I swapped over the keyboard / TP cable 4x with new parts

Changed 3x complete keyboard assemblies (All with new keyboards)

Using new track pads / Clean install Monterey 12.7.6 and was able to complete setup and all seemed OK but I noticed the keyboard response was delayed...... now next to nothing going on when I reboot and try to login.

Keyboard isn't responding and when it does it is 5 seconds late in displaying 'some' keys. Cables are seated and latched correctly etc. Connector looks clean (I have cleaned it out, no dirt and dust under the microscope) I have even put the SSD into another unit to check the OS, ALL fine!. This is driving me nuts.

Must be a board issue..... but it is working fine other that the KB issue.

It is 100% NOT in the dreaded CPU safe mode state. Any ideas?

⟐ Commented May 06, 2026 at 18:53 MST

⟐ Commented May 04, 2026 at 19:13 MST

I didn't get the display with the machine since it was toast—the T-CON board was still mounted in the top case and all the cables were totally ripped, hinges were still screwed in as well, just none of the rest of the display

Surprisingly, the thing still boots. I didn't even have to do anything. I can get into it no problem. Have recovered data for said friend.

But since said friend doesn't want it back, I wanted to get some use out of it. I need to get some pictures for the MacBook Data Recovery Guide I've been working on for Share Disk Mode steps and this is the only Apple Silicon Mac I have access to.

It will not show the startup options screen on the external display I have connected. It may be on the correct menu, but I would have no way of knowing since it doesn't output the primary display, only the secondary display in an extended setup. All I get is a black screen and mouse pointer if I manage to get the pointer on the second screen. Oddly, the internal display is still "detected" when I'm in OS. Maybe that's normal? But I don't even have the eDP cable connected.

Powering on never gets me an Apple logo even if it's booting, and I never see whatever was supposed to be on the primary display until it gets to OS where I have it set to mirrored mode.

I have tried various terminal commands I've found, which all errored as invalid (they all reference NVRAM which is handled differently on Apple Silicon Macs). I tried triggering lid closed signals via magnets. I've tried clicking blindly, and pressing keys in some combination that might make sense for selecting the Options button. But no change.

Please help me so I can help you.

UPDATE 03/19/2023: I have messed with this a whole bunch more, just for the sake of science, but still to no avail. I have seen others who mention this sort of behavior on Apple Silicon Macs. The internal display is still detected even when it is not present.

So I went into science mode. I powered it up and measured IPD_LID_OPEN_1V8. Which measured almost 1.8V on the nose. Neither of the hall sensors containing components are even connected.

Electrically speaking, I'm willing to bet it still thinks this display is detected. And it's open. But I'm not sure where the initial detect signal or logic comes from. So. I thought. I wonder what happens if I just break the line for the aforementioned Lid Open signal. So I removed RR203. This broke the path for this 1.8V signal to be transmitted elsewhere.

Now when I connected power to the board, it thinks the lid is closed, so it won't auto power on. I can probably force a shut signal by shorting that line after I'm sure the machine is on. I can get it to power on by shorting pads, but it acts weirder than it was before.

I will probably see what happens if you break some of the enable lines, or power rails for the display.

⟐ Commented May 04, 2026 at 5:20 MST

⟐ Answer edited May 03, 2026 at 17:28 MST

Screen shows no sign of these patches when turned off

⟐ Commented April 30, 2026 at 8:44 MST

There may be an issue with the fan ppf003

There may be an issue with the camera ndc001

The fan is running flat out, using Mac fan control app I can see the computer is reading the RPM correctly as it fluctuates up and down in RPM slightly and all temperature sensors appear to be working. Using photo booth I can confirm the camera is working perfectly too.

I have done nvram and pram reset but still same two errors. I read online that if the camera is not seated correctly it will cause the fan to run flat out so I double checked the connector for it and it's in nice and snug. I've removed it and reinserted it 3 times, same error but still camera works perfectly in MacOS.

How can I tell the Mac the camera is working fine and to dismiss this error?

On the slight chance I have somehow damaged the fan I have ordered another one although it seems to be fine from everything I can see. I have tried to reseat the fan cable multiple times too.

⟐ Answer edited April 28, 2026 at 18:46 MST

But I’m quite confused about where is it located precisely.

⟐ Commented April 28, 2026 at 9:10 MST

⟐ Commented April 26, 2026 at 18:43 MST

I have issues with my 2020 macbook air.

It think that it is always closed. I can't get it out of sleep for more than 2 seconds (if plugged in) and keyboard and trackpad don't work.

It works great with external monitor and peripherals.

I tried : new keyboard/trackpad flex cable, new trackpad, unpluggin the screen, le left speaker and microphone array (i saw that the lid sensorS are on the mics / right speaker), tried unplugging every board i could, nothing change.

What can i test now ? Maybe the soundcard board ? Can the lid sensor management be bad ?

I'm a bit lost.

Thank you very much !

Here is a video of the problem. https://1drv.ms/v/s!An9H4f-cLtmDjLNAqSAh...

Hello @danj ,

Thank you for your help

Here is a screenshot of the app (with external peripherals plugged in)

found it!

⟐ Answer edited April 23, 2026 at 3:40 MST

⟐ Answered April 22, 2026 at 19:21 MST

⟐ Answered April 22, 2026 at 7:14 MST

⟐ Answered April 22, 2026 at 6:59 MST

⟐ Answer accepted April 21, 2026 at 23:47 MST

⟐ Commented April 21, 2026 at 18:21 MST

The computer works great — as long as it’s plugged in. The battery always shows 80% but the indicator says “battery is not charging”, and the “Power source: Power adapter”. The light will flash green for a second then stay at orange.

I ran the coconut battery app…

I had spilled water on my laptop keyboard and it was working perfectly fine it was charging slower than normal but it was working then today I had went to unplug my laptop and it turned of and wouldn’t turn on but as soon as I plugged it in it turned on idk what to do

⟐ Commented April 18, 2026 at 21:19 MST

I boot it up to what I believe was an SSD with Monterey on it and I get either a no entry sign OR I get this.....

This suggests to me that the keyboard or Track Pad or both isn't detected, Yet the power button is working to turn it on and off, but it won't do a PRAM reset..... So I swapped over a new cable and it is the same. All I can do is connect a USB mouse and I get language option OR start up disc.... I checked the start up disc and I get this!

(10.10.5 Yosemite is NOT even supported on a 2017 model as they were originally shipped with Sierra 10.12).

I swapped out the SSD to a KNOWN SSD with Big Sur (Supported) and it is the same, telling me the OS on the SSD is Yosemite!. I thne put another SSD with Monterey pre installed and left at set-up and guess what, it STILL is the same telling me it is Yosemite! I can only think to just put the board into another case with a new keyboard and see if then I can wipe it clean and then to install fresh starting from High Sierra to Catalina, to Monterey (Safest way to get the correct boot ROM firmware installed.... I have NEVER used Yosemite OS and I am absolutely 1000% certain this had either Big Sur or Monterey installed on it's SSD which had not been removed or replaced or anything. Very odd, never seen something like this before. The board is clean, no water damage or anything obvious. Can anyone tell me what and why etc is going on here?

I swapped over the KB case and got into recovery and tried to install Monterey but all I get is a no entry sign..... PRAM was reset. Then tried with Catalina, the progress bar completed and so far so good.....I got into disc utility, selected show all devices and the internal SSD (KNOWN to be good) is not shown. Apple disk image & OS base system only appears, together with the external installer drive. YAY. I put back the 'Yosemite' SSD and it is recognized.... Attempting to install Catalina.... It is seemingly much slower than normal. It gets to disc utility and the internal SSD is NOT detected, again just the base system. I am running diagnostics and the report says SMC error codes

PPF004 (Fan) PPF003 (Fan)

VFD004 & VFD 005 (There may be an issue with the display or graphics processor.)

NDC001 (There may be an issue with the camera.)

PPN001 (There may be an issue with the power-management system.)

VDH002 (There may be an issue with a storage device.).

Everything is connected up fine. I then run the Paul Daniels SMC Tools and successfully updated the SMC. Booted up again and it went back to this screen showing a mouse to connect!. Only option was to select start up disk (Listed were 4 compatible systems from my multi OS bootable drive, I selected Catalina, restarted and I get the screen your computer has a problem. Yes I know LOL

Firmware password protection is turned OFF. Help!

UPDATE: We have put a new SMC chip & programmed it with SMC tools. We have swapped the BIOS chip from a 2017 donor board (But we are looking for a BIOS file to program it fresh if need be).... We swap out SSD's with compatible OS (Monterey) but are always greeted with a flashing folder and a high spinning fan. @oldturkey03

⟐ Commented April 17, 2026 at 3:43 MST

⟐ Answered April 16, 2026 at 7:14 MST

We removed the RAM, Cleaned up, No corrosion found, Re-Balled and installed again. Now all we get is an orange / green light on the charger. It appears that all the power rails are intact with no shorts. Q is why isn't it giving us 3 beeps when RAM isn't being detected / failed RAM chip. What are we looking for to check if each RAM chip is functioning or getting power? @oldturkey03 any insight please?

We initially used this video to diagnose.

⟐ Edited by author April 15, 2026 at 17:59 MST

⟐ Answer edited April 15, 2026 at 15:47 MST

⟐ Answered April 15, 2026 at 13:04 MST