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Launchpad key is opening Dashboard on 2011 MBP?

S

shurcooL

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 24, 2011
966
177
I recently got a secondhand Early 2011 13" MacBook Pro. I've formatted the drive on it and installed a fresh version of OS X Lion 10.7.3 on it.

Its keyboard clearly has the Launchpad key (the F4), not a Dashboard key like the older pre-Lion MacBooks. However, pressing it opens Dashboard for some reason.

How is this even possible, and how can I fix it?

Here are my current keyboard settings:

imagedd.png


All other keys work fine and as expected. E.g., pressing F3 runs Mission Control, F1/F2 adjust brightness, etc.

Note: I know I can fix it by checking "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" option and binding F4 to open Launchpad - but I don't want to do this because some apps I use might need F4. I want the special function of F4 key to open Launchpad instead of Dashboard, the way it's supposed to work.
 
shurcooL said:
I recently got a secondhand Early 2011 13" MacBook Pro. I've formatted the drive on it and installed a fresh version of OS X Lion 10.7.3 on it.

Its keyboard clearly has the Launchpad key (the F4), not a Dashboard key like the older pre-Lion MacBooks. However, pressing it opens Dashboard for some reason.

How is this even possible, and how can I fix it?

Here are my current keyboard settings:

Image

All other keys work fine and as expected. E.g., pressing F3 runs Mission Control, F1/F2 adjust brightness, etc.

Note: I know I can fix it by checking "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" option and binding F4 to open Launchpad - but I don't want to do this because some apps I use might need F4. I want the special function of F4 key to open Launchpad instead of Dashboard, the way it's supposed to work.
Click to expand...

Try ticking the option anyway and test to make sure Launchpad indeed works that way. Then leave it, restart the computer, test it again. If it still works, then untick the option and see if Launchpad continues to work the way you expect it too. Maybe it needs a little motivation to act right.
 
SandboxGeneral said:
Try ticking the option anyway and test to make sure Launchpad indeed works that way. Then leave it, restart the computer, test it again. If it still works, then untick the option and see if Launchpad continues to work the way you expect it too. Maybe it needs a little motivation to act right.
Click to expand...
Well, if I set it to use F1, F2, etc. keys by default and map F4 to open Launchpad, then of course it opens when I press F4. But as soon as I use the 'special function' of that key it opens Dashboard instead of Launchpad.

MadMitch89 said:
When did you buy this Mac? Keyboards before Lion was released have a dashboard key and not open launchpad.
Click to expand...
I got it used, but it's an Early 2011 model which came with Lion AFAIK and on the physical keyboard, the F4 key is clearly marked with the Launchpad symbol (6 little squares), not the old Dashboard symbol like my 2008 MacBook.

I have a feeling I have to reset PRAM or NVRAM or something else along those lines maybe? Or I might just take it to an Apple Store. It's not a big deal, but I am curious and I'd like to have a Launchpad button (even tho I typically use the trackpad gesture for it anyway). This MacBook is so new it still has the 1-year warranty too.
 
So I want to know the reverse. How can you get the launch pad key (F4) to bring up dashboard like it used to?
 
yusukeaoki said:
Seems like the first user of your MBP replaced the keys.
He too probably had Lion.
Click to expand...
Are you suggesting the laptop came originally with a pre-Lion keyboard that has a Dashboard special function on the F4 key, and this guy swapped that key for a... key that has a Launchpad picture on it instead of Dashboard?

That seems highly unlikely... o_O Although it would explain the problem really well. Can you even exchange individual keys on a MacBook Pro keyboard?

----------

I think I might've found the answer to my problem, it probably lies in this file:

~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist

Source: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3243844?start=0&tstart=0
 
shurcooL said:
Are you suggesting the laptop came originally with a pre-Lion keyboard that has a Dashboard special function on the F4 key, and this guy swapped that key for a... key that has a Launchpad picture on it instead of Dashboard?

That seems highly unlikely... o_O Although it would explain the problem really well. Can you even exchange individual keys on a MacBook Pro keyboard?

----------

I think I might've found the answer to my problem, it probably lies in this file:

~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist

Source: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3243844?start=0&tstart=0
Click to expand...

You can replace the keys on a MBP very easily they just pop off with a little bit of force.
 
shurcooL said:
Are you suggesting the laptop came originally with a pre-Lion keyboard that has a Dashboard special function on the F4 key, and this guy swapped that key for a... key that has a Launchpad picture on it instead of Dashboard?

That seems highly unlikely... o_O Although it would explain the problem really well. Can you even exchange individual keys on a MacBook Pro keyboard?
Click to expand...

If its the EARLY 2011 model before July, then yes.
Late and including early 2011 models after July had the Lion keys. (Some did not since they were already in stock even when Lion came out but besides that).

Yes, the keys are user replaceable.
You can take off the keys to clean under your keyboard as well.
Many Mac stores sells these keys as well.
There is a store nearby called "Mac Pro" (not the computer) and they sell many Mac parts. I replaced couple of my keys there before.
 
Ok, messing around with ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist did not help me. Deleting it helped many other people get the Launchpad key to launch Launchpad, but mine still opens Dashboard.

Even when I login as a guest user, the Launchpad key opens Dashboard.

So it seems that the hardware is definitely wired to have that key perform the Dashboard special function... :(
 
If it came with the original box, what was the box art showing on the screen? A Snow Leopard background (purple) or a Lion one (Blue galaxy)?

If its the SL one, almost certainly your keys have been swapped.
 
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