Computer Hope
Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: jigz on August 30, 2012, 01:55:23 PM
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Hi,
(Sorry for double-posting, just realised "hardware" may not be the issue...)
Both my PS/2 keyboard's Ctrl keys have stopped working as of yesterday. Win XP reports the keyboard to be "functioning properly". So I rebooted (several times), no help; reinstalled the keyboard map I was using, no help; I even tried KeyTweak to remap to defaults, but KeyTweak crashes when I try to map anything to either Ctrl key. I've mapped the ctrl function to CapsLock for now, so at least I can still do stuff... but I want my Ctrl keys back!!! Please please if you can think of anything else I can try!
Thanks.
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1) I deleted your other thread
2) What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)?
3) Does the control key work in safe mode?
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1) I deleted your other thread
Thanks, and sorry bout that.
2) What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)?
Oh dear... let's see. I did a system restore - but I'm pretty sure the ctrl keys were still working after that (but I might be wrong). After which I ran the CCleaner, having it "fix" all the reg issues it could find, and (oh yeah, I was on an unhealthy clean freak streak) delete old restore points... System restore hadn't worked since I upgraded to SP3, so I was all thrilled it worked this time... (hah). I also deleted remnants of the programs I had uninstalled which prompted the sysrestore in the first place, and reinstalled sylpheed and sketchup. Think that's it.
3) Does the control key work in safe mode?
Wish I could tell you... haven't been able to get into safe mode for some time now (it freezes up on the welcome screen; this problem since I tried (and failed) to install a clean XP on a second boot drive. Happily messed up a lot of things, all of which I've learned to live with...)
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Try another keyboard...it may be the Cheeto's Syndrome...
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Try another keyboard...it may be the Cheeto's Syndrome...
Don't have another one handy... :-\
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It's unlikely both CTRL keys would be "clogged". It sounds as though your system has a lot of problems. I'd be less concerned with the keyboard than the rest of your issues. Personally, I'd suggest you format and reinstall from scratch - and I rarely recommend that.
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It's unlikely both CTRL keys would be "clogged".
I'm not sure what you mean by "clogged"?
It sounds as though your system has a lot of problems. I'd be less concerned with the keyboard than the rest of your issues. Personally, I'd suggest you format and reinstall from scratch - and I rarely recommend that.
Lol, that really makes me feel better! :P The reinstall of the OS failed when I tried it (multiple times) a while back - and what caused the issues with the boot sequence and safe mode - so I don't see me trying that again for fear of ending up with nothing bootable at all... you know? But my system has been and is working surprisingly well, so if I can just get my Ctrl keys back...
Is there nothing anyone can think of I could try?? It seems like such a minor thing...
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You can do a selective startup to see if something starting with the system is causing the problem.
Open msconfig and on the General tab choose "selective startup" (uncheck all three items) and reboot. Does the problem still occur? If not, start adding items back to msconfig one or two at a time, rebooting after each change, until the problem reappears and you'll have identified the offending process. This is clearly a time consuming procedure, but it is the best way to determine if some process loading with the system is the cause of your problem.
After you've isolated the cause, do not use msconfig to permanently disable the process. Instead, if it is a service go to START - RUN and type: services.msc (then press enter) and disable the service OR, if it a program, you can download & run a simple app such as Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel (http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml) to enable, disable, or otherwise manage startup programs.
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OK, thanks, I'll try that - tomorrow (getting late here). So you think it's an issue with another process interfering somehow (and not a registry thing)?
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I have absolutely no idea what it is. You asked if there's anything else you can try and I offered an option. It certainly won't hurt anything.
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;D Thanks. I'll let you know how it goes.
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No that wasn't it.... :( tried a selective startup with absolutely everything disabled, and the ctrl keys still weren't working.
You wouldn't happen to have anything else creative up your sleeve?
(I'm actually sort of starting to get used to my new ctrl function mappings - left win and right shift now, still a bit of a stretch but, oh what can a person not live with! Just wish I knew what the *censored* I done now...!)
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Don't have another one handy... :-\
A new keyboard even to test is 10 bucks tops...
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http://www.keyboardtester.com/ (http://www.keyboardtester.com/)
Test it with that. It will tell you if the key is sending the signal.
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Good evening all
Hi quaxo I did not even know someone had made a website solely to test keyboards that is great ;D and really cool
http://www.keyboardtester.com/ (http://www.keyboardtester.com/)
Test it with that. It will tell you if the key is sending the signal.
Have a nice night, Mike
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This line cracks me up though...
KeyboardTester.com is 100% guaranteed to probably work with most keyboards and several browsers.
100% guaranteed to probably work with most keyboards...
Lots of gaps in that guarantee...
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Hi quaxo
Ya I liked that too :rofl:
Enjoy, Mike