Macbook Pro keyboard typing in random letters and symbols with certain keys
My mother is not a very tech savvy person. We recently upgraded her Windows PC to a Macbook Pro. A few days ago she went to some website about working from home. I'm pretty sure it was a scam website. Anyway after that the keyboard started acting weird.
Certain keys will either not work or just type random keystrokes. The keys that I know of are
7= 123477
U= IOTUYw
J= adfgjs
M= Will sometimes minimize the active window and other times will type out random symbols (æ∆¬)
:; key= 0 - Esc, and changes the volume
' key= Tab, random symbols, enables caps lock
Eject Key= § changes volume
I had Sophos Anti Virus installed on it, and after running a full scan it didn't come up with anything. To be safe i decided to completely wipe her Macbook. I also did the 7-pass DOD Standard erase.
After that i resinstalled Lion on her computer. After restarting the same issue persists. I tried seeing if there was an OSX update that needed to be installed, and that didnt fix anything. I also ran the Apple hardware test. It came up with no issues.
I also checked to see if foriegn keyboards were turned on, etc.
I have no idea what to do now. Using my bluetooth keyboard works fine. The keys type what they should. She says he hasn't spilt anything on it, but she works as a daycare provider and sometimes the little kids watch movies or youtube videos on it.
Any help would be appreciated!
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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Keyboard problem typing random letters and symbols
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Hi Rob,
Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
It sounds like your running into an issue with the keyboard on your MacBook Pro. The article linked below provides suggestions that will resolve most keyboard issues like the one you described.
OS X Mavericks: If keys on your keyboard don’t work
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH13809
If other keys don’t work
You may have accidentally set an option that changes how your keyboard operates.
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Dictation & Speech, then click “Text to Speech.” If “Speak selected text when the key is pressed” is selected, deselect it or click Change Key to select another key.
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Accessibility, then click Keyboard. Make sure Slow Keys is turned off. If Slow Keys is on, you must hold down a key longer than usual before it’s recognized.
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Accessibility, then click Mouse & Trackpad. Make sure Mouse Keys is off. If Mouse Keys is on, pressing keys in the numeric keypad moves the pointer instead of entering numbers.
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Input Sources. Select “Show Input menu in menu bar.” Open the Input menu and make sure the correct keyboard layout is selected. To see the keyboard layout, click Keyboard, then choose “Show Keyboard & Character Viewers in menu bar.”
I hope this helps.
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This weekend I had issues restoring my MacBook pro using Time Machine. I was left with question marks in the dock for the folloing apps in Bold, the others are not on the dock but they could not be found..
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Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
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Good luck.
Ben -
I know better but did a dumb thing. Can I open the case and do anything on my own? Thankfully only the spacebar, the comma and the period keys are really sticky. The touch pad seems fine and everything works. Thanks in advance.
Turn it off.
Unplug from the wall.
Have the Genius Bar look at it with their full experience.
Do not be surprised if they give you an estimate that is very high.
Fluids and MBPs do not mix.
Sorry. -
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
JoI 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). -
Only part of my macbook pro keyboard backlight works
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Pleqase someone shed some light.
Bought in May 2012It is likely a hardware defect. If you bought it in May of 2012, it is still under warranty. Take it back to the store or mail it in to be fixed.
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Macbook Pro Keyboard and Trackpad Not Working
few days ago, my Macbook Pro keyboard and trackpad started to act very oddly.
Basically, the keyboard doesn't work at all. I press down the keys, and all I get is that error message sound. The volume and display brightness keys seem to work, but almost all of the others just won't type anything. it-s like any key command or alt would stay pressed so when i click any key its trying to perform other function instead of just typing the letter. that-s probably the reason why the trackpad is also being very odd. When I first turn on the laptop, it seems to work as normal. I can click on an application, and it opens. But about one minute after the laptop first starts, it's like anywhere I click on the trackpad is a right-click. To open an application, I click like I normally would but instead of opening, a menu pops up as if I right-clicked. This happens in Finder and everywhere else that I've tested (for instance, I can't drag any Finder windows to different positions on the screen, because it acts as if I right-clicked instead of left-clicked), no matter whether I tap or click the trackpad.
I have reset my permissions, but that didn't fix anything. I verified the hard drive and it said there were no problems. A big issue is that I can't do anything that requires me to type in my password, since I can't type anything. I tried to reset the PRAM, but I don't think that it even registered me pressing the Command-Option-P-R keys when I booted up, so i just removed the battery for a while, i am not sure that did anything at all.
i tried to reinstall the os, i had mavericks and i installed a fresh mountain lion but the problem persists. i recently installed virtualbox and the keyboard seems to work right as long as i do not press any of the following keys command, alt, shift, etc.. if i press any of them same thing happens. i found that if i connect a usb keyboard everything works, but when i use the inbuilt keyboard the problem is back and a i have to connect disconnect the usb keyboard to be able to type or use the trackpad normally.
any help would be appreciated.
Thank you.No one cared enough to answer.
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My Macbook Pro keyboard and USB keyboard will not work. However, the trackpad and USB mouse will work. Any help?
This is quite frustrating, since it randomly occured as I was browsing the web. It seemed to happen out of nowhere. I cannot login to my user account because I cannot type my password.
Any help will be appreciated.
-MattIf you have another Mac, boot the non-working one into Target Disk Mode (holding down "T" at startup). Hook up the two Macs via a Firewire cable. The non-working one will mount on the other Mac as an external Firewire HD.
Next, download the 10.5.6 Combo update from here:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx1056comboupdate .html
Run it. When it asks you for a destination, choose the other Mac that was mounted via Firewire. When it's done, unmount the computer and restart it. The keyboard and mouse should work now. -
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Problem started after deleting parrell desktop and window7 ?
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Reboot the TC.. restart the whole network if the simple reboot did not work.. start in order. modem.. router/TC.. clients. 2min gap.
Read C12 here. http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html -
My MacBook Pro keyboard not working correctly after Win7 bootcamp installation.
Installation went well but when I boot either with OSx or Win it always keeps Windows keyboard.
How can I have Mac keyboard in OS boot and Win keyboard in Win boot?Hi - I have the exact same model as your MacBook and had a few questions as mine is acting up. I upgraded the ram to 8gb (2x 4GB ram) and ever since then my computer has not been running as smoothly and the start up time is horrendous. Have you encountered this problem? And if so how did you fix? What would you advise me do?
I was thinking of reverting back to the original factory 4GB then rebooting the entire computer. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
Allen -
My macbook pro 13" unibody has randomly shut down, and will not switch on again, it is totally unresponsive. I have tried using different chargers, and my laptop had charge when it shut down,
Hey Sarahbetts,
Thanks for the question. If I understand correctly, the MacBook will not turn on. I would recommend that you read this article, it may be able to help the issue.
Troubleshooting: My computer won't turn on - Apple Support
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Have a good one,
Mario
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