My Hyperactive "K" KKKKey

[WildCowboy]

My 13 month old PowerBook's "K" key has been acting up lately. It started with the occasional double "K" when I pressed it. Then it progressed to random insertions of "Ks" as I brushed it on my way to another key. I finally realized that it was giving me such problems, so I investigated a bit. For some reason, my "K" key was extremely sensitive...imagine that. Barely even touching the key caused it to register as a keystroke. Then it got to the point where I would get an occasional string of "Ks" when I wasn't even touching the key. I popped off the key to check things out, and determined there wasn't anything stuck under the key...the mechanism was just overly sensitive and getting worse.

So I took my trusty PB to the Genius Bar today and dropped it off for a keyboard replacement. It would have cost $150, but it's free because I have AppleCare. (WildCowboy's plug of the day: Invest in AppleCare for your portables!!) I'll have to survive on my iBook Dual USB for a few days, so it's back to the Stone Age for me. Small screen, five minutes of battery life, Panther...how did I ever live like this?

 

[mad jew]

How crap. I don't know if Apple Stores allow this (none in Australia), but the few times I've needed replacement parts, I haven't given them the machine until they have the part. A keyboard replacement should only take a few minutes, so this means there's only a few minutes without my beloved.

 

[mmmcheese]

I had that happen with my iBook (F key)....of course it was my own damn fault because I took it apart and scrubbed it clean with a tooth brush...I ended up buying a new keyboard.

 

[idea_hamster]

"Uh-Oh! It's K-K-K-Ken -- C-C-C-Coming to K-K-K-Kill me!"

(Hey, it's what I thought of... )

 

[Nermal]

Hmm, I thought this might be about the awful key-repetition prroblem (it's just done it) that the neew (and again) Apple Keyboards have. I'm on my second one and it's really annoying me. Basically, I just type like normal and sometimes a key will register twice. I can't be the only one with this problem since it's happened with two separrate (again!) keyboards (but never with my Pro Keyboard). Anyone else?

 

[mad jew]

Maybe increase the Delay Until Repeat time in the Keyboard pane of System Preference's Keyboard & Mouse section.

 

[Nermal]

The repetition is instant, it's not related to the repeat delay. It's as if I'm pressing the key twice in succession, rather than holding it down long enough to get a second character onscreen.

Anyway, this belongs in its own thread, not this one

 

[WildCowboy]

I don't know how long the repair takes (they do have to take the top case apart, but that's not too hard), but they did say that the limiting factor was whether they have the part in stock or not.

I'll survive...better than me having to trudge back over there. I think it'll be quick...it was the SF flagship store, and I've heard pretty good things about their turnaround times.

 

[mmmcheese]

Hmm, I thought this might be about the awful key-repetition prroblem (it's just done it) that the neew (and again) Apple Keyboards have. I'm on my second one and it's really annoying me. Basically, I just type like normal and sometimes a key will register twice. I can't be the only one with this problem since it's happened with two separrate (again!) keyboards (but never with my Pro Keyboard). Anyone else?

Maybe you should get tested for Parkinson's Disease?

 

[jmsait19]

I don't know how long the repair takes (they do have to take the top case apart, but that's not too hard), but they did say that the limiting factor was whether they have the part in stock or not.

I'll survive...better than me having to trudge back over there. I think it'll be quick...it was the SF flagship store, and I've heard pretty good things about their turnaround times.

i've talked to them about a repair that would require taking the top case apart and they said that taking the top case apart is actually a bigger task with the way everything is packed in there. I don't recall whether they said they could do the repair there or not. either way, if you have an extra computer, you are in luck. I'm about to take mine in and i have a computer on standby.

and yes. I'll endorse applecare too.

 

[Kingsly]

My MBP needs a kkkkeyboard replacement (broken "left" arrow key), any idea how long it'll take at a genius bar?

 

[mmmcheese]

My MBP needs a kkkkeyboard replacement (broken "left" arrow key), any idea how long it'll take at a genius bar?

About 3 months....if it had been the right arrow key, they could fix it tomorrow...

 

[Kingsly]

About 3 months....if it had been the right arrow key, they could fix it tomorrow...

Damn.

 

[WildCowboy]

My MBP needs a kkkkeyboard replacement (broken "left" arrow key), any idea how long it'll take at a genius bar?

Keyboard replacement is not a Genius Bar repair. They have to check it in for the repair, and the turnaround time is dependent on whether they have the part in stock. My official estimate was ten days (checked in on the 21st, estimated completion on the 31st), but it will in all likelihood be much less than that.

 

[Kingsly]

Keyboard replacement is not a Genius Bar repair. They have to check it in for the repair, and the turnaround time is dependent on whether they have the part in stock. My official estimate was ten days (checked in on the 21st, estimated completion on the 31st), but it will in all likelihood be much less than that.

See post # 13

 

[mmmcheese]

Damn.

My post was, of course, humourous...

I'm not sure how the keyboards are installed on the MBP, but if it's anything like the iBook (and I hear it is not), it's a simple 5 minute job once you have the parts. If you have to take apart the case, then it will likely have to be sent away to a repair centre.

 

[Kingsly]

My post was, of course, humourous...
as was mine

I'm not sure how the keyboards are installed on the MBP, but if it's anything like the iBook (and I hear it is not), it's a simple 5 minute job once you have the parts. If you have to take apart the case, then it will likely have to be sent away to a repair centre.

Its not. Unless there is some sort of RDF around the thing (likely) than you have to pull the entire upper case to replace the keyboard.

 

[yg17]

My PB had the same problem with the W key. I took it to the Apple Store but it had to be sent out for a replacement keyboard

 

[redAPPLE]

i had the problem with the backspace key. it took Apple 3 weeks to repair it.

i was told, they did not have the specified key and it has to be ordered. and they had to uninstall the OS and test the damn thing.

thank god i still have my trusty titanium powerbook. hey, for a 5 year old machine (i believe it is 5 years old), it seemed snappy to me.

 

[WildCowboy]

Well, it took them the full ten days, but I finally got my PB back today. I was starting to get a bit peeved that the Genius had strongly suggested that it would only be a "couple" of days, but any bad feelings quickly evaporated when I realized that they had also replaced my top case! I had some VERY minor pitting on the left palm rest, but they went ahead and replaced it anyway...didn't even have to ask for it!