So my keyboard is grumpy

M

Munsey

Registered
For whatever reason, I cannot get my computer to let me do certain keyboard shortcuts, and more notably, things like accent marks. Formerly, option+U gave me an umlaut. Now it just gives me the letter U. Same goes for other accent marks and international characters. I didn't change anything that I'm aware of, and can't figure out where this setting would be changed either. Any ideas? I did just replace my keyboard, but didn't have this problem until last night, so the keyboard itself isn't the problem. It also affects things like opening my AIM buddy list with a keyboard shortcut.

Quite aggravating. Thoughts? Thanks much.
 
Nothing definite but you asked if anyone had any thoughts so here goes...
  • Have you recently installed or updated any software or utility that runs in the background?
  • How about drivers for USB devices?
  • Do you have or have you ever had a Norton's product, including Norton Antivirus installed on your Mac?
  • Have you added any USB hardware devices to your system?
 
1. The only software updates have been normal OS automatic updates
2. Nope.
3. Currently running Norton AntiVirus 9.0.2
4. No recently-added USB devices, though I did just replace my keyboard (still a standard Mac USB keyboard). The problem didn't show up until several days after the new keyboard.
 
ALSO:

I played around with input modes in the "International" settings, and no single setting or combination of settings makes any difference.

Logging in as a different user doesn't change anything, either.
 
Have you checked the international options? I've found that sometimes I suddenly change keyboard layouts. The change doesn't really show up until I try to use accents or something, as all the keyboards I have selected use the basic qwerty layout. There's some keyboard shortcut I must accidentally hit from time to time.
 
I've been messing around with the international options a bunch, but can't seem to get the accent marks working again. When you accidentally switch something and then change it back, what setting do you use to get your accent markes, etc back?

For whatever reason, the AIM shortcut issue has resolved itself.
 
Munsey said:
1. The only software updates have been normal OS automatic updates
2. Nope.
3. Currently running Norton AntiVirus 9.0.2
4. No recently-added USB devices, though I did just replace my keyboard (still a standard Mac USB keyboard). The problem didn't show up until several days after the new keyboard.
Click to expand...
Try disabling Norton AntiVirus and see if the problem goes away. I have seen reports of NAV causing some otherwise inexplicable problems like this. I have no explanation why this would have happened "out of the blue" but it is simple to test so it is at least worth a try.
 
It's the keyboard layout that seems to do it to me - if I get myself into the wrong keyboard layout, I'm suddenly getting the wrong special characters for a lot of option+key combos.
 
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