Press One Key, Screen Displays Another

Okay, this is like the 100th edit I've done, and I know that's annoying, but the problem keeps changing.

Initially, whenever I'd type, I'd get the wrong letters or characters on screen. That eventually stopped because the keyboard stopped working all together. I decided I'd back everything up and format and hope that it was a software glitch or a macro or spyware or adware or something that I hadn't been able to catch, and I could just start over. But when I tried to format, I couldn't because I need to hit F1 start formatting, and none of my keys work.

Should I just go ahead and buy a new laptop and forget about this one? I'm thinking that repair -- opening up the laptop and such -- will end up costing just as much after labor, if this something that can be repaired after all.

Any suggestions?

 

Have you let the water dry out completely? The water may have caused a short, but it may have liquefied some of the other things that have fallen between the keys. I would concentrate on cleaning out the keypad first.

You could take it to a repairer or at least find out a cost over the phone. If you wanted to try yourself, see if there are instructions (a service manual) at Toshiba. To do it "in place" I would get a can of compressed air and a can of Contact Cleaner. Get someone to hold it upside-down and blow out between the keys with the air. Use the Contact Cleaner in the same manner, but do not allow any Contact Cleaner to get on the screen. Keep it upturned for about an hour to allow the cleaner to dissipate. Leave it say, overnight, before powering it up again.

Found this:
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/index.htm
There is supposed to be cleaning instructions as well.

You have reinstalled the drivers previously, did you reinstall the software (if there is special software)? You may want to uninstall and reinstall drivers and software. In fact, if there is special software for the keyboard and you don't use it, you may be able to run with just the drivers. Check for updates for drivers and software at the Toshiba Support website.

If you still have a problem it probably be best to post a thread in the security forum and ask them to check your Hijack This log.

Matt

 

I've tried reinstalling things with the recovery disc, but nothing. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the driver several times. I definitely checked for updates but there's nothing I don't already have.

Occasionally, some of the keys will work but never all of them. Then they all stop working completely.

Mind you, at one point yesterday, the whole computer stopped working. Only thing that was running were a few lights on the computer and the fan. Does that sound like it's a motherboard issue, perhaps?

 

I apologize for the edits. I just thought it was fixed and decided I didn't think anyone should bother responding if it was fixed and then...nope. *sigh* Such is life, though, right?

But thanks. I think it's probably dead as well. I wasn't even going to mention the water since I think it just soaked my sofa cushion while only getting a few drops on the keyboard, but I figured that anything is a possibility. Since this isn't the first time I've had a similar problem (striking one key gives me another), I should have known it probably wasn't the water. It's nearly three years old, which sounds young, I suppose, but I guess I use it so much that it's not nearly as young as it sounds.

I can still get the screen to come up now, and I can use the mouse, but now, when I click on icons, it takes me to the Properties of the program, not the program itself. I have to right-click, "Open" to open the program. And I can't type at all.

I suppose the good thing is that since the computer still works, and I can still navigate with the mouse, if I do buy a new computer and realize important information is still on the old one, I can still transfer it.