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MacBook Pro: NUM- and CAPS-LED flickering??!!

R

Rockmatch

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 20, 2008
17
0
Issue with MacBook Pro CoreDuo 2.16GHZ 2GB RAM

Well, the green leds for the NUM lock and CAPS keys acts bizzarly. When the computer is doing nothing, the screen dims after 1 minute. Then, about 10 seconds after dimming (by about I mean consistantly, within 10 +/- 2 seconds of the screen dimming), the NUM lock led + CAPS LED starts to flicker, extremely quickley, and is just about on. This only happens when when the num lock led is originally off. It happens on batterymode and when the Book is conected to the powersource!

Anybody else have this issue, or have a solution?

I am not sure whether I do have an 'issue' with my num lock button, because it does seem insanley bright when i have turned numlock on - its like having the option of a green back lit keyboard when i am in a dark room!

So does anybody know about this or why it happens?
 
I think this is an issue with all CD MBP's, I have the same issue, have done more or less since I've had my MBP. Do a Google search and you'll find lots of info on it but no remedy unfortunately. :(
 
Does anybody know if apple is able to fix the problem?

It is very likely that this issue could be fixed by an firmware-update!
 
Hey look someone with my exact same issue! This is driving me insane. I had tiger, then I upgraded to Leopard, few weeks after I wanted to clean install and bam my keyboard and track pad randomly stop working. Not only that but my caps lock and num lock keys flicker at times or just stay on. I have installed all the updates and erased my bootcamp partition, nothing works.

I'm out of warranty and every time I bring it into the Genius bar it magically starts working in front of them. I got smart and recorded it and showed it to them. They offered $300 to send it in. I passed and brought it to a 3rd party Apple certified repair center. $85 later he couldn’t find the issue and told me he can replace the keyboard ($70) and top case ($250) or wait for Apple to release a fix. So I am waiting for a fix and not using my laptop.

I even made a video of the problem http://youtube.com/watch?v=spybHWRDyh4
 
Just an update on this.

I sent a long detailed email to those Steve Jobs emails couple weeks ago. Yesterday I received a call from an Apple Engineer calling in regard to that email. After explaining the situation over the phone he had me try to install Tiger on my external drive and I would then email him the results. I did this and my problem persisted, which means it seems to be a hardware problem and not Leopard. He suggested I bring it back to the Apple store and have them send it in to diagnose the issue.

I am wondering if this is even worth it. I might end up spending $300 possibly more. New Macbook Pros seem to be right around the corner so I am wondering if I should just save up and put the money towards that. Will any places buy a semi broken Macbook Pro? Maybe they can part it out.
 
scotty588 said:
Just an update on this.

I sent a long detailed email to those Steve Jobs emails couple weeks ago. Yesterday I received a call from an Apple Engineer calling in regard to that email. After explaining the situation over the phone he had me try to install Tiger on my external drive and I would then email him the results. I did this and my problem persisted, which means it seems to be a hardware problem and not Leopard. He suggested I bring it back to the Apple store and have them send it in to diagnose the issue.

I am wondering if this is even worth it. I might end up spending $300 possibly more. New Macbook Pros seem to be right around the corner so I am wondering if I should just save up and put the money towards that. Will any places buy a semi broken Macbook Pro? Maybe they can part it out.
Click to expand...

If you decide on sending it in, please let us know the results!
I am really intersested in finding a solution! I think APPLE could easilly publicize a bug which would fix the problem immediately!
 
I don't want to speak too soon, but the problem has seemed to go away. I installed 10.5.2 and it was still going nuts. Frustrated, I turned it off and let it sit for a couple days and I was working with it yesterday and today and have yet to have any problems. I really hope it's gone.
 
scotty588 said:
I don't want to speak too soon, but the problem has seemed to go away. I installed 10.5.2 and it was still going nuts. Frustrated, I turned it off and let it sit for a couple days and I was working with it yesterday and today and have yet to have any problems. I really hope it's gone.
Click to expand...

I have installed 10.5.2 too and I have the flickering problem still!
P.S if i worke with the internal keyboard or use the trackpad the problem seems to be solved, but if do not use the internal keyboard or trackpd for 1-2 min the flickering starts again untill I use the k. or T. again!
 
I think you might have had a different problem with your MacBook Pro!
The Problem in this Thread is only the flickering of the LEDs.
The internal keyboard and trackpad still work normally!

So far I know your MacBook Pro seems to work "normal" again (keyboar and trackpad), but does't it really flicker anymore?
 
I have seen the video on YouTube and that flickering is definately not same i have!
Yours was flickering in a way you really recognize. But my MacBook Pro only flickers verly slightly!
 
So far everything is working fine. No flicker and the keyboard, trackpad still work. I'm amazed and I have no idea what I did. I hope you get yours to work as well.
 
I'm bringing it back in to the Apple store tomorrow for the 3rd time. Printing out the email I had with the Apple engineer and telling them to do whatever it takes. This is BS I am tired of these problems. Probably going to end up replacing the keyboard first. If that doesn't work then they will have to replace the topcase, which is expensive, $300 or so.
 
I would not do that!
If you tell them to do what every it needs, they will do that.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
Brought it in today and it starting acting up in front of the Genius, which was good so he could see it himself. They sent it into their depot and I should have it back in 7-10 business days. Cost was $310 flat rate which covers any parts they need to replace and labor. If needed they will replace the motherboard, topcase, keyboard and that is all covered in the rate.
 
Yesterday Apple released a new keyboard firmware update!
Does anybody know if it solves our flickering problem?
I even do not know if it is made for CoreDuo MacBook Pros!!??
 
Does anybody know, if the flickering also starts when MacBook Pro ist connected to the power source by using the secured MagSafe?
 
Rockmatch said:
Yesterday Apple released a new keyboard firmware update!
Does anybody know if it solves our flickering problem?
I even do not know if it is made for CoreDuo MacBook Pros!!??
Click to expand...

That update is not for CD MB/MBP's :(

Rockmatch said:
Does anybody know, if the flickering also starts when MacBook Pro ist connected to the power source by using the secured MagSafe?
Click to expand...

Happens to me while on battery and connected to the AC.
 
Wirelessly posted (iphone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A93 Safari/419.3)

I picked up my mbp yesterday and they replaced the keyboard and topcase. Total cost was $320 so far its working fine.
 
scotty588 said:
Wirelessly posted (iphone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A93 Safari/419.3)

I picked up my mbp yesterday and they replaced the keyboard and topcase. Total cost was $320 so far its working fine.
Click to expand...

Apple can not be serious!
$320
That is simply anoying!
I will probably never buy a mac again!
Today I have seen the HP tx2000 Tablet PC for only €945!
 
So far so good!

Did you notice a flickering of the NUM and CAPS-LED after Apple had repaired the Book?
The actual Problem in this Thread!
You know?!?!
 
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