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Level 1

8 points

Lion keyboard problem - all apps stop receiving key events

I'm running Lion GM on a 2-year-old MacBook Pro and am seeing very odd, intermittent problems with keyboard events. Occasionally - usually after about 5-10 minutes after logging on - no keyboard events will be sent to any application. However, I can see that the OS is still getting those events, because certain system-level key combos work (e.g. Opt+arrow to switch between spaces) and the Keyboard Viewer is still registering all keypresses. Despite this, no application (including the Finder and the password-entry box to unlock the screensaver) is getting any keyboard input.

I'm trying to work out what circumstances might be triggering this problem; so far it only seems to happen when I'm at work, using wired ethernet & wifi, bluetooth Magic Mouse, Dell secondary monitor. (At home I use a secondary monitor, wifi only, USB mouse.) The only software I'm running that I know may be responsible is BetterTouchTool - I'm going to uninstall that and see if it helps. Other than that, I have no idea.

Anyone else getting this problem?

MacBook Pro, Other OS

Posted on Jul 13, 2011 4:03 PM

Best reply

Keith Barkley

Level 6

19,814 points

Posted on Jul 13, 2011 4:05 PM

It is a violation of your NDA to discuss this here.

View in context

21 replies

Aug 16, 2011 3:32 AM in response to yozlet

I'm having the same problem, using the official Lion release on my early 2009 unibody MBP 17". I am also running a 30" monitor via DisplayPort through the Dual Link DVI adapter, as well as a 24" monitor through a USB adapter.

The problem appears to me as well to occur when I switch spaces using the keyboard shortcut. Switching spaces by swithching apps using command+tab does not cause any problems.

Thanks cgDesign for the workaround! Now I'm just waiting for the next release...

angarg

Level 1

0 points

Aug 18, 2011 11:57 PM in response to yozlet

I just hit this as well (only keyboard, not trackpad)...

I rebooted and things are working fine. I read in this thread that restarting finder will work as well.

Next time I'll try that instead.

Model Name: MacBook Pro

Model Identifier: MacBookPro5,5

Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo

Processor Speed: 2.53 GHz

Number of Processors: 1

Total Number of Cores: 2

L2 Cache: 3 MB

Memory: 8 GB

Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz

Boot ROM Version: MBP55.00AC.B03

SMC Version (system): 1.47f2

System Version: Mac OS X 10.7.1 (11B26)

Message was edited by: angarg

Aug 19, 2011 5:13 AM in response to yozlet

I have a late '08 MBP that is having these issues. I was hoping that 10.7.1 would solve the issue, but it did not.

Running Lion on a early '11 MBP and have not had the issue. Wonder if its related to the hardware. Well, more like how the OS is working with the hardward.

Sep 20, 2011 9:35 AM in response to yozlet

This problem is also discussed here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3190168

Sep 21, 2011 1:59 AM in response to yozlet

have you tried checking to make sure that mousekeys is not enabled? I know that up to snow leopard it can be enabled by pressing option 5 times, but it may be getting turned on on your system somehow. When it is enabled on a keyboard w/o the number pad, it disables the keyboard but special commands still work.

Sep 21, 2011 7:17 AM in response to jsdodgers

That would be a good guess, but doesn't apply for me. I have all Universal Access features disabled and still get this problem cropping up.

Lion keyboard problem - all apps stop receiving key events