My laptop works fine only when I continuously press and hold any key on the keyboard
Bizar problem: My laptop works fine only when I continuously press and hold any key on the keyboard.
Laptop type: Fujitu-Siemens Amilo M 1420
OS: Windows XP SP2
If I (re)boot the laptop it always freezes in the “XP startup screen”. When I press any key on the keyboard, hold it, the booting continues… When I lift my finger and release the key I was holding, the booting stops, press down any or same key on the keyboard again and the booting continues, when booting complete, the touchpad and keyboard will not work, when I again press and hold any key I can use the touchpad and type/use the keyboard… to be short my laptop works perfect if I press and hold (doesn’t have to be hard, even when pressed very GENTLY) any key on the keyboard… which makes this a VERY bizar problem.
The motherboard got renewed in warrantee time and ?fixed? the problem for about a month or so after that the same problem occured but outside warrantee time!
From visiting the Fujitsu-Siemens website/forum I know that there is at least one more user of the exact same laptop that has the same problem.
I’m very interested/curious on what you will have to say about this and by all means very much obliged for it.
Thank you.
Dirk
You are right, it’s very bizar. May be it’s some kind of new security future from Microsoft, so nobody can control your laptop remotely? Just kidding.
I think it could be a software related problem. You can test the laptop with a live Linux CD – the operating system that runs directly from the CD. I usually use Knoppix, you can download an image and burn it on a CD. After that start the laptop from the CD and wait until the laptop boots to the desktop. See if the problem still exists. If the laptop boots fine and all keys work properly with Knoppix but not with Windows, you have a software related issue. Reload Windows.
Or just reload the operating system without testing with Linux. I think it might help. Do you remember if the operating system was reloaded after Fujitsu-Siemens technician replaced the motherboard? May be the motherboard wasn’t your problem last time?
If reloading the OS will not help, the next step would be removing the keyboard. Disconnect the keyboard from the motherboard and start the laptop. If the problem is gone, probably you have a bad keyboard.
If the problem still exists even after the OS is reloaded and keyboard removed, I would say you have a bad motherboard. I don’t know what else could be wrong.
Just a few days ago I had to repair a laptop with kind of similar problem. The customer complained that her keyboard doesn’t work in Windows, but she still can type here password at the login screen. I started the laptop and typed the password without any problem, but as soon as laptop booted to the desktop all keyboard keys stopped working. I reloaded the operating system and it fixed the keyboard problem.
January 4th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
I have a Sony Vaio VGN-S260. If I leave it on the table and turn it on it loads up fine, if I move it for any reason the screen will freeze momentarily and then goto like 640×460 with 8-bit color. I think get an ATI driver error. I have tried switching the ram, loading only one ram, etc.. it continues to do that. Any Ideas or suggestions would be great.
January 4th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Malachi,
Test the laptop with an external monitor, see if the external video freezes and goes into 640×460 resolution too. If your laptop has a dedicated (not integrated into the motherboard) video card, it might have a bad connection with the motherboard and needs to be reseated. Let me know how it works with the external video.
January 5th, 2007 at 7:44 am
My laptop works fine only when I continuously press and hold any key on the keyboard
Bizar problem: My laptop works fine only when I continuously press and hold any key on the keyboard.
Laptop type: Fujitu-Siemens Amilo M 1420
OS: Windows XP SP2
The Operating System did not get reloaded after the Fujitsu Technician replaced the motherboard and the keyboard.
I have put in a CD, not knoppix, I have one of Lindows 4.5 that is equally good to test I presume. This bootable cd starts booting and after a few seconds it stops, I press and hold a key on the keyboard and it resumes with the booting… once lindows 4.5 was completely booted and saw the lindows desktop again the same problem. I have to press and hold a key on the keyboard before I can do anything…
So I think we can rule out the operating system?? Or maybe start from scratch, Format C:/ and reload windows…??? The thing is I have a copy of WinXP prof. but it gives a message that it is an older version and when I want to let it boot from the cd I get the message that it is not bootable…
And to renew the keyboard & motherboard, I mean they did that already previously… do it again??? What garantee do I have that it will work when again the keyboard and motherboard will be renewed???
And the funny thing is that my laptop worked this morning like it should, it booted normally and I did not have to press and hold a key but then I went out for groceries came back and the problem occured again.
(I’ll never go out for groceries again ;o)
I read about other models of Fujitsu-Siemens that there are several who had problems with lagging time… you know that the computer stops and then goes on after a few seconds, which can be very frustrating when you are processing or working or gaming etc… and that it is not OS/Bios-related a real bug that Fujitsi-Siemens doesn’t have an answer to. Users on that forum advising people not to buy those models…
I don’t know what to do with mine…
Thanks for your intrest and comments and advice.
Dirk
January 7th, 2007 at 10:54 am
dirk,
If the same problem appears when you run the laptop with Lindows, then I don’t think that reloading XP from scratch is going to help. Most likely it’s not a software issue.
Here’s what I would do to troubleshoot this problem. I would disconnect the laptop keyboard from the motherboard and start the laptop without the keyboard attached. If the laptop still stops during the boot process even without the keyboard attached, most likely you have an issue with the motherboard. If the laptop works fine without the keyboard, it’s possible that a new keyboard will fix your problem. According to the laptop photos I found on the Internet, it shouldn’t be very difficult to remove the keyboard from Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo M1420 laptop. Most likely there are a few screws on the bottom of the laptop and if you remove them, you can lift up the keyboard and then disconnect it from the motherboard. I think removing the keyboard from your laptop would be similar to this one.
January 8th, 2007 at 6:39 am
Okay I’ve done like you said, I removed the keyboard and indeed it was not even that difficult and similar to the example you had given me. I booted it and it worked like it should work, I rebooted a couple of times, so far so good, then when I left it for a while, not using it, then to use the laptop a while later the touchpad didn’t work anymore. I rebooted it and it freezed in the startup screen… rebooted it several times always the same thing, freeze, freeze, freeze… so it’s the motherboard…
Thanks again…
D.
January 14th, 2007 at 11:23 am
I have question about my keyboard on my Latitude C610. On some keys there is 3 symbols on them, they are a light blue color. I tried the numlock on the ones with numbers and then tried the scroll lock key, (which is also lite blue)while pressing the shift key at the same time. How do I access the keys that have the lite blue color on them?
January 23rd, 2007 at 1:40 am
So my laptop keyboard and really computer in general is being strange. I’ve already taken out the keyboard and cleaned and put back the keyboard properly. My laptop has an external video card and it has the same problem on both settings. My laptop will start up fine if nothing is plugged into the USB port. If laptop is turned and USB is added my computer acts as if ALT is being held down. hitting f4 will close a window, cannot right click, and start menu closes as soon as it’s opened. Also, if computer is started with USB already plugged in the same problem occurs. Basically, i have a fully functioning laptop, with no USB capabilities. The strange thing is that the USB works and reads everything fine, just the keyboard is messed up. Also, if it helps the “on-screen” keyboard also doesn’t function correctly when this happens.
Thanks in advance,
Shane
January 29th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
hi, ive got a dell inspirion 9400 and it is only 4 months old! Im at uni and during christmas i left my laptop at uni in my room, and when i came back i found that the ‘p’ key stopped working! i managed to find this on screen keyboard on windows which i can use to push the p key, but i need the one on my laptop to work for work etc. if you could please help me it would be very much appreciated!
ben
February 4th, 2007 at 11:38 am
My Toshiba Satellite A105 function keys that control screen brightness and also some of the others do not work. The Function light illuminates when I press the Fn key and since some of them operate correctly I know the Fn key works. Do you have any ideas that might help?
I have looked for another way to control the brightness but have not found one. Is it possible that the brightness cannot be controlled on my computer?
Thanks for any help or insight!
Steve
February 4th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Steve,
You should be able to control brightness on your computer via FN+F7-F8 keys, at least I can do it on my Satellite A105-S361.
Do you have original software load on your notebook or you reinstalled the operating system? May be you are missing some Toshiba Utility programs? Download and install Toshiba Hotkey Utility and Toshiba Utilities from their website.
February 5th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Well, i bought a laptop off IBUYPOWER a few months ago for christmas. I turned it off, just like a normal shut down, and when i get back up, i have an unpleasant surprise. My keyboard keys dont work. Not one key types a word. THe only thing i can do is press f2 to get into setup, before i get to the windows xp screen, and can log in, etc. WHat is the problem?
February 9th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
I just got a Dell inspiron 8100 from my roommate for free! However I am having some troubles,his parents reformated before giving it to him, installed XP. When I got it the touchpad would work for only 20 minutes and then just stop. I downloaded the BIOS update,video drivers and a bunch of windows updates and now…the touchpad works but only when I am holding any key down on the keyboard. I have also downloaded the new drivers for the touchpad as well. I dont have any booting troubles like the above post. Even with a PS-2 mouse or USB mouse I have the same problems. I would like any help cause the computer was free and will do the job for typing in class.Thanks
February 9th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Chad,
maybe the keyboard is defective and not functioning properly. Try this. Disconnect the keyboard from the motherboard and see if the touchpad works without the keyboard installed. If it does, probably you’ll have to replace the keyboard.
April 22nd, 2007 at 6:39 pm
I have a odd problem.when I use the right side of my keyboard,the letter keystrokes produce numbers.If I hold the Function key down while typing everything works.What is the deal?
April 22nd, 2007 at 11:33 pm
M.McDowell,
There should be a key in the top row witch locks the numbers. For example on a Toshiba laptop it’s F11. If you press Fn+F11 it will enable numbers instead of letters, if you press Fn+F11 again it will go back to letters. I believe every laptop has this button, find it and disable numbers by pressing Fn together with the Num Lock key (F11 on Toshibas). Good luck!
April 23rd, 2007 at 10:19 pm
Holy cow,thanks,I’m a bonehead.It just seemed odd that only half of the keyboard worked.I musta FATFINGERED it big time!Number lock worked..you are the laptop king,er Freak!
June 23rd, 2007 at 1:07 am
Hello,
Not sure that I sent this one, hence I am resending….
I have a compaq presario 2100 purchased in June 2003. Initially I was getting only a blinking cursor….ie the
Windows logon would never appear. I tried some things like taking out the battery, using the chkdsk with /R
option and now it boots up. But the touch pad and keypad are both blocked. Installing an external mouse solves
this problem but I cannot get in as I cannot type the password.
1….How can I bypasss the password and get into my system…that way I could then use the windows keyboard
application with my mouse and get onto the web at least to see my email.
2…Why is the key pad and touch pad getting locked. Tried the fn F8 button but it did not work.
Would appreciate a reply on this website and my email. Would be very grateful to anyone who can resolve this
problem
September 10th, 2007 at 11:24 am
On the laptop keyboard how can I disable those keys that have both a number and a letter, to just print the letter sg J (1) ; K (2) ; L (3) At present I get the number 1 when I want to use the keyboard in the normal mode and type all the letters of the alphabet.
September 10th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
A D Hambly,
It depends on the model of your laptop.
On Toshiba you press Fn and F11 keys
On IBM you press Shift and NumLk keys
On HP you press Fn and NumLk keys
You might have a different key combination for your laptop but you get the idea, right?
November 27th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Hi All
I’m having the same function problem. I have a Toshiba. I’ll give an example. There are some keys that have a lot of diff characters on them (in blue a / and a ?, in red a E with a dash on top and a comma). Sometimes when I’m typing it will switch from the blue characters to the red ones. I’ve tried the Fn F11. That gets me my / instead of the E but then when I try to type a P or an O I get numbers??? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
December 7th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
My HP notebook (w/ XP sp2)is also producing numbers instead of letters (m=0, j=1,etc) but fn + num lock does not revert the keyboard to normal. The fn key has no effect with num lock. Num lock will toggle the letter keys as well as the numeric keypad.
I know I inadvertently hit a key combination that caused this but I cannot figure out what I did. Rebooting has not effect.
I have searched throughout the ‘net but still cannot find a solution. Please help
April 29th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
i have laptop sony avio . and i mess administrator password and i have no other account.
give me a start up backup key. when laptop start and i press a key and backup startup.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:28 pm
farooq,
I believe no one can give you this key. You had to create it yourself in advanced.
Here’s what you can do.
1. Search on the Internet and find some tools witch alow to reset the admin password on Windows machine. For example, Winternal ERD boot disc can do that.
OR
2. Backup all personal files from the hard drive using an external USB enclosure and after that reinstall Windows.
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:03 am
hi im having a problem with my s key on my sony vaio laptop. it only works when i press extra hard on it. what can be the problem?
August 5th, 2008 at 6:43 am
I have the same problem as Natasha — suddenly on my Sony Vaio laptop, the t key only works when I hit it especially hard. Any ideas? Thanks!
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Well the problem we had was that the keys on the right side of the laptop keyboard were screwed up. The solution and answer was that on the laptop the numlock key had been pressed. Now this may seem obvious but I assure you I have been using computers for a long time and on desktops this is not really a problem. However on laptops while I frequently look for the caps lock key on with laptops it never occured to me to check the numlock key. I mean after all there is not a number keypad per se right? So it was literally the last thing I checked. But thanks to forums like this I was able to resolve the problem thanks to people like yourselves. Thank you all for providing me with the options that enabled me to narrow down the problem and finally resolve our issue that had us close to buying a new laptop.
October 5th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
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December 29th, 2008 at 11:44 am
hey i have a labtop D610 and whenever i start it err it freezes and i have to hold down either the hard drive or the battery i tighten all bults on the back n Sheesh its the same problem Anyone had this problem? help me out PLEASE!
June 8th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
I realize it was a while since the first question was posted.. but i’m having the exact same issue. Interesting thing is, it’s not just pressing a key on the keyboard that makes it work, it requires a fair amount of pressure – either on the keyboard, or anywhere else on the flat surface of the laptop (ie. the flat space to the left and right of the touchpad). Could it be that something is loose? Is this a common error? Please help if you have any advice…
August 11th, 2009 at 1:43 am
I have a Fujitsu Siemens Laptop and all of a sudden the keys will only work if I press and hold them and it also makes a beeping noise – I think a combination of keys have been pressed. Any idea which keys I have pressed and how to disable this?
August 12th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Rachel,
Isn’t it annoying?
I think I can help you. Most likely you have “Turn on filter keys” function enabled. You can disable this function in the Ease of access center in the control panel.
I posted your question and step-by-step instructions here.
August 13th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I have a similar problem. My IBM Thinkpad T43 works only when I keep the trackpoint (red button in the middle of the keyboard) pressed. Once I leave the trackpoint, I hangs immediately.
Please help me if any ideas.