Shift Key, MacBook Pro

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Shift Key, MacBook Pro

My MacBook Pro starts up in safemode, i can only type in capitol letters and the MacBook Pro is only one day old.
I have had to attach my old usb keyboard and mouse to write this without "shouting". Any ideas of how this could have happened other than keyboard malfunction. It's my first MacBook Pro and it's seemingly very clever, maybe too clever for me. I have tried disabling the modifier keys and tweeked the track pad, made sure the universal access isn't doing anything funny but it still keeps the Shift key on. I have tried Disc Utility and all permissions are okay, the hard drive is a day old so there are no problems there. I've updated all the software after installing Microsoft Office. Any suggestions on anything I can do before taking it back to the shop????

O/T I have been buying Apple products for the past 10 years or more and this is not the first thing to go wrong this year. My Mac Pro's have failed out of the box and the iPhone is obviously glitchy. I'm starting to think that the quality control of Apple Products is starting to wain. It wont be long before people start to get worried that the quality is diminishing, which will be a shame. Please Apple try a little harder.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Aug 1, 2010 6:34 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 1, 2010 7:28 AM in response to iamnev

If yours was defective out of the box, why did you not simply take it back and ask for a new one? No offense, but what good is whining about it here going to do you? If you bought pretty much anything else and had this problem, you would have taken it right back to the store requesting a replacement, so why is this laptop any different?

And quality control costs time and money. We, as consumers, demand things faster, cheaper, and with better specs. That is exactly what has been given to us by companies. If you want companies to remain profitable, and thus in business, something is going to have to give. Things will either be more expensive, take longer to get to market, or both. These are just the fundamental economic realities we are faced with. I love a shiny new toy as much as the next person, but it doesn't change any of the above.

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Answer 2

iamnev Author

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Aug 1, 2010 8:15 AM in response to Scott Billings

not quite sure what authority you are on these matters but as you've responded to my question.

The problem developed over the course of the day (yesterday) culminating in the need to use the USB keyboard. I need my laptop now, and as i've started woking with it I thought it best to try and resolve the problem myself, rather than assuming it's a problem with my computer where it maybe a problem I've caused. Plus, not all of us live above an apple certified reseller or repair man and the journey can not be done until next weekend to replace the unit. If that is what is needed.

So why don'y you either tell me how to make the shift button not create a problem or keep your inane answers to yourself. As I don't see how you are helping?

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Answer 3

eww

Level 9

53,028 points

Aug 1, 2010 8:32 AM in response to iamnev

Is your computer set up to log you in automatically when you start it up, or do you need to enter a login password each time? If the latter is true, and if your password contains lowercase letters, are you able to log in OK, or does the login password fail because lowercase letters are erroneously being entered as uppercase?

Are you able to set up a new user account for testing purposes and log into it OK? If so, does the problem persist in that account?

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Answer 4

iamnev Author

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Aug 1, 2010 8:51 AM in response to eww

Hi,
the answers were all yes to your questions.

Initially I set up a root user as admin, the password contained lower and upper case letters. I also set up two other accounts. One for me and one for the other user of this mbp. Both other users had pwd's with upper and lower case letters.

I started noticing that as I opened up an app or went to the HD the opening would do the slow open, I also noticed that the letters would sometimes type in Caps and then you'd delete and continue writing in lower case. After several hours the typing was just in caps and as I tried to do restarts the logins got more and more difficult.

i was basically retyping the passwords until the letters were obviously in the correct register. I finally got to a point where I could delete a pwd form one of the users. This meant that I could open a text doc, type and check that I was able to type in the correct cases etc. Do multiple permission checks, repairs and disc utility things. I shut the computer down and went to bed.

Then this morning restarted and all was well, figured I had fixed it.

As today has progressed things started to happen again which made me feel the problem wasn't fixed and as quickly as I could I used the install disc to delete all pwd's, in the hope that I'd at least be able to get into the computer.

I plugged in the usb keyboard to see if it would work, hey presto all was fine if using it. Haven't dared do anything else yet with mbp keyboard or track pad until I have explored all other possibilities.

any ideas?

PS. I have just started to update to all the latest softwares 10.6.4 etc. I am currently doing disc permission checks. As last night I reinstalled the software off the disc.

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Answer 5

Aug 1, 2010 10:26 AM in response to iamnev

Well, you left out the bit about living a considerable distance from the store, but you are still almost certainly looking at a defective top case. The only resolution would be to have that part replaced. Since your unit was essentially DOA, the best thing to do would be to take it back to the store and let it be their problem getting it fixed.

Within about the first 30 days of a unit's life post-purchase, Apple doesn't want to deal with it at all. It's the retail outlet's job to handle that. Post 30-days, Apple takes over. I tend to know this because I am an Apple "repair man". So I don't need to live above one. Wherever I go, I'm always there. It's also how I can tell you that your problem is most likely hardware related. There is one possible quick fix, but it's a little tricky without a specific kind of tool, and it could make things worse if you don't do it right. Like void your warranty worse. So I'll keep that one to myself.

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Answer 6

iamnev Author

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Aug 1, 2010 10:28 AM in response to Scott Billings

thank you.
Though it's my worst fears confirmed. I hate having to deal with the after care persons, hopefully they'll just replace the unit.

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Answer 7

eww

Level 9

53,028 points

Aug 1, 2010 1:22 PM in response to iamnev

If you have no problem when using an external keyboard, your built-in keyboard is defective, as Scott has suggested.

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Answer 8

iamnev Author

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Aug 1, 2010 3:33 PM in response to eww

i've updated the software, now running 10.6.4 , i haven't done the multi touch magic tack pad update though. i've checked the permissions and repaired where necessary and all is well tonight while using the mbp keyboard etc.

I'm glad that I have been able to delete the passwords on the accounts and will hopefully re-introduce them as confidence grows. I'm also glad that the external keyboard technique worked. Should get me out of a pickle in the future.

I've got just under a week before I can take the unit back should i need to, so plenty of time to test etc.

I'll update on the outcome.
(I've got my fingers crossed that it was to do with the magic track update the first time around)

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Answer 9

TBERENDT

Level 1

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Aug 26, 2010 3:33 AM in response to iamnev

JUST FIGURED I'D SAY YOUR NOT THE ONLY ONE!

THIS ISN'T MY FIRST MACBOOK, BUT SURELY IS MY FIRST PROB.

REALLY THREW ME FOR A LOOP... AFTER MIGRATING INFO FROM AN
OLDER UNIT, I WASN'T ABLE TO LOG IN AS MY PASSWORD IS NUMERIC.

AFTER MESSING WITH THE KEYBOARD, I FOUND THAT PRESSING
CNTRL+OPTION LETS YOU INPUT 1~9. FOLLOWED ALL THE SAME
BASIC STEPS AS YOU HAVE WITH NO SUCH LUCK. STRANGE
HOWEVER, LOGGING IN TO POST THIS MESSAGE... I WASN'T ABLE
ENTER THE DIGIT (2) ??? HAD TO ENTER MY 2'S INTO THE SEARCH
FIELD & DRAG EM" INTO THE LOGIN BOX!

VERY STRANGE.

I'M OPEN FOR SUGGESTIONS AS WELL, AS I REALLY HATE DEALING
WITH ANY TYPE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE!

I'M GONNA TRY RESETTING THE PRAM & NVRAM ONCE I FIND A
WIRED KEYBOARD... SOMETHING YOU CAN'T ACCOMPLISH WHEN
THE SHIFT KEY IS ENGAGED!

**BTW, IS YOUR PROBLEM THE "LEFT" SHIFT KEY LIKE IT IS MINE?

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