Keyboard Troubles

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Hi all...

Well...I'm having some weird problems with my laptop.

Last night it was perfectly fine, I watched a movie on it, and then shut it down for the night.

This morning when I booted it up, firstly the POST-beep was REALLY long, which indicated that something is wrong...

Secondly, after I logged in, Windows Media Player kept popping up for some reason...

If I press any of my keyboard keys (Including F2 and F8 for safe mode etc) they are not recognized. In short...my keyboard is stuffed, mouse is fine, and when I log in, Windows Media Player keeps popping up no matter how many times I close it.

HELP?!?!!!!!

 

Got a similar problem when I bought my old laptop. A combination of keys was stuck in the keyboard for no reason, even though the keys felt normal.

Right-click on the MediaPlayer icon, then Properties. Check if there is a 'Shortcut Key' associated with it. If so, delete it and click Apply.

Turn off the laptop. Press (hard) and depress each of the keys of the shortcut for the Media Player at least twice. If no shortcut key was present in the properties, do that for every single key of your keyboard. Then turn the laptop on.

[ November 23, 2005, 15:37: Message edited by: Colthrun ]

 

My dad had the same problem with MSN 8. The sign in window would not stop poping up. I told him to re-install it...which cured the problem. You can't really uninstall WMP, but you can "roll back" to an earlier version, and then try re-install the current version you have. But that might be hard to do if your keyboard isn't working. Is there anyway that you can hook up another keyboard either through USB or PS/2 ports?

 

@Colthrun:Thank you that's pretty much what im facing right now. When I tried to log in and click on my display picture, random charecters are entered into the password field without me actually typing anything. In addition, what do you recommend I do about the POST-beep? Does that mean I have a hardware problem?

[ November 24, 2005, 09:46: Message edited by: Faraaz ]

 

The POST beep is indicating you that there's something wrong with the laptop's hardware. Depending on the number and length of the beeps, the problem will mean something different. Have you checked your user's guide for POST messages?

Kitrax's suggestion of hooking another keyboard to the PS/2 port of the laptop is a very good one. It may allow you to use the keys, provided that the laptop's keyboard deactivates itself when the other is connected. If with the second keyboard you regain control of the laptop, install a basic keyboard driver from the device manager. Then try again disconnecting the second keyboard and use your laptop's own keys.

If the problem is still there, connect the second keyboard again, and perform any HW diagnostics available from the boot screen, or from any Windows-based tool your laptop may have installed.

 

Hmm...I suppose I'll just have to try and use a secondary keyboard.

There IS one small problem though...my laptop has no PS2 ports...but once I can find a PS/2-USB converter, that should'nt be an issue.

And also, things are really annoying now because instead of just Windows Media Player opening again and again, its actually SHUTTING DOWN! Programs I open with the mouse are randomly being closed, the help contents are being opened etc etc...its a nightmare!

I just opened up Notepad and left it as it was, and I had like a page full of random characters in no time!

@Colthrun again: I checked, WMP doesn't have any shortcut assigned on my computer. I don't know why it is the only program which opens on its own.

And lastly, I can't open Dell Diagnostics. I have to press F12 to get the boot menu, and when I do that the computer freezes during bootup stays on the POST screen infinitely.

This is so annoying.

Help.

 

Is your laptop a Dell Inspiron?

Check this:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1077115&l=en&langid=1&c=us&cs=&s=gen

Also, the meaning of beeps in Dell systems:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1011727

(I have way too much free time today )

 

@Colthrun: Hey...that fixed the keyboard not being responsive...but I'm afraid I still have the Windows Media Player popup problem. I'm going to try and re-install it and see if that fixes the problem...if I have any further questions, I'll get back to you guys.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. You guys rock!

 

I should consider sending my CV to Dell...

Before you reinstall the Media Player, check whether you have a shortcut for it in the Startup menu. If so, get rid of it.

 

Alright...I'm having the same problem again! This time however, I'm getting this error message saying keyboard failure, stuck key error.

I had a guy from Dell's servicing centre in India have a look at it, and he said my keyboard's IC has failed, and I need to get it replaced in Australia, as Dell doesn't fix laptops purchased overseas in India...

My question: I dont have Ps/2 ports on my laptop. If I got a USB keyboard and attached it to my computer, would it work fine? Or will I still have this problem with that new keyboard as well?

Also, I had changed my computer's POST bootup from minimal to thorough when having these problems. Now, whenever it boots, the screen hangs on the Dell logo screen and the Windows XP loading screen doesn't come on at all! And this is a major problem because once I left it on all night, to see how long it would take and it didn't boot up till the morning! I just had to give up and shut it down...

Why can't my system boot up at all now? Will the new keyboard fix that too?

Help! This is driving me nuts.

 

Mmmm... It may not work if the keyboard needs the laptop to load the USB controller first.

 

Hmm...is there any way I can find out whether that is the case? Because I wouldn't want to waste $ 25-30 on a new keyboard if its not going to work anyway...

 

I've been looking around about this, Faraaz. If your laptop has "Legacy USB support" enabled in CMOS, it should be able to use basic USB devices like mice and keyboards without needing the drivers.

You'll need to ask Dell whether your laptop has this option, and whether it's enabled. I think it normally comes as "Disabled" by default for most computers.

 

Thanks Colthrun. I'll be picking up a PS/2 to USB converter tomorrow or by Monday and then hooking up my brother's keyboard and see if it works. If it does, then I'll be picking up a keyboard full time.

Just to clarify, CMOS...is that the same as BIOS? As in, if I press F2 during boot-up and go into the BIOS, I will be able to enable Legacy USB Support?

 

CMOS is memory, a chip where the basic startup parameters for the computer are stored. BIOS is the interface that allows you to modify those parameters. If the USB support is stored in CMOS, you should be able to enable or disable it through BIOS.