Help= me, p=lease, my keyboard has gone crazy, and I can-'t figure out what to do

June 5, 2007 | Self

[3AngelaD]

The keyboard on my VAIo lap=top= has gone nuts. When I typ=e a p=, I get the p= p=lus the equal sign , and the cursor jump=s to the first line of typ=e. The direction keys don-' t work, nor does the backsp=ace. The enter key causes the little box with undo to drop= down. I already p=layed around with the numlock key and fixed the worse of it, which was the letter keys tpy=ing numbers. But it is still messed up=. Any suggestions?

[don-o]

Can you pry off the keys? Start with the "p" key and see if there is some crap in there. Clean it out. Then check the "+/=" key.

Rinse and repeat.

[scan58]

I agree with you. I wouldn’t know how to treat a laptop, but it happens to my home pc, sometimes. I reboot and it goes back to normal.

[exit82]

If Hillary was President, we’d all have to chip in for a new keyboard for you.

Good luck—take the advice of BibChr—take battery out after shutdown, replace, and power up.

[poobear]

digger, that picture always cracks me up!

[kidd]

[PAR35]

Assuming your virus software is up to date, I’d try a plug in keyboard to see if the problem is in the keyboard or in the guts of the machine. No point replacing the keyboard if that is not the problem. If it doesn’t look like it is the keyboard after that, you might try booting Linux from a cd to see if that solves the problem.

One other thing. If it is a Win9x or XP box, you might try Start, Control Panel, Keyboard, Hardware tab and see if there are multiple keyboards listed. If so, try the one that isn’t currently selected.

[Lurking in Kansas]

Spend 10.00$ and get a new keyboard.

+1

[Clam Digger]

Point taken.

It looks like I need a new keyboard as well, but mine is easier to replace than a latop.

[PAR35]

Since you mentioned Linux, I suggested it to her as a way to try to confirm that it was a hardware, rather than an OS level problem.

[palmer]

Help= me Obi-Wan Kenobi; you're my only hop=e

[CarrotAndStick]

Re-enable Num Lock. Simple.

[IamHD]

You can try the CyberTechForum. I believe this will take you to the right section (the Hardware forum part of their site.) They will help you free of charge. You will have to register first. I use their help a lot! And they are more than happy to help. :) A FReeper gave me the site a few years ago when I was having a computer problem.

Good luck!

[raybbr]

Sounds like a hardware problem. The little traces on the keyboard or the ribbon cable may have been shorted. Try the compressed air if that doesn’t work you’ll probably need a keyboard.

Or, it could be a virus brought over the southern border by an illegal alien. ;^)

[L,TOWM]

Make sure you are logged in.

[Stayfree]

Depends on whether you filled it with coffee or beer.

[Red_Devil 232]

Do all the power down and unplug advice. If they don’t work then go to Office Depot or equivilant and get a cheap usb key board. I have a laptop as my home computer and can’t stand the built in key board. I use a wireless remote key board and mouse from Logitech.

[Right Angler]

Did you happen to let this young lady use your computer recently?

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Keyboards do that when all the little cracks get packed up with tater chip crumbs.

[higgmeister]

Strum the keys rapidly on each row as if you were running they keys on a piano. Make sure they all snap back out. Multiple stuck keys can cause erratic input. That may especially be the problem, if you dropped a little food or drink on it. Just a Twinkie sneeze can really gum up the works and may warrant special attention. You may want to shutdown to do that, in order to keep from confusing whatever program you are using.

Many laptops have a keyboard or USB connector that will allow a cheap keyboard to be plugged into just to see if it works. That could prove that it is your laptop keyboard that is messed up.

[Young Werther]

I’ve been called a crumby PCer. I keep a can of compressed air next to my keyboard to clean out the crumbs. The air ain’t cheap and maybe a new keyboard and a can of air will minimize the possibilities of a reoccurrence.