Keyboard Question

[fieryjen]

I don't know if anyone here can help me, but I figured it was worth a shot.

I use a German keyboard with my computer, which has always worked fine. However, it randomly started acting very strange and wouldn't let me write normally anymore. Whenever I pressed h or m, it would print out both these letters. Pressing v resulted in half a row of characters. There are other letters that suddenly give me more than that letter. This happened everywhere, in word documents, in Firefox, while saving stuff etc. When I switched out the keyboard (back to the default one that came with the computer), I could type normally again.

So my question is, anyone know what the hell happened to my keyboard and if it's possible to fix it? I got kinda attached to being able to use Umlauts. I can't see it just being stuck keys, because that wouldn't result in things like "hm" every time I type h and every time I type m. Those letters aren't even next to each other!

I'm confused. If any knowledgeable person can help me out here, I'd very much appreciate it. Please?

 

[rbijon]

I don't know if anyone here can help me, but I figured it was worth a shot.

I use a German keyboard with my computer, which has always worked fine. However, it randomly started acting very strange and wouldn't let me write normally anymore. Whenever I pressed h or m, it would print out both these letters. Pressing v resulted in half a row of characters. There are other letters that suddenly give me more than that letter. This happened everywhere, in word documents, in Firefox, while saving stuff etc. When I switched out the keyboard (back to the default one that came with the computer), I could type normally again.

So my question is, anyone know what the hell happened to my keyboard and if it's possible to fix it? I got kinda attached to being able to use Umlauts. I can't see it just being stuck keys, because that wouldn't result in things like "hm" every time I type h and every time I type m. Those letters aren't even next to each other!

I'm confused. If any knowledgeable person can help me out here, I'd very much appreciate it. Please?

Did you try all the normal rebooting & new hardware startup? If it worked fine before, did you add something that might affect it?
or did you try going back to a date that you know it worked?
oh, the mystery of it all, sounds like you need a Space Pirate!

 

[Misty_Morning]

Don't know how to answer the question...but can you please post again?


Love your AV.

 

[fieryjen]

Yes, I tried rebooting and all that. No adding of anything recently.

The thing that's interesting is that plugging in another keyboard worked right away.

 

[fieryjen]

Don't know how to answer the question...but can you please post again?


Love your AV.

Aw, thanks.

 

[rbijon]

Yes, I tried rebooting and all that. No adding of anything recently.

The thing that's interesting is that plugging in another keyboard worked right away.

Humm, the computer is reading this keyboard wrong in someway. I know it takes time, but you may try doing a startup on a date that you know it worked.....it may read it then.

btw....your AV is kill'n me

 

[sr71plt]

It is true that the German computer keyboard is different from the American keyboard. So, the question probably isn't why yours isn't reponding like an American keyboard now, but rather why it ever did respond like an American keyboard.

 

[alyxen]

Have you tried yelling at it in German? Might help!!

 

[fieryjen]

It is true that the German computer keyboard is different from the American keyboard. So, the question probably isn't why yours isn't reponding like an American keyboard now, but rather why it ever did respond like an American keyboard.

That was never the question. My keyboard never responded like an American keyboard except when I changed my language to US English. Usually, my language was set to German so my keyboard printed exactly the letters I pressed.

None of this is in any way related to the issue of my keyboard suddenly going crazy though.

 

[fieryjen]

Have you tried yelling at it in German? Might help!!

Sadly, that didn't work.

 

[elsol]

Clean the keyboard.

1. Unplug keyboard... flip it on its side... and bang it against your desk.

If you're like me, pieces of last year's menu will come out.

2. Use 3M Dust Remover with the straw attachment. Stick the business end of the straw under the keys and let it go.

Best to do this with the keyboard upside down two.

3. The last resort is to pop out the particular keys giving you a problem and use a alcoholized q-tip.

(For me, this last step is a reason to buy a new keyboard.)

 

[alyxen]

Sadly, that didn't work.

Alas, I am out of good, helpful ideas now. elsol's post above sounds good if you haven't tried it. Always best to start with the simplest possible problem and go from there.

Good luck!

 

[biggsmall0669]

I don't know if anyone here can help me, but I figured it was worth a shot.

I use a German keyboard with my computer, which has always worked fine. However, it randomly started acting very strange and wouldn't let me write normally anymore. Whenever I pressed h or m, it would print out both these letters. Pressing v resulted in half a row of characters. There are other letters that suddenly give me more than that letter. This happened everywhere, in word documents, in Firefox, while saving stuff etc. When I switched out the keyboard (back to the default one that came with the computer), I could type normally again.

So my question is, anyone know what the hell happened to my keyboard and if it's possible to fix it? I got kinda attached to being able to use Umlauts. I can't see it just being stuck keys, because that wouldn't result in things like "hm" every time I type h and every time I type m. Those letters aren't even next to each other!

I'm confused. If any knowledgeable person can help me out here, I'd very much appreciate it. Please?

sounds to me like there may have been drinkage spilled on the keyboard... i had a regular keyboard do that once

 

[fieryjen]

That's the thing though... I very recently cleaned the keyboard thoroughly, popping out every single key and polishing it, and there was no spillage at all before it started malfunctioning. There wasn't even food near the keyboard

I also checked for keys being sticky (none), and the way they're malfunctioning doesn't make sense to me - none of the keys that now print together are next to each other.

Thanks for all your advice anyway. I'm still waiting for ideas though...

 

[alyxen]

That's the thing though... I very recently cleaned the keyboard thoroughly, popping out every single key and polishing it, and there was no spillage at all before it started malfunctioning. There wasn't even food near the keyboard

I also checked for keys being sticky (none), and the way they're malfunctioning doesn't make sense to me - none of the keys that now print together are next to each other.

Thanks for all your advice anyway. I'm still waiting for ideas though...

Maybe you put the keys back in the wrong place? /flees before being swatted at


.......and yes, I am joking

 

[Lisa Denton]

keyboards rarely malfunction, they either function or they don't, but your plugging in a different keyboard which works fine is not a good sign. Yes, you like it, so clean it up and try it a few times. If you have a driver disc that came with it try re-installing the original drivers.

I agree it that it is failing in an unusual manner, and I doubt that it has anything to do with international relations or what country it was manufactured in, or for.

I don't think there is anything you can do for it other than just clean it up, try it again, and if it don't work throw it out.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b11/LisaDenton/fbimas.jpg


Good luck.

 

[Weird Harold]

I use a German keyboard with my computer, which has always worked fine. However, it randomly started acting very strange and wouldn't let me write normally anymore.

Does your German Keyboard require a different driver than a standard keyboard? If it does, there should be two keyboard entries in your device manager with different file names for the driver.

A corrupt device driver could cause the kind of problem you're having -- finding and downloading a new copy of the device driver might cure your problem.

It's also possible that the cord to your keyboard has developed a fatigue break -- try wiggling the cord where it flexes the most in normal usage and see if your symptoms change at all. If the cord does change the symptoms, the cord should be replaceable, possibly by canibalizing the cord from a standard keyboard.

However, I think the most probable cause of your problem is a fried keyboard chip -- the chip inside the keyboard the talks to the computer. I'm not sure where you live, but static build-up can be a problem around this time of the year as the fall weather settles in and the heating gets turned on and it doesn't take a noticeable shock to fry a chip.

Dirty keyboards generally don't exhibit the symptoms yours does -- they're usually more like mine and you have to hit some letters harder than others.

If it is a fried chip in the keyboard, the only option is to repace the keyboard.

 

[oggbashan]

When your computer boots up, does it show the batch files?

There should be a command something like "KEYB US" or "KEYB DE". That file may be corrupted and defaulting to US.

Someone more Windows-literate than I may be able to explain how to view and edit the file. I haven't changed my keyboard's nationality since I was running DOS 3.3. I still have a spare French keyboard (the top line starts Azerty instead of Qwerty) but now I use the alt key and numerals to enter French accents such as éâ etc.

Og