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

382 replies

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.

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 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....

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?

Dskvid

Level 1

0 points

Aug 23, 2008 6:41 PM in response to DrJD

HELLO ALL
I'm having a similar problem and posted this recently. My Keyboard never dies completely but just goes unresponsive for a little bit. I hope to try this fix tomorrow.

+ Both Paralles and Boot Camp are searching for something.+
+Posted: Aug 20, 2008 6:47 PM +
+ Reply Email+

Hello
+I have both a Paralles virtual file and a separate XP Pro sp2 partition on Boot camp. I use the Boot camp side only to play games and the Paralles for a couple of other programs. Recently While in boot camp playing Call of Duty 4 the touchpad would lock up for a few seconds and I'd hear a beep in the background like I just added a new piece of hardware. A few seconds later it would beep again. After a little while it would happen again. Each time the touchpad and keyboard would freeze but only for a few seconds. After this happens, the touchpad will be less responsive afterwards.+
+When I'm on the Mac side everything seems to run fine but when I open the paralles windows it works and nothing locks up but this pharse will pop up,+

+"You are trying to connect USB HID device to the virtual machine. The device connected to the virtual machine will be inaccessible in Mac OS X until it is disconnected from the virtual machine or until the virtual machine is stopped or suspended. If you connect your primary keyboard or mouse to the virtual machine, it will be impossible to use them in Mac OS X.+

+Do you want to connect this USB HID device to the virtual machine?"+

+If I say "yes" to that, the keyboard will become unusable on the Mac side. Up until recently All these versions were running fine. I should also mention that I don't have to be playing a game on Boot camp for the problem to occur. Also I don't know if its always been this way but the internal DVD drive shows up on Boot camp as an external option.+

+I think the problem is some hardware in the Mac.+

+Thanks for reading this.+

+MBP 15 " Mac OS X (10.5.4) 2.4 hz 2 gig ram+

alan_k

Level 1

40 points

Aug 25, 2008 8:54 PM in response to Steve Eugene

My "folded napkin" trick eventually stopped working a couple of weeks ago. This was right before a trip, so I brought along a keyboard and mouse which I ended up needing.

Back from said trip, I called Applecare this morning. The first thing the technician said to do was to take out the battery and power cord and then hold down the power button for 10 seconds. Replace battery and power cord, attach the external keyboard, then turn on and immediately hold down
[option] + [command] + p + r. it should quickly restart again, at which point you can release the keys.

I think the technician said this resets the "peripheral ram" (??).

This actually worked, although I'm not convinced it wasn't a coincidence.

I haven't read through all 5 pages of this thread so this advice may have been given before, but thought it would be worth a mention again.

tomtwigg

Level 1

0 points

Aug 28, 2008 10:25 AM in response to Steve Eugene

I started having the intermittent trackpad/keyboard unresponsive problem a week ago, last night they quit working altogether, my MBP was unusable except with mouse and external keyboard. I found your post via a Google search (oddly nothing came up when i searched Apple support forums). I popped the battery out, saw the bow you mentioned, taped it down with some paper in between for added pressure, replaced the battery and restarted a completely functional computer! Thanks so much!

My MBP is 2 months out of AppleCare (I missed my chance to extend by a couple days :^( but I think I'll drop by an Apple store next week to see if there is anything they can do to permanently address the problem that won't cost an arm and leg.

Did I say thanks? Such a simple little thing, yet completely awesome.

Sep 11, 2008 6:49 AM in response to tomtwigg

Ok, I have the same ELP issue but its not related to hardware. Go figure. This issue occurs after I've been away from my machine for at least 5 minutes. The first letter I type on ANY keyboard (USB, Bluetooth, and laptop keyboard) is missing. Didn't Apple release a patch for this issue months ago?

leccie

Level 1

0 points

Sep 18, 2008 4:41 AM in response to Steve Eugene

very nice this!
i got a big scare yesterday

espacially because my macbook already got hit by a bookcase
the screen cracked, apple said no to repair because it was my own fault
which i also understand (a very little bit)
i changed the LCD myself
and yesterday all of a sudden my keyboard stopped!!
this at least has got it going again
thanks!

_om__

Level 1

10 points

Oct 29, 2008 6:03 AM in response to Steve Eugene

I had the Unresponsive Keyboard and Trackpad again, AFTER a repair by apple a few months ago. D*mn! they replaced some hardware, at then the problem was solved..!

it occurred to me that i was downloading and copying a lot again, and my MBP was feeling pretty hot.
starting up first didnt help, after the second time the problem seems to be solved.. i had to put the batt out, disconnecting from power, then pressing the powerbutton for a second or two.. and letting it cool down several minutes.. and it is OK for now.
I'll keep you posted when it happens again.. it is still very weird..

Tip; use your external mouse and keyboard to save your work. (ae bluetooth keyboard/mouse)

Hint; run app; Applications/Utlilities/System Profiler, and select usb, open all triangles, you won't see your "Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad" there, where they should be when both are working.
gr TOM

_om__

Level 1

10 points

Nov 5, 2008 5:51 AM in response to _om__

..and it DID happen again.. and i still don't know why.
and the piece of paper seems to solve this again for now.. so, thanx for the second time!
i'm still hoping for a permanent solution..
gr TOM

stebanus

Level 1

10 points

Nov 8, 2008 10:28 PM in response to Steve Eugene

PROBABLY A SOLUTION. Same problem, my trackpad and keyboard used to freeze 3 to 4 times every day. I think I found a solution that is working for me. If you take the battery out you will see the connectors for the keyboard and the trackpad. It seems like there is a hardware problem with these connections which do not work properly due to warming conditions coming from the battery or there is some kind of contact between these connections and the battery due to the connections are a little loose. So I placed a plastic film between the battery and these connectors and the problem disappeared for 2 days now. In my case I used one of those films used to protect ipod screed from scratches.

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Unresponsive Keyboard and Trackpad problem FIXED/RESOLVED