Weird Windows 7 Problem

[travelover]

No, I never upgraded to Windows 10, but I've got a new and strange problem. When I type on the keyboard, after about 50 characters, the characters simply quit appearing on the screen. If I left click, then it starts working OK again for another 50 characters. Similarly, if I use the mouse scroll wheel, I can only scroll for a few frames, then have to left click to continue.

My Google searches on this problem have been unsuccessful, but maybe I'm not hitting the sweet spot for search terms. Any techies out there with an insight into this?

Thanks.

 

[MichaelB]

Does this happen across different applications, such as excel, word, and different browsers?

 

[FIREmenow]

USB keyboard? Try a different one. Sounds like a USB port issue (assume your mouse is USB also).

 

[Totoro]

Stuff like that happens to me too sometimes. Usually switching applications helps, sometimes reboot.

It's one of these *huh?* things. Have an in-built keyboard.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I would do a reboot and if that doesn't fix it, I would recommend a scan for malicious software. Have you tried the Fn+Num Lock trick?

 

[bjorn2bwild]

USB keyboard? Try a different one. Sounds like a USB port issue (assume your mouse is USB also).

+1 - my wife had a similar problem with her desktop computer, solved by adding a USB PCI card to the motherboard. A temporary fix was to do a hard restart - turn off the computer, kill the power and hold the power button for 20sec or so.

P.S. DW was in the middle of a work project, so I did not bother to parse out whether this was a software/hardware issue - PCI card fixed it either way.

 

[travelover]

Does this happen across different applications, such as excel, word, and different browsers?

Doesn't seem to do it in word processor. I tried using Chrome to access this site and post a fake message by pounding the keyboard and it didn't seem to happen.

USB keyboard? Try a different one. Sounds like a USB port issue (assume your mouse is USB also).

Yes it is a USB keyboard. A different keyboard or a different USB port?

Stuff like that happens to me too sometimes. Usually switching applications helps, sometimes reboot.

It's one of these *huh?* things. Have an in-built keyboard.

I turn it off every night - no difference.

I would do a reboot and if that doesn't fix it, I would recommend a scan for malicious software. Have you tried the Fn+Num Lock trick?

I've scanned with several programs including Malware Bytes. Not familiar with Fn+Numlock

+1 - my wife had a similar problem with her desktop computer, solved by adding a USB PCI card to the motherboard. A temporary fix was to do a hard restart - turn off the computer, kill the power and hold the power button for 20sec or so.

P.S. DW was in the middle of a work project, so I did not bother to parse out whether this was a software/hardware issue - PCI card fixed it either way.

May need to go there. Is this an easy installation?

 

[Walt34]

Try simply unplugging the keyboard and plug it back in? (Or the wireless transmitter if wireless.)

I had a similar issue in Windows 10 today. After installing MS Essentials (I wanted Photo Gallery to get photos off DW's iPhone) the wireless mouse wouldn't work. A reboot didn't help. So I went back to the wired mouse and that worked. Plugged in the transmitter for the wireless mouse again and all is good.

One of the mysteries of operating systems.

 

[MichaelB]

I'd first eliminate the USB port as the issue. Plug the mouse into a different port (if you have one) and see it it works any better. Then do the same with the keyboard.

 

[Totoro]

Thought about it some more.

Clicking the mouse does two things: it generates an interrupt and focuses on the current application.

One of those two is doing the trick and points to a hopeful solution. Does alt-tab work to get the typing or scrolling working again? Do it twice: switch to another application and then back.

If that works, something is stealing your 'focus', which means a background program usually is fooling around.

If not, you likely have a faulty driver. Reinstall the USB drivers or force an update.

 

[bjorn2bwild]

May need to go there. Is this an easy installation?

If you get this far after trying all the other helpful suggestions, about on par with adding memory - open the side case, remove a slot blank, insert the PCI card.

 

[travelover]

I'd first eliminate the USB port as the issue. Plug the mouse into a different port (if you have one) and see it it works any better. Then do the same with the keyboard.

This is easy enough, I've moved the keyboard to another port. Now to see if it helps.

 

[travelover]

This is easy enough, I've moved the keyboard to another port. Now to see if it helps.

Ooops, no joy. It still craps out after about 50 characters / key strokes.

 

[target2019]

Ooops, no joy. It still craps out after about 50 characters / key strokes.

Now try SAFE MODE. That will eliminate a lot of software processes from the mystery.

 

[travelover]

Now try SAFE MODE. That will eliminate a lot of software processes from the mystery.

Thanks I'll try that next.

 

[travelover]

Thanks I'll try that next.

OK, this is posted in SAFE mode with networking and I can type as much as I want without interruption.

Edit to add, it seems to be OK even not in safe mode. I must not be using the right test conditions.

 

[easysurfer]

Any chance this could be related to a bad hard drive? I have a niece called me with a situation where her husband's laptop would seem to pause for about a second or two for no reason at all after typing, then resume. Had her run some commands and do some disk tools integrity checking (I had read about someone who had a similar situation). The commands had would fix the problem briefly, then the problem came back. They weren't comfortable with changing the HD on their own, so I think nothing happened and they just decided to use another laptop.

Just a theory on my part about the HD.

 

[travelover]

Any chance this could be related to a bad hard drive? I have a niece called me with a situation where her husband's laptop would seem to pause for about a second or two for no reason at all after typing, then resume. Had her run some commands and do some disk tools integrity checking (I had read about someone who had a similar situation). The commands had would fix the problem briefly, then the problem came back. They weren't comfortable with changing the HD on their own, so I think nothing happened and they just decided to use another laptop.

Just a theory on my part about the HD.

But left clicking, resumes it immediately. Would that square with your theory?

 

[W2R]

Could the mouse be causing this? Do you, like me, happen to have an old (working) mouse in a junk box somewhere that you could try?

 

[meierlde]

Any chance this could be related to a bad hard drive? I have a niece called me with a situation where her husband's laptop would seem to pause for about a second or two for no reason at all after typing, then resume. Had her run some commands and do some disk tools integrity checking (I had read about someone who had a similar situation). The commands had would fix the problem briefly, then the problem came back. They weren't comfortable with changing the HD on their own, so I think nothing happened and they just decided to use another laptop.

Just a theory on my part about the HD.

Check the event log and see if the disc is getting errors.

 

[easysurfer]

But left clicking, resumes it immediately. Would that square with your theory?

I say definitely try the more plausible suspects first like a different mouse an keyboard to rule them out or in.

Also, if you do any image backups, then if you back up your current system, then revert back to a system that was before when the symptoms happened, then you can see if this may be software related rather than hardware.

 

[ERD50]

Thought about it some more.

Clicking the mouse does two things: it generates an interrupt and focuses on the current application.

One of those two is doing the trick and points to a hopeful solution. Does alt-tab work to get the typing or scrolling working again? Do it twice: switch to another application and then back.

If that works, something is stealing your 'focus', which means a background program usually is fooling around.

If not, you likely have a faulty driver. Reinstall the USB drivers or force an update.

I think that Totoro's comment (something is stealing 'focus') is the most plausible.

I've seen it where I think I'm typing in an app, but the mouse gets moved or something, and the 'focus' of the keyboard is no longer in that app, and you are kind of typing out to thin air.

So the clicking of the mouse returns focus to where you were typing, and all is normal again. So this scenario fits.

I'd double check if the app still seems to be in the foreground when this happens. As to troubleshooting what might be stealing focus, what app seems to be in the foreground when this happens?

-ERD50

 

[travelover]

..... As to troubleshooting what might be stealing focus, what app seems to be in the foreground when this happens?

-ERD50

I notice it most here and on Facebook, using Firefox as my browser. Is that what you mean by "in the foreground"?

 

[ERD50]

I notice it most here and on Facebook, using Firefox as my browser. Is that what you mean by "in the foreground"?

Yes, the app that is foremost - the active one.

But more specifically, if you are in Firefox, typing away, and the key strokes are no longer being recorded - are you still "in" the same window of Firefox? Or has the 'focus' (the area that accepts the typed input) moved to another window or area of Firefox, or even to another program?

For example - I'm typing in this dialog box now. But if I accidentally hit "Control-TAB", or some other key combo that takes me out of this dialog box, my typing is no longer showing up here.

Something may be stealing the 'focus' of your cursor. And clicking the mouse makes that area actively in focus again.

This makes more sense to me than some other scenarios - like why would clicking the mouse affect a bad hard drive? But clicking the mouse does re-focus your cursor.

-ERD50

 

[travelover]

.............But more specifically, if you are in Firefox, typing away, and the key strokes are no longer being recorded - are you still "in" the same window of Firefox? Or has the 'focus' (the area that accepts the typed input) moved to another window or area of Firefox, or even to another program?..............-ERD50

I could be typing this reply and the key strokes would simply not register after awhile. No other keys hit, cursor remains in target area - it just stops typing.