Alt Key seems to be permanently active

[Chuck789]

The Alt key on my laptop (MPC T2200) seems to be permanently active. Does anyone know how this could happen and, more importantly, how do I undo it?

Last week, while typing in Internet Explorer 7, I hit some keys in the lower left of the keyboard. Since then, I can no longer type any words. When I press the letter F, the File menu opens; when I press the letter T, the Tools menu opens; and so on. This is the same as if I had pressed Alt+F or Alt+T in a normal situation. Similarly, when I double-click an icon on the desktop, the Properties dialog box opens; this is the same as Alt+Enter.

The only way I can open any applications is by right-clicking the icon and then clicking Open.

I've taken the keyboard apart and checked the keys. They do not seem to be physically stuck.

I can go into MS-DOS and type letters. They appear correctly. I think this means it is not a keyboard problem. However, when I press Enter, the DOS window goes to full screen; when I press Enter again, it goes back to the regular DOS screen.

I tried to get to the BIOS, but the F2 key does not function during start-up. It seems like it's being ignored.

I have a Windows Log-on Password on this laptop and, until two days ago, I was not able to log on to the computer because of this issue with the Alt key. The computer is not recognizing any letters I press unless they happen to be part of a key combination with the Alt key. Now, I'm afraid to shut it down in case I can't start it back up again.

I have plugged a PS2 keyboard into the laptop, but it does not even recognize it.

Any help, thoughts, suggestions, anything will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Chuck

[Salmon Trout]

The Alt key may not be physically stuck but something may have happened to the "switch" it is linked to. That is the simple way of describing it. You might need a new keyboard.

[Allan]

Press the SHIFT key five times quickly to make sure "sticky keys" is not enabled

[BC_Programmer]

Press the SHIFT key five times quickly to make sure "sticky keys" is not enabled

I was going to say something along these lines (actually, I was going to say to try pushing Alt again, since the Key up event might not have registered, however, I assume that within the last few weeks they have rebooted their PC at least once, and they would have to press alt a single time right when they start their PC in order to observe the behaviour they mentioned. Of course checking for stickykeys is free and costs nothing and if it saves the money for a new keyboard all the better, for but I have to say I'm with ST on this one- it sounds more like a hardware problem.

of course, given that it's a laptop, I have a few other suggestions, especially since laptop keyboards are far less of a trivial replacement then a desktop keyboard.

On all of my laptops, I've occasionally had keys that stick and cause the symptoms mentioned. in many cases the issue is visibly obvious; other times, the key is up, but the switch has somehow got lodged in the down position.

In all cases, I've managed to "unstick" the key by pressing down on the key until it made a rather disconcerting snap sound, at which point the key resumed operating normally.

[Chuck789]

Thanks for the suggestions and feedback. I've tried all the suggestions and still no luck with it. I'm beginning to think that it is a keyboard problem, rather than a Windows issue. Maybe I'll post something in the Hardware forum and see if anyone there has any other suggestions.

I checked the Sticky Keys settings again and that does not seem to be the problem.

This morning, it seems that none of the keys are responding, even in DOS. It's probably time for me to give up on this laptop, since it is pretty old.

[thelaymanscomputer]

Check the on-screen keyboard (I think it is in accessability options in XP). You should be able to disable the alt key there, however this will only provide a temporary solution, as I believe it will revert back at reboot. You can also try holding the alt key down together with the number lock key for a few seconds as this is supposed to remove any key-locks.

I have had this issue (with the same key in-fact) in the past and ended up replacing the keyboard, as it was the only permanent solution I could find.

Good Luck

[Chuck789]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I can get into the On-screen Keyboard, but I get the same response as with the keyboard. That is, F opens the File menu, and so on. I don't know how you mean I can disable the Alt key using the on-screen keyboard.

I tried holding Alt and the Num Lock on the keyboard and on the on-screen keyboard, but get no results with that.

[Allan]

I don't know how you mean I can disable the Alt key using the on-screen keyboard.

I don't either.
Did you try disabling sticky keys?

[patio]

Tried a brand new keyboard ? ?

[BC_Programmer]

Tried a brand new keyboard ? ?

It's a laptop.

I have plugged a PS2 keyboard into the laptop, but it does not even recognize it.

[patio]

Whooops...my bad.
Though i wonder why it wouldn't recognise an external keyboard...
May be part of the puzzle

[BC_Programmer]

Though i wonder why it wouldn't recognise an external keyboard...
May be part of the puzzle

Agreed. Perhaps a USB keyboard?

[Chuck789]

Thanks everyone for the comments and discussion.

I have checked out Sticky Keys and that's not the problem.

I have no idea why the external PS2 keyboard does not work. When I plug it in, the lights on the keyboard flash (like I think they are supposed to do), but that's it. It doesn't recognize any of the keys, including Caps Lock and Num Lock. I don't have a USB keyboard so I can't try that.

I've located a keyboard on eBay and will try for it and hope it works. Of course, I won't get it for another week or so.

To replace the keyboard, do I simply remove the keyboard ribbon from the motherboard and insert the ribbon from the new keyboard? Sounds simple enough.

Thanks, again.