[pZsolt]

Hi,

Run into some problems, actually since I have my Mac (just bought recently) I did the following settings in the System Preferences/Keyborad, Key Repeat Rate == slow and Delay Until Repeat == off. When I test the settings on the same pane works fine, there is no repeate till I am not pressing the same button again. But when I try to write a new mail in the Mail.app, letters keep repeat. I am sure it is not a problem with my typing skill (been programing in the last 10 years) - also checked the TextEdit, and that one works fine.
Does any one have any ideas?

(Running 10.2.6, upgraded from 10.2.4 with the updater downloaded (not via Software Update))

Thanks

Zsolt

[Sophus]

Originally posted by pZsolt:
Hi,

Run into some problems, actually since I have my Mac (just bought recently) I did the following settings in the System Preferences/Keyborad, Key Repeat Rate == slow and Delay Until Repeat == off. When I test the settings on the same pane works fine, there is no repeate till I am not pressing the same button again. But when I try to write a new mail in the Mail.app, letters keep repeat. I am sure it is not a problem with my typing skill (been programing in the last 10 years) - also checked the TextEdit, and that one works fine.
Does any one have any ideas?

(Running 10.2.6, upgraded from 10.2.4 with the updater downloaded (not via Software Update))

Thanks

Zsolt

Hi, I have the exact same problem and have had so at least from 10.1.

Certain letters tend to repeat themselves, notably the letter "i" and some others. It is really driving me mad!!! I wrote a book with 130 pages. Working with the manuscript really was a chore, having to constantly delete extra characters. Adjusting the keyboard settings have not solved the problem. This is really making me less productive when working on my beloved Cube.

I also work on a number of different pc's and it never happens on these. I have been working with computers since 1981 and my typing skill is good. I guess there is something wrong with either the apple pro keyboards or with the software driver controlling the keyboard. I have no experience from OS9, so I don't know whether this is a software or hardware specific "bug".

Please, if anyone else have these problems, chime in and let us know.

Sophus

[GENERAL_SMILEY]

Do you have the new 17 AL?

There is a conversation here about this issue:
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=163956

No solution though. Having said that since I fscked with the key repeat settings, it seems to have got better - then again I can't type

[pZsolt]

Originally posted by GENERAL_SMILEY:
Do you have the new 17 AL?

There is a conversation here about this issue:
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=163956

No solution though. Having said that since I fscked with the key repeat settings, it seems to have got better - then again I can't type

Hi,

Have a brand new eMac, 1 Ghz, 512 MB RAM, SuperDrive. Switched from WinTel machine (office still on WinTel). The interesting part is, that the TextEdit works fine, or at least never noticed the duplication.
Thanks for the other thread, I will check is out, also will try with a different keyboard over the weekend.

[Sophus]

I bring back to liife thhis old threadd.

I have a brannd nnew 15" Powerbook, and it has the problem (10.3.5), Alsom my iBook annd my Cube still suffers frrom this extremeely annnoyingg bbugg. I have to finish a report by tomoorrow, and it iis almost immpossibblle to do, givenn alll the errors that pops up from normall typing. It is not my typing, because I neveer hhave this problemm oon any of my PCs. The Macs are unusabblle with this bug. I am losing my minnd ovver this!!!

Have any oof you found a fix? At macfixit, some ssugggesteedd thhat it mmay be due to a corruppt postscript fonnt, but I don't know.

PLEASE HELP!!!! PLEASE...

NB: all the typos above is due to this bug, and comes from a normal typing. Playing with the delay and repeat rate for the keyboard does not help. I guess it has something to do with my prefs, or install, or some software culprit, since all my machines have the same programs installed. None of the machines are cloned, but my new Powerbook was set up with the "set up assistant", importing everything from my iBook. The bug thus seems to be inherited. It is system wide. Opening a new user account does not help.
Running on battery does not hep either.

Sophus..

NOTE: I have also posted this in the Powerbook forum. I am sorry if this offends some of you, but I am desperate, and the bug is not restricted to Powerbooks, but has to do with OSX (or possibly some third party software culprit)

[Randman]

Have you checked fonts?

[Sophus]

Originally posted by Randman:
Have you checked fonts?

How do I do that?

[monkeybrain]

Wow this sounds like a very annoying bug. As a process of elimination - does this happen with several fonts or just one, i.e. Times? If you find the bug is only one, you could turn that font off or uninstall using Font Book (in your Application's folder).

This doesn't sound like a permissions error, but always repairs permissions using Disk Utility anyway.

Failing that do an archive and install, it will preserve everything in your Home folder and Application's folder, but install a new version of whatever OS came with your powerbook (I'm guessing maybe 10.3.4 or 10.3.5). I've done several archives and installs and it solves many problems. The fact that creating a new user indicates its an OS level problem, not User level, so this may well work.

Don't worry about offending people, you haven't and it's clearly a big problem.

[Sophus]

Originally posted by monkeybrain:
Wow this sounds like a very annoying bug. As a process of elimination - does this happen with several fonts or just one, i.e. Times? If you find the bug is only one, you could turn that font off or uninstall using Font Book (in your Application's folder).

This doesn't sound like a permissions error, but always repairs permissions using Disk Utility anyway.

Failing that do an archive and install, it will preserve everything in your Home folder and Application's folder, but install a new version of whatever OS came with your powerbook (I'm guessing maybe 10.3.4 or 10.3.5). I've done several archives and installs and it solves many problems. The fact that creating a new user indicates its an OS level problem, not User level, so this may well work.

Don't worry about offending people, you haven't and it's clearly a big problem.

Thhannkks for your response. I have tried sevverall fonnts i Texxtedit. Some seems to be less prone to thhe buug than othhers. Times seems to work bbetter, while Times New romman seems to bbe the absolutely worst. I will try an arcchive annd innstall since the results are unclear.

This bug is VERYY annoying.

Sorry about the typos, blame my mac

[chabig]

I would recommend downloading and installed the 10.2.8 combo updater from Apple. Often, running the combo updater fixes little problems.

Chris

[Sophus]

I am on 10.3.5.
I have triedd archive and innstall 10.3.4 that came with the Powerbook, but wiithout success. The probllem persists. I have had this problem on my cube since 10.2.


I am thinking about backing up my data and do a complete reinstall *sigh*

Any other suggestions?

I am desperate.

Sophus

[Person Man]

Originally posted by Randman:
Have you checked fonts?

It has nothing to do with fonts. It's a problem with either the keyboard itself or how the OS reads the keyboards.

[Sophus]

Originally posted by Person Man:
It has nothing to do with fonts. It's a problem with either the keyboard itself or how the OS reads the keyboards.

I am trying a complete reinstall. Backing up my data now. Will try to install the additional programs one by one and check typing after each install. Will try to identify a possible culprit.

I wonder if the problem is related to certain localized keyboards. Mine is Norwegian. If som of you who reads this have experienced the problem, please let me know what kind of keyboard you have (localisation).

Sophus

[chabig]

One other idea is to download and run Panther Cache Cleaner. Try a deep cleaning of your system caches.

Chris

[Sophus]

Originally posted by chabig:
One other idea is to download and run Panther Cache Cleaner. Try a deep cleaning of your system caches.

Chris

Chris, I have tried CacheOutX and a Fontcache cleaner, to no avail. I will give it one more shot though, before I try the full reinstall.

Sophus

[Sophus]

Originally posted by Sophus:
Chris, I have tried CacheOutX and a Fontcache cleaner, to no avail. I will give it one more shot though, before I try the full reinstall.

Sophus

Did not work with cleaning the caches.

I am now nearly finished with reinstalling OSX 10.3.4. Will run software update, repair permissions and give it a try before installing additional software.

Sophus

[monkeybrain]

I'd recommend using the stand alone combo updates off Apple's site rather than using the ones in Software Update. Doing this fixed some problems on my machine and a flatmates. Oh remember to repair permissions before and after updating.

[Sophus]

Originally posted by monkeybrain:
I'd recommend using the stand alone combo updates off Apple's site rather than using the ones in Software Update. Doing this fixed some problems on my machine and a flatmates. Oh remember to repair permissions before and after updating.

Thanks for the tip. Used the standalone updater the last time. I have now completed a reinstall. The problems seems to have gona away to some extent, meaning it is not as bad as it was. However, in Word, which is the only Software I have installed, the problem is as bad as it was. Maybe placebo, but writing in safari, Mail and Textedit seems much better. Word 2004 is near unusable though. Ah well, I'll have to work through the night to finish my report, correcting countless typos due to this bug.

Sophus

[monkeybrain]

Huh, problem is most severe in Word. Well I think Office installs some duplicates of fonts that may be causing problems, I've heard of some strange issues before. I'm not sure how to fix this though. Perhaps delete all fonts in your Home library and main library and then use a program like Pacifist (I think that is right) to extract the default fonts off your system disk. Really need some expert advice here though, so I wouldn't do any of this yet - or at least back everything up.

[Person Man]

Originally posted by monkeybrain:
Huh, problem is most severe in Word. Well I think Office installs some duplicates of fonts that may be causing problems, I've heard of some strange issues before. I'm not sure how to fix this though. Perhaps delete all fonts in your Home library and main library and then use a program like Pacifist (I think that is right) to extract the default fonts off your system disk. Really need some expert advice here though, so I wouldn't do any of this yet - or at least back everything up.

The problem is not fonts. Certain keys will repeat once or twice when pressed lightly. It can happen more in some programs than in others, but it is not related to fonts. It has happened on my machine as well, and with more than one keyboard (US keyboard)

[Sophus]

Originally posted by monkeybrain:
Huh, problem is most severe in Word. Well I think Office installs some duplicates of fonts that may be causing problems, I've heard of some strange issues before. I'm not sure how to fix this though. Perhaps delete all fonts in your Home library and main library and then use a program like Pacifist (I think that is right) to extract the default fonts off your system disk. Really need some expert advice here though, so I wouldn't do any of this yet - or at least back everything up.

Well, I checked Fontbook and there were some duplicate often used fonts. I deactivated the duplicates found in my home folder. I fired up a new Mail message and started typing. Wrote four full liness without one single repeat. I then fired up Word and wrote three lines without errors. As you see I still get some errors here, but it is not to bad.

Is this just random or is it a connection? Beats me

I will test some more and report my findings later.

Sophus

[Person Man]

Originally posted by Sophus:
Well, I checked Fontbook and there were some duplicate often used fonts. I deactivated the duplicates found in my home folder. I fired up a new Mail message and started typing. Wrote four full liness without one single repeat. I then fired up Word and wrote three lines without errors. As you see I still get some errors here, but it is not to bad.

Is this just random or is it a connection? Beats me

I will test some more and report my findings later.

Sophus

I think it's just random. I have no duplicate fonts nor any corrupted fonts, and it happens to me on a regular basis. It doesn't happen all the time, but mostly when I'm typing fast. If I go deliberately slowly and press the keys for just a bit longer than I usually do, the problem goes away.

It even happens when I log in under the >console user (i.e. no Aqua GUI loaded, and certainly NO fonts).

[Sophus]

Originally posted by Person Man:
I think it's just random. I have no duplicate fonts nor any corrupted fonts, and it happens to me on a regular basis. It doesn't happen all the time, but mostly when I'm typing fast. If I go deliberately slowly and press the keys for just a bit longer than I usually do, the problem goes away.

It even happens when I log in under the >console user (i.e. no Aqua GUI loaded, and certainly NO fonts).

Unfortunatly, I believe you are right. The problem is slightly erratic and comes and goes. The problem is most noticeable when I am typing fast, which may explain why some users just experience it sporadicallly.

I don't think it is anything physically wrong with the keyboard as such, since the problem exists also on my blluetooth keyboard and a broad range of different machines. I believe it is either driver related or related to firmware, input timing or something like that. I still dont get it. How can one fast key press be interpreted as two?

It never happens when I type on PCs. This is an isolated Macintosh problem. I first experienced the bug when upgrading to 10.2 if I recall correctly. The problem is so severe that it effectively prevents me from doing my work. I spend a huge amount of time correcting the errors and any creative thought process is disturbed and destroyed completely. It brings me to the edge of despair.

The issue should be brought to Apples attention. It affects quite a lot of people as the numerous discussions show, and the severity of the problem is huge, as those of you who have experienced it certainly can witness.

Sophus

[Sophus]

Originally posted by Person Man:
I think it's just random. I have no duplicate fonts nor any corrupted fonts, and it happens to me on a regular basis. It doesn't happen all the time, but mostly when I'm typing fast. If I go deliberately slowly and press the keys for just a bit longer than I usually do, the problem goes away.

It even happens when I log in under the >console user (i.e. no Aqua GUI loaded, and certainly NO fonts).

Person Man, I think you are right. But boooted upp in console mode, I guess the keyboard driver is loaded, right? I believe the keyboard driver is a kernel driver, or kernel extension, namely the driver "AppleADBKeyboard, version 2.3.7f3", which shows up as loaded and active. Does any of you guys reading this have any knowledge about how a keyboard driver works? Could it bbe possible that there is something wrong in the timing and sensing/interpreting of keystrokes?

Since the problem shows on all sorts of Macs and with both notebook keyboards, Applle bluetooth keyboardss and the USB Apple Pro keyboard, I figure that the driver is all they have in common. I don't believe that there kan be something physically wrong with all these different keyboards.

If you have any clues, please let me know.

Thanks!

Sophus

[Person Man]

Originally posted by Sophus:
Since the problem shows on all sorts of Macs and with both notebook keyboards, Applle bluetooth keyboardss and the USB Apple Pro keyboard, I figure that the driver is all they have in common. I don't believe that there kan be something physically wrong with all these different keyboards.

If you have any clues, please let me know.

Thanks!

Sophus

Most likely it IS a driver issue.

[Sophus]

Originally posted by Person Man:
Most likely it IS a driver issue.

Okk, I callled appple suppport today about the isssue. They walked me through all the sstteeps I havee tried mmyself beefore calling appple.

The problemm did ass farr as I could tell not show up in open firmware. it didd however show upp in connsolle mode andd off course in OSX. They instructed me to reseet PMU, turn on unniversal access, test out the key repeeate rate settings etc. Of coursse nonne of it solved the probllem. I goot a distinct feeling that they did not not have a clue on how to solve this onee. Theey promised to call mee bback tomorrow. I have nno hope in themm ssollvving thhis though.

OMG! Thhe problemm seems to get worse when writing in safari ttextfiellds. Sorry about all these errorrs. Blamee iit onn appple. (sorry for sounding like a whinner too, but thhiis bug iss killling mee)

Anyoone innteressted in a brannd nnew powerbook?

Sophus

[PeterS]

Originally posted by Sophus:
Okk, I callled appple suppport today about the isssue. They walked me through all the sstteeps I havee tried mmyself beefore calling appple.

snip

Sophus

Two other possibilities you may consider. May be too far out but I guess you are ready to consider anything!
Possibly one or more of your invisible GlobalPreferences files are corrupted. I have read that these can have strange effects if corrupt. Need to log out and then back in after deleting them to have them re-create.
Secondly, maybe your Sticky Keys has somehow become corrupted or partially activated.
HTH

[Sophus]

Originally posted by PeterS:
Two other possibilities you may consider. May be too far out but I guess you are ready to consider anything!
Possibly one or more of your invisible GlobalPreferences files are corrupted. I have read that these can have strange effects if corrupt. Need to log out and then back in after deleting them to have them re-create.
Secondly, maybe your Sticky Keys has somehow become corrupted or partially activated.
HTH

Thank you for your suggestions and help.

I have already wiped the disk and done a complete reinstall and then tested the pristine system on a fresh user account and the problem was still there. So I believe we can rule that option out.

The Apple tech just called me and said he would send me a system profiler program to get the status about my machine for analysis. He also asked me to do a more extensive test in Open Firmware to confirm that the problem did not exist there. He also asked me whether I still had OS9 installed on my old Cube in order to verify that the problem was in OSX as presently suspected.

I don't have OS9 installed, but will consider installing it to get the confirmation. Anything to get rid of the problem. The fact that the problem comes and goes makes it difficult to find a logical pattern. I am starting to wonder whether it might be related to circuitry and possibly heat. Bad soldering and bad silicon may react to heat by losing connections or short circuting. I will try to see whether the problem is more noticeable when the machine is hot.

(BTW, this is written on my work PC. Voila, no double letters).

Sophus