Member Avatar for xiaoai

Hello,

I have a compaq presario CQ61 laptop.. Something strange has started to happen and I am really not to sure on what to do.

Each time I hit the letter "y" it will type "dhbty" and when I hit "Enter" it will type "c"

This is happening with other keys as well, making the keyboard pretty much useless... I thought for awhile that it was software related, or some kind of spyware. I have since done a complete format of the harddrive and re-installation, and it is still happening.

When I plug an external Compaq Presario Keyboard into the USB, it will work fine, and won't give me any problems. Is this due to a faulty keyboard? is there a fix for this ? or am I left lugging a extra keyboard around with me everywhere. Thanks for any help, much appreciated!!

Edited by Dani because: Plug snipped
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  • Latest Post Latest Post by caperjack

Dani AI

Generated

Short version: because an external USB keyboard works and a full OS reinstall did not fix the problem, this is almost certainly a hardware issue in the laptop keyboard or its connection rather than malware or a drivers problem. is right that reseating the ribbon is a good next step. Below are safe, practical checks and the exact things to try before buying anything.

Quick diagnostic steps to run first:

  1. Do a full power reset: shut down, remove AC and battery, hold power button 20-30 seconds, then reconnect AC (leave battery out) and test.
  2. Test before Windows loads: boot to BIOS/UEFI or a Linux live-USB and try typing. If the wrong characters appear outside Windows, it is hardware.
  3. Use an on-screen keyboard or a scancode/key-event viewer (Windows or Linux) while pressing problematic keys to confirm what scan codes the internal keyboard is sending.

How to reseat and clean the keyboard safely (what suggested, expanded):

  • Power off, remove AC and battery, and ground yourself (avoid static).
  • Remove the access panel or keyboard bezel per CQ61 service steps, open the small ZIF latch on the keyboard flex connector, slide the ribbon out, inspect the gold contacts for dirt/corrosion, clean gently with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol, let dry, then reinsert straight and lock the latch.
  • Blow compressed air under keycaps and look for sticky residue or liquid damage; small spills can short adjacent traces and produce bizarre characters.

If reseating/cleaning doesn’t help, replacing the laptop keyboard is the usual next step—it’s a common, low-cost repair and straightforward to swap if you follow static/battery precautions. If a known-good replacement still produces wrong letters, suspect a motherboard keyboard-controller fault and seek professional repair.

Member Avatar for caperjack

hi, it could be just dirty keyboard ,but does sound more like a bad one , just removing the ribbon cable connection and plugging it back into the motherboard might help ,replacing the keyboard would be the easiest fix,

Edited by caperjack
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