Volume and Brightness Keys Locked

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Level 1

1 points

Volume and Brightness Keys Locked

Hi

After looking high and low, cannot find a resolution!

The function keys to set the volume and the brightness on a MacBook Pro 17" (1st Gen) seems to be locked out or something.
When you try to set the volume or brightness the On Screen Display pops up on screen but instead of changing the setting a circle with a line through it and it wont change.
Trying to change the volume via system pref. the volume won't change.

This is was a trouble shoot over the phone and I have not been in front of the machine, just hoping someone might of seen something like this.

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.5.4), 1.8 CPU, 2GB MEM, 80PATA

Posted on Aug 18, 2008 8:16 PM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Aug 18, 2008 8:26 PM in response to blueteq

hi blutec,

Most likely it's this file, but it holds many prefs, so drag it to the Desktop & reboot.

You could pre-test by making a new user & see if their Sound works ok.

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Answer 2

blueteq Author

Level 1

1 points

Aug 18, 2008 8:33 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks BDAqua for the quick response

What file are you referring to?

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Answer 3

Aug 18, 2008 8:41 PM in response to blueteq

Hello,

Using function keys on portable computers
Most function keys on your portable computer (and on some Apple keyboards) serve as specific control keys, such as volume and brightness controls.

However, applications may also assign alternate functions to these same keys. For example, Exposé uses certain F keys to perform actions with Exposé. If you want to use the alternate function assigned to a function key by an application, hold down the Function (Fn) key as you press the function key.

Are you by chance using the fn key ?? If you frequently use the alternate function of a function key, you can switch the keyboard so that the function keys perform the alternate function without pressing Fn. You then hold down Fn to use a function key's original hardware control function.

To switch the function keys to perform alternate functions:
Open System Preferences and click Keyboard & Mouse.
Click Keyboard, if necessary.
Select the "Use the F1-F12 keys to control software features" checkbox.

If you aren't using the fn key, in System Preferences/Keyboard. Where it says: Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.. make sure the box is UNchecked.

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 4

blueteq Author

Level 1

1 points

Aug 18, 2008 8:46 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Carolyn

This is not the case, I know about this setting under system preferences and I am sure it set to use the hardware control keys instead of the F Keys.

Thanks

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Aug 18, 2008 8:53 PM in response to blueteq

OOPs, sorry...

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

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Answer 6

Aug 18, 2008 8:54 PM in response to blueteq

That's good... just process of elimination.

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 7

blueteq Author

Level 1

1 points

Aug 18, 2008 9:00 PM in response to BDAqua

Cheers BDAqua... will give the new user account a go and see that happens then rename the file...

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Answer 8

blueteq Author

Level 1

1 points

Aug 19, 2008 8:50 PM in response to blueteq

Problem solved, I doubt that this was the solution.
I asked the client to do a CTRL + F5 to turn of voice over.

He responded that the the problem seems to be resolved.

thanks

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Answer 9

jwpdlstl

Level 1

0 points

Aug 20, 2008 7:11 AM in response to blueteq

Tried all of the fixes... but my volume buttons still give me the circle w/line. Screen brightness buttons work.

G5 D2.0 running Tiger.

?

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Answer 10

blueteq Author

Level 1

1 points

Aug 20, 2008 9:09 PM in response to jwpdlstl

jwpdlstl: as mentioned in my last post, I doubt by turning off the Voice Over would have been the solution to the problem. But my client came back to me to say its all working now. Not being there I wont be able to say what he did?

Troubleshooting his problem, I asked around and a friend of mine doing Apple Support now for some time only experienced this type of issue once. And it was caused by a faulty sound card. I don't think this could be the problem in my clients case as his brightness controls responded in the same way.

If you have been using headphones, try to plug them in and out a couple of times and see if it is not the detection of that which could be causing the problem?!?

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