Keyboard-input problem

[Setarkos]

Hi, I wasn't sure where to put this:

I have the following problem:
Whenever I hit the ^-button, it immediately wirtes ^^, in firefox, notepad, libreoffice - regardles of the program, smae with ´
The result is, that I can't write any letters with ^ or ´ on top of them...

What could be the problem? I didn't change anything and it was fine until yesterday...

please help!

 

[rubyrubyroo]

hello Setarkos,

1. What key are you pressing to get the characters you described. Because for me that would take two keys (Shift + 6) = ^
And I have no key for the type of single quote you typed (right sided single quote) So do you have a particular type of keyboard that has this?

2. Can you try to open a command prompt window and see is the key acts the same. To do this simply click on the rb: orb and enter "cmd" into the search box. Press enter. Now press the keys and does it still act the same?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Setarkos]

So do you have a particular type of keyboard that has this?

2. Can you try to open a command prompt window and see is the key acts the same. To do this simply click on the rb: orb and enter "cmd" into the search box. Press enter. Now press the keys and does it still act the same?

Hi,
In the command prompt window it is as it's supposed to:
- pressing "^" once does nothing
- pressing "^" and the a vowel give the vowel with "^" above it
- pressing "^" and then anyting else gives "^x"

It's a german IBM-keyboard (the green button on the top left and the second button from the right in the top row are the problem): http://www.chrismary.com/languagekeyboard/layouts/german_ibm_keyboard.jpg

 

[rubyrubyroo]

Is it a desktop or laptop, or something else?

Do you have access to another keyboard to plug into a USB port and test if the problem presists?

 

[Setarkos]

Is it a desktop or laptop, or something else?

Do you have access to another keyboard to plug into a USB port and test if the problem presists?

No it's a laptop. I could boot into my linux partition but I'm assuming as it works fine in the command prompt it will be fine in linux as well.

 

[rubyrubyroo]

Is that a no to the keyboard question?

Thats not necessary. (linux)

 

[rubyrubyroo]

Do you have access to a USB plug style keyboard that you could plug in and try out?

 

[Setarkos]

Do you have access to a USB plug style keyboard that you could plug in and try out?

Nope...
Do you have any idea what it might be?

 

[rubyrubyroo]

If I did, I would have certianly provided you with them! I'm trying to rule out the physical keyboard hardware.

Okay then, let's try the "On-Screen Keybord"

To do this simply click on the rb: orb and enter "osk" into the search box. Press enter. An onscreen keyboard should appear. Now use the pointer to click into an area that you can type in such as notepad page or the area in this very window where you enter text to post to the Seven Forums. The cursor should be blinking like normal in the area now. Use the pointer to click the key(s) on the on screen keyboard , which are giving you a problem. Does it correct the problem?


Mike

 

[Setarkos]

If I did, I would have certianly provided you with them! I'm trying to rule out the physical keyboard hardware.

Okay then, let's try the "On-Screen Keybord"

To do this simply click on the rb: orb and enter "osk" into the search box. Press enter. An onscreen keyboard should appear. Now use the pointer to click into an area that you can type in such as notepad page or the area in this very window where you enter text to post to the Seven Forums. The cursor should be blinking like normal in the area now. Use the pointer to click the key(s) on the on screen keyboard , which are giving you a problem. Does it correct the problem?


Mike

Same problem with the on screen keyboard...

 

[rubyrubyroo]

Very good! That allows us to rule out a hardware problem with your keyboard.

If you can pinpoint the day that it occurred (or approximately), we can check to see if and what updates were installed at that time.

To do this simply click on the rb: orb and enter "update" into the search box. Press enter. A window will open titled Windows Update. Click on the blue underlined link labeled "View Update History" in the middle/right side of the screen. A window with a listbox shall appear with a listing of all the updates that have been attempted as well as the name, status, importance and date installed. Scroll down to the date that this started and make a screen capture or type the listings of the updates done at the time this problem began and directly before it began. Please include whether the install was a "Successful" or "Failure" and the names of these entries.


Mike

 

[Setarkos]

These are the only two that fall into the possible time span:

Definition Update for Windows Defender - KB915597 (Definition 1.117.154.0)

Installation date: ‎12/‎2/‎2011 12:46 PM

Installation status: Successful

Update type: Important

Install this update to revise the definition files used to detect spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Once you have installed this item, it cannot be removed.

More information: 
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/about/overview.mspx

Help and Support: 
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=52661

Definition Update for Windows Defender - KB915597 (Definition 1.115.2785.0)

Installation date: ‎11/‎29/‎2011 5:17 PM

Installation status: Successful

Update type: Important

Install this update to revise the definition files used to detect spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Once you have installed this item, it cannot be removed.

More information: 
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/about/overview.mspx

Help and Support: 
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=52661

 

[rubyrubyroo]

Okay then let's restore your system settings to the way they were before the date 11/29/2011 by doing the following, and this will hopefully do the trick:

To do this simply click on the rb: orb and enter "restore" into the search box. Press enter. A window will open titled "System Restore". Click on the [NEXT>] button. In the next screen there will be a listing of the most recent restore points created, if they are all too recent, check the box labeled "Show More Restore Points". This will show ALL possible Restore Points. Choose one that is before the date: 11/29/2011 (preferably a day or two earlier than this date) Select the Restore Point you have decided to use, and click on the [NEXT>] button. Click on the [FINISH] button and your computer will go through a whole rebooting process. As soon as it is finished, log back on and open a text application like notepad to determine if this fixed the problem!

Just take your time and do this correctly, It's my Birthday and I am being forcibly removed to go to dinner with a friend, so I will be back in about an hour or so, if no one else helps you.

Hopefully, this will do the trick and you will need no further assistance.
If, or when this problem is resolved please return and let me/us know the results!

Thanks so much!
Mike

 

[Setarkos]

Happy birthday and thanks mike, I don't want to steal any more time of your birthday!
I will do this tomorrow anyway, no time right now.
Cheers

Edit: I was hoping I can fix this problem somehow without restoring (I'm somewhat afraid of that...) I did a virus scan yesterday that might have something to do with this... I had Thunderbird problems as well since yesterday but can't pin point exactly if the problems startet simultaneously...
TB was fixed by reinstalling it. It wasn't able to copy files to "sent" and/or "drafts".

There should be a way to fix the keyboard issue without restoring...?

 

[westom]

Whenever I hit the ^-button, it immediately writes ^^, ...

What could be the problem?

Step one to solving such problems means first identifying the defect either in hardware or software. Without that information, then every suggestion is best defined as wild speculation.

Better laptop manufacturers make it easy. All laptop manufacturers have comprehensive hardware diagnostics. But only the better ones also provide them to you for free; on the hard drive, on a provided CD, and on their web site. Comprehensive diagnostic executes without Windows. Necessary to draw a line between hardware and software. Diagnostic only talks to and tests hardware. If the double ^^ appears in a diagnostic, then we know exactly where to look next. No more speculation.

This is what they mean in CSI by "follow the evidence'. First break a problem into parts. Identify which part contains a defect. Then have a much smaller number of suspects. Currently your suspect list is longer than what has been suggested.

Using a different keyboard on a different port (ie USB) will say little that is useful. Even booting the computer in DOS would say more. Before anyone can recommend a solution, first one must identify the problem.

BTW, did you know a keyboard even has its own computer? That ORB test does not use that keyboard computer or switches that also might cause double clicking. You must know that to better understand the problem.

 

[Setarkos]

I think we have pretty much ruled out hardware:
1. in the command prompt the problem does NOT occur
2. the same problem persists when I use the on screen keyboard

 

[Setarkos]

To do this simply click on the rb: orb and enter "restore" into the search box. Press enter. A window will open titled "System Restore". Click on the [NEXT>] button. In the next screen there will be a listing of the most recent restore points created, if they are all too recent, check the box labeled "Show More Restore Points". This will show ALL possible Restore Points. Choose one that is before the date: 11/29/2011 (preferably a day or two earlier than this date) Select the Restore Point you have decided to use, and click on the [NEXT>] button. Click on the [FINISH] button and your computer will go through a whole rebooting process. As soon as it is finished, log back on and open a text application like notepad to determine if this fixed the problem!

Should I do a full backup of my files or is the risk of something failing rather low?
Will I automatically lose the files I've created since the date that I choose for the restore?
Any advice on how to find all the data that needs backing up?

 

[rubyrubyroo]

Hello Setarkos,

Well you are welcome to decide on what course of action you'd feel comfortable with. I was simply presenting my advise.

I don't want to confuse you, but I will say this: What Westom says is true, I actually remember typing the words "ruled out" deleting them to better word the sentence, then decide rather than cause confusion, I'd just replace thee words. But I knew someone would come along and point this out. However unlikely it is possible that it could be a hardware issue. A.) It is not a key problem. B.) It is not a problem with the integrated circuit which converts the key strokes to serial data. Once the signal is transmitted to the keyboard buffer, there could be an issue at that point, that may be repeated even with another keyboard/on-screen keyboard. And while this hardly meets the definition of a computer in the keyboard, by any definition of a computer that I know of, it is a remote possibility. Unfortunately unless you have a hardware diagnostics tool, it can be a rather lengthy process to goto the manufacturer's site locate your model computer download the proper tool burn it to a disc, restart the computer and enter BIOS change the startup order, or confirm it has the optical drive first, save the setting & exit, reboot into their CD/DVD Diagnostic Tools And preform the test, which I do not know of how to help you with, so you'd need to follow the directions, possibly save a log file or else read/interpret the results and without windows no screen-shots can be done, so you'd need to make sure you checked it properly. That would COMPLETELY rule out the H/W, assuming the tool has a 100% accuracy rate that is. We could try that. Otherwise I'd rec: the system restore. I don't know if you are fully aware of how a system restore works, but it done correctly, it is a reversible process, as the action of doing the system restore actually creates a new restore point before making the changes, which you can always restore BACK TO.

I'd only make sure of one thing that could interfere with such a process: Have you ever uninstalled an anti-virus application on your computer (possibly the one that came with the computer, or another type). and if so how did you uninstall it?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[rubyrubyroo]

Should I do a full backup of my files or is the risk of something failing rather low?

Yes you should always have an up to date backup. It's impossible to know what risk is involved with any operation, even if I could physically see your system details and so forth! So I would backup. Even if you choose not to do the system restore operation.

Will I automatically lose the files I've created since the date that I choose for the restore?

You will not lose your "datafiles" such as documents, pictures, website history, etc... just system settings and system files: To be more specific, here is a quote from Microsoft:

System Restore affects Windows system files, programs, and registry settings. It can also make changes to scripts, batch files, and other types of executable files created under any user account on your computer. System Restore does not affect personal files, such as e-mail, documents, or photos, so it cannot help you restore a deleted file. If you have backups of your files, you can restore the files from a backup.

Any advice on how to find all the data that needs backing up?

Use windows backup , and use the added Create An Image File Also checkbox.


Mike

 

[Setarkos]

Okay, I will do the system restore. I'll do it tomorrow though - no time today. Hope this solves the issue.

(Never uninstalled an antivirus programm)