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WTF? Delete key generates a "5"
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status:
Offline
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Every time I visit my parents for the holidays there's something new and bizarre wrong with their mac. This time the "delete" key is generating a number "5" instead of deleting. It's really annoying and multiple restarts, plugging and unplugging the keyboard, etc. have not solved it. Anybody know how to fix this?
Specs:
Powermac G4 450 mHz
OS X 10.2.8
Macsense blue ice USB keyboard
Happy thanksgiving to all!
Eric
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 "Pfft. I know a genuine Panaphonics when I see it. And look, there's Magnetbox and Sorny." -HJS
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Northampton, MA
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Have you tried a different keyboard?
As a support technician, I've often found that when these symptoms occur, it means that the user entered something into the keyboard that they weren't supposed to, such as a bottle of water. 
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status:
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Yeah, I thought of that. But, unfortunately there're no other USB keyboards around. And it started happening in front of my eyes with no foreign objects or liquids inserted into the keyboard. I don't think it's a hardware problem. But, I must admit, I'm stumped.
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"Pfft. I know a genuine Panaphonics when I see it. And look, there's Magnetbox and Sorny." -HJS
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Los Angeles
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what does the "5" key spit out? try slamming both at once and hitting them...hehehe :-) thats what i would do.anything from universal access on? different keyboard layout?
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| MacBook Pro 2.4Ghz Core 2 Duo | 4GB Memory | 8x DL Superdrive | NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 256MB SDRAM | 160GB Internal running Leopard 10.5.6 | 500GB External | AirportExtreme + Bluetooth 2.0 | Logitech MxRevolution | Casio Exilim EX z75 | iPhone 3G Black |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Northampton, MA
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Originally posted by ericwass:
Yeah, I thought of that. But, unfortunately there're no other USB keyboards around. And it started happening in front of my eyes with no foreign objects or liquids inserted into the keyboard. I don't think it's a hardware problem. But, I must admit, I'm stumped.
Go to the nearest store with a good return policy like a Circuit City, pick up a USB keyboard, and test it out.
I can't think of any layout where the 5 would be where the delete key is. So while I'd definitely check that, it seems highly unlikely to me. It's probably a mechanical failure.
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status:
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Unfortunately they live in the boondocks. The closest Circuit City or equivalent is about 2 hours away. However, the problem seems to have fixed itself. Who knows why? Thanks for your suggestions. Happy Turkey Day!
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"Pfft. I know a genuine Panaphonics when I see it. And look, there's Magnetbox and Sorny." -HJS
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Northampton, MA
Status:
Offline
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Glad you resolved it. 
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: BFE
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There was a problem with Panther and capital A's earlier. I think it was related to having some kind of key re-mapping software installed. I think reinstalling it fixed it.
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I'm a bird. I am the 1% (of pets).
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Sierra Nevada Country
Status:
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The problem could also be related to keyboard switching, which I believe is activated with 'command-space' (an easy combination to hit). Chances are the keyboard had switched to another keyset (language) which remapped the keys to different codes, and with 'English' still being the primary language displayed (rather than Arabic or whatever) delete was displaying a '5'.
Perhaps this is the way it fixed itself also...
You may want to check the international prefpane to see if there's any other language inputs enabled than just English.
This may not be the problem, but I figured I'd add this in for people doing a search for similar problems in the future.
HTH
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First there was man, then there was Macintosh
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