered off and removed the battery. Turned it on and it was working OK, but then the trackpad and keyboard stopped working a few minutes later while I was using the computer. I put the battery back in and rebooted. Worked fine the rest of the evening and then for the first time in a while it woke up just fine after about 4 hours of sleep with the lid closed.

However... I closed the lid and packed it up to bring to work. After running some errands, when I got to work and plugged it in - no dice (see console log below). Then, after rebooting (twice), trackpad/keyboard were still not working. I opened the battery case and pushed around on the cable some more (nothing, as expected), but after replacing the battery again and rebooting again it's working OK.

Here is the slightly redacted console log after reopening the lid:

When it still wasn't working after reboot, I saw these two similar messages:

It definitely seems to point to a hardware issue with the ribbon cable at this point, but it seems that unlike others, mine will not start working again after the ribbon cable has been jostled - until the machine is rebooted.

-JJ

Issue resolved.

@jj: At this point you could do a replacement for the flex cable and see if that helps. The cable is not expensive (around $25) and is not a difficult task to change. But in my case the problem returned after several months. I suppose replacing the cable every 6 months or so is no big deal but it's just as easy for me to use it as a desktop most of the time.

There could be more to your situation but start with the cheaper "fix".

BTW, did you ever try an external keyboard and mouse to confirm that they will work while experiencing the frozen trackpad/keyboard? That's an alternative way to get around the problem but surely not a convenient one.

Well, it's been nearly a day now and even after many reboots and poking at the cable, I still cannot get the keyboard/trackpad to return. Luckily the external mouse and keyboard work fine or I'd have a brick. I'll order the replacement cable and see if it resolves the problem. I always use an external mouse at work anyway, but at home, I prefer to work not at a desk, so this will be a pain if I cannot resolve the issue. Also, even though I prefer a mouse, I still use the trackpad for some purposes (no pinching and stretching with a mouse).

-JJ

I appear to have the same issue again. Faulty trackpad and keyboard. New part warranty ran out last month.

Another flex cable ordered. Going to complain to Apple if new flex solves problem. This must be a design fault.

One slight difference, I can only get the trackpad to work now and again, keyboard gone. The grey wire connection to the trackpad seems flimsy and I cannot get it to click into place. What is this wire? Wondering if I need to order another part.

Thanks Steve,

I took my 2007 macbook pro to the "genius" bar, and they stared at me like I was from another planet when I explained the very sme problem to them. They also told me I should "Just buy a new computer".

So much for geniuses...

Your solution works perfectly. It seems this is not uncommon.

Even though I totally prefer a mac over a PC, the lack of quality in construction (ie. wear and tear ability) sometimes really ****** me off.... especially for the price.

Yup, been dealing with this problem for about a year and finally decided to search around for other people having the same problem. At first I thought it had to do with flash videos, because my trackpad and keyboard would freeze whenever I visited sites with flash video. Really ****** me off.

Hi everybody

Once, about 6-7 months ago I had the same problem, my trackpad and keyboard together freeze sometimes intermittently

Then I solved alone, putting a little thickness between battery and golden cable

http://i49.tinypic.com/16m8w3t.jpg

This method worked great until a couple of weeks ago, when keyboard and trackpad together stop to work definitively

Now I had to repair it, but I don't know if is enough to change the golden cable or I had to change the keyboard or if are unnecessary both solution because is the black connector in the logic board to be out of order

Someone could help me, someone solve this second step of our problem??

Thank you everybody

Hello guys!

Just passing to celebrate 5 YEARS of this Apple Hardware Problem without proper solution provided by Apple.

Thanks Apple, you have been proving that you do not give a **** for your clients!

I gonna fix it for the last time, sell everything that I have from Apple and never go back.

Goodbye!

I expreiced similar problem. Unresponsive external keyboard. Keys being repeated. Macbook pro keyboard works just fine.

Did a NVRAM/PRAM reset (see here http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379) and that solved the problem. Everythink seems to work fine again now.

Thank you!

Same problems as mentioned in the original post.... and same solution: just a small piece of pape on the tape/wiring... and working!

I have this similar problem about 4 months back on my macbook pro that was purchased in November 2011. Was quite disappointed with the quality that I kept it until this week when I decided to tkae it to the local Apple service centre for repair. They qioted me RM 2,435.00 ( about USD 760.00) to fix the problem by exchanging the logic board. Well one of the USB and the blue tooth were not working as well. should I do it ?

The trackpad on my MacBook Air stopped recognizing clicks. The curser position could be changed but nothing I was trying was working to get the clicker to work... SMC Reset, Zap PRAM, Disk Utility, Permissions... etc.

Turns out that the wireless mouse I had paired to the MBA and tossed into my brief case was being pressed by other items in the briefcase! Turned it off. Problem solved.

The Accularian

I have a 2011 MacBook Air 13´ with the same problem. After suffering the lack of reliability of the computer which means switching it on and not knowing if the keyboard and trackpad are going to work or not, I took the computer to the Genius (Apple Service). They thought that it was a trackpad failure or a keyboard failure or both. So they changed the keyboard. I was going to pay for it because the warranty expired. When I go to collect the computer I test it for a few seconds and the problem continued.

I spoke wth the technician and after some tests he told me that I had very bad luck. My only choice is to replace the base plate which costs more than 400 Euros. Much more expensive than changing keyboard and trackpad.

I have been several months with this problem, and has affected professionaly to my activities with the computer.

In the last five years I have been a great Apple fan, we have at home several Mac computers, Ipad, Iphone, Appel TV, Time machine, etc. Apple is more expensive than other computers but it was worth it. But when I pay more than the average I expect, as a customer, a good reliability.

And this has not been the case with the problem. I have a great dissapointment with Apple and I doubt that I will buy another apple product again. I shall move to Samsung and other companies but never Apple.

From seeing this community I can see that Apple has manufactured a product with a serious defect and I would expect a solution. This is what I would expect and thousands of unhappy customers that have read and written in this community. This is totally unacceptable. Someone from Apple should come up and give an explanation for such a defective product.

I have been seduced by Apple for a few years, but not anymore... since I have paid for a useless computer.

Bye, bye Apple.

I last commented in this thread about a year ago. I was using the MBP without the battery (on AC) as my way of avoiding the problem. But about 6 months ago I stopped taking the battery out. I usually have the AC plugged in anyway since this model doesn't have a great battery life (early 2008, 15" 2.5 GHz, 4GB Ram 10.6.8).

Here's the odd thing. I have only had the freeze up or the multiple lettering maybe two or three times since then even though the battery is in the unit. What I do get on occasion is the trackpad not really recognizing my fingers. Sometimes I have to wet them or rub them, wait a few seconds, then try again and the cursor will respond.

I wish I could tell you all why it seems to be better now, but I can't. Not complaining, mind you. :-)