iMac keyboard doing weird stuff with the 5, 6, t, y, g, h, b & u keys

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VAF1979 Author

Level 1

8 points

iMac keyboard doing weird stuff with the 5, 6, t, y, g, h, b & u keys

PLEASE HELP. I picked up an iMac 17" iSight (early 2006) and the keyboard is doing weird stuff. when I hit 5 on the keyboard it spits out "-56", when i hit 6 it spits out "-56", t gives "[ty", y gives "[ty", the g and h keys give 'gh, and b and n give " bn". These keys are the centre keys that run in a strip own the centre of the keyboard. I have an iBook and it does the same on that machine. I have another keyboard, which does not produce this problem or any of my machines, including the new one. I have even plugged the keyboard into a PC, and get the same error. clearly something is wrong with the keyboard. I took it apart and cleaned it. I even popped the keys out and made sure there was no issue there. Is there a virus in my keyboard mapping???? this is the craziest thing i've ever seen! HEEELLLPPPPPP!!!!

iMac iSight 17" (Early 2006), Mac OS X (10.5.3)

Posted on May 29, 2008 3:39 AM

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Answer 1

VAF1979 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 12, 2008 11:51 PM in response to VAF1979

I would thank the forums for the "help" I received, but i didn't get any. I got a smart ar.se comment, but nothing that could be considered "help".

I avoided having to buy a new one, which would have resulted in another keyboard going into landfill. In today's consumer society the solution of just buying a replacement is definitely the obvious option. I, hopefully like many other mac users, would prefer to help the planet and future generations, and keep the earth as green as possible.

SOLUTION:
I ended up taking the keyboard apart, and noticed that there was discolouring on the membrane below the keys. I cleaned what appeared to be a spill from the membrane, put the keyboard together again, and it now works perfectly.

PROBLEM:
It appears that there was a softdrink spill on the keyboard, and the membrane matrix was not reading the keystrokes for the centre keys as individual strokes, rather as the liquid had formed a link and any keystroke along the spacebar, 5, 6, t, y, g, h, b & u keys registered as a series of four keystrokes.

I hope that this helps others, as if you do have a spill, or multiple keystroke issue for one key pressed, then it is quite simple to take the keyboard apart, clean it up, and put it back together. Dollars saved, and more importantly, one less item in landfill.

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Answer 2

VAF1979 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 12, 2008 11:56 PM in response to Community User

Surely you don't get paid for IT support? I'm guessing that your version of IT support is:

1) Try closing the program down and opening it up again, if it doesn't work then
2) Try resetting the computer, if that doesn't work then
3) It must be a driver problem, you need a full re-installation
4) If all else fails, get a new computer.

Don't worry, there are many who follow this format and gullible employers willing to pay them for their lack of competence.

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Answer 3

VAF1979 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 12, 2008 11:38 PM in response to rotsblog

Sorry it took so long. The link on post below is a bit different. You need to open up the guts of the keyboard. This is done from the back. You need an kex/allen key to undo the hex bots on the back. Two are exposed and two are under the upper feet (just use a small flathead screwdriver to carefully pry the feet off (keep the glue to re attach them later!)

then you open her up, undo the next set of philips head screws (there are a heap of them, then make sure you don't lose anything! It's pretty hard to stuff it up, but make sure you do it on a clean area. I do it on the back of an old piece of carpet or a towel, with some little containers for screws, that way nothing can roll away!

Have fun

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