10.12.1 b2 botches keyboard

I installed the beta today and it botched my external keyboard. I use a MS keyboard at my desk. The update "forgot" about swapping the command/alt keys. Also, my "a" key no longer works. Rebooting doesn't help. I downloaded the installers from direct links and can't get any of them to run. Some "missing components" error. Ideas other than rolling back to the official 10.12.0 release?

Accepted Reply

Following polyzargone's post, I was also able to get the keyboard working again. Here what I did:


1) Disable SIP (System Integrity Protection). I searched on Google and followed a step-by-step tutorial.


2) Make sure you backup /System/Library/HIDPlugins/IOHIDKeyboardFilter.plugin


3) Make sure you have a earlier version of the same file. In my case I asked a friend to send to me (from the final non-beta Sierra 10.12.0)


4) Delete /System/Library/HIDPlugins/IOHIDKeyboardFilter.plugin by doing sudo rm -fr /System/Library/HIDPlugins/IOHIDKeyboardFilter.plugin

(you will need to type a admin password (and I hope there is no "a" in yours...))


5) Move the earler version to the System's folder. Mine was in Desktop, so I did: sudo mv Desktop/IOHIDKeyboardFilter.plugin /System/Library/HIDPlugins


6) Restart.


7) Enabled SIP again.

Replies

Thank you! I pulled my old version from a CCC backup and am typing this from my ergo MS keyboard!

Did the trick for me...thanks brunokoga! What a relief to have that solved.

DP3 has been pushed, the bad thing is, this issue was still there...

Ugh. That's not the answer I as looking for. Good thing I still have the file to do the swap again.

I had the very same issue and found a different fix thanks to the team @ Daskeyboard. Reset defaults for all the shortcut tabs and the modifier keys. You may want to try this before modifying system files.


"Open up system preferences and open up keyboard. In the keyboard tab, open up the modifier keys button and click restore defaults. Once you do that, open up shortcuts and click restore defaults there."

What external keyboard are you using? And this trick can really solve the missing A and swapped I/H keys in your case?

I just confirmed, your trick WORKED!!! Working with my Filco external keyboard, like a magic, thanks.

I did the the steps listed by brunokoga on the public beta 2 release. It worked. After upgrading to b3, I tried the fix CPT proposed. I reset both settings to default, then switched my CMD and OPT key modifiers again, since I've got a Windows keyboard (MS Wireless 3050). So far it works fine. No reported problems.

Thanks for the solution and for confiming it works.


Only how do I get there without a keyboard.


Non of my keyboards work on my iMac. I've got a USB Apple Keyboard with Numeric Pad, two older Apple Bluetooth keybards and a regular Windows USB keyboard. Non work although properly connected. The onyl key that works on all is CAPS lock.

I can only enter a guest account. No way to enter passwords. Nor can I enter recovery mode. SMC and PRAM resets didn't help


I could enter the digits to pair one of my Apple bluetooth keybards. But it won't work after that.


Opening "Input Souces" in the Keyboard Settings causes the system settings app to crash.

Clicking the keyboard icon on the initial account login screen makes the screen go blank for a few seconds.



Any thoughts ?



EDIT: Booting the iMac via Firewire Target Mode from my MacBook Pro did't even work. No keyboard there either !!!!

Things were going well for me with the driver swap until last night. I installed VNC on my Android phone and VNC'd into my Mac. Since then, the Cmd & Opt keys on my MS ergo keyboard refuse to swap. I've tried the "reset defaults" & "clear shortcuts" trick above, but that didn't work. I also tried running ******** & rebooting. I did not try the driver swap again. I plugged in my flat Apple keyboard and went to bed. Maybe if I feel I've been productive enough today, or my wrists bug me enough, I'll try the driver swap again.

This one should be the accepted answer!

The system modify method could not make swap modifier keys working, but this one works perfectly, at least on my Filco USB keyboard

Confirming that CBT's fix is working on latest beta 4 16B2548a with external BT Logitech keyboard K810

New fix for public release, it may have been caused by switching control and command in the keyboard settings. I noticed they reverted to their default state after each update, so I tried this and it fixed everything without having to mess with files:


1) Open System Preferences

2) In the keyboar tab, select "Modifier Keys"

3) Change control key to command

4) command key to control

5) hit "ok"

6) reopen "Modifier Keys"

7) Select "Restore Defaults"

8) Select "OK"

9) Change settings back to where you like them. Everything should have been fixed by now.


V/R,

Treb

PS, Apple, would you like to hire an Engineer in the long future?

Thank you so much! This totally worked for me. I am glad not having to replace any internal drivers.

So with the latest update, I now cannot use the external keyboard at all after login. It works on the login screen and then stops working complete, despite version of IOHIDKeyboardFilter.plugin in place.


Any thoughts?