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My laptop (used, but not super old or anything) has suddenly started shutting down whenever I type anything for more than a minute or two (I'm writing from my desktop computer!) So I can no longer write messages on facebook or chat with anyone without it shutting down. However, I can play a movie or show just fine all the way through and when it's just on all day without me trying to write anything for more than a minute it doesn't behave oddly. My boyfriend said it might be overheating but it's always cool to the touch when I'm not using it (I keep it lifted a bit on this anti-heating board a friend got for me--don't know what it's called, I'm not tech-savvy, but it's always worked.) So then my boyfriend said maybe it requires a new keyboard? Sometimes I can see the message it shows--and it's always a blue screen--right before it shuts down. Other times it shuts down way too fast and the blue screen is on for a split second and that's it. What the blue screen says though is that I should check my hardware and software to make sure they're properly installed. Is this what I need to do and how do I do it? I don't know much at all about these things. And if I need a new keyboard does that mean I have to buy one? Are they expensive? I really hope not, because I can barely afford that at this point! Thank you to anyone who answers!!!

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Good clue that you can watch a full movie without trouble, . That makes simple overheating unlikely. Crashes that happen only while typing usually point to the keyboard path: the built‑in keyboard itself, the touchpad/hotkey filter drivers, or the old PS/2 controller that many laptops still emulate.

Before anything else, make the blue screen stay on so you can read it. Press Win+R, type sysdm.cpl, go to Advanced -> Startup and Recovery, uncheck "Automatically restart" and set "Write debugging information" to "Small memory dump". Next time it happens, note the STOP code and any driver it names (look for kbdclass.sys, i8042prt.sys, SynTP.sys, etc.). After the reboot, press Win+R, type eventvwr.msc, then check Windows Logs -> System for "BugCheck 1001" or "Kernel‑Power 41" at the crash time. That will confirm whether a driver is involved, as suggested.

Quick isolation steps you can do right now:

  • Plug in a USB keyboard. In Device Manager -> Keyboards, right‑click the internal "Standard PS/2 Keyboard" and choose Disable. Type in Notepad for 5–10 minutes. If it no longer crashes, the internal keyboard assembly is the culprit.
  • Boot Safe Mode and try typing. If Safe Mode is stable, uninstall/reinstall your OEM keyboard/touchpad/hotkey software in normal Windows.
  • Try the On‑Screen Keyboard (osk.exe). If clicking on keys does not crash, that again points to the physical keyboard.

If hardware is at fault, debris, a past spill, or a loose ribbon cable can short the key matrix. Reseating or replacing the keyboard is usually a simple first repair for most models. If an external keyboard works but the internal still triggers crashes, replace the internal keyboard before suspecting the motherboard.

Member Avatar for hericles

That message you see would be quite helpful for knowing what the problem is.
It seems unlikely it is anything to do with overheating if you can watch a movie but it turns off when you type.
The next time it happens, when it has turned on again, go to the event viewer and find the error logged just before it shut down. This will help you.
The event log fills up pretty quick with a lot of stuff but look for events at the time it shut down, the one's you're interested in will either by marked by red or yellow exclamation marks.
Once you've found it, if it isn't obvious what the cause is, add the log message back into this thread.
And if it is the keyboard, I don't think they would cost too much to replace. They're cheap to buy and the repair time is minimal.

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