Software or hardware problem?

I have a major problem which has just started with my 2015 MBP running El Capitan 10.11.6
Today I tried to type in my admin password to allow a system action and I was unable to type my password. Sometimes the letter just repeats like I'm holding the key down, sometimes I cant type anything at all.
I restarted and found I could not type in my user password at the login page.
It took three tries to get it to work. Even as I type this letters are not registering or the letter continues to repeat as though I'm holding the key down.
At one stage during my login attempts a dialogue page appeared telling me there was no Bluetooth keyboard connected (I have never used a Bluetooth keyboard).
I have run Onyx (just the standard suite) , Malwarebytes and Disk Utility and have attempted to reset SMC but I cannot tell if it was successful.
My question is if this is a software issue or a hardware one. If it is a software issue I can fix it, if not I will need to take it back to Australia to a service centre because there are none here.

So in an attempt to find out if it was a software or hardware prob. I have booted from a week old clone and am experiencing the same problems. Keys sticking and inability to type into admin password text boxes.
HELP!

Rod Sprague said:

So in an attempt to find out if it was a software or hardware prob. I have booted from a week old clone and am experiencing the same problems. Keys sticking and inability to type into admin password text boxes.
HELP!

Click to expand...

Try an external keyboard.

- Nick

What will that tell me if I don'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''t experience any problem? You can see what i mean this is a typical example of the problem uncorrected. Spaces, missing lettersssssssss and repeating charcters. I aeodmt i'''''''''''''m woried.

I am not certain that this would help, but try to delete UID's temporary and cache folders. We've just discussed how to delete these folders, here's the link:

http://www.mac-forums.com/os-x-operating-system/335388-damaged-and-incomplete-files.html

I have a 2011 MBP, and I used to have that issue when I was using a bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I have switched to a wired keyboard and mouse and the issue has gone away. This would happen with my built in keyboard. How many bluetooth devices do you use with your MBP? Could something be interfering with bluetooth?

Rod Sprague said:

What will that tell me if I don'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''t experience any problem? You can see what i mean this is a typical example of the problem uncorrected. Spaces, missing lettersssssssss and repeating charcters. I aeodmt i'''''''''''''m woried.

Click to expand...

If you don't have a problem using an external keyboard than most likely a hardware problem.

BTW, Is there any possibility someone spilled something in your MBP keyboard and didn't tell you?

Rod Sprague said:

What will that tell me if I don'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''t experience any problem? You can see what i mean this is a typical example of the problem uncorrected. Spaces, missing lettersssssssss and repeating charcters. I aeodmt i'''''''''''''m woried.

Click to expand...

I'm confused why you're asking this question Rod?? This is sort of "troubleshooting 101" (stuff we discuss all the time). From what was written…you are currently having a problem. If you have no problem with an external keyboard…then the problem is more likely hardware than software (which is the thread title). If the external keyboard doesn't help…then it's probably more software/OS related.

This is the exact same sort of troubleshooting that's recommended when there's a problem with a laptops built-in trackpad or display. Try an external display or try an external input device. Thus the same advice here…try an external keyboard.

Plus. If the external keyboard helps…at least you can use the computer fully…until the issue is resolved.

- Nick

Sorry Nick I was trying to understand if using an external keyboard would rule out the probability of a software problem entirety. Because if it is hardware I'm unable to fix it myself. If not I will keep trying to find a software solution.
No nothing has been spilt on the keyboard.
Anyway I will try the USB keyboard an feedback but it doesn't fix my problem Nick because the only keyboard we have is my wife's and due to her setup (on a elevated stand) she can't do without it.

The other thing is the intermittent nature of the problem. I had this MBP off o/night and no problem logging in just now. And no problem writing this post so far.
So to sum up; Have tried all of the repair options, Disk Utility (from the Mac and Restore partition), Onyx, and Malwarebytes just in case.
I also tried setting up another user to see if it was specific to my profile but same problem occurred.
I am going back to Australia for 2 weeks next month and this MBP is less than 6 months old so that's a plus but my fear is the intermittent nature of the problem may mean that I will be unable to demonstrate it.
One thing that may be pertinent is that the problem started occurring during a game. This game requires holding a movement key for an extended time and the first thing I noticed was that forward movement was continuing after releasing the movement key and I had to hit the key again to stop moving forward. But the phenomena happened with the other movement keys and function keys too so it's probably not relevant to the game but I wondered about prolonged holding of a key as an issue.
And lastly at two attempts to restart I received a dialogue box stating that my Bluetooth keyboard was not connected and to check my Bluetooth connection. Which would seem to indicate it could not see the internal keyboard at all.
I read somewhere that the keyboard has a dedicated battery (correct me if I'm wrong) so I wondered if prolonged holding of keys could flatten that. Mind you I have been playing these type of games for years with never a problem before.
I guess I'm grasping at straws here and the keyboard continues to function perfectly this morning.

Just guessing, but sounds like it might be heat buildup related

RavingMac, you may have hit the nail on the head, I did wonder about that myself. To test this I just need to run a few high useage apps at the same time and see if the problem reoccurs. I am in Indonesia after all but I have used this MBP during hotter months still not with the game I was playing (Metro 2033 Redux) which is rated for a higher graphics card than the one I'm running. The game plays fine but I am definitely pushing the boundaries of the processor as well as the GC. The temp where I am now (enclosed verandah) is 27.8C the Mac is on a glass topped table with an overhead fan running flat out. Internal Temp on Menu Meters is 41C well within operating requirements.
I could try running the game and see if it reoccurs, if so I could boost the fan speed an try again I suppose.

Well, I've tried playing the game in question for half an hour with fan set to high, temp when I quit the game was 80c quickly dropped to 45C and everything operating as per normal. Honestly guys i am not an alarmist by nature, I did not post on these forums until I had tried almost everything mentioned to no avail and yet here we are with all normal. Oh well, I guess time will tell.

Take it back.

Rod. In post #10, you mentioned that it may have started during or in relation a game.

I recall there was a post about this here on the Forums about 3 months ago. The solution was to hold down a particular key and then tap on another three times. I know that's not a great deal of help, but maybe you could search the Threads here looking for key repeating after game - or similar.

I'd do this for you , but I'm on a short holiday break and only have my iPad and the WiFi is poor.

Ian

Rod Sprague said:

The other thing is the intermittent nature of the problem.

Click to expand...

I think this is the first time this was mentioned (not mentioned in post #1).

- Nick

@Rod:

The Bluetooth pop up you received several times and the fact that you state the problem is intermittent leads me to believe you may have BT interference going on. Besides, that machine is too new to have keyboard troubles...

Why don't you try disabling BT (turn it off) and run that way for a while to see what happens. As long as you don't have any other BT devices that are in use with your MBP, it should be OK.

I think I have found the problem after a bit of searching I found a few people with this problem and we all have this in common. See console report below.

30/07/2016 13:52:25.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x1047, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:26.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x54E5, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:26.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x4B55, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:26.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x801A, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:26.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x4B55, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:26.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x803C, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:26.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xB62D, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:27.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x272D, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:27.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x4B55, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:27.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xB62D, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:27.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x32B0, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:27.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xB62D, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:29.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xB62D, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:29.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x803C, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:29.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer NAK received from device
30/07/2016 13:52:29.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x8FF8, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:29.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x2ADB, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:32.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xD9E7, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:32.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xE956, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:33.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xEADF, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:33.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xA053, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:33.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x4B55, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:33.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x801A, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:33.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x661C, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:33.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xD9E7, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:34.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xC91F, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:34.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xB62D, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:34.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xA053, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:34.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x4B55, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:35.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0x32B0, received 0x0000
30/07/2016 13:52:35.000 kernel[0]: Error: AppleHSSPIController::doSPITransfer CRC from device was invalid: computed 0xC91F, received 0x0000

There's more but I think you get the idea. In the case of the last user I read about he had the same problem on two 2015 MBP's the first one was replaced by Apple as they could not find a cause and in the second case they replaced the HSSPI cable. Looks like I'm going back to Australia at just the right time.