The keys that no longer work are on the lower row, from Z through the / (plus the left-most Command key and the space bar on the bottom row). System is iMac (spring 2009), running 10.5.8, with a wired keyboard (the one with a number pad).
Solutions tried:
None of these things worked. The same keys are dead, now on both keyboards.
But what is really bizarre is that when I took the two keyboards and tried them on a second computer (my MacBook running 10.7.2). It then showed the same symptoms - same keys dead.
So to rundown:
What is going on? Any suggestions would be much appreciated ...
Solutions tried:
- change to another keyboard - this second keyboard showed exactly the same symptoms.
- switch keyboard(s) to another USB port
- reset SMC (twice)
- reset PRAM (twice)
- switch to another User Account
- boot from Install disc
- clean contacts on USB cables (and sockets)
None of these things worked. The same keys are dead, now on both keyboards.
But what is really bizarre is that when I took the two keyboards and tried them on a second computer (my MacBook running 10.7.2). It then showed the same symptoms - same keys dead.
So to rundown:
- keyboard A initially stopped working on machine A
- keyboard B was plugged into machine A as a test, but also didn't work (in exactly the same way)
- machine A was restarted, PRAMMed, etc. as described above, but neither keyboard A or B will work on it, even when the machine is booted from an install disc
- machine B (the laptop) works normally, with its own keyboard
- plug in keyboard A - no go. Same symptoms - same keys don't work, everything else fine.
- plug in keyboard B - no go. Same symptoms - same keys don't work. The first keyboard has Zombified the second one, or killed machine B in exactly the same way!
- unplug keyboards, restart machine B - it returns to normal.
What is going on? Any suggestions would be much appreciated ...