hi there,

i have an older notebook that has alt and AltGr keys dead. With an
external keyboard the keys are recognized. What could be the source
of error here? The notebook is pentium3 based.

matthias

matthias <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote

> i have an older notebook that has alt and AltGr keys dead. With an external keyboard the keys are
> recognized. What could be the source of error here?

A cracked trace in the physical keyboard printed circuit board.

> The notebook is pentium3 based.

On 16 Nov 2006 19:22:52 GMT, matthias <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>i have an older notebook that has alt and AltGr keys dead. With an
>external keyboard the keys are recognized. What could be the source
>of error here? The notebook is pentium3 based.

Did this occur overnight on an otherwise running system or did
you observe this after reinstalling an operating system ?

In the latter case, my guess would be: wrong keyboard type
configured.

Lasy as I am, I would boot from a known-good CD, either Knoppix
or Bart PE. This pretty much reveils if any hardware is to blame
:-)

One other thing you might want to check:
Running Windows, I suppose, so there are settings for 'disabled
persons' which might impact Alt and AltGr behaviour.

--
Kind regards,
Gerard Bok

On 16 Nov 2006 19:22:52 GMT, matthias <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>hi there,
>
>i have an older notebook that has alt and AltGr keys dead. With an
>external keyboard the keys are recognized. What could be the source
>of error here? The notebook is pentium3 based.
>
>matthias


The trace might be broken or have some dirt accumulation.

Take out the keyboard and see how far it can be
disassembled. If it can't at all, one way to clean it is in
the dishwasher, though preferribly with a small bit of
regular low-sudsing detergent, not the dishwashing machine
stuff with the chlorine bleach in it.

If all else fails you may need to buy a new keyboard.

Thank you all for your answers. The error was due to a connector that
has lost contact (sorry for my bad english). when opening the keyboard i
could reinsert the connector and now its fine again.

matthias

On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:56:08 +0100, Matthias Pfeifer <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Thank you all for your answers. The error was due to a connector that
>has lost contact (sorry for my bad english). when opening the keyboard i
>could reinsert the connector and now its fine again.
>
>matthias

You lucked out. I replace keyboards about twice a year. Once a key
begins to stick I get ****ed off after a few days of that crap, and I
always end up pounding on the thing with my fist. It never fails, I
always bust them in half. They are made so cheaply now, that they are
garbage right out of the factory. When I got my first computer in the
80s, the keyboard outlasted the computer. These days they are meant to
last a year at most. A few years ago I got so ****ed at a keyboard I
took it outside and shot it full of holes with my rifle. Then I
poured gas on it and set it on fire. I took pictures while I
destroyed it. One of these days I'm going to make a website with
those pictures.

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:56:08 +0100, Matthias Pfeifer <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>> Thank you all for your answers. The error was due to a connector that
>> has lost contact (sorry for my bad english). when opening the
>> keyboard i could reinsert the connector and now its fine again.
>>
>> matthias
>
> You lucked out. I replace keyboards about twice a year. Once a key
> begins to stick I get ****ed off after a few days of that crap, and I
> always end up pounding on the thing with my fist. It never fails, I
> always bust them in half. They are made so cheaply now, that they are
> garbage right out of the factory. When I got my first computer in the
> 80s, the keyboard outlasted the computer. These days they are meant to
> last a year at most.

I gave up on cheap keyboards for that reason.

The only problem I have now with Logitechs and Microsoft keyboards
is that the letters wear off eventually. Microsoft tried to claim that
that wasnt covered by warranty and I was about to **** them over
legally but manage to get myself into a situation where that wasnt
practical when the warranty ran out. I checked with Logitech that
their warranty does cover that, and have had the letters wear off the
most used keys after years, just havent gotten around to exercising
the warranty on that yet. They've got very long warrantys, 5-7 years.

> A few years ago I got so ****ed at a keyboard I
> took it outside and shot it full of holes with my rifle.
> Then I poured gas on it and set it on fire. I took
> pictures while I destroyed it. One of these days
> I'm going to make a website with those pictures.

What do you do to the wife when she gets a bit uppity ?

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 05:43:33 +1100, "Rod Speed"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>> On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:56:08 +0100, Matthias Pfeifer <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Thank you all for your answers. The error was due to a connector that
>>> has lost contact (sorry for my bad english). when opening the
>>> keyboard i could reinsert the connector and now its fine again.
>>>
>>> matthias
>>
>> You lucked out. I replace keyboards about twice a year. Once a key
>> begins to stick I get ****ed off after a few days of that crap, and I
>> always end up pounding on the thing with my fist. It never fails, I
>> always bust them in half. They are made so cheaply now, that they are
>> garbage right out of the factory. When I got my first computer in the
>> 80s, the keyboard outlasted the computer. These days they are meant to
>> last a year at most.
>
>I gave up on cheap keyboards for that reason.
>
>The only problem I have now with Logitechs and Microsoft keyboards
>is that the letters wear off eventually. Microsoft tried to claim that
>that wasnt covered by warranty and I was about to **** them over
>legally but manage to get myself into a situation where that wasnt
>practical when the warranty ran out. I checked with Logitech that
>their warranty does cover that, and have had the letters wear off the
>most used keys after years, just havent gotten around to exercising
>the warranty on that yet. They've got very long warrantys, 5-7 years.
>

I had one keyboard that the letters wore off in less than a week.
Almost all of them too. I do construction work and my hands are
rough. I literally have worn a hole in the spacebar on a few
keyboards that lasted long enough.

>> A few years ago I got so ****ed at a keyboard I
>> took it outside and shot it full of holes with my rifle.
>> Then I poured gas on it and set it on fire. I took
>> pictures while I destroyed it. One of these days
>> I'm going to make a website with those pictures.
>
>What do you do to the wife when she gets a bit uppity ?
>

The same thing..... Shoot her full of holes and set her on fire.
Works everytime !!!!!

(E-Mail Removed) wrote
> Rod Speed <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
>> (E-Mail Removed) wrote
>>> Matthias Pfeifer <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote

>>>> Thank you all for your answers. The error was due to a connector
>>>> that has lost contact (sorry for my bad english). when opening the
>>>> keyboard i could reinsert the connector and now its fine again.

>>> You lucked out. I replace keyboards about twice a year. Once
>>> a key begins to stick I get ****ed off after a few days of that
>>> crap, and I always end up pounding on the thing with my fist.
>>> It never fails, I always bust them in half. They are made so
>>> cheaply now, that they are garbage right out of the factory.
>>> When I got my first computer in the 80s, the keyboard outlasted
>>> the computer. These days they are meant to last a year at most.

>> I gave up on cheap keyboards for that reason.

>> The only problem I have now with Logitechs and Microsoft keyboards
>> is that the letters wear off eventually. Microsoft tried to claim
>> that that wasnt covered by warranty and I was about to **** them over
>> legally but manage to get myself into a situation where that wasnt
>> practical when the warranty ran out. I checked with Logitech that
>> their warranty does cover that, and have had the letters wear off the
>> most used keys after years, just havent gotten around to exercising
>> the warranty on that yet. They've got very long warrantys, 5-7 years.

> I had one keyboard that the letters wore off in less than a week.
> Almost all of them too.

I dont get anything like that result with the logitechs and microsofts,
although I have plenty who say that they dont get any loss of the
lettering with the logitechs and microsofts over the same time mine fade.

> I do construction work and my hands are rough. I literally have worn
> a hole in the spacebar on a few keyboards that lasted long enough.

I dont believe that rough fingertips can do that on a properly designed space bar.

>>> A few years ago I got so ****ed at a keyboard I
>>> took it outside and shot it full of holes with my rifle.
>>> Then I poured gas on it and set it on fire. I took
>>> pictures while I destroyed it. One of these days
>>> I'm going to make a website with those pictures.

>> What do you do to the wife when she gets a bit uppity ?

> The same thing..... Shoot her full of holes and set her on fire.
> Works everytime !!!!!

One of them will bobbit you.