Caps Lock Key

Question

Caps Lock Key

Is anyone having problems with the Caps Lock key on the new 17" MacBook Pro Unibody? While attempting to use the Caps Lock key to send a message in Entourage, I couldn't get the light to come on, nor could I get the key to type capital letters. I tested it in several other applications and it would simply not work. I decided to Restart my system to see if that would make a difference. Upon Restart, the Caps key will light and will work (I tested it by typing in the Password Logon). Once booted in, it will stay on, working, so long as I don't release it. Even though I got it to work this way, once I depressed it to turn it off, however, I couldn't get the light back on, nor could I get it to work, unless I went through the whole restart process again. The Shift key works perfectly to produce Caps--no trouble there. Is anyone else having similar problems? It appears to me that it's likely a software issue, or maybe even a device conflict, being that it works intermittently like this; I don't think it's a bad key.

17" MacBook Pro Unibody, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Mar 31, 2009 3:56 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Tuttle

Level 7

29,541 points

Mar 31, 2009 5:53 PM in response to Phyllis Sommers

Go to System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard and click the Modifier Keys... button in the bottom left of the pane to see if the Caps Lock key has been disabled or reassigned.

Reply

Answer 2

Mar 31, 2009 8:12 PM in response to Tuttle

This was one of the first things I did, unfortunately to no avail. All modifier key settings were activated and on default settings. I even reset the defaults, but that did nothing.

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 1, 2009 4:32 AM in response to Phyllis Sommers

Try resetting the PRAM:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

Reply

Answer 4

Apr 1, 2009 11:33 AM in response to neuroanatomist

I've reset my PRAM, to no avail. When that failed to make a difference, I went through my various log-in items and removed them, one by one, restarting my system each time -- no change. I'm convinced there's a device driver or software conflict, because the caps lock key works perfectly until items start loading in. However, eliminating the only items I see loading didn't resolve the problem. I tried to make some sense out of the console messages, but didn't see anything that caught my eye as relating to what's happening (as much sense as I could make of all the technical language). I'm at a loss for what to try next, short of calling Apple; I may just put in for a callback. I'd been hoping that others were experiencing the same problem, but I'm not getting enough of a response to my post to indicate that that's the case.

Reply

Answer 5

Apr 1, 2009 11:50 AM in response to neuroanatomist

I just figured out the problem! The only other change I'd made to system defaults was to turn on Slow Keys in Universal Access, so that I could adjust the Acceptance Response time for the Keyboard (not realizing that the Acceptance Delay works independently of Slow Keys). I just turned Slow Keys off and lo and behold! my caps lock key works perfectly now. Thanks so much for your interest and attempt to help. I guess Apple needs to know about this conflict with Slow Keys. I'll let them know.

Reply

Answer 6

Albar

Level 1

0 points

Apr 20, 2009 6:32 PM in response to Phyllis Sommers

I am also having the same problem, MacBook PRo 15 in OS X 10.5.6, about 1 year old. This also reared its ugly head a day or so ago...Keyboard stops working. No keypad mouse but Mighty Mouse works and no typing. Reboot works. I have Mail in Start-up sequence.
Albar
ffokrab@mac.com

Reply