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Bought an Alum keyboard on eBay - Not working

angemon89

angemon89

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 5, 2008
1,849
111
Northern CA
I bought an alum keyboard from eBay (link). I got the keyboard in the mail today and I plug it in, but it's not working. It doesn't read any keystrokes at all on my iMac or on my Mac Mini. What do you guys think could be wrong with it? It's in a really nice condition and looks like it's hardly been used. The wire isn't frayed or anything.

I have already contacted the seller and am waiting to hear back from him.
 
this is probrably a really stupid question but did you reboot after you connected it. i know with some hardware you have to reboot for it to recognize anything
 
Try another USB port? Restart? Try another computer? If it doesn't work get back with the seller.
 
Whatever the cosmetic condition may be it is time to make use of the seller's 14 day return policy. Clearly something is wrong.
 
System requirements?

The specs on Apple's site for the aluminum keyboard call for "Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later" and "Keyboard software update". Do your Macs meet the requirements? If so, have you tried plugging it in to all the different USB ports on the two Macs? Also, I believe that Apple keyboards have to be plugged directly into the Mac's USB port not a hub, etc.
 
My iMac meets all the requirements and I have tried all the different USB ports already.

Pixellated said:
When you press the Caps Key, does it light up?
Click to expand...

Aha! Why didn't I think of that? No, the green light doesn't turn on. Could this mean there is some internal damage? Or water damage maybe?

Still waiting to hear back from the seller, btw.
 
Funny thing actually, I recently bought a wireless one on eBay, got it, didn't work. Returned it to the Apple Store (it has the same warranty as your Mac I think, so if your Mac's warranty has expired I'd still try and give it a go but it might not work) and I got a brand new one. He picked a brand new cling-filmed one off a shelf and just gave me it and took the old keyboard. I was chuffed :L the other one had marks on it too so what a bargain. £30 instead of Apple's rip off price.
 
Update: I have since sent back the keyboard to the seller and he received it on February 5th, but he has yet to contact me about initiating a refund.

I emailed him 2 days ago and asked him, but he hasn't gotten back to me. Normally he has been replying to my emails really quickly. How long should I give him before I "force" the refund. I want my money back (obviously). Or should I just ask him again? Thanks for any advise. I have never had to return an item from an eBay transaction before.
 
should of done this:

Buy new keyboard same model and keep receipt. Then be careful opening package. Put defective keyboard into box and go back to store and return it. The store will return it to manufacture as defective and you know have a new working keyboard. And finally, do not buy from that ebay person again.
 
heywoodja said:
Buy new keyboard same model and keep receipt. Then be careful opening package. Put defective keyboard into box and go back to store and return it. The store will return it to manufacture as defective and you know have a new working keyboard. And finally, do not buy from that ebay person again.
Click to expand...

I just took it back without a box or anything, just the keyboard on it's own. The genius didn't even check whether my claims were correct and just told me to pickup a new wireless keyboard on the way out. The person I bought it from just sent the actual keyboard in an envelope, so I never had a box.
 
the reason we do it this way.

Yes nick Some stores will do it that way. Here is a more sinister scenario. We bought a digital camera and had it for over a month, already threw away the orig packaging. My son dropped the camera and broke the zoom lens. We bought the same camera from the store and put the broken one into the orig packaging and returned the camera. And then never let our son hold the camera again. Ethical or am I a dirt bag? At least I have a working camera again....cya
 
heywoodja said:
Yes nick Some stores will do it that way. Here is a more sinister scenario. We bought a digital camera and had it for over a month, already threw away the orig packaging. My son dropped the camera and broke the zoom lens. We bought the same camera from the store and put the broken one into the orig packaging and returned the camera. And then never let our son hold the camera again. Ethical or am I a dirt bag? At least I have a working camera again....cya
Click to expand...

My fiancée did the same thing with her Nintendo DS at Costco because she didn't like the scratched screen after playing a lot of Guitar Hero: On Tour. This is the reason costo had to make their return policy more stringent as before there were no restrictions on returns in terms of time for electronics.
 
heywoodja said:
Buy new keyboard same model and keep receipt. Then be careful opening package. Put defective keyboard into box and go back to store and return it. The store will return it to manufacture as defective and you know have a new working keyboard. And finally, do not buy from that ebay person again.
Click to expand...

That's fraud, it's wrong, it's illegal, it's immoral, it's theft, etc. etc. Please don't do stuff like this. It's part of why things cost so much - companies like Apple who suffer losses like this have to raise their prices to make up for it.
 
Tomorrow said:
That's fraud, it's wrong, it's illegal, it's immoral, it's theft, etc. etc. Please don't do stuff like this. It's part of why things cost so much - companies like Apple who suffer losses like this have to raise their prices to make up for it.
Click to expand...

We all know that people make choices that are in their best interest. Often people think it's just the store or company losing money, but in truth we all lose.

What I find amazing is not that someone would do this, but rather brag about it or recommend it on a public forum. Whether it be a camera, game console, or keyboard.

I wish people would keep it to themselves and not brag about it at a minimum. Pointing out a way to steal is not something worth bragging about.

This is sad.
 
Scottsdale said:
We all know that people make choices that are in their best interest. Often people think it's just the store or company losing money, but in truth we all lose.

What I find amazing is not that someone would do this, but rather brag about it or recommend it on a public forum. Whether it be a camera, game console, or keyboard.

I wish people would keep it to themselves and not brag about it at a minimum. Pointing out a way to steal is not something worth bragging about.

This is sad.
Click to expand...

I also masturbate..should I keep that to myself also?
 
Tomorrow said:
That's fraud, it's wrong, it's illegal, it's immoral, it's theft, etc. etc. Please don't do stuff like this. It's part of why things cost so much - companies like Apple who suffer losses like this have to raise their prices to make up for it.
Click to expand...
Wow, a con-artist, a lawyer, a priest, and a thief all bought a keyboard and pissed Tomorrow off. I merely told the first guy how to solve his problem and explained how I solved my problem. Have you ever heard of the refurbished program? Units that are returned to the manufacturer are fixed and resold. In the case of the keyboard it was most likely something simple for Apple to fix. My little girl got a hold of my Sharpie Pen and drew all over my Apple keyboard. Yes I was tempted to buy a new one and try to return the damaged one but I knew if they had opened the box to look at the keyboard, I would have a lot of explaining to do. I am really laughing right now thinking about this and so should you.
 
heywoodja said:
Wow, a con-artist, a lawyer, a priest, and a thief all bought a keyboard and pissed Tomorrow off.
Click to expand...

No, I'm not pissed off at all - just disappointed. Honest people like myself pay for the types of dishonesty being promoted in this thread.

I merely told the first guy how to solve his problem and explained how I solved my problem.
Click to expand...

Yes, you did. Just as if you suggested he walk into the Apple Store, stuff one under his shirt, and walk out with it. Just because it works doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

Have you ever heard of the refurbished program? Units that are returned to the manufacturer are fixed and resold.
Click to expand...

I'm very familiar with how the refurbished process works. I used to work in a program repairing computers and sending factory-defective merchandise back to the manufacturer. Buying open box (read: not new) merchandise off of Ebay isn't the same thing.

In the case of the keyboard it was most likely something simple for Apple to fix.
Click to expand...

Then perhaps you might suggest to the OP that he bring the keyboard into the Apple store and let them fix it, rather than duping Apple out of a new one.

My little girl got a hold of my Sharpie Pen and drew all over my Apple keyboard. Yes I was tempted to buy a new one and try to return the damaged one but I knew if they had opened the box to look at the keyboard, I would have a lot of explaining to do.
Click to expand...

And if that's your only reason for not trying this scam, then I'm even more disappointed at where the world is headed than I was early on in this thread.

Seriously, what's wrong with just sending it back to the person who sold it and pointing out - truthfully - that it was DOA, and requesting a refund?
 
heywoodja said:
My little girl got a hold of my Sharpie Pen and drew all over my Apple keyboard.
Click to expand...

Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) will remove Sharpie ink. I don't know what it will do the lettering on the keycaps but should otherwise work.
 
yeah I used that..it helped

DewGuy1999 said:
Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) will remove Sharpie ink. I don't know what it will do the lettering on the keycaps but should otherwise work.
Click to expand...

I did use rubbing alcohol and most of it came off. Didn't want to rub it too hard for fear of taking off the factory markings. Hey how about this, I will rub the keys so hard with rubbing alcohol that it takes all the numbers and letters off and then I will bring it down to the apple store and claim that they sold me a keyboard with no marking at all....Hey Tomorrow, would that piss you off as well...Or I could sell it on eBay and list it "like new" and see another post like the original thread starter. Am I really morally bankrupt?
 
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