Macbook Pro keyboard and mouse pad freezing.

Depending on how old it is, it may still be covered under AppleCare. If it is, then return it, and get a new one.

However, before that... Has it always done this, or did it recently start?

Are you fully up to date on all your software?

My Macbook Pro 15" 2.4 ghz also had the same problem. Others have had the same problem, with the keyboard and mouse pad freezing. See the following Apple support link:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1129578&tstart=0 . I dropped it off at my University campus computer shop (authorized apple service provider) and they told me they will have to replace the top casing because the keyboard/mouse pad is fixed to the casing. My mac is only 4 months old. Luckily I have a spare Ubuntu laptop and an external hd to back up my research files/folders. It may be a week before I get it back because the parts (casing) has to be ordered.

I suggest you follows TheStu's advise and get it repaired, if your mac is still under warranty.

Have you tried to rule out software as the cause? Archive&Install? Any apps running at the times that it tends to freeze?

TheStu said:

Depending on how old it is, it may still be covered under AppleCare. If it is, then return it, and get a new one.

However, before that... Has it always done this, or did it recently start?

Are you fully up to date on all your software?

Click to expand...

that really is the worst answer ever. the dude even said he took it to .

alright i'ma figure this out and report back. i've isolated the issue and replacing the topcase did solve it. now, my mission is to find the exact component and refurbish the old topcase, so I've ordered a replacement flex cable (632-0617) and if that doesn't do work, I'll order the a replacement trackpad.

I had the macbook mousepad/keyboard lockup problem too.

I tried an external keyboard and mouse through usbs and they worked fine.

So I tried a suggestion from the Apple discussion forums by Alexander Lehmann. I taped a small (3/4'' square) thin piece of cardboard with scotchtape to the orange band under the battery. Put the battery back in and everything is working fine now. Apparently, the orange band must have enough pressure up against it. The battery must warp over time when it heats and cools and bends out not creating enough pressure.

Here is the original post from Alexander:

Some of the posters seem to have a problem with the white cable under the battery, for me it was the small orange cable leading to the keyboard from the motherboard.

Diagnosis was difficult since the keyboard would not come alive if I pressed the cable during the system running. However if the correct pressure was already applied during start-up, I finally got it to work again.

My fix was to cut out some cardboard of the size of the fingernail and apply it to the bend on the orange cable with a little Scotch tape.

Click to expand...

Oh jesus finally

This is the ONLY solution I have found for this problem that actually works. I am in fact typing this from my previously broken and useless mac right now.

I found that you can also slip some folded pieces of paper between the battery compartment and the rest of the case. Same effect though, the main body of the laptop needs to be pushed with sufficient pressure against the keyboard/mouse.

It seems that Apply used some contacts in there that have to be touching, rather than actually run a wire between things. Just my assumption though, who knows. All I know is that after months and months of alternately googling and leaving my laptop under the couch, this is finally fixed.

@AnsonKindred

Do you have a picture of your solution?

As I've got the same issue, and a rebuild of the os hasn't helped

TIA

I'm also having this problem and can't seem to find a fix for it.

Top Case

lPHONE said:

that really is the worst answer ever. the dude even said he took it to .

alright i'ma figure this out and report back. i've isolated the issue and replacing the topcase did solve it. now, my mission is to find the exact component and refurbish the old topcase, so I've ordered a replacement flex cable (632-0617) and if that doesn't do work, I'll order the a replacement trackpad.

Click to expand...

Yep - seems to be the top case! The keyboard and mouse intermittently froze up, keys would get stuck repeating, the caps lock key would flicker on and off, and eventually the clicker button got stuck ON - preventing even external mouses from registering left click. I was worried that it was the logic board as closing and opening the laptop would sometimes relieve the freezing issue temporarily - and was relieved for it to just be the much cheaper top case. This is a problem that got worse with time. When the apple folks at the retail store popped off the top case, the left-click immediately started working again. I guess those Top Cases have a lot going on with them!

Solution macbook pro frozen keyboard and touchpad

Same problem here: keyboard and touchpad frozen with no way to restore. Had to use external mouse and keyboard to be able to continue to work.

Then I learnt that the situation was caused by the battery touching the two stripe connectors (orange and grey) going to the touchpad.

So I unglued the protective plastic foil over the touchpad board, took out the connectors from the mounts (carefully open first the mount releases) cleaned the electric contacts at the end of the connectors and put them back. Both the keyboard and touchpad work now perfectly.

Apple store would have wanted me to pay for the new keyboard and touchpad though I told them what the problem was exactly.

If you want something done, do it yourself!

Top Case Flex Cable

I'm very reticent on the orange card and its variants on this issue. I've suffered the problem on my early-2008 MBP for over two years now. My experience suggests the following:

• 
  
• use an external keyboard plus mouse works 100 per cent of the time
• replacing the top case is equivalent to just replacing the top case flex cable

After months of using the external keyboard solution, I have now sourced a top case flex that will work on my computer. Fingers crossed.

Mouse freeze keyboard runs itself - Stuck Mac Book Pro 2008

I have the same problem. Where exactly do I put the cardboard? There is a thin Orange strip and there is a wide tape like orange thingy.

I get the same problems as posted, when mouse locks up, I can put the cover down, sleep mode, put cover back up, the mouse frees up, does this over and over again. Also the keys sometimes lock and repeat the same characters on its own! Cap Lock key light goes on by itself! Driving me crazy! I had the machine rebuilt by Apple last year but this problem is still around.

Same problem, getting much much worse!

I have been having this issue, as well-- so I put something (a thick piece of paper, actually) in between my battery and the orange band) and have had NO problems with the sticking. However, the warping seems to have gotten worse because of this! Now, the upper case actually looks like it is coming unglued, and I'm having issues with the trackpad. Does anyone know if it would work to just tape the orange band down with electrical tape? I'm kind of worried about having paper up in there anyway. Aren't MAC's known to catch on fire anyway?
I'm SO frustrated! My apple care expired a lonnnng time ago, of course. And I just don't have the cash to buy a new one. I'm really trying to make this thing last as long as possible.