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anarchopath

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 7, 2013
58
3
They keyboard backlight works fine on my rMBP 15". I've done a fresh reinstall a few times because I'm a nerd, and I always have to turn the backlight down because it's always on bright on first boot.

I just did a fresh install (erase Macintosh HD then reinstall OS X), and the backlight didn't come on. When I try to turn it up or down, a greyed out backlight icon pops up (the same one as normal, but its greyed out instead of white), and it has a 'prohibited' icon below it (circle with a line through it).

How do I get it back in working order?
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,553
9,745
I'm a rolling stone.
Reset SMC and PRAM might help, or just a restart.

But, do yourself a favour and stop reinstalling OS X, it's not F.... Windows, OS X does not need a reinstall, I went from 10.0 all the way up to 10.5.8, just now I bought a new Mac and could not upgrade, if I had to I would do so.

Again, no need to reinstall.
 

ideal.dreams

macrumors 68020
Jul 19, 2010
2,374
1,073
If you're in a brightly lit room, the ambient light sensor won't allow the keyboard backlights to come on. They will only come on if the sensor detects it's in a dark area. Take your MBP into a dark room or cover the sensor (next to the FaceTime HD Camera) and they should come on. Once they're on, you will be able to control their brightness with the keys on the keyboard.
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,553
9,745
I'm a rolling stone.
If you're in a brightly lit room, the ambient light sensor won't allow the keyboard backlights to come on. They will only come on if the sensor detects it's in a dark area. Take your MBP into a dark room or cover the sensor (next to the FaceTime HD Camera) and they should come on. Once they're on, you will be able to control their brightness with the keys on the keyboard.

That won't work, he gets the greyed out sign, this means the driver (kext) is not loaded or has problems.
Or any other problem.
 

ideal.dreams

macrumors 68020
Jul 19, 2010
2,374
1,073
That won't work, he gets the greyed out sign, this means the driver (kext) is not loaded or has problems.
Or any other problem.

I'm sitting in a bright room right now and I'm getting the same greyed out sign. However, if I turn my lights out, it goes away and I'm able to adjust my keyboard brightness again.
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,553
9,745
I'm a rolling stone.
I'm sitting in a bright room right now and I'm getting the same greyed out sign. However, if I turn my lights out, it goes away and I'm able to adjust my keyboard brightness again.

Fair enough.
It never worked like that on my Laptop, but hey, it's an oldie:eek:
And I have a new Mini now, can't test it on a Mini.:p
 

anarchopath

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 7, 2013
58
3
If you're in a brightly lit room, the ambient light sensor won't allow the keyboard backlights to come on. They will only come on if the sensor detects it's in a dark area. Take your MBP into a dark room or cover the sensor (next to the FaceTime HD Camera) and they should come on. Once they're on, you will be able to control their brightness with the keys on the keyboard.

I think you're right. The problem was at my office (bright environment) and the backlight works fine at home now (dim environment). Weird how I haven't seemed to encounter this before though...

But, do yourself a favour and stop reinstalling OS X, it's not F.... Windows

Haha...ironically I can enjoy doing it precisely because it's not Windows. Whereas I would never do this for Windows which took several hours to install and set up, I can erase > install > setup on my rMBP in an hour—and I'm learning in the process. :)
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,553
9,745
I'm a rolling stone.
Haha...ironically I can enjoy doing it precisely because it's not Windows. Whereas I would never do this for Windows which took several hours to install and set up, I can erase > install > setup on my rMBP in an hour—and I'm learning in the process. :)

Fair enough, I myself did install on externals for trouble shooting and the like, yes, this is a good reason to do so, at least you know now how to do it before a problem occurs instead of having to find the solution quickly when you already have a problem.
 
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