Tech ?: Keyboard Issue

[cube_rat]

Upon smacking the wireless keyboard on the desktop to remove crumbs, I believe I hit a key which has rendered my keyboard inoperable (well sorta). When I try and use the windows commands or try and type something, I get weird characters, or windows pop-up. I believe there's a control key that allows toggling back and forth between some weird Windows command mode and regular keyboard mode. I can't for the life of me remember the command to toggle back. Please help!

 

[wabmester]

Orange flavored metamucil in the keyboard controller, eh? Try taking out the battery and reinserting. If that doesn't fix it, it's probably time for a new keyboard.

 

[cube_rat]

It's definitely a hot key/toggle issue. CTRL-Shift shuts the computer down, H minimizes windows, etc. It happened to me before and someone went to my laptop and pressed two buttons and I was back in normal mode.

I'm currently seraching in the bowels of google (with metamucil in hand)...

 

[wabmester]

So, the battery thing didn't work? Should be equivalent to a hard reset of the keyboard controller.

 

[cube_rat]

If all else fails call Dell. Thank goodness I'm still within the 90 day purchase. I'm waiting for my call to be routed to offshore. I think my call is out in the Atlantic right now. As I wait, I'm listening to Dell propaganda and quick fix tips like powering down the computer (lol)

 

[wabmester]

I love calling Dell support. "Hi, my name is Prithiharshkrishna, but you can call me Priss."

 

[wabmester]

As I wait, I'm listening to Dell propaganda and quick fix tips like powering down the computer (lol)

Actually, that's not a bad idea. If you haven't already, reboot your machine. I've seen Windows get into a funky state with a corrupted key translation table in which it behaves as you're describing.

 

[cube_rat]

Well we did all sorts of things. I couldn't even manuever in the BIOS panel. So the end result is they're sending a new (well...refurbished)wireless kit. In the meantime, I'm going to rig my daughter's computer with my current wireless set-up to see if I have the same problem. If the problem exists on her computer, then I'll be convinced a new wireless set-up will work on my computer.

So much for cleaning the bread crumbs out of the keyboard