Keyboard Multiple Character Issue

[takuna]

Hey group, I have a real aggravating issue that is kicking my tail on my Inspiron 8500 laptop running Windows XP pro. All of the numbered keys when hit, also show a litter or character from the bottom row of the keyboard. For example: when i hit the number 7, i get 7m. When i hit the number 3 i get 3x. It seems to be confined to the numbered keys and the bottom row, however, the ENTER key seems to act like an ALT key as well.

What may have happend? I really dont know, but i do know that many keys were pushed simultaneously due to a CAT waling across the keyboard and the the subsequent wiping of the keyboard- thats when this all occured. I wondered if i didnt lock some combination down by accident.

What I have done- I have already re-installed the OS and the problem followed the new installation. Very odd. I tried the simple stuff; Fn lock, NumLock, etc, and they seem to be part of the equation as they change the symptoms, but nothing seems to make it go away! ANY ADVICE!!!!!

thanks!
jbw

[caperjack]

what did you wipe the keyboard with ,
to me it sort of sounds like a short inside the keyboard .

[gerbil]

Maybe the cat weeed on it while you weren't watching. Swirl it in very warm water with dishwashing detergent, rinse well with clean water, shake and let dry.
The multiple characters come because all "switches" in the keyboard are interconnected in a matrix. Caper is correct. Do not use soaps.

[Dortz]

Sure, go ahead and tell the guy to dunk his laptop in warm water.

[gerbil]

Won't hurt the keyboard, dortz. Only the contacts are exposed, the rest is sealed with lacquer or sandwiched in plastic layers. If he has a cheap one the whole thing is a sandwich with no contacts exposed, and washing won't fix it.
Cripes, if he pulled it apart and wiped the contacts with a damp cloth.. what would be the difference? Except that it would do the better job... just comes with a chance of scattering the keys... :)

[caperjack]

dortz point well taken ! Don't forget to take the keyboard off the laptop first,lol

[gerbil]

Sigh... so I missed one lil word....:( You'd be amazed at how silly I can be sometimes.
Yeah, washing a lappy keyboard may well hose it.

[takuna]

Well, as much as i wish it was just a cheap replacement keyboard issue, i replaced it with a known working spare (testged on another laptop) but got identical behavior in every way. Can the motherboard be this kind of sketchy?

takuna

[gerbil]

I guess you can only hope that there is some corrosion or whatever around tha ribbon connector on the mb. Try cleaning with a soft brush. You have reinstalled so it is not a driver issue. Flash the BIOS?
Sorry, not much help to offer.

[caperjack]

i just had a Dell laptop brought to last week ,kids spilled juice on the keyboard ,it acted weird like the alt keys were stuck none of the letter keyse worked except hotkeys likes search and copy and stuff ,tried contact cleaner and blowing it out but only fix for me was a new keyboard ,installed it today and all is fine now

[sittas87]

Well in that case PLease mark as solved Caper. hehe