Keyboard does not type letters for keys pressed

[Beans]

Hi,

Every 30 minutes or so my keyboard starts typing gibberish. When I press a
"K" I get something like the letter "x". I have not managed to work out if
there is a pattern. It seems to happen in all applications. I have to close
the application using my mouse and when I reopen it and reload the file all
seems to be OK for a while.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be? and if there is a way to stop
this from happening?

I am running windows XP version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254 :
Service Pack 2.

Any assistance will be appreciated.

Regards.

Sean

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi,

Every 30 minutes or so my keyboard starts typing gibberish. When I press a
"K" I get something like the letter "x". I have not managed to work out if
there is a pattern. It seems to happen in all applications. I have to
close the application using my mouse and when I reopen it and reload the
file all seems to be OK for a while.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be? and if there is a way to
stop this from happening?

I am running windows XP version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254 :
Service Pack 2.

Any assistance will be appreciated.

Regards.

Sean

Here are a few things I would try:
- Use a different keyboard
- See if it happens in Safe Mode too
- If this is a recent problem, use Safe Mode to go back by a week or two.

 

[Ace]

Hi,

Every 30 minutes or so my keyboard starts typing gibberish. When I
press a "K" I get something like the letter "x". I have not managed to
work out if there is a pattern. It seems to happen in all
applications. I have to close the application using my mouse and when
I reopen it and reload the file all seems to be OK for a while.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be? and if there is a way to
stop this from happening?

I am running windows XP version 5.1 (Build
2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254 : Service Pack 2.

Any assistance will be appreciated.

Regards.

Sean

And is this a wireless keyboard or a wired keyboard?
If it is wireless, change the batteries - if you were using rechargeable
batteries, test with alkaline batteries instead.
If the alkalines worked and the rechargeables did not, the rechargeable
batteries will not neccesarily be a lost cause, it would mean they were
not properly conditioned during their lifetime, and thus need to be re-
conditioned (several manual full discharge/recharge cycles or a 1 day
trip in a suitable microcontroller based battery charger).


And as Pegasus noted, try a different keyboard, too.

 

[M.I.5¾]

And is this a wireless keyboard or a wired keyboard?
If it is wireless, change the batteries - if you were using rechargeable
batteries, test with alkaline batteries instead.
If the alkalines worked and the rechargeables did not, the rechargeable
batteries will not neccesarily be a lost cause, it would mean they were
not properly conditioned during their lifetime, and thus need to be re-
conditioned (several manual full discharge/recharge cycles or a 1 day
trip in a suitable microcontroller based battery charger).

In general, rechargeable batteries are less effective in wireless equipment.
This is because the terminal voltage of rechargeable cells is 1.2 volts
versus the 1.55 volts of alkaline batteries. Thus the radiated power from
the transmitters aerial with rechargeables will never be more than a just
under 60% of that from alkalines.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

In general, rechargeable batteries are less effective in wireless
equipment. This is because the terminal voltage of rechargeable cells is
1.2 volts versus the 1.55 volts of alkaline batteries. Thus the radiated
power from the transmitters aerial with rechargeables will never be more
than a just under 60% of that from alkalines.

.. . . unless you use 1.5 V rechargeable batteries. I have some right
in front of me.

 

[Elmo]

Hi,

Every 30 minutes or so my keyboard starts typing gibberish. When I press a
"K" I get something like the letter "x". I have not managed to work out if
there is a pattern. It seems to happen in all applications. I have to close
the application using my mouse and when I reopen it and reload the file all
seems to be OK for a while.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be? and if there is a way to stop
this from happening?

I am running windows XP version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254 :
Service Pack 2.

Any assistance will be appreciated.

Regards.

Sean

No code sent by a keyboard would cause the system to display a corrupted
character; it could send an "x" when a "k" was pressed, but not
'something like the letter "x"', or in other words, a damaged character.
That's either a graphics card problem, or memory. Since it does it
every 30 minutes or so, I would suspect heat may be the cause, but that
doesn't really explain how a restart of a program solves it temporarily.
It's like RAM or virtual memory is corrupted till the program is
closed, then reopened.

Try lowering graphics hardware acceleration slide. You can lower
graphics hardware acceleration in Display Properties, Settings tab,
Advanced button, Troubleshooting tab. If this helps, you possibly need
a different graphics card or drivers, or there's a heat problem.

Test the RAM and hard drive also.

 

[AlmostBob]

Incorrect info
NiCad 1.2v
all the newer Lithium/alkaline/hydride rechargables 1.5v

--
-- -- -- -- --
Adaware http://www.lavasoft.de
spybot http://www.safer-networking.org
AVG free antivirus http://free.grisoft.com/
Etrust/Vet/CA.online Antivirus scan
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx
Super Antispyware http://www.superantispyware.com/
Panda online AntiVirus scan http://www.activescan.com
Panda online AntiSpyware Scan
http://www.pandasoftware.com/virus_info/spyware/test/
Catalog of removal tools (1)
http://www.pandasoftware.com/download/utilities/
Catalog of removal tools (2)
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/newsinfo/collateral.aspx?CID=40387
Trouble Shooting guide to Windows http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/
Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts file
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
links provided as a courtesy, read all instructions on the pages before
use
Grateful thanks to the authors/webmasters
_

 

[Ace]

. . . unless you use 1.5 V rechargeable batteries. I have some right
in front of me.

I have seen those here, but they are rare and rather expensive.
Not that i'm not tempted to get a few sets, though..

 

[Ace]

Incorrect info
NiCad 1.2v
all the newer Lithium/alkaline/hydride rechargables 1.5v

M.I.5¾ listed correct values.
My NiMh cells measure a healthy 1.46v on average when they are fully
charged, this value drops to the 'nominal' 1.2v when under load.
I measure roughly 1.42v on my old NiCad cells, in comparison.
I can't tell you the alkaline values, I never use disposables anymore.
Any battery has a peak 'fresh charge' value that exceeds that which is
printed on the side of the battery label; the label value is a 'nominal'
value.

 

[Unknown]

How do you know what the voltage is and the current applied to the
transmitting circuit? Supposing it is only 1 volt?
Where do you get 60%?

 

[Unknown]

Biggest problem is that most rechargeable have a much lower Ma hr. rating
than alkalines.

 

[Ace]

Biggest problem is that most rechargeable have a much lower Ma hr.
rating than alkalines.

I find that negligible with the 2000mAh penlite cells I use
And I have found that the most expensive brands we find in stores here
where I live, namely Philips and Duracell, don't last all that long for
the money paid. And the bastards leak quickly..
There used to be a cheaper, reliable brand called 'Witte Kat' (White
Cat).. just plain batteries, not even half the price of Duracell, and
they lasted three times longer. Nice shiny metal jacket, too, no
plastics.
I'm growing old..

 

[Plato]

Every 30 minutes or so my keyboard starts typing gibberish. When I press a

Same thing happens when you use a different keyboard?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I have that problem too. Except that my wife says it happens more
frequently than 30 minutes and is not keyboard related.

 

[M.I.5¾]

Biggest problem is that most rechargeable have a much lower Ma hr. rating
than alkalines.

Not these days they don't. Modern Ni-MH are on a par or even exceed
alkaline batteries (depending on application).

 

[M.I.5¾]

Incorrect info
NiCad 1.2v
all the newer Lithium/alkaline/hydride rechargables 1.5v

Nickel Metal Hydride is 1.2 volt the same as Ni-Cd. There are some 1.5 volt
rechargeables around, but they are somewhat rare and expensive at present.

 

[M.I.5¾]

How do you know what the voltage is and the current applied to the
transmitting circuit? Supposing it is only 1 volt?
Where do you get 60%?

The transmitter circuit is usually powered direct from the battery supply in
such applications as lowering the voltage reduces the power far too much.
It would be very unlikely to be as low as 1 volt because the volt drop in
the output transistor would mop up more power than would be output. 60%
stands.

 

[Unknown]

Why should application matter? Ma hrs. is Ma hrs.. Ni-MH are the worst
batteries. They discharge on the shelf and most have a low Ma hr. rating..

Biggest problem is that most rechargeable have a much lower Ma hr. rating
than alkalines.

Not these days they don't. Modern Ni-MH are on a par or even exceed
alkaline batteries (depending on application).

 

[Unknown]

I totally disagree. It (transmitter) can be powered via a transformer as in
a switch mode power supply. Without knowing the design you are erroneous in
saying a 1.2v battery operated transmitter will be only 60% of that of a
1.5V operated Xmitter.

 

[M.I.5¾]

Why should application matter? Ma hrs. is Ma hrs.. Ni-MH are the worst
batteries. They discharge on the shelf and most have a low Ma hr. rating..

The capacity recoverable from alkaline batteries is dependant on discharge
rate (higher discharge current - lower ampere-hours). For most
applications, Ni-MH batteries deliver full capacity regardless of discharge
rate. Whilst it is true that Ni-MH has a high self discharge rate, for most
people this is not a problem. If your batteries are charged and discharged
regularly, and you are not after the highest energy density then Ni-MH is an
acceptable and (these days) cheap soloution. If you want to store charged
batteries for some time before using them then Ni-MH is a poor choice -
there are better sloutions. At the end of the day, it's down to horses for
courses.