Member Avatar for Mrairpork

Hi, this problem has been sticking to my laptop(HP Pavilion dv6-6003tx) for about 2 months now. At first, i thought it was a virus after accidentally downloading some add-ons and it was called something like Anti-phishing file bulldog. It changed my homepage and i got redirects to their search engine. After doing whatever i can and to no avail. I had it reformatted twice but the problem remains. Which led me to believe that its a hardware issue. It doesn't matter what browser i'm using as long it is my default browser it will open let it be chrome,ie or opera. If i'm browsing websites and stuff, it would not happen. However, when i'm playing games the temperature would be about 90degrees and the fan would suddenly have this intense spinning and the browsers would just start opening. It won't stop until after 5 minutes and if i go back to resume my game, it would happen again in intervals of roughly 2 to 5 minutes. So yea this is roughly the hell i'm going through. I have had it sent to a repair shop but the tech couldn't identify the problem and couldn't conclude whether it was a virus that still stayed or it was a hardware issue. He did pointed out that the south bridge of the motherboard is pretty unstable which is the cause of the high temperatures and that the high temperature causes software to open. But why browsers?, he said he is not sure about that and that this is the first time he is seeing something like this. So i had him turned down because he wasn't really sure what the problem was caused by and if he was to change some part of the motherboard it would cost about $157 but i was not convinced because what if its not gone after changing.
I kind of gave up on this laptop already as i have really gave it my all over a span of 2 months. It has caused me real mental torture but it still bugs me that i'm unable to identify what actually caused it. So please if there are any solutions to what causes this, i really hope we can put an end to this soul crushing problem and also thanks for reading this whole chunk, and i thank you in advance for any help.

Additional info:
1)I did split some ribena onto my keyboard but it happened like early january this year and this problem showed itself only at the end of march so i don't know if its related.
2)My keyboard has a shortcut key to open a browser.
3)Been to bleepingcomputer as i thought it was a malwarer issue but the techs there went through my logs and couldn't identify any virus.
4)The number 2 key would sometimes spam itself and would only be stopped after i press 2 again.
5)The browser spams used to open to the file bulldog search engines however, after a period of time, it just opens up my homepage and furiously refresh it. I can only slowly wait for about 5 minutes and wait for it to stop itself. Also, the more i try to close its as if its retaliating and it opens more.

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A concise diagnostic plan and safe next steps based on the thread: the combination of a stuck/repeating key, a dedicated browser/web hotkey, a prior liquid spill and the fact the behavior happens regardless of browser makes a hardware-origin hypothesis the strongest one to test first. is correct that dust/overheating should be fixed, but that alone won't stop intermittent key shorts or corrosion-driven ghost presses. The quickest, non-destructive way to prove it is to isolate the internal keyboard from the system.

Practical, ordered tests (do these before paying for parts):

  • Plug a USB keyboard and use the laptop under the same load. If the popups stop entirely, the internal keyboard or its connector is the culprit.
  • While running the problem, open the On-Screen Keyboard (or a simple key-tester) so you can watch which scancodes are arriving. That will confirm whether hardware is sending repeated key events.
  • Try disabling the internal device in Device Manager (if a Disable option exists). Uninstalling the keyboard driver is not equivalent to removing the keyboard — Windows usually reinstalls it on reboot. For a persistent software disable you need a tool like Microsofts devcon or a physical disconnect.
  • Boot a Linux Live USB and stress the machine; if the problem reproduces on another OS it is almost certainly hardware.
  • If you’re comfortable, remove or disconnect the keyboard ribbon (power off, remove battery, follow a teardown guide). This is the most reliable isolation test; take ESD and warranty cautions.

If tests point to the keyboard: replacement keyboards are inexpensive and straightforward to swap. If the issue persists with the keyboard disconnected, ask the shop to inspect for corrosion around the keyboard connector and the laptop’s I/O controller (southbridge/HID controller). Back up data before any major repair and get a clear written diagnostic estimate before parts/motherboard replacement.

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Member Avatar for Rik_

I bet there is a thick wad of dust between the fan and heatsink! It is extreemly common on the DV series laptops. You need to get in there and clean it all out before it fries your graphics processor, which again, is very common on the DV series.

If you don't know how to get in there yourself then you need to find someone who can.

Doing this now could save you the cost of having a new motherboard fitted.

Get a new keyboard for it as well!

I am a professional computer tech and I recon I get more DV series in for repair than any other type of laptop. I believe they are very badly designed altho HP will admit nothing for fear of court cases. At a guess I would say I have repaired in excess of 200 DV's in the last year or so.

Edited by Rik_
Member Avatar for Mrairpork

Hi, thanks for replying. I have suspected it to be the keyboard too as i forgot to mention that my qwer keys have suddenly stopped working as well few weeks back. However i just don't understand why the heat can cause browsers to open. And also if it heat causes the browser to open, why does it keep refreshing itself insanely as if its trying to redirect to some web?

Member Avatar for Rik_

I am not saying the heat is causing the browser problem, I am saying the heat is a problem that needs to be fixed.
I recon your keyboard is causing the browser problem. An easy test is to remove the keyboard and run the lappy with a usb keyboard for a while to see if the browser problem is entirely keyboard related.

Member Avatar for Mrairpork

Hi, is there a way of disabling the keyboard without manually removing it? Does uninstalling the driver of the laptop keyboard acts the same as removing the keyboard? Thanks again.

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