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Steve Eugene Author

Level 1

11 points

Unresponsive Keyboard and Trackpad problem FIXED/RESOLVED

I've been dealing with this issue since early December myself.
I purchased the MBP in November and had nearly a month with out any issues.

I spent nearly two hours on the phone with Apple Care via a specialist trying to diagnose the problem yesterday.
He did mention that they believe neither the 10.5.1 update or the MBP 1.1 update were to blame for occurrence of this issue. (I remain slightly skeptical)

Let me give you a short rundown of my problems and what I've done to help resolve the issue. Hopefully it'll help some of you.. or help me (with some of everyone else insight) if it happens again.

The symptoms:
keyboard and trackpad become unresponsive.
The problem is intermittent but often is completely unresponsive at start up.
USB mouse and keyboards have full functionality.

Kernel panics often occur as well. Usually this occurs just after the keyboard and track pad experience extreme intermittent "on and off" periods.
The only option is to do a hard-restart which my or may not resolve the unresponsiveness.

Things I've addressed in my particular case:

1. The battery recall issue - my battery (6N745288YFTA) is OK.
2. Resetting the PMU - no change.
3. Re-installing both the 10.5.1 and MBP 1.1 updates - no effect.
4. pressing the Function + S key at start up and running /sbin/fsck -fy The HD is said to be OK
5. I just finished an Archive and reinstall of Leopard = this seems to have fixed the issue for the moment. I have not run the Updater to bring the OS back to it's fully updated form yet.

The Archive and Re-install DID NOT WORK.
Even upon downloading and installing the 10.5.1 and 1.1 update, I'm still back at square one.

I've also been experiencing these phantom keystrokes to the eject key and backlight myself lately.

I've resolved to wait for the 10.5.2 official release to see of that helps... If not then I'll break down and send my machine in for service.

_____________________________________
Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro3,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP31.0070.B05
SMC Version: 1.16f10
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled

THE SOLUTION:

This is a HARDWARE problem!

After playing around with removing the battery and noticing that this often returned functionality to the keyboard I surmised that this had some sort of physical aspect.
Sure enough, there is a section of copper colored tape/wiring exposed in the batter slot that is slightly bowed where it's smallest.
When I depressed this with my finger tip on this portion to basically flatten it out flush against the housing; I found that all functionality was restored!

You can see the portion in the picture below.

I haven’t had any problems AT ALL since I took a piece of napkin and taped it down to sustain pressure on this portion of bowed tape/wiring.

I have yet to call AppleCare to see what they suggest I do.
I will post a reply here when I hear their suggestion.

Mac Book Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.1), 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB 667 MHz SDRAM

Posted on Jan 27, 2008 3:18 PM

Top-ranking reply

metaweb

Level 1

40 points

Posted on Apr 14, 2017 8:01 AM

Same problem here. It's a design issue. My keyboard and trackpad also stopped responding, couldn't get past login ... The problem is that Apple ran the trackpad cable over the top of the battery. And as Macbooks get thinner and thinner, component are snugger and snugger. So, when the battery heats up, and it will when watching YouTube videos or running video editing programs as many of us do, the trackpad cable gets unseated from the connected to the trackpad board. I have an Early 2015 Macbook Pro, and this problem surfaced just after the 1-year warranty period expired. If I turn my Macbook Pro over and firmly press in an up and down motion over the bottom case (under where the trackpad, trackpad cable and battery are all 3 aligned, then turn on my laptop, I once again have a working keyboard and trackpad and can login as normal. This is not what one would expect from such an expensive laptop. As these things get thinner and thinner ... problems will crop up more and more.

Apple Support will tell you to reset your NVRAM and SMC ... but that is the canned reply. Resetting those do fix other problems: keyboard backlights and other wonky issues ... but it will not reconnect an unseated trackpad ribbon. And if you are out of warranty ... just purchase a replacement ribbon on ebay and install it yourself. Taking it to an authorized Apple Repair Center will cost you an arm and a leg, especially outside of the USA where there's no price regulation.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/821-00184-A-Touchpad-Trackpad-Cable-for-Apple-MacBook-Pr o-Retina-13-A1502-2015-/111975916834?hash=item1a1248e522

The link above is only for the Early 2015 (March) MacBook Pro ... you will need to research your models ribbon for replacement.

View in context

382 replies

SAGO

Level 1

0 points

Jun 15, 2008 10:12 AM in response to Steve Eugene

the solution didn't work for me. It did for a while when pressing the cable..but once the machine is on for a while, it will stop responding. Up to the point when even if i press the cable, it won't work.

Have send in for repair. Let's see what happens.

Jun 17, 2008 7:05 AM in response to SAGO

When I first experienced the dead keyboard/trackpad problem I found this thread and used the "piece of paper" workaround. It worked for a few weeks but the problem did come back.
Dropped the machine off at a local Apple auth. Service Partner and got it back in 26 hours (driving included). According to the receipt they replaced the TOP CASE ASSY. Unlike Steve Eugene's case, my invoice does not list the ASSY,KEYBOARD.

-tb

Jun 23, 2008 2:15 PM in response to Steve Eugene

I have a MacBook, not a Pro and have the same problem with the keyboard and trackpad locking but it seems to be caused by using usb-serial cables. I have one usb-serial that was connected to a DataGrid GPS and caused a lock up (when switching desktops) and one usb to garmin gps serial cable that caused a lock up twice (once when switching desktops). The desktop switching might just be coincidence or a trigger for something that was going to happen anyway. This seems to have nothing to do with the battery but more to do with the way serial ports are handled.
I have no bluetooth mouse to check with but the Apple infrared remote for Front Row worked whilst the trackpad and keyboard were locked.

SAGO

Level 1

0 points

Jun 24, 2008 12:48 AM in response to SAGO

They replaced my TOP CASE ASSEMBLY. That fixed it.

Looks ok now..

Jun 26, 2008 8:19 PM in response to mercergeo

I have had recent problems with first not having the macbook pro boot up to show login window access. It would stay spinning with the grey gear. I then resorted to fresh install of the os. Now my internal keyboard and trackpad did not install during this process. How do I get it to install properly? The Genius Bar Guy booted leopard from an external drive with Macbook pro and it didnot detect the internal keyboard or trackpad. They quoted me $471.00 CAD! that's almost half the price of my MBP. I can see there is a long list of internal keyboard and trackpad issues popping up after leopard updates of 10.5.3 and firmware updates. Something is not right , but Apple is not coming up and saying this is a product and software flaw either. Something is really rotten in Denmark.

kmue

Level 1

0 points

Jul 5, 2008 1:19 AM in response to Steve Eugene

After an Update to 10.5.4 my keyboard and Trackpad were dead. After some fiddling (resetting NVRAM and PMU) I found this thread and applying a piece of napkin SOLVED my problems. HAHAHA! Perhaps Apple should supply nice packaged pieces of napkin for all MBP users.

Before they keyboard was completely dead sometimes keystrokes disappeared and some were repeated (as if they were buffered).

Thank you Steve for your work and reporting it!

Jul 20, 2008 10:40 AM in response to Steve Eugene

Unfortunately, the same has happened to my MBP, I bought my machine late 2006 and I didn't get Apple Care (it's $560 in the UK, at the time I could not afford it), from reading this thread, I have deduced I need a new top case. Does anyone know how much Apple would charge for a replacement outside warranty?

On another note, it seems to me this has been happening to a lot of other people, could this be an Apple design fault?

Any thoughts, much appreciated!

Guill0m

Level 1

0 points

Jul 23, 2008 1:44 PM in response to Steve Eugene

I have the 2nd gen mbp (update from october 2006), and the same problems (keyboard and trackpad unresponsive randomly and suddenly), i tried your solution, but it seems that your mbp's conception is different than mine, i don't have exactly the same electric scheme under the battery, so i couldn't try your tip. But maybe its not the same problem, as when i remove the battery when it happens, keyboard and trackpad are still unresponsive. I'm a bit angry.

Jul 31, 2008 8:05 PM in response to Steve Eugene

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, !!!

eljy

Level 1

0 points

Aug 1, 2008 5:53 AM in response to Steve Eugene

Hi all,
first of all thanks to Steve for the post, I believe/hope that this post will resolve my problem.
Any ideas about the cost to replace the keyboard/top cover?
Personally I am really annoyed because my MBP came back one and a half months ago from the an official apple repair agent for a different problem that I had experienced (clamshell & screen that gave some problems)... At least for that I was lucky, got to exchange it under the last couple of days from the 1 year std warranty
Personally I find it a bit too hard to swallow that for the extra price one pays to get a MBP one gets such problems after just one year...

alan_k

Level 1

40 points

Aug 6, 2008 10:30 AM in response to Steve Eugene

My keyboard and trackpad completely died yesterday. I have a 15" MBP, was running 10.5.2 (post software update 1.1 though), updated to 10.5.4 and still no luck. I did a full wipe and restore only about a month ago due to some bad mojo between proxy stuff, itunes, and quicktime. System Prefs for Keyboard/Mouse did not even show trackpad in the tabs. External mouse/keyboard work fine. I was having intermittent problems with input/responsiveness before yesterday but didn't put 2 and 2 together until checking the forums here

I tried taping a doubled-over piece of paper towel over the spot in the photo- no luck. I then applied a thicker piece over top of this- not as narrow so it stuck about 1/3 - 1/2 of the way into the battery niche. On a second restart this seemed to work, although it was apparently thick enough that it interfered with the trackpad button (no longer clicked when pressed, and when moving the cursor with the trackpad would drag a selection box). Third iteration- I kept the paper towel thickness, but cut half of the material away so it is mostly just over the point mentioned in the original post. This seems to have done the trick (at least on the first restart, but I'm anticipating having to do a little more troubleshooting. I also took this as an excuse to buy a new keyboard- I will take this into be repaired as soon as I can but unfortunatley leave on a trip soon and I absolutely must have my comptuer with me.

Thanks for finding this potential workaround- glad you were brave enough to poke and prod where I was afraid to.

One quick question- there's no chance this could catch fire, is there?

Aug 11, 2008 12:02 PM in response to Steve Eugene

Has anyone tried this for the ELP issue?

Aug 11, 2008 10:29 PM in response to Steve Eugene

I just want to Thank Steve for his superb troubleshooting.
I Pressed My Battery and Indeed the Track-pad/keyboard stop working.

I just hope I'm still within the Warranty. I think this should be replaced for free anyway.
I'll be quite disappointed if I got to pay for it

Well done and thanks Steve....

Aug 17, 2008 3:44 AM in response to Steve Eugene

Does any one know if it is an issue with the topcase or the keyboard or both?
Even better how much tit cost to fix with no apple care!

Tomdbl

Level 1

64 points

Aug 17, 2008 4:53 PM in response to Steve Eugene

What we're discussing here is fixing our macs with bits of paper and masking tape. Is this the image that Apple wants in the marketplace?

C'mon Apple - this is obviously a SERIOUS problem for MBP owners - WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

Unresponsive Keyboard and Trackpad problem FIXED/RESOLVED