Q: Unresponsive Keyboard and Trackpad problem FIXED/RESOLVED

DON'T PAY FOR REPAIRS!

I spent hours on the phone and had two visits to the Genius Bar and nobody would pay for the repairs of this so-called hardware failure. IT'S A SOFTWARE ISSUE.

Just reset the PRAM if the issue ever occurs:

Hold 'P' + 'R' + [Apple] + 'Option'

While holding these push power once, you may do this up to three times, it will start up and shut down again and then start up.

So far this has worked for me. I am told it works with all people who had at first an intermittently unresponsive keyboard or mouse turned permanent. For those whose problem came on full force, then that is probably a hardware issue. Oh thank you to the one Genius who is actually cool like Mac men should be!

I forgot to mention – turn off the computer before resetting PRAM

Many thanks to Steve Eugene and Jason Robb for this thread and this fix. It did the trick for my machine.

Thanks for the tip - and the pic!

One piece of tape and I'm back in business (for now).

I'll see about getting it resolved via AppleCare after getting it backed up.

Thx again!

I'm also having this problem and this solution has stopped working for me (though it did work for about 2 weeks). My keyboard and track pad are now completely useless, and unfortunately I am no longer covered by warranty. Does anyone know how much apple charges to fix this problem? Has anyone replaced the parts themselves, and if so, what parts did you replace? I've seen that www.macreboot.com will fix this problem for 130$ (15 inch mbp), but i have no way of knowing whether they are a reliable company.

Got the same problem. My MacBook Pro is still under warranty, but I'm very reluctant to send it in when this problem is not really resolved other than by a complete redesign of the clearly faulty connector! Apple this one needs a recall! Sorry!

I used Apple computers for a long time now. The last few years I really got disappointed by the build quality. Had soooooo many problems with my MacBooks and MacBook pro it's almost unbelievable if you look what I pay for these pieces. I think my next computer is going to be a Dell or something with a Hackintosh OS.

Hi all,

Firstly, yes, I've also been through all the grief as well. Surprise, bewilderment, anger, frustration, hope, hope dashed...then finally a solution.

Secondly, apologies for the solution itself - it is not perfect by any means. However it will allow you all to use your computer without any trying to lodge tape into the battery casing whenever the trackpad and keyboard stop working.

1. Remove any tape or other objects you jammed up against the ribbon cable
2. Remove the battery
3. Attach mains power and reboot computer. Use a USB mouse if required in order to log on
4. If the trackpad is currently not working then apply pressure to the cable. Hold it down until you get some response. It may take a number of attempts but after, say half a dozen presses and subsequent responses from the trackpad/kbd, operations will slowly be returned to normal. Sometimes just using the USB mouse for a day or so will be enough to get that **** trackpad/keyboard working again
5. Ok, you're now operating normally but MAKE SURE you don't go and insert that battery again. If you have, then you'll need to start the process again
6. So, you've now realised that inserting the battery somehow interferes with the cable and stops everything in it's track. Again apologies for this clunky workaround, but my solution is based on inserting the battery without touching the cable
7. Turn the computer off and turn it over to reveal the empty battery compartment
8. Carefully align the battery terminals with their main body counterparts - essentially you're lining up the battery power bits with the "bits" on the computer
9. NOTE: You're now only going to insert the batter halfway into the computer. Insert the battery terminal first into the computer. Yes, I know that the bottom of the battery will be sticking out, but hey, I've already apologised before for this workaround
10. You'll find that this is slightly difficult at first, but when the terminals are touching you'll realise that a fair bit of the battery will also slide into the computer. You should finish with the bottom of the battery sticking out and the top (terminal end) firmly into the computer casing. It should go all the way in so the latches both close. Trust me ...it will go that far in.
11. Once in position, just get some clear tape and secure it in position. The battery will probably stay in by itself but better be safe than sorry

You're finished. If it didn't work, follow the instructions again. You've probably missed something.

You will need a DVD or similar to now place below the top end of your Mac in order to make the whole thing sit flat.

All done. Your mac will now charge and work as normal. The ribbon cable will not be touched and in turn caused to stop working.

All this could be perfectly solved if Apple made replacement batterys that are slightly indented near where they hit the cable section of the main body. However they don't appear to do so.

And for all those conspiracy theorists out there. My own humble opinion is that they never intended for this fault to occur. However it does seem like a design flaw, as my solution proves that there is nothing wrong with your mac, instead it just shows that the battery is incompatible with the main body. Note: the really new macs have a completely design...I wonder why...

Happy days.

Adrian

THANKS SO MUCH.
You are a genious and you saved my life.
Best,
Enrico

ihave a macbook pro.itried this.it didnt work for me.

I have had the same problem. My MacBook Pro, which cost me £978.87 in May 2008 (just under 18 months ago), is now pretty much defunct. I can't take this computer to meetings any more. Or use it for presentations. Or even in cafes, as it requires an external USB keyboard and mouse to operate - and it is a tad weird to use an external keyboard here, don'tcha think?.

I have checked with Apple, and they have told me that the machine is out of warranty and therefore I have to pay for the repairs (yes, a whole new top case) myself. That would cost hundreds of pounds.

Given the amount of people experiencing this problem, I thing it's fair to say this is a design flaw.

Apple thinks that if something is out of its warranty then it has no responsibility for it. But alas, in the UK any transactions are governed by the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (see footnote):

"To be of a satisfactory quality, goods should be *free from defect (even minor defect)*; *fit for their normal purpose* and for any particular purpose specified at the time of sale; correctly described; of a satisfactory appearance and finish; safe and durable."

Call me a miser, but 17 months is not exactly "durable". Nor would I say that the item is "fit for purpose", as I have to lug around a humungous USB keyboard and mouse to get any use from it

I have lodged an official complaint with Apple, but I suspect this will yield no fruit. Apple, please listen: this is a design flaw. My computer should last more than a measly 17 months. It is not fit for purpose. It is not durable. Please sort this out. People shouldn't have to resort to taping bits of napkins inside products so that they work.

+_Please note_: When I refer to the Sale of Goods Act 1979, I am actually referring to the Sale of Goods Act 1979 as amended by the Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994 and the Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002+

Well, the post-it note stopped doing the trick; keyboard and touch pad again inoperable. Four techs now have told me it needs an entire new top case, in effect a $300 ribbon cable replacement. Not happy.

Ok I was doing the tape fix for a while now and it quit working.
Anyway I took the battery off, removed the tape and started fiddling with the ribbon cable again with no results.
Then i actually pushed in the black connector that the ribbon cable is attached to, I pushed it pretty firmly and it made a positive click sound, as if the connector was loose and snapped back into place, I put the battery back in and it's been working perfectly ever since. I think the problem may be in that connector coming loose and not the ribbon cable itself.
If it quits working again I will post again, otherwise I think I found my fix. Now if I could just get my isight camera going again... sigh

The Apple support line had me try the option/control/p/r and power buttom several times with the power on and battery out , no success. after reading these threads from and earlier date and not having the paper on the ribbon trick work, I tried it again this time with battery in, power on, This time it worked. Unit went black then a whistling noise and it rebooted and keyboard and pad not working again.
Thanks all who contributed to this thread.
Mike

My keyboard looks like it's not working while booting. I can only reset the pram when using my external USB keyboard. When pressing the keys on the macbook pro keyboard, nothing happens.

The keyboard and trackpad just stopped working completely one morning (i was rebooting the macbook pro to get my trackpad working, a few days earlier).
Pressing the orange ribbon in the battery compartment doesn't do anything for me.

Some new ideas?

Anyone?
I can not think it's a hardware fault, the problem suddenly happend overnight.

The macbook pro is always placed in a laptop sleeve and moved in a bag (Crumpler).