Keyboard typing weird letters and symbols

Hi all
I have tried to use my Macbook Pro this morning and when I type its typing the wrong letters
and symbols...................can anyone help?
Thanks
Jo

I just spent hour trying to fix tihs on my iMac and could find the answer so I wanted to post it for someone else. Mine was typing in crazy symbols (åß∂ƒ©).
Also I could not Command + Tab (shoot me), and when I clicked on a window in another app it hid the windows I was working in.
I tried new keyboards. And the system preferences stuff - system preferences - language & text - input sources. then select US. This didn't fix it.
Then I tried to change the keyboard shortcuts in the same window - spotlight (on left), unclick the show spotlight search field and the other one bellow. Then hit the com + Spacebar. This didn't fix it.
Then i did it and double check that i did it right and still didn't fix it.
So I called apple support and they gave me the magical key to fix this.
Turn off your computer. Unplug for 30 sec, and everything attached. Then power it back on and hurry and hold Command + Option + P + R. I held Command + Option + P with one hand and then after I hit power I added the R.
The computer will make one chime. Keep holding it. I will then shut down and make one more chime and you can let go.
Taa daa!!
I have a 27" iMac 2.93Ghz i7 with 10.8.2 (FYI).

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Hi Rob,
Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
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http://support.apple.com/kb/PH13809
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I just spent hour trying to fix tihs on my iMac and could find the answer so I wanted to post it for someone else. Mine was typing in crazy symbols (åß∂ƒ©).
Also I could not Command + Tab (shoot me), and when I clicked on a window in another app it hid the windows I was working in.
I tried new keyboards. And the system preferences stuff - system preferences - language & text - input sources. then select US. This didn't fix it.
Then I tried to change the keyboard shortcuts in the same window - spotlight (on left), unclick the show spotlight search field and the other one bellow. Then hit the com + Spacebar. This didn't fix it.
Then i did it and double check that i did it right and still didn't fix it.
So I called apple support and they gave me the magical key to fix this.
Turn off your computer. Unplug for 30 sec, and everything attached. Then power it back on and hurry and hold Command + Option + P + R. I held Command + Option + P with one hand and then after I hit power I added the R.
The computer will make one chime. Keep holding it. I will then shut down and make one more chime and you can let go.
Taa daa!!
I have a 27" iMac 2.93Ghz i7 with 10.8.2 (FYI).

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Last edited by dewyatt (2011-12-26 02:43:54)

thanks for these.
It's not that the chars do not appear as I type, it's just that the cursor moves elsewhere in the text I've already entered. Hence if like many I'm looking at the keys as I type, then I do not look at screen, hence by the time I look up - hey - my typing has invaded other bits of the text.
It could be that I'm catching the touch pad, but I was aware of it and hence did not touch it - at least I think I did.
Will observe over next few days.
Thanks for your help.
Keep you posted.

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Keyboard typing weird letters and symbols

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