Ghost in the Machine

April 9, 2015 1:17 PM

My laptop is being wacky. Without me touching the volume keys when typing, the volume keeps re-adjusting--up, off, down, whatever. Additionally, iTunes is opening up when I have not tried to open it. I can quit, force quit, restart, whatever. It just keeps happening. MacBook Pro mid-2012 running Yosemite 10.10.2. iTunes 12.0.0.140. I could update iTunes, but I am out of the country with limited bandwidth. Any ideas what is going on?
posted by Stewriffic to Technology (8 answers total)

I have had this kind of silly behavior if I got crumbs stuck in my keyboard. Also, one time I had a wireless keyboard pushed aside on my desk & forgot about it. In time stuff got put on the wireless keyboard so my computer was acting crazy until I figured it out and turned the offending keyboard off. It was maddening!
posted by i_mean_come_on_now at 1:32 PM on April 9, 2015

As a temporary fix, try flipping your function keys default behaviour from media to function: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204436

If that works, there's a chance you've got a hardware problem with the keyboard. If it doesn't, it's probably a software problem.
posted by Leon at 1:32 PM on April 9, 2015

Rule some things out.

Turn off wifi, bluetooth...see what happens. Still manifesting?

Does it happen if you don't touch anything? Or does it only happen while you're doing stuff?
posted by Thistledown at 1:33 PM on April 9, 2015

Best answer: Are you wearing headphones with a control button on the cord, by any chance? I was having similar symptoms, and the culprit turned out to be the cord brushing up against my guitar and causing iTunes to start playing.
posted by Crane Shot at 1:33 PM on April 9, 2015

It definitely sounds like something is pressing the media keys on the top row of the keyboard, or at least the computer thinks something is. I'd try cleaning out the keyboard. Also, do you have any USB or Bluetooth devices attached that have play/pause/volume controls? USB headphones or other audio devices, for example?
posted by mbrubeck at 1:33 PM on April 9, 2015

Also, some MacBooks of that era have an infrared port for the Apple Remote. Even if you don't have an Apple remote, maybe some other IR remote is setting off your MacBook?
posted by mbrubeck at 1:36 PM on April 9, 2015

Response by poster: DING DING DING! I never use headphones and I have some in. Thanks!
posted by Stewriffic at 1:36 PM on April 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I think that quick resolution calls for more mango coladas. (I am on vacation in Sint Maarten and stuck in the room with debilitating pink eye that is messing with my light sensitivity) Crane Shot, coladas are on me next time.
posted by Stewriffic at 1:40 PM on April 9, 2015 [5 favorites]