My computer keyboard starting doing its own thing
I have a Satellite M35X. I use this laptop for work and personal use. It was purchased January 2005, so it’s 18 months old. Recently, I purchased Scan Disk to back up my documents file on a chip that you can carry around your neck, — I don’t know the technical name for what they call this. The day I plugged this in to a USB port, 20 minutes later when I was working in Microsoft Word, my computer keyboard starting doing its own thing. If I hit the shift key, it would take off typing “n” across the page or the backslash symbol. It would reboot but I could not get past the password screen. When I started to enter my password – the touch pad still works well in moving the cursor to an area. It would permit me to enter 3 characters, then it would return wiping the display out and back to reentering again. I purchased a new keyboard and replaced the old. The same thing occurred. I purchased an external keyboard, and unplugged the laptop’s keyboard. For the first 4 hours everything went well, then it did the same thing. When I went into Word it would start typing capital “b” across line upon line. Hitting Escape did not stop it. Holding down the backspace key just caused it to delete the last typed letter, but as soon as it was released, it would continue across the page. Sometimes it would type three characters on a line then return and start with a backslash symbol and type a couple more alphabets on that line, then return and start with a backslash again and a few more characters, return again, and do the same over and over. The alphabet typed on the lines were not always the same – it liked a capital “A” and “n” quite often. When you then go into Microsoft Explorer it will not let you type in the search bar or the address bar but inserts backslashes, continual, never ending Since the laptop keyboard has been replaced, and an external purchased and plugged in, it is not the keyboard, but must be something in the computer. HELP! Any suggestions????
According to the description you’ve provided, I would assume that the keyboard is bad, but you already replaced it. That is a very strange problem. I assume that it might be a software problem.
You can try to reinstall the keyboard drive. Open the device manager and find the keyboard line. Click on the plus sign to expand it. Right click on the “Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard” line and click on uninstall the driver. After you reboot the laptop, Windows will reinstall the driver automatically. Try it first – it might help.
Also you can try this. Revert the operating system back in time when the keyboard was working properly. You’ll have to use the system restore utility. Go to Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools – System Restore. Choose date and time when the keyboard worked fine and run the restore. This process will revert only system files and you shouldn’t loose any personal data.
If it still doesn’t help, you can reload the operating system from a recovery DVD. It will take the laptop software back to original factory defaults. When you re-image the drive all data on your hard drive would be erased. BACKUP all important files before you run the recovery DVD. This process should eliminate any software related problems.
One more thing. Try to re-flash or update the laptop BIOS. May be the BIOS is corrupted and it causing the keyboard problem.
If it still doesn’t help, then I would assume that the keyboard controller on the system board can be bad and the system board has to be replaced.
January 4th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
I just wanna say that Toshiba is telling me that my computer wasn’t covered with the xtended warranty but the Toshiba M35X IS so make sure yu get your computer fixed for free – person who started this thread
January 4th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
update on the toshiba m35 keyboard issue
took my laptop to the service agent Toshiba agent told me to on Dec 19th called today to find out status and they said it was NOT under the extended warranty. Called Toshiba and they gave me the runaround.
Essentially telling me that they never said I was under the warranty..
I pushed hard and finally got the customer service person to admit that they may have given me the wrong information. I’m to call tomorrow and speak to a CS supervisor.
This the last time I’ll get a Toshiba anything you can rest assured. I’ve spend 4 months trying to get this resolved and spent over 200.00 so far
Now the repair shop wants $99 for a new keyboard and $65 to replace it.
I want Toshiba to cover this since they sent me to Concord (another county) when I might have been able to fix it for less rite here in SF.
UGH (i thought it might be too good to be true)
In answer to laptop freaks question about the two techies who told me there were other issues – one had me replace my hard drive as they said it was failing they also said it was spyware and even showed me the malware his sweeper cought. told me to get rid of norton – they sold me Trend which I’m using.
The other one ( a Toshiba repair shop in Berkeley) said there was nothing wrong with my keybboard. He didn’t know what it was.
January 4th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Aman,
It’s very unlikely that two different keyboard on two different laptops have the same issue. I don’t think it’s a hardware issue. Virus? Possible. Maybe you installed the same infected file on both machines.
What if you boot the laptop into Safe mode or use an external keyboard, the same problem still appears?
Do you remember when the problem started on the IBM laptop? Try reverting the operating system back to that time using the system restore utility, it might help to get rid of the problem at least on the IBM laptop. Use SpyBot S&D utility to scan the laptop for spyware.
January 4th, 2007 at 12:07 am
Hi,
I have 2 laptops – an Acer TravelMate and an IBM R52.
The problem in both is that the keys for typing @ and ” have swapped…. i.e., I need to press Shift+2 to get the character ” and Shift+’ to type the character @ !!!
This problem emerged first with my Acer laptop and has just recently spread to the IBM one!! That kinda confirms that it’s a software issue…..or a virus??
Please help!!!
Thanks
Aman
December 19th, 2006 at 9:37 pm
GREAT NEWS for the M35X owner up there
Our laptops were recalled for a static electric something or other and in the process all M35X’s have an extended warrantee…SO we can take our laptops to a Toshiba repair place (call toshiba and they;” give you the name and address of one near you) and they will fix our computers for free.!!!!
labor and parts…
I just happened to find out about it as i scrolled thru some stuff on Toshiba’s website you might want to check it out – it’s a class action suit.
https://cert.gardencitygroup.com/ta2/fs/processClaim
So hopefully I will find out real soon what the problem was….but you better get your butt in gear and find out if you qualify
December 19th, 2006 at 6:41 pm
Cam Muir,
All keyboards are different and I don’t have any instructions for assembling it back together. Sometimes I get customers like you, they bring me parts of the keys in a plastic bag. Here’s what I do in this case. I carefully remove the cap from a working key to see how the frame is assembled under the key. Carefully pull it up until it snaps off the frame. You want to remove just the cap, so the frame stays in place. After that you assemble the frame from a pulled key the same way as it assembled on a good key and then snap the key cap back in place.
December 19th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
Jaime,
What did you mean by that? The laptop works fine with an external keyboard?
If the laptop works with an external keyboard, it doesn’t mean that the internal keyboard is just fine. I would assume that there is nothing wrong with your software, but you still might have a faulty keyboard. Do you get any beeping sounds on startup? May be you have a stuck keyboard key?
December 18th, 2006 at 12:14 pm
Hi,
I have a large problem and no body seems to able to solve it. A have a Toshiba Laptop model A105-S2061 and let someone use it for the weekend and guess what there is a password in the bios and I can’t get it out?
Ok- before everyone tells me about the fixes, here is one little twist, there is no parallel port!!!
Now, I have tried them all that I have found, even used a usb to parallel cable to no avail. Now guys I am all ears for suggestions??
Scott in Louisiana
December 18th, 2006 at 8:28 am
Aloha,
Last night my cat jumped up on my desk and stepped onto the keyboard of my laptop. As I lifted him off he swug down his paw and stuck one of his claws under a key (#5+1) and pulled it off. I have found three parts: the key, a little rectangular frame and what looks like a tiny toilet plunger. Can you tell me how to replace the parts so I can once again use this key?
Many thanks!
Cam
December 17th, 2006 at 6:07 pm
Ijust read the first entry and my mouth fell open
I too have a Toshiba M35 and have been having the same issues.
When I typed OK – as I typed the K the O disappeard. Then as I typed whole sentences disappeard. At the same time N started to give me an H after it and then the F gave me a $ in front of it and then the keyboard stopped responding altoghether. I went to two different techies and they both said nothing was wrong with my keyboaard -( it works with an extenal one)
Then I read in the microsoft knowledgebase that pressing the F12 or F11 keys at the same time might fix the problem…after a while it did
BUT then like a bad movie the keys started to act up again – the very next day the keyboard stopped working.
I use flash memory stick too but have always used one and i never had any problems
HELP – my computer is around the same age as the other M35
December 15th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
Wayne,
What do you mean by “the wrong symbols appear”? For example, you type P and it displays L, you type L and it displays M or it displays just symbols, not letters? Try booting with live Linux CD (you can use Knoppix) and see if the problem is gone when you work in Linux. If the keyboard works fine in Linux, then you have a software (settings) related issue. If you still getting symbols instead of letters even with Linux, most likely it’s a hardware related issue.
By the way, did you try reloading Windows at all? That’s the first think I would do with a secondhand computer.
December 14th, 2006 at 10:46 am
I have purchased a second laptop with a faulty keyboard, when i type the wrong symbols appear.The model is a Tecra 8200.p3. could you please offer advice on how to rectify this problem.Have been on region/ language settings. This is set for uk. Could this be a case of dirt causing this problem? If a new keyboard was needed can you advise me how to fit.
December 12th, 2006 at 12:14 am
Francis,
The keyboard connects directly to the motherboard. You replaced the keyboard and it didn’t resolve the problem, so it’s either a bad keyboard connector or bad motherboard. To me it sounds like a bad motherboard because you cannot use an external keyboard.
Probably the laptop starts booting from the HDD because it’s first device in the boot order. You can try removing the hard drive so the laptop cannot boot from it and start looking for the next bootable device and hopefully boot from the CD.
December 11th, 2006 at 11:55 am
hello,
i have learned tons from your site, thanks!! now, my problem, i have a satellite 2430-s255. i also have a keyboard problem. i reformatted the hard drive, reloaded everything, bought a new keyboard, and still doesn’t work. i have been trying to flash the bios but although i have an external keyboard attached i cannot get the laptop to respond to f8 or f2. f12 gets me the bootable menu but then it will not move from hdd to cd drive, not with arrow keys, not with number keys, so then it finally just starts booting with hdd and i cannot force it to boot from the bios cd i made. i also don’t seem to have the “built in” hardware utility which allows one to change startup order. toshiba site was down for a couple days but will try to get that downloaded. honestly, i think i’m at your last suggestion to original question person, motherboard fried! laptop is now an anchor. any ideas on how to get in and change startup order? thanks a million!!! francis
December 6th, 2006 at 8:57 am
Hi, my friends laptop recently started to act up.
When you turn it on it makes 3 beeps and then loads as normal, but when i tap any of the keys it just makes a beep and does nothing. Sometimes it will let you me use the touch pad to watch dvds but mostly as soon as i start a program a help centre warning pops up and the laptop seizes.
I looked around forums and many people have said the screw on the base may need tightening. this didnt work.
I brought it into a repair shop where the slightly dodgy man behind the counter offered to replace the mother board for 350pounds
The laptop is an Toshiba SA40-241.
THANKS IN ADVANCE
December 5th, 2006 at 11:31 pm
ceindreadh,
All keys should work equally. If it does really bother you, take the laptop to a Toshiba repair center and they will replace the keyboard.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:27 pm
Jan Scott,
Probably the key cap is broken. You can find a spare key on eBay if you search for laptop keyboard key.
December 5th, 2006 at 1:00 pm
Hi. I’ve got a new laptop (Toshiba Satellite) and I sometimes the centre keys (G H spacebar) don’t always work the first time I hit them.
I usually use a full size pc, so I’m not really used to laptop keyboards and I was wondering was this normal and I should just be gentle with it, or did I get a dodgy machine.
December 4th, 2006 at 9:47 am
The letter “e” has come off the keyboard.
I can pop it back on but every time you hit the key at the top it pops up because the bottom doesn’t want to lock in.
Is there a trick to this?
November 25th, 2006 at 9:10 pm
Hank,
The keyboard on a Toshiba Satellite A75 notebook doesn’t have any connector on the end of the cable, it would be just a flat ribbon cable. Before you pull the cable you’ll have to open the keyboard connector on the motherboard. Be very careful because the keyboard connector on this model is very fragile. The keyboard connector has a lock with 2 small handles on each side (two red arrows on the step 10 pointing on this handles). Carefully open the connector (brown part on the picture) by moving the lock 2-3 millimeters away from the connector base (white part on the picture). After the connector is open, you can pull the keyboard cable.
November 24th, 2006 at 3:12 pm
does anyone out there know the technical name for the connecter type on a presario laptop 2100 for the keyboard. Was replacing the KB and broke the little white retaining clip while pressing it against the flat cable on the MB connector. Should have been more careful. Just cant find that clip
steve
November 22nd, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Hello,
I am attempting to remove the keyboard connector on a Toshiba A75-S226 as I am looking at your detailed photo instructions. I easily removed one for a Dell D610 (which has a connector at the end of the ribbon cable), but I am perplexed with this A75-S226. When I remove it, should I have a white connector on the end of the keyboard flat ribbon or should I have nothing but a but a flat ribbon cable?
Thanks.
November 14th, 2006 at 4:22 am
I have almost the same problem with the start menu buton. When i removed the keybord from the laptop it works ok but when I try to replace it back I get the same problem again. Is there anyting I can do?
November 14th, 2006 at 12:51 am
Marco,
Search on eBay for Satellite M30 keyboard. I think Satellite M30 and Satellite Pro M30 is the same laptop, only names are different. Before you buy a new keyboard, I would contact the seller to make sure it will fit your laptop.
November 14th, 2006 at 12:44 am
hi,where i can buy a keyboard?
November 13th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
Marko,
It looks like the keyboard in your laptop has a stuck key and the problem could be fixed if you replace the keyboard (steps 8-12).
November 13th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
Hi,
i’ve a problem with my Toshiba’s (satellite pro M30 model nr. psm35e-003h0-it) keyboard.
when i boot i hear a continuos Beep till WinXp boot starts.then when it enters Xp and i select an icon i see the selection going left as i press continuosly the left -arrow key.
when i press this key once everything seems to get normal.
but if i press a combination like: upArrow+leftArrow i hear this Beep again and this pression has no effects (examle in videogames player doesn’t goes in that direction).It happens also with several others combinations,example:S+J,D+J.
What can i do?i can’t understand the problem,i formatted xp,dismantled pc to see it was connected in a bad way,but it seems good.
thanks a lot and sorry if my english is not perfect
Marco from Italy
November 5th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
Cyril,
I would probably replace the keyboard, it looks like dell keyboards are not very expensive and you can find one for around $25-30. Find a manual for you laptop here and follow instructions to replace the keyboard. If you decide to repair the keyboard itself, you can find some help here.
November 5th, 2006 at 3:07 am
i have just bought a second hand dell laptop and the space bar sometimes works (more does’nt than does ) how can i remedy this myself? as i imagane it will be an expensive job at a computer repair shop, many thank’s
C.S
October 27th, 2006 at 7:08 am
I owns Acer Texas-Instrument 670CDT. i accidentally pull out the keyboard plug and it stratches the lines insides the plastic cover. I’m not entirely sure if there is a electrical marker to reconnect the lines.
Thanks!