Strange shift key problem

Dumbfratboy

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Jan 3, 2010
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18,510
i would use better grammar, but it is hard to type when both your shift keys appear to have been rewired.

I have an inspiron e1505 laptop, a couple years old. About a month ago, while playing a game, something strange happened - my shift keys stopped hitting shift. now they hit a weird combination of buttons, with the left shift key triggering 3 or 4 different keys at once - including caps lock - and the right one also triggering 3 or 4 different keys. I just hit the right shift key and these buttons were pressed: m,.\
XCZ

hitting the left shift key hits a bunch of buttons that even more random.

I plugged in a usb keyboard and that worked. So I bought a replacement keyboard and installed it. It didn't work. So I tried defragging, using cc cleaner, running malwarebyte's anti-malware. Still no luck. So I took the plunge, bought windows 7 and installed it on my computer. STILL NO LUCK.

which makes me think that some evil / brilliant program i might have accidentally downloaded simply took my shift keys and linked - i can't think of another term - to different keys. how would i go about relinking them to being shift keys? Using the on-screen keyboard is kind of depressing all the time. ANY advice or help would be MUCH appreciated.

A possible hint, but i doubt it's usefulness - an it friend suggested that my shift keys are also connected to the right and left mouse keys. i dont know how true it is, but it just might be.
 

uh_no

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Jul 8, 2009
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no program would remain after you installed windows 7

it is not linked to your mouse in any way

you're probably out of luck....the connecter for the keyboard might be at fault
 
G

Guest

Guest
Fact that an external keyboard work normally and a replacement laptop keyboard didn't solve the problem, suggests either the connector problem mentioned above or a motherboard fault.

You might try downloading a new BIOS for the laptop motherboard just to see if that helps.
 

welshmousepk

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Sep 12, 2009
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and you;re sure you havn't accidentally set up a macro on your keyboard?

installing W7, if you opted to keep your old OS profiles would mean osmething like that could reamain.

go to the eyboard settings in control panel, and make sure the keys are set to default functions.
 

Dumbfratboy

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Jan 3, 2010
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thanks for your help guys. i just tried all the options and then upgraded the bios. both of you who recommended that it was a connector problem are probably right and it's a motherboard connector problem. no fun. i appreciate all your help,
 

Menegroth1

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Sep 26, 2012
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i am having the exact same problem right now since this morning restart. it seems as if both my shift buttons have been rerouted to work as the ctrl buttons. i have the logitech g15 with the red lighting.
anyone please help.