Powerbook screen keeps brightening itself

F

FlipFuture

Registered
Ok, my powerbook is suddenly acting up. I can't figure out how to fix it.

Problem:

I have my powerbook set up on my desk, with iPod attached, playing music in iTunes. I set my screen brightness to the absolute minimum so as not to damage it at all. The problem I am getting however, is that the powerbook keeps turning up the brightness, as though the F2 key is jammed. I have tried pushing and lightly pulling the F2 key, but it doesnt work. The little transparent sun display is constantly on the screen, so it's ALWAYS turning up the brightness. Even when i press F1, it still tries to increase it at the same time, which gets me nowhere.

Please help!!

Powerbook is a 15" Aluminium powerbook G4, nothing special about it. Lots of software installed, but none that I can think of that would cause something like this.

My powerbook was running at a temp of around 57 degrees Celcius, so I turned it off for a couple of hours. It's now icey cold, but it still has the same problem, so that is unrelated.

I have tried covering the light sensors with my hands, but that does nothing either.

I have turned off "Automatically Adjust" on the display settings for the brightness ( I think this is some sort of joke, because i've never seen this change anything when it's turned off. It always adjusts the display and key backlighting. Might be my imagination. )

Perhaps my powerbook is defective.

I live in Australia, and there are no nearby apple service centres, if there are any at all. I bought my laptop online about 4 months ago.

Running Mac OS X 10.4.5

* Note: Sometimes the problem will go away for a few seconds, and then come back again. This is really irritating.

PLEASE HELP!!

Thanks
 
Try running your Apple Hardware Test CD that should have come with your Powerbook. With the symptoms you describe it should tell you the keyboard is at fault.

You might then contact the nearest Apple Service Center and ask them how much it would be to ship you a new keyboard.
 
I don't seem to have that disc. Any idea of where it usually comes in the packaging. The only discs that came with it are the OS X install cd's.

Also, the keyboard is just the powerbooks keyboard. The keys that are literally ON the powerbook. Sorry if there is any confusion.

Edit: Sorry, the OS X Install disc seems to come with Apple Hardware Test on it. On the disc is says to hold option for the startup menu. I'll update you guys when it finishes.

Edit: Errm, I'm a little confused. I have the disc in, I've read all the instructions, and I'm holding down the option key while it restarts. The boot menu just doesn't appear. All that happens is the computer restarts itself and I get the login prompt.

How do I use Apple Hardware Test?

The 'Option' key is the key that has 'Option' written on it right? It's not the name for the 'Command' key or something stupid? Or 'Ctrl' ?

Edit: The apple knowledge base tells me to hold 'C' when restarting to load Apple Hardware Test. This doesn't work either.

Is it even POSSIBLE to run apple hardware test on my powerbook?? It doesnt seem to want to let me boot from anywhere else.
 
Hm. The sun-icon _never_ goes away? And you can still _work_ on that thing?! ;) ... It really sounds like the key is "stuck", as in: Permanently makes a connection. ... I'd consider sending the PowerBook to the nearest service center and have them send it back fixed...

Oh, one more thing... In the keyboard settings, can you set the function keys to work as function keys instead of the hardware-setting keys? There should be a setting about which function is done when pressing the key without the Fn key... This could at least show you whether it's really the keyboard at fault or some software issue. (Instead of turning up the brightness, they key should then theoretically always press that function key...)
 
Gah, I'm an official idiot.

When I went and bought my Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard for my PC, I connected my old Mouse/Keyboard to the apple. I didn't have room for the keyboard though, so I put it away in my room. Well, it's a wireless keyboard, and it seems that when I unplug the keyboard / mouse USB reciever, the brightness thing dissapears and it stops doing it.

Thanks for the help, I guess. I assume this is also why it wouldn't load the hardware test. Because the powerbook keyboard was conflicting or some-such rubbish.

Well, thanks again.
 
Ah. :) Well, I guess we couldn't have figured _that_ one out over the internet unless someone had had the same problem exactly. ;)
 
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