Keyboard acting up, tries to shut computer down

Hi, just recently my keyboard has been acting up. last week i discovered the problem. my keyboard started sending me shut down messages, opening the 'search' window, and typed random keys. in some instances it would just abruptly shut down or make my computer go to sleep w/o warning. i suspected it was a virus or malware of some sort. but after a few hours i never encountered these problems again. rest of the week i had no problems, until today

i finally realized it was actually the keyboard that was acting up after i unplugged the usb from the computer. upon unplugging the problem went away. i was unable to find a replacement keyboard in my house and now have to resort to the on-screen keyboard. frustrating and tedious to say the least.

it was working fine this afternoon but during the nighttime it started acting up.

please help. i would go in further detail but this on-screen keyboard is rly tedious! thank you.

using windows 7

Sounds like it is time for a new keyboard....

UsernameIssues said:

Sounds like it is time for a new keyboard....

Layback Bear said:

I'm thinking like UsernameIssues. A new keyboard would be my starting place. Even if it doesn't solve your problem it's nice to have a basic keyboard around for emergency's.

But can a keyboard really do this? Is it possible for a malfunctioning keyboard to shut down a computer? I want to make certain.

Yes, a keyboard can shut a computer down.

If you can get your current keyboard to functioning normally, try this:
Press the Windows key
(that should bring up the start menu)
Press tab twice and then enter
(that should shut down the computer)

If the keyboard happens to do those actions quickly enough, you will never see the start menu.

It is unlikely, but possible that the keyboard is doing those four actions, but there could be other keyboard actions that that can shut down the computer. Do you have a power button on the keyboard?

UsernameIssues said:

Yes, a keyboard can shut a computer down.

If you can get your current keyboard to functioning normally, try this:
Press the Windows key
(that should bring up the start menu)
Press tab twice and then enter
(that should shut down the computer)

If the keyboard happens to do those actions quickly enough, you will never see the start menu.

It is unlikely, but possible that the keyboard is doing those four actions, but there could be other keyboard actions that that can shut down the computer. Do you have a power button on the keyboard?

No power button, but I do have a sleep button. Also one thing I forgot to add which is really peculiar is that the keyboard in the address bar on Google Chrome would type in a "?". Then my keyboard keys would be disabled momentarily. Really really strange...

By the way, I plugged this keyboard back in the computer and it's been working fine for the past couple hours.....

You can go into your power settings...
Power Plan Settings - Change
...and select the option to do nothing when the sleep button is pressed.

Just curious if that stops the the computer shutdowns when the keyboard is acting up.

I'm not sure about where you live, but I can pick up a basic USB keyboard for under $5. That should be good enough for troubleshooting the issue. If it turns out to be the keyboard, then buy a better one and keep the cheap one for a spare.

UsernameIssues said:

Yes, a keyboard can shut a computer down.

If you can get your current keyboard to functioning normally, try this:
Press the Windows key
(that should bring up the start menu)
Press tab twice and then enter
(that should shut down the computer)

If the keyboard happens to do those actions quickly enough, you will never see the start menu.

It is unlikely, but possible that the keyboard is doing those four actions, but there could be other keyboard actions that that can shut down the computer. Do you have a power button on the keyboard?

UsernameIssues said:

You can go into your power settings...
Power Plan Settings - Change
...and select the option to do nothing when the sleep button is pressed.

Just curious if that stops the the computer shutdowns when the keyboard is acting up.

I'm not sure about where you live, but I can pick up a basic USB keyboard for under $5. That should be good enough for troubleshooting the issue. If it turns out to be the keyboard, then buy a better one and keep the cheap one for a spare.

thanks, changed both to "do nothing". hopefully that'll do the trick.