Comments for My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

Comment from stevo on 2009-11-18

2009-11-18T23:15:29Z

I'm using a virtual keyboard because this morning i awake to find s, d, m & CTRL not working. As the day has progressesed about 25% more keys dont work at all. 'm running on an Acer Aspire 5735-4774 on Vista if it helps. I have rocess explorer and didnt find a darn thing. Also ran boot-time scan w/ Avast AND Malware-Bytes but can up with nothing. I even got desperate and tried some more anti-virus type programs but came up w/ nada. Please RESPOND EVEN if you can't help. Thanks! I have lot of anxiety so it would help. Here's my hijack this log to go with...

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
[HijackThis Logfile Removed]

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Michael Chuzie on 2009-06-04

2009-06-04T20:42:56Z

Great page!

My laptop keys 1 q a z and the CAPS lock stopped working. I tried the driver and even swapped the keyboard but that is not the issue. I am certain this malfunction is occuring while in the bios setup too so I believe I have a hardware issue like the keyboard interface on the motherboard (mentioned above) but find it strage that only those few keys on that side of the keyboard do not work. Thoughts?

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Cynthia Powell on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T20:17:02Z

What doesn't make sense is if my washing it didn't work why would you put it in the dishwasher? The best thing i see of that is the heat starting the drying process. My 409 would do the same thing I thought. I used a hairdryer after just in case i had invented something new in the world of computers. I have a stack of dead keeyboards knee high in the corner over there. Right there, nexnt to two huge monitors. Saving up for a flat screen monitor. I would never imagine putting it in the dishwasher. But whatever works is great. They are dead anyway, right?

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Cynthia Powell on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T20:08:50Z

my first keybard, got the usual newbie thing. coffee on keyboard. I panicked, decided it was dead anyway so took it apart (another smart idea) and husband came home,found me rinsing the 409 I had sprayed on it with the hose at the kitchen sink. Now he knew less than I did about computers but is an electrician and the scream from him rattled my teeth. I just kept spraying (I knew more than he did which was zip) but made sense to me. Spill, wash, rinse, dry. Well, NO it didn't work but iti could have. Made sense to me. Yes, I'm blonde, yes I'm a woman, yes, I was brand new. Still made sense. No, it didn't work, it was sdead from the first splash of coffee. He never discusses the computer with me anymore. Now, as you suggessted, I just go buy another one. They do have a new one out now that is enclosed so nothing gets into it. I like the idea of that one.

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Steve on 2006-11-28

2006-11-28T10:57:41Z

The Q being swapped for an A might suggest that for some reason a non English keyboard layout has been selected in software somehow (AZERTY rather than QWERTY. I have two servers and they have different keyboards so I am used to the problem.

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Howard Rubin on 2006-11-26

2006-11-26T20:25:21Z

A less obvious problem may be at fault! Do you live in a 3rd world country? Check the voltage coming from your wall outlet. If it starts rising towards 300 volts your 220-115v transformer will not be able to cope and your computer will start doing crazy things. This is more likely to happen in a high salt environment. The transformers that are bought in 3rd world countries advertise the same benifits as a uninterruptable power source (UPS) however they provide absolutely no protection for your PC! I live in Fortaleza, the Northeastern corner of Brazil.

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Terry Hollett on 2006-11-25

2006-11-25T14:17:21Z

I had a experience with juice being spilled on a keyboard. I turned the keyboard over and took out all those little screws on the bottom and then pried the board apart.

What I discovered, there where 3 sheets of plastic, one with printed circuits on, they where all gummed togther. Using alcohol rub I cleaned them all off and put it all together again.

Worked just fine after that.

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from fred on 2006-11-24

2006-11-25T02:20:40Z

i did it,works great.also i put a fan on it to speed drying.

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Simon on 2006-11-23

2006-11-23T19:29:36Z

Sorry, Leo, didn't see your comment before posting the addendum. It's actually apparently quite common; Google throws up loads of people who've done it sucessfully. There's not really much it can damage in a normal keyboard -- they're pretty simple mechanically -- except if either the heat makes the plastic warp, or if for some reason you leave it several days without drying it, in which case it's possible for the metal 'tracks' to corrode. If you're really hardcore, if the latter happens, you could try patching them up with a high-graphite ('soft', 'black') pencil...

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Simon on 2006-11-23

2006-11-23T19:21:21Z

Addendum 2: for the pedants, when I said "a plain, bog standard membrane keyboard" I of course meant "a plain, bog-standard dome-switch keyboard".

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Leo Notenboom on 2006-11-23

2006-11-23T18:45:28Z

Great if that worked for you, but .... wow. No way would I attempt that as anything other than an absolute last resort - just before I'd throw the keyboard away. I'd expect washing to do more damage than good, actually. However if it worked for you, I can't really argue with that. But ... wow.

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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Comment from Simon on 2006-11-23

2006-11-23T18:01:37Z

Addendum: If you try this with a laptop, *do* just wash the keycaps and not the rest of the, err, "keyboard"...

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from Simon on 2006-11-23

2006-11-23T17:56:51Z

Surprisingly, you can actually wash a keyboard in the dishwasher (or by hand). Avoid doing this with wireless keyboards, or anything fancy or complicated (e.g don't try it with those MS/Logitech models with lots of extra buttons and dials; or buckling-spring keyboards), but for a plain, bog standard PS2 membrane keyboard it should work fine.

Some tips:

- Don't wash it at too hot a temperature; plastic can warp.

- If you have a dishwasher with a 'heated dry' cycle, disable it; same reason as above.

- To dry the keyboard, take all the keys off* and just leave the body vertically or upside down for a good length of time - a few days - in a well-ventilated place, to ensure all the water has evaporated.

Good luck!

P.S. Don't try this with mice, or anything other than keyboards. And once again, don't try this with wireless keyboards.

(*Leo, don't blame me if you get a spate of questions in 3 days asking which keys go where on a keyboard...)

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A comment on: My '2' key stopped working. How do get Windows to recognize it again?

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