Macbook Power Button Dead?

Question

Level 1

5 points

Macbook Power Button Dead?

Hey all.

I have this oldie 13 inch white macbook which was working smooth until a few days ago.

The power button stopped working while it was on, so to turn it off I went to 'shut down' under the apple (I know I shouldn't have turned it off in the first place)

After a lot of trouble, I 'jumpstarted' it as suggested on some forums, i.e.connected two contacts on the logic board.

My macbook is out of warranty for long time so I don't worry.

Anyways, just wondering if someone has the same problem or if someone knows how to fix dead power button?

Please no answers like just send it to apple as I live in a remote place, with the nearest apple store being somewhere 500 miles away from me.

Thanks

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Core2Duo 13

Posted on Sep 9, 2013 12:30 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 10, 2013 9:10 AM in response to ad0mas

You don't mention what year this MacBook is, but if it is not yet on Apple's vintage & obsolete products list you can ask them to do a mail in repair - paid of course. This assumes that you are in a country that has mail in repairs, such as the USA.

Contact Apple using www.apple.com/support/contact if you are in a country that supports it or call the appropriate phone number on this page.

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Answer 2

bestofall

Level 2

181 points

Sep 10, 2013 12:05 PM in response to ad0mas

For starters the Power Button is part of the keyboard, so if it is dead/not working then you ahve to change it no matter what model you have. But ease of replacement depends on what model you have. Older models the keyboard is a seperate piece that comes off somewhat easily. The later models you ahve to basically every component as the keyboard is part of the whole housing. If you don't know what you are doing you might screw that.

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Answer 3

ad0mas Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 11, 2013 3:05 PM in response to bestofall

Thanks for your replies, as I mentioned, it's a white macbook with 13", there is only one model of them (A1181) and they are made between 2006 and 2009 as far as I'm aware and all look identical, also all have identical connections except backlight for penryn and santa rosa models. Mine is core 2 duo 2ghz late 2006 if it matters.

@bestofall- mine is older (non-unibody) so it comes apart as one piece. Advantage is that it takes apart easily, disadvantage is, as you said, I cannot just replace the button, I must replace the whole keyboard.

Also an update, randomly num lock and caps lock buttons became inverted, now I have to keep them on (green led on) in order to type normally, otherwise I get all-caps or a bunch of random numbers.

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Answer 4

ad0mas Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 11, 2013 3:07 PM in response to laundry bleach

@laundry bleach- unfortunately, not usa. I live in Northern Ireland which belongs to United Kingdom but is in island of Ireland (not sure if makes sense). So I am kind of in the middle of two counties and am not accepted by either, so I cannot get my macbook fixed. Of course I could ship it to Britain but I suppose it would be cheaper for me to get a new macbook.

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Answer 5

bestofall

Level 2

181 points

Sep 12, 2013 6:06 AM in response to ad0mas

Could be the connection is not fully in, if I remember correctly the keyboard cables on those are almost a ribbon like cable. Have you checked to ensure the connection is fully seated.

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Answer 6

Oct 15, 2014 3:32 AM in response to ad0mas

you probably need to change the ribbon on the underside of the keyboard, it's fragile and fiddly - maybe source a new ribbon on eBay? otherwise just change the whole keyboard....

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Answer 7

ad0mas Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 15, 2014 8:42 AM in response to Mac Beheamouth

Ended up replacing the entire keyboard assembly, spent only £15 ($25) and it works now!

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