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Model A1181: 1.83, 2, 2.1, 2.13, 2.16, 2.2, or 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo processor

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Keyboard and Trackpad Not Working, Power Button works good.

MacBook a1181 keyboard and trackpad is not working at all. First, the trackpad stops working then after several days the keyboard also stops working without any ideas what cause them to stop working. macbook works fine with USB keyboard and a mouse. I order the "UPPER CASE with KEYBOARD" here at iFixIt. When i received the keyboard i immediately replaced my uppercase.... but still keyboard and trackpad is not working.. What specific parts in the logic boards (chips which control the uppercase) to check or inspect?? is the problem repairable?? i need help.

Update

Macbook 13" 2.0Ghz Black/Penryn...... i'll post the serial number later.. i order uppercase with keyboard with part number 186-044-3.

Update

the last three figure of the serial number is 0P2 and the part number for the uppercase i ordered is 186-044-3.

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Are your symptoms exact the same with the new uppercase? Would you give us the last three figures of your serial number and the part number of the uppercase you ordered? Thanks

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Apple MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 13" (Black-08) Specs

Identifiers: Early 2008 - MB404LL/A - MacBook4,1 - A1181 - 2242

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@ nicksmacan and Charles, thanks for the suggestions... i will try your suggestion and let anyone if this solve the problem...

STEPS that have been done prior to the problem but it does not solve the problem;

1.) SMC and PRAM reset. disconnect battery and hold power button for more than 5 secs. hold down CMD-OPT-P-R before powering ON for 4 consecutive restart.

2.) updates MAC OS X to latest 10.6.8 using USB keyboard and mouse.

3.) reinstalling MAC OS X with new HDD using USB keyboard and mouse as well.

4.) tear down the macbook. taking out the logic board from the case. cleaning thouroughly the logic board, inspect possible marking of defective electronic component such as sign of burn, reheating the logic board using hot air especially the surrounding the connector of the logic board to the uppercase.

5.) planning to try the suggestion of nicksmacan and Charles.. immediately give you response after doing their suggestion.

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Today I have the same problems - even external keybard/mouse do not work. Just the power button works fine.

Did you solve the problem already?

Thanks

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I have the exact same problem with an A1181 Macbook. Did you manage to resolve this?

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6 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

I cannot determine which part you have ordered from the number you gave. The correct top case part for your machine is 922-8265. I would maybe have ordered just the trackpad cable instead of the whole top case since that seems to be the problem. That is Apple part number 922-8278. Hopes this helps.

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,thanks for the info mayer, if the problem come from the trackpad cable...the trackpad i ordered here at iFixIt will solve the problem because i replaced the entire uppercase which include the trackpad cable otherwise iFixIt send me a bad or not working uppercase?

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That's correct, if you ordered the correct uppercase. But since you are only having problems with the trackpad, if would return it and try the much cheaper cable fix.

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,im 100% sure that the uppercase i ordered is working well and good because i test or connect it to another macbook, its works perfectly. not only the trackpad is not working even the keyboard as well.

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Hello, May I (if you don't mind) suggest that you take a magnifying glass with a lot of good light and look directly at the very end of the two cables from each unit. What you want to do here is to look at the contact tips at the end of each cable ribbon (don't do a lot of bending with them). If you see where there appears to be a missing contact strip at the end then that will be your problem.

The mouse/trackpad will work independently from the keyboard functions. All other suggestions that you've already received are very valid suggestions and like in anything else when trying to solve problems, always start with the simplest one first and then proceed from there. Hope this helps.

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Hi, after you have tried everything suggested by everyone and you still get NO positive results then the ONLY reasonable thing left is to use a wireless keyboard. If that yields nothing then it would appear that there is a failure somewhere on the logic board itself. You should take it to a an Apple store for a Genius appointment and let them do a free diagnostic test on the entire machine.

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Mine did exactly the same, neither the keyboard or the trackpad would work, after a bit of research that suggested the boards connector by the battery might not be making contact properly, finally I got fed up and gave the case a good hard squeeze around the battery area. Worked immediately and still working...

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the keyboard and the trackpad use the cable to transfer data and + voltage, but need the ground taken from the metalic contacts. so Steward was right, try press the top case around the USB plugs and the ground will come again and power the keyboard. if you try to use the keyboard without touching the body it wont work even the powew button.

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I opened up my laptop and disconnected then connected the keyboard wire but that only fixed it for all of two minutes

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Cled Tayamen will be eternally grateful.
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