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Some Keys (DFGHJKL) Work Part Time

I have an early 2011 (Feb) Macbook Pro with OS X 10.6.8 and I don't believe I spilled anything on it, and it's not under warranty. I took it to Apple and they ran a diagnostics which turned up fine and they took it apart and everything was fine; they couldn't see anything physically wrong with it. DFGHJKL sometimes work; I have to press down for about 10 seconds and 1 or 2 letters will pop out. Sometimes the letters work perfectly fine (like right now).


I've noticed that quite a few people have been having this problem and was wondering if there was a reason for this that doesn't have to do with spillage or something? There can't be this many people with the same problem letters.. right?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Feb 12, 2014 9:33 PM

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23 replies

Mar 4, 2014 3:05 PM in response to seventy one

see! THAT sounds plausible. because if it was something we did it (like a spill) then other letters would be damaged, different letters. faulty wiring sounds much more plausible, something Apple probably doesn't know about (or pretends not to know). They might even issue some kind of announcement or something in the future.


For others: I chatted with Apple over the internet and he did another type of diagnostics. We did the screen share thing and he saw that those letters weren't getting any communication from my finger to the computer sometimes. He wanted me to restart my computer following these instructions:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964 and http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379


he wanted to see if it was a software issue. after i did that, keyboard still was messed up, which further makes me believe it's an electrical thing. we'll see...

Mar 6, 2014 3:17 PM in response to Obsidianroselace39

I have the same Macbook Pro model from early 2011, and right now I'm struggling with the exact same problem. It would be nice if Apple could provide us with a hardware exchange, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see... Just as an attempt to contribute to the thread, I'll just say that PRAM clear did not help, and the keyboard viewer indicated that the Macbook wasn't receiving any sinas rom te eyboar.

...I was trying to say "signals from the keyboard". Arrgh

Mar 18, 2014 11:03 PM in response to Obsidianroselace39

hey so i was wondering if anyone else has this problem with their disc drive as well? maybe because it's on the same side my disc drive tends to hold my CDs hostage.


also, sometimes when i tap the right side of my computer my letters seem to come back! it makes this internal clicking sound and sometimes the letters come back. now i'm not punching it or anything drastic like that, it's a light little knock like when you're thinking and you rap your knuckle on sometin. dammit.

Mar 19, 2014 12:33 AM in response to Obsidianroselace39

Hi there,


My theory of circuit board printing could fall apart if it applies to the computer too. Or, by computer, could you mean the keyboard part? If it is the latter, that would confirm the possibility. Have you a way of testing with another keyboard, or trying yours on another machine?


I think the CD hostage situation deserves its own separate thread.

Mar 19, 2014 10:29 AM in response to Obsidianroselace39

I just had the same problem on my 17" mac pro bought Dec 2010.

My keys that failed are HJKL; but keys DFG work correctly (for now).


For my machine I have had a plastic keyboard protector on for the life of the machine.

So my keyboard is "Like new".


It sounds like there must be a bad component installed in the machine for a certian batch of Pro's.


Are your other machines 17" or 13"?


Does anyone know if Apple is responding to this defect?


I will have to get it fixed in any case since it is problematic.

Some Keys (DFGHJKL) Work Part Time

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