Laptop typing random keys and shutting off randomly

joshcorreira

Commendable
Aug 10, 2016
1
0
1,510
I've been using a Sager NP7338 laptop running Windows 7 for the past 2 years and recently it has begun to do what I assume is overheat and then instantly turn off. Internal temperatures have been exceeding 90 C (I have cleaned out the dust and I plan on reapplying thermal paste to remedy this).

A few days ago it instantly shut off while it wasn't even hot and refused to turn back on and showed no signs that it was plugged in (no lights were on). I gave the computer a hard tap to the left of the track pad and it started working again and I was able to turn it on. Once it was on it started pressing random keys (e.g. windows, ctrl, pg down, f1) whenever I moved the computer or touched it near the spot I tapped. It would also turn off without warning. I ran a virus scan and a boot-time virus scan using avast and it was clean.

One time after the computer turned off I was unable to get past my boot password as the computer was entering random characters into the password field and I was unable to enter my own or remove them. This even occured when the keyboard ribbon cables were disconnected from the motherboard. I ended up removing the CMOS battery to reset the BIOS which worked and I was able to get on the computer for a day without issues.

Today it has started happening again and I am unsure why... maybe a loose connection somewhere or part of the motherboard is damaged? Any help would be appreciated!
 
Solution
See if any of these help resolve the issue.

1. Try uninstalling the keyboard drivers. (Do not reinstall them yet.)
2. Now reboot the laptop and it should start installing the drivers on its own.
3. Does the problem continue?
4. If it does, try connecting an external, USB, keyboard and see if the problem persists.
5. Should it work fine (the problem stops) with the USB keyboard, then you may need to consider doing a complete reset of the computer.
6. If doing the reset doesn't fix the issue, then you probably need to replace the keyboard.
See if any of these help resolve the issue.

1. Try uninstalling the keyboard drivers. (Do not reinstall them yet.)
2. Now reboot the laptop and it should start installing the drivers on its own.
3. Does the problem continue?
4. If it does, try connecting an external, USB, keyboard and see if the problem persists.
5. Should it work fine (the problem stops) with the USB keyboard, then you may need to consider doing a complete reset of the computer.
6. If doing the reset doesn't fix the issue, then you probably need to replace the keyboard.
 
Solution