Okay, I've never posted in this forum (i don't believe) and this is probably very stupid, but I wanted real help.

Okay, I'm having issues with my right shift key. It won't let me capitalize with it (big waah i know but it's bothersome) and when I'm running programs it does funky things (for instance in sas i accidentally hit shift e and it shuts down my editor window and brings up a new one).

Anyhow, i've brought up the On-Screen Keyboard and it's registering that I'm hitting it (which i figured from my sas program) and doesnt seem to have been remapped...

what's wrong and what do i do? please please help.

thanks..

8/10/2006 3:33:58 PM

You might have the sticky keys activated. Try pressing the shift key 5 times in a row to see if that fixes things.

8/10/2006 3:37:20 PM

laptop (if so who makes it)? some come with pre-installed programs that do certain things like the sticky keys deal nacho posted

most desktops nowadays don't i believe tho

8/10/2006 3:39:16 PM

Still no luck..

I had checked the accessibility junk already too and it didnt have anything checked for sticky or any thing like that. but i tried just in case and no luck.


and i checked my sas program to see if it listed anything that might help give me a clue (their key assignments and special shortcuts, and nothing that seems to shed any light on it for me).




A CLUE! WHEN I TYPE IN AIM, and i hit the right shift and a letter, nothing seems to happen, but if I type the right shift and a number, it brings up a stupid stupid smiley face.... but what does it all mean???? I must look into it... Help still is more than welcome

[Edited on August 10, 2006 at 4:05 PM. Reason : .]

8/10/2006 3:40:14 PM

Based on your clue, I'd say the problem actually lies in the ctrl key and not the shift key. it can be activated by sticky keys too, although I'd imagine you would have noticed it if it was on when you were looking at sticky keys before. maybe the key really is stuck?

8/10/2006 4:10:00 PM

Oh yeah.. the smileys that come up dont correspond as I would have thought with the symbols at the top of the number keys..

for instance right-shift+1 = : - $

hmmm

8/10/2006 4:13:35 PM

clean your keyboard

PS: bwn?

8/10/2006 4:14:24 PM

Well all the problems you are describling seem like you have the crtl button held down.

as in if you want a smiley on aim you hit ctrl + shift + a number.

8/10/2006 4:17:55 PM

nah

you don't need a shift

8/10/2006 4:19:01 PM

if my shift key isnt fixed, i'm going to take it as a sign for God that I have gone astray and i'll join an abbey and live a celibate life


ok, not really.. but.. I'm going to try to clean it this evening i guess, but it's usually really taken care of, its my dad's laptop.. i mean, it looks just short of emaculate, but maybe theres some dust or something. i don't know..

8/10/2006 4:19:02 PM

i imagine you rebooted and it didn't go away?

8/10/2006 5:49:39 PM

unfortunately

8/10/2006 6:02:15 PM

have you ever spilled anything in this keyboard?

it sounds like you need a new keyboard.

8/10/2006 6:58:32 PM

nothing has ever been spilled on this keyboard, and its part of the laptop...?


it's only been doing this since this afternoon.. but i have downloaded a few new programs.. what are the chances they would have screwed it up..? and i did have to try to rescue my dad's computer from a funky trojan the other day, i ran another scan after i noticed this happening, but everythings clean now.

i have no clue really.. which isn't surprising since im not that technologically minded



[Edited on August 10, 2006 at 7:56 PM. Reason : .]

8/10/2006 7:53:32 PM

USE THE LEFT SHIFT KEY?

8/10/2006 9:38:34 PM

I know how to use left-shift and caps lock, thx, but that really slows me down a lot because of years trained to do the other way..

and I can try to use the left shift intentionally, but it really is starting to piss me off when i'm typing up my program and i slip up w/ right-shift + e, and it shuts down the f'in program w/o saving

PLEASE HELP.

8/11/2006 8:14:15 AM

Try to hit Ctrl + Esc - that might do it for you.

8/11/2006 8:26:47 AM

I still need help

8/11/2006 7:10:20 PM

i can honestly say i have never used the right shift key. i had to look down at my keyboard to see if i even had one.

its no help, but i was just saying. . .

8/11/2006 7:20:12 PM

You don't use it to capitalize the left hand side of the keyboard or use the symbols like !@#$%?

If I hadn't been running some analyses on electricity and various emissions sorts of things I may not have noticed for a while..

But I'm glad it didn't start when I was trying to type my midterm papers... Ugh.

8/11/2006 7:46:25 PM

Type Regedit in Start Run, Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout

Is there anything under here?

8/11/2006 8:15:33 PM

Mkay, under that exact folder, i have 2 folders: DosKeybCodes and DosKeybIDs. There is also a file that says " Name: Default Type: REG_SZ Data: (value not set)"



And in the folder next to it, the only difference is the name "Keyboard Layouts" instead of "Keyboard Layout".

8/12/2006 8:08:22 AM

check in the "you need a new keyboard" folder

8/12/2006 9:03:53 AM

Pardon my ignorance, but how do you do the new keyboard thing when its built into the computer?


And to the fellow earlier who said it had something to do w/ Ctrl.. I don't have a right control on this keyboard but it is taking on the function of Ctrl-Shift instead of just shift. So that's the right track.

8/12/2006 9:25:42 AM

The keyboard is built on a plate which is mounted to the laptop's chasis. If you take the plastic cover off of the laptop, you can usually pull the keyboard right out.

-----

Quote :

"shift key problem-dont hurt me"

8/12/2006 9:46:38 AM

You could also hit up Intrex and grab a $10 usb keyboard to verify that it actually is the keyboard. If you bought one from Wal-mart or somewhere you could return it afterwards.

8/12/2006 9:48:12 AM

Thank you, I'll hopefully try that later today..

Someone told me to try system restore and that doesnt help either.

8/12/2006 10:56:38 AM

Ok, Juuust out of curiosity...

What would be the likelihood of this being caused by residual files created by the trojan that was erased off my dad's computer at the beginning of the week?

Something that say... may intentially keep the Ctrl key pressed to allow pop-ups?

And if that was what it is.. how would I go about finding said file?

I checked the name of the trojan that I recall on an anti-virus website (but I don't know if theres been one before that that is now deleted)... and I've gotten rid of the one file that wasn't deleted before.. And so now I'm stuck.

Plz more help, and thank you SO MUCH for the helpful replies.

[Edited on August 12, 2006 at 2:57 PM. Reason : .]

8/12/2006 2:56:56 PM

If you're worried about it being a trojan or virus just do a complete re-install after formatting your PC.

I'd take a look at it for you but odds are you're not near me and I'm too lazy/drunk to drive to where you are.

8/12/2006 3:10:21 PM

That was a thoughtful reply.. sry I was sick and I doubt you'd want to catch it.

I'm just going to pick up some disks today and save all my mom's pictures, then do a full restore. And if that doesn't fix it, I'm considering sending it for them to fix. I really don't want to send it off though, cause I'd like to use it when school starts back so I don't have to stay on campus.

Actually, if I CAN, I'm going to get my brother to look at it before I go to all the trouble now, because he's much more knowledgeable about computers than I am.



[Edited on August 13, 2006 at 8:11 AM. Reason : I make no sense early in the morning.]

8/13/2006 8:10:32 AM

Before you send it off, I am sure that there is someone on the board that would be willing to fix it for you locally.

8/13/2006 11:06:46 PM