For some reason every 5-10 key strokes by laptop doesn’t put a letter on the screen
For some reason every 5-10 key strokes by laptop doesn’t put a letter on the screen. I know I am hitting the key and yet it doesn’t want to put work properly. I end up with something like this without going back all the damn time to fix it—-> “Helo, my name is jeff and i ha a serious roblemith y laptop an the keys don’t sem to wanna worproperly. Its really pissing me of.” So that SHOULD have been perfect grammar. Please help!
I think this could be a software related problem. Try booting into safe mode and test the keyboard in there, does it work properly in safe mode? Here’s another method that can help you to find out if the problem is software or hardware related. In this case this method should be 100% accurate.
Download Knoppix (.iso image) – live Linux operating system and burn it on a CD. Boot the laptop from this CD and you’ll get an environment similar to Windows. Open up a text editor and test the keyboard in there. If the problem is gone, your problem is software related – reload Windows and you’ll fix it. If the problem is still there even with Knoppix, your problem is hardware related.
I think the problem is software related. So if you don’t want to mess with Knoppix, just reinstall Windows and most likely the problem will be fixed.
February 13th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Thank’s so much for posting this! Jeff and I both have the ZD800 model. By reloading Windows, do you mean reformatting? Thanks!
February 13th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Henry,
yes, that’s what I mean. Backup all personal data and reinstall Windows from scratch using the recovery DVD or CD (not sure what you have).
February 20th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Hi all,
I wonder if there’s another reason going on under the hood. I had the same problem on my Amilo notebook, with the added phenomenon of missing keystroke would be ok only if I waited 3 or 4 seconds and then retyped. Problem was seen in many programs, outlook, IE, Firefox, Word etc. I ran Spybot, Adware SE and AntiVir many times but the problem kept returning. Finally, I reinstalled XP and now everything is fine. Any news of Trojans or backdoors having these symptoms? I was getting worried about keystroke recording programs but couldn’t find any evidence.
February 20th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
I have a toshiba Satellite M45-S355. After about one year the “4″, “5″ and “6″ number keys stopped working and I limped along for a couple of months without them. Then one day the “space bar” quit! That was the end of keyboard. I plugged in an external keyboard, but would like to make it a portable computer again by fixing the original keyboard.
I removed the keyboard as you show how and it was easy, but to be sure I know what I am doing I tried to re install it and now NO KEYS work. Is there a trick to getting that ribbon cable hooked up correctly?
I don’t want to put out the money for a new keyboard if it won’t work because something else is wrong, or if I destroyed something when I unhooked the ribbon cable.
I am located way out on an island in Fiji, so I can’t run down to my local dealer and get them to fix this thing. Help!
February 21st, 2007 at 3:11 pm
I have a toshiba laptop a satellite 1130-S155 I need to replace the keyboard….I ordered a new one but not sure how to remove and replace all help or info would be greatly appreciated
February 21st, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Joseph Taylor,
There is no trick for reconnecting the keyboard. You just follow these steps:
1. Open up the keyboard connector on the motherboard – move the lock 2-3 millimeters away from the base so the ribbon cable can slide inside. Be very gentle and careful with the connector. If you break it you are in trouble.
2. Slide the keyboard ribbon cable inside the connector all the way down. If the cable is not seated properly the keyboard will not work.
3. Holding the ribbon cable in place carefully lock the connector. The keyboard cable will get jammed inside the connector.
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Ken,
Replacing the keyboard will require similar disassembly steps for most Toshiba notebooks. Check out a guide for taking apart Toshiba Satellite 1905 notebook (www.irisvista.com). Steps 3-5 shows how to lift up the keyboard. Be careful with the cable connector on the motherboard. Before you pull the cable you have to unlock the connector.
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:38 am
I have a Toshiba 3500 Tablet PC. Worked great for a few years, but then started a truly bizzare behaviour. I’ve tried a few things….
It’s a Toshiba standard unit, shipped without Bluetooth, and with the 512MB upgraded ram. There is an aftermarket 256MB stick in the second port, installed a year or so before the issues began.
System is XP Tablet edition SP2, fully patched with Office XP, also patched.
Symptom: Most times when booted, the keyboard doesn’t respond to most keys. The odd thing is that it works just fine sometimes. The keys that always work are:
Ctrl
Alt (both)
Enter
Shift (both)
Up arrow
Sometimes, the Fn, Caps Lock, Insert & space work.
The problem manifests itself at initial boot; the F1 & F2 keys do not work, so I can’t get into bios or other functions.
If I let it go, it boots all the way, usually without incident, to the logon screen. Of course, I can’t log on because the Del key doesn’t work.
The wierd thing is that neither do the Tablet buttons! I can’t use the Ctrl-Alt-Del button that allows easy booting to Tablet mode.
The puzzling part: If it sits around for a few months until the battery is totally dead, it will usually boot right up on the charger. Then I can run A/V updates, MS updates, etc. – including the reboots required by the MS updates. However, once I charge up the battery, the wierdness starts all over.
After much reading, and assistance from your site, I replaced the internal backup battery (from SpartParts.com). Initially, it worked fine. Connecting by wireless, I was able to run all updates, and even run CorelDraw 12 on it using the pen to make some drawings.
Then, I left it to charge, testing to see what would happen.
This morning – back to it’s old ways.
Any suggestions?
I don’t want to replace the machine if I don’t have to. I have invested lots of hours into this one. It’s a puzzle I want to solve, some way.
Thanks,
Mark
July 19th, 2007 at 11:04 am
For Mark Hall and others. I bought a used 3500 with a keyboard problem, the same erratic behaviour as Marks’. After much frustration I replaced the keyboard, all was fine for about 2 months then the same problem returned. On my keyboard there seems to be a hardware failure, pressing Fn F10/11/12 changes the keybaord mapping and allows the use of the delete and enter keys as used by the blue numberpad Fn set of keys, switching between the numberpad and normal loses the use of delete and enter unless I use press Fn enter! The thing that intrigues me, and that I have never seen before is the problem occurs in DOS.
Laptop Freak, is there a controller chip on the motherboard dedicated to the keyboard? Could this fail?
Thanks
Ian
July 21st, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Ian,
This is really strange that your laptop worked fine for 2 month and after that exactly the same problem appeared again. Weird.
Yes, the keyboard controller is located on the motherboard but I’m not sure if this is your problem.
If you don’t have the same problem in DOS then apparently there is nothing wrong with hardware. Software issue?
July 26th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Hey,
I have a couple problems. I dropped my laptop recently and ever since then have been having trouble with the keyboard/touchpad. The touchpad works, but I have to press very hard on it. Also, the keyboard works, but every once in awhile it just stops typing anything AT ALL until I reboot. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse, and those work fine, but I was just wondering if there was some way to fix it.
September 30th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Hi!
I have this Sotec winbook WN760. Last night my keyboard stop responding. Do you know a way to troubleshoot this problem. By the way tried already using desktop keyboard through USB connection but also there is no lock. your kindly response is highly appreciated
September 30th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
ken,
Can you start the laptop and boot into Windows? Does the laptop give you any beep error when you start it?
I assume the laptop boots fine but the keyboard will not work at all, is it correct?
March 31st, 2008 at 11:14 am
I have a Dell Latitude C510 or C540 (running Windows 2000) and lately I have been having problems with some of the kyes not working or working intermittently. The ones that i am having problems with are the number keys (most or some of them), and the keys on the top right of the laptop (-, =, home, delete, end, etc.) The number keys will sometimes work if i hold them down hard. This just started happening. I have noticed that my fan doesn’t run, and i am not sure if that has anything to do with it or not. My computer doesn’t get hot enough to shut down, but I am wondering if the heating has anything to do with the keys. Any suggestions for me?
August 29th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I have and Acer Aspire 5100. When I first bought my laptop everythingwas fine and running properly, but after a while i started noticing something. When i turn it off and turn it back on if i press any keys on my keyboard or try to move my mouse pad, nothing happens. The mouse on the screen doesn’t move and no keyboard commands will work either. Is there a connection problem or should i just replace the keyboard? Any suggestions would help greatly.
February 28th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Hi all,
please help me fix this problems,
My laptop keyboard on the letter keys like, U-key, J-key, M-key,I-key, K-key, are having problem to type its own letter, instead, for example-when I type key-U, I will get a 9 number, anybody can help? thankyou!!!
February 28th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
TOM,
You have NumLock enabled and because of that instead of letters U,I,O,J,K,L,M you are getting 4,5,6,1,2,3,0
You’ll have to disable the NumLock function on the keyboard. Press and hold down the Fn key and at the same time press once on the NumLock key.
April 6th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
When I type my cursor moves sooo slow. It takes the characters forever to show up. I have XP Dell Vostro 1000. I just wiped my hard drive and reinstalled everything and now the typing cursor is slow. pls help!
July 19th, 2009 at 5:38 am
I have a brand new Dell Inspiron and yesterday all of the sudden the keyboard went berserk. Now when I type online (i.e. facebook, twitter, this website) my keyboard lags and skips many letters that I type. Every three letters or so I need to press the key two or three times. Before it was only in dialogue boxes but now it’s in the Google search bar, too (Which was fine before)
At a complete loss as to what I do now. I’ve made a few desperate attempts to fix it – restarted the computer a few times, disconnected and reconnected my internet and nothing has worked – any ideas?