Virus or no virus - your choice! (Full Version)

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javesty -> Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/14/2007 5:12:50)

I have been helping a friend with a problem. Certain keys on his Dell laptop do not behave as they should. I got rid of it once by replacing all of the keyb DLLs but now its back with a vengeance. When he hits "v" he gets "v" and a CRLF. When he hits RETURN he gets CRLF & "v".
"b" gives "b" plus SPACE
"f" gives "f" + "#"
"g" gives "g" plus the current date and time
SPACE gives alternate SPACE + "b" or "b" + SPACE
and so on...

I have reformatted the hard drive and re-installed XP Pro - but its still there.
Aaaaaaaaarrgghh!!

Any comments / suggestions would be most welcome.

John V.



jaybee -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/14/2007 5:15:50)

Hi John and welcome to Outfront. Can you bear with me? My other half is a Dell engineer and will have some ideas but he's uncontactable on a client site at the moment.

Which laptop? Model please



javesty -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/14/2007 6:21:49)

Thanks JayBee

(love the site by the way).

Its a UK model Dell Inspiron 2200.

I've tried changing the Language settings from UK to US but the problem still persists.

Regards

John V.



jaybee -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/14/2007 6:49:21)

I've emailed him so hopefully we'll get a reply when he gets back to his office.

Glad you like the site. It's what you might call a permanent work in progress aka I get fed up with it regularly. [:D]



jaybee -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/14/2007 9:36:32)

Right, first off check that your language/regional settings in both Windows and anything like Office are set correctly. If it's not that then here's the Oracle's advice.

quote:

It sounds like a knackered keyboard.
If he has access to an identical keyboard on another laptop swap them over and see if the fault goes with keyb.
Has he tried an external keyboard if so and everything works as it should then it's most likely the keyb. If the fault is on the external, then it's likely the controller and a replacement mbrd.
It goes without saying that if the laptop is still under warranty do not open it up.



BobbyDouglas -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/14/2007 12:58:23)

I would try to plug a ps/2 or usb keyboard in and see if you get the same results.

If so, then I would lean more towards the issue being spyware/adware/virus related, but there is still the possibility of hardware being the issue.



jaybee -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/14/2007 13:06:11)

quote:

ORIGINAL: BobbyDouglas

I would try to plug a ps/2 or usb keyboard in and see if you get the same results.

That's what it says in my message above "Has he tried an external keyboard"

quote:

If so, then I would lean more towards the issue being spyware/adware/virus related, but there is still the possibility of hardware being the issue.
He's reformatted and reinstalled so it's unlikely to be a virus unless it's on the OS disk.




BobbyDouglas -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/14/2007 17:13:26)

quote:

He's reformatted and reinstalled so it's unlikely to be a virus unless it's on the OS disk.

- Doesn't mean another program he installed after the reinstall didn't do it. Or the possibility of him being behind a network with a virus, as soon as the new machine came on, the virus came back. Or maybe he put a USB stick in to grab some saved files, which also had a virus. There are MANY MANY ways to still have a virus, even after a reinstall.

quote:

That's what it says in my message above "Has he tried an external keyboard"

- ok?



javesty -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/17/2007 17:24:22)

Thanks for all your advice.

I plugged a USB keyboard in & it works fine.

I deduce from this that its a hardware problem.

My friend has to decide what to do. Its his wife's laptop - she is disabled so does not want to take the route of an external keyboard as this means its now a desktop.

Regards

John V



BobbyDouglas -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (2/17/2007 23:22:38)

If it is under warranty, a keyboard replacement should be covered with Dell.

If it is, bring it to a local repair shop that deals with laptops.

If not, you might want to order a replacement keyboard, and then swap it out. Make sure you can return the keyboard if it doesn't fix your problem.

Replacing a keyboard on the 2200 consists of removing many screws, taking off a plate near the top, unplugging a cable, and of course, removing the keyboard. It takes about 5 minutes of work for the first time you do it. If you are not good with your hands, you might be better off paying a tech to do it for $50-$75.



javesty -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (3/10/2007 18:36:56)

Thanks for everyone who replied to my post.
My friend finally plucked up the courage to allow me to disassemble his Dell laptop.
I removed the keyboard and cleaned up the ribbon connector with a 6B pencil and an erasor.
Its now working perfectly. Its saved him the cost of a replacement keyboard (@ £80).

Thank again.

By the way - there are no screws to remove on the Dell Inspiron 2200 to get at the keyboard. Just close the case, turn the laptop so the back is facing you and then lever up the plastic hinge covers. This loosens the plate above the keyboard. Once this is removed then you can lift the keyboard. The ribbon connector is at the bottom of the keyboard.

John Vesty



jaybee -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (3/10/2007 19:41:00)

Good work! [:D]



BobbyDouglas -> RE: Virus or no virus - your choice! (3/10/2007 21:53:45)

quote:

By the way - there are no screws to remove on the Dell Inspiron 2200 to get at the keyboard.

- There should just be a popoff to get to the screws of the keyboard, but if you want to remove the actual keyboard, I think there are around 8 on one section, and then a handful more in a layer below, plus the cabling screws, and the wire that connects the keyboard to the motherboard.

Did you see dust on the cable? Would an air can have fixed it too, or do you think you needed the eraser?

Never took an eraser to a cable before, glad it fixed the problem though [:)]



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