Troubleshooting the PowerBook G4 15", 17": Backlight operation and Expos

An Authorized Appple reseller in Key West, FL says he has isolated the cause of a problem with the keyboard backlight operation on some PowerBook G4 15" and 17" models that has been reported on Apple's discussion boards and in our inboxes.

Tom Mulhall "The backlit keyboard refused to work out of the box (with OS 10.3). The client traced this problem all weekend and found numerous references on various discussion boards noting this problem-- no back lighting with new PowerBooks with Panther.

"(We found that) the Expose function keys and the backlighting keys clash; with the Expose keys over-riding the lighting function and rendering it in-operable. (The user) remapped the Expose (I believe F9 out to F12), logged out/in and the problem was fixed.

"I have since checked with several other 'new' PB's all of which have the problem with inoperable backlighting; the remapping fixes the problem in all cases. I can find no Knowledge Base items on this whatsoever."

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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