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Apple Wireless Keyboard problem

C

coolurjets

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 20, 2007
20
0
UK
I've had the Apples wireless Keyboard and mighty mouse set since Febuary, as they came with my iMac.

Anyway, Last week I turned on my iMac and my keyboard didn't work. Assuming it was the batteries I put in a fresh set, turned they keyboard back on and still nothing. The light by the power switch on the back flashes everytime i hit a key, but nothing. The capsalock light does not even turn on anymore.

My mac no longer detects MY NAMES WIRELESS KEYBOARD saying it is undiscoverable. So I did a search for any device and found it, it recognises the device as a apple wireless keyboard but I everytime I try and sync it to my computer I cannot enter the pass key because the keyboard will not transmitt anything, So i tried it without a passkey and still same thing happened.

It's like my keyboard still knows its a Bluetooth device, but has forgotten its a keyboard. Any idea's would be most welcome. :apple:
 
I've deleted it out of my bluetooth preferences But i still can't get it to connect. Did a Driver CD come with the wireless keyboard, I cant remember?
 
Nah, there wasn't an accompanying CD. Try removing the batteries from it for a night and then resyncing it the next morning. Give it a few hours with no power and then retry. Also, remove it from the Bluetooth devices list again, if necessary. :)
 
Hi. Im having the Exact problem with my keyboard. So exact its scary. lol.

So Anywho Did u get it to work??? If So, what did you do??
 
I still have not got it to work, this is so annoying. I'm typing off a USB keyboard from an old computer that sounds like a typewriter as I type.

I left the batteries out for a few days, tried again just now and nothing. Still exact same problem. I've deleted it from the bluetooth preferences, however still when I do a bluetooth keyboard search.... nothing. But when I do an any device search is finds an Apple Wireless keyboard, but I cannot pair the two because I can not enter a passkey because my Wireless keyboard will not type anything.

More annoying is Apple's main website is useless, I have not found a single help document that says more than "make sure you put the batteries in the right way round"

Gah.... Loosing the Apple faith.
 
If you bought this in February the first and only thing you should have done is call Apple. YOu are still under warranty and either a they would have a way for you to sync it back up or b (most likely) just replaced it for you. I have never had a problem having them replace any of my peripherals.

Kevin
 
OldSkoolNJ said:
If you bought this in February the first and only thing you should have done is call Apple. YOu are still under warranty and either a they would have a way for you to sync it back up or b (most likely) just replaced it for you. I have never had a problem having them replace any of my peripherals.

Kevin
Click to expand...

I did look through my warranty documentation, and it refered me to Apple website's Support section to contact apple UK, but Either though stupidity or bad luck I can't actualy find a conclusive number to ring.
 
coolurjets said:
I did look through my warranty documentation, and it refered me to Apple website's Support section to contact apple UK, but Either though stupidity or bad luck I can't actualy find a conclusive number to ring.
Click to expand...

I think this is done intentionally. Before I memorized the number here in the US, I had to dig through the website to find ti each time an iPod died. They want you to exhaust all the online options before you call.

That being said, I have never had a bad experience with someone on the other end of the line at apple. This has always been one of my biggest selling points.
 
barr08 said:
I think this is done intentionally. Before I memorized the number here in the US, I had to dig through the website to find ti each time an iPod died. They want you to exhaust all the online options before you call.

That being said, I have never had a bad experience with someone on the other end of the line at apple. This has always been one of my biggest selling points.
Click to expand...

Cheers, the main problem is there are not many Apples stores or authorised sales proivders in the west of the UK. I will have another dig around later for the number.
 
Keyboard Again Working For Me (Hope This Helps You)

I had the same problem that was identified in the first post. I went on Holiday last week and took my "it just works" MB Pro with me, leaving my bluetooth keyboard at home. When I returned, the keyboard would not work. As I have 3 BT keyboards and none would work, I quickly discounted the "bad keyboard" solution.

I tried many things and I strongly think that this is what fixed the problem - I shut down the machine, powered up and immediately pressed Option-P-R (Zap parameter RAM (PRAM) Hold down until second chime.) Then the system rebooted. And then I rebooted again (for no logical reason) but my BT keyboard now works.

In case you do not know the secret keystrokes, you may want to consider adding "MAC OX X Keystroke List" into a Google window. I have found that just booting into safe mode (hold down the shift key after powering up until you get the logon screen) corrects some unwanted bad behavior.

I know how frustrating these problems can be so I sure hope this helps you. It appears to have helped me.

Now onto my next "it just works" problem -- when power management turns off my MB Pro screen and corresponding Cinema display and then when I move the mouse, only the MB Pro screen comes back to life. I need to unplug the Cinema display for a few minutes and then plug it back into the maisn and then it starts to work again. But remember, "it just works." Sarcasm intended.

All the best. Jim
 
Sync to Wireless keyboard problem

I am having the problem identified above with my keyboard and mighty mouse. I have an iBook G4. I tried everything including the latest solution, but still nothing works...any suggestions?
 
Apple Wireless Keyboard problem

several Keys dont ( a ) ( s ) ( d ) ( z ) ( x ) work what can I do? Help.
 
difficult to sync with aluminum keyboard

This problem is apparently still occuring, despite updated software. I have an older aluminum wireless apple keyboard, and tried to sync it to my brand new 24 inch imac.

Even though the keyboard was on, it would only discover the keyboard if I turned it off, then on. Then, once it would be discovered, it would lose it again, and would not be able to sync to it (because it couldn't find it). I would rarely get a message to enter the pass key provided. After multiple playing around with things, this is what worked.

Turn off the keyboard, then turn it on to get it to be discoverable.
Then, while it is trying to sync with the newly discovered keyboard, turn it off, then on again.
It then gave the passkey screen. Enter the passkey (though it looks like there is nothing to enter it on, using your wireless keyboard) AND then press return.

This is what worked for me, and is a compilation of what other people have noticed (with the return key) and me realizing that it would only be discoverable with multiple on/offs. Good luck
 
wireless keyboard not connecting

I tried many times to connect my wireless aluminum keyboard with the imac and it was frustrating. Like many users experienced, it was working fine and one day, it suddenly stopped working and the computer wouldn't even see it. On the few occasions that the computer found the keyboard, it didn't connect and kept giving an error message, until eventually it didn't even find the keyboard anymore. But the last try finally worked. I powered off the computer and disconnected the power cord for about 15 seconds. Plugged it back in, powered it on and it worked. Prior to this, I never disconnected the power cord.
 
New Mac Owner Encounters First Problem with Wireless Aluminum Keyboard

For almost three decades I've owned and worked on a PC. For at least half that time, my son has owned a Mac. Along with expensive skater shoes - it just made sense he'd own the best 'putter in the house, right?

Unlike the shoes - which I replaced monthly - his Mac seemed to last forever ... in fact, I don't ever remember replacing it. Nor did I ever spend a penny on tech support. By contrast, I can't even count the number of PCs I've owned, junked, replaced, and screamed at. At least 15.

Vista was for me, however, the final straw. Conflicts became the norm and rebooting a daily occurrence. Tired of spending an entire weekend reloading programs, I remembered my son's Mac. That solid, stable, bug free, virus resistant Apple. Every tech or programmer I've ever known, owned a Mac. Obviously they must know something I don't?

In February 2010, I took the plunge and bought the most powerful Mac I could find. Wireless, with a huge monitor, nifty little mouse and a keyboard that looked like a prop off Star Trek. I plugged it in, inserted a disk and it was running. It really was that simple! My Mac was fast, sleek and intuitive, and everything was as it should be. At least until a few days ago.

Out of nowhere my keyboard starting "acting up". At first it appeared to be an intermittent problem. As if bluetooth lost the connection or something. Then, the top row of keys went all "wonky" and the F1 would bring up the File menu; I couldn't type text; keystrokes would duplicate and so on.

I tried everything from changing the batteries, to reinstalling the keyboard, pairing it, holding the command / option / P & R key while rebooting not to mention each and every other suggestion made on this forum. Nothing worked.

Although the 90 day warranty had expired, I called Apple, explained the problem and what I had done to try and fix it. In less than five minutes - without being placed on hold or transferred, I was told to bring my keyboard in. Apple would replace it. At no cost.

Wow. That was too easy, no? What's the catch?

With the exception of an IBM I once owned, every other time I've had a problem with a PC, getting it fixed was even more problematic. Somehow it was always my fault. No one took ownership of anything and it was almost always blamed on a virus. I mean - really!

While there are still programs I miss such as Excel (the Mac clone was made for Mac users - remember that!) I love my new Mac and my exposure to Apple service has been very positive.

If you're experiencing problems with your keyboard, definitely try some of the suggestions here - but from everything I've read, this is a known problem. Just take it in and get a new one.

Signed - Hoping this keyboard lasts at least another 90 days,
A new Mac lover!
 
I have the exact same problem with my apple wireless keyboard. It worked great for well over a year and then suddenly no longer can detect it.

I tried your solutions such as zapping the pram - option p-r and just holding the shift key down for safe mode and also unplugging for a night and taking batteries out of keyboard.....still does not detect my keyboard.

Has anybody found a solution for this problem since these earlier threads are from 2007. Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks
 
I'm having this same problem. Can't get the keyboard to be recognized as anything other than an "unknown" device, and then when I try to pair it fails.
 
I purchased my Apple wireless keyboard in January 2008, but suddenly have the same problem - the A key is not responding, but works using the keyboard viewer.

I have tried all the suggestions in this thread, but nothing works. Apart from this problem the keyboard has been trouble free, why it should happen is a mystery that no one seems to have answer to - including Apple.

Any help or advice will be appreciated.
 
i can manage to get my device but when it comes up with enter in the following passkey, i press the buttons then return and nada i just get the "pairing was unsuccesfull" any ideas on what to do?

i have
removed the keyboard from the preferences
left the batteries out for days
put in brand new batteries

not sure what to do from here
 
How apple helped me fix my keyboard problem

Enter into safe mode.
Find folder User-Library-Preferences
move files:
com.apple.systempeferences.plist
com.apple.universalaccess.plist
to Desktop
Restart computer
Test to see if problem still exists
If not trash the two files moved to desktop.
 
new MAC User having Same Problem

I turned my iMac off this morning before I had to go get some MRI’s and when I came home my iMac is doing almost the exact same thing as you report. However, I have noticed that some of the keys are not being reconized by the Imac whille others are. I can not type in my password to do any thing or reboot from the CD.

I am going to try the following to suggestion to fix my problem:

Shut down the machine, powered up and immediately pressed Option-P-R (Zap parameter RAM (PRAM) Hold down until second chime.) Then the system rebooted. And then I rebooted again (for no logical reason) but my BT keyboard now works.

In case you do not know the secret keystrokes, you may want to consider adding "MAC OX X Keystroke List" into a Google window. I have found that just booting into safe mode (hold down the shift key after powering up until you get the logon screen) corrects some unwanted bad behavior.

or

Enter into safe mode.
Find folder User-Library-Preferences
move files:
com.apple.systempeferences.plist
com.apple.universalaccess.plist
to Desktop
Restart computer
Test to see if problem still exists
If not trash the two files moved to desktop.
 
The Option P-R key combination at startup did it for me. I had to replace the batteries of my bluetooth keyboard and was unable to get it to work again.

pressing the Option P and R key immediately at restart did the trick and got the keyboard up and running again without needing to do anything else
 
Imac Mouse, Trackpad & Keyboard not respond - fixed!

Hi all,
I'm new to this iMac world and encountered the wireless mouse/trackpad/keyboard not responding issue today. I followed the suggestion of shutting down the computer (I plugged in another mouse with a USB). I waited about 10mins and restarted holding down Option+R+P. My problem is solved! Thanks for posting this advice.
 
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