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Does anyone know why my keyboard suddenly starts typing strange
characters after some time has lapsed since bootup?

The subject machine is an Acer TravelMate laptop, model TimelineX
8372T-6453. The characters seem to be those colored the same as th 'Fn'
key.

The problem has existed since I got the machine. (I suspect it's due to
some keyboard combo being inadvertently pressed) Any help toward a fix
would be greatly appreciated.

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion

On Thursday, 14 February 2013 05:16:00 UTC, GS wrote:
> Does anyone know why my keyboard suddenly starts typing strange
> characters after some time has lapsed since bootup?

Is this while you are trying to type non-strange characters, or
does the computer do this when no one's touching it?

Let's assume that you aren't being hacked by Russians after leaving
Windows Remote Desktop Assistant Thing open for people to log in
from the Internet :-O

You may indeed be accidentally hitting Fn or some other key in a
way that leaves it switched on.

Or, you may have an alternate keyboard language installed. Then you
can hit the wrong button and suddenly you're typing Spanish or
something.

When it happens, try carefully pressing and releasing each shift,
control, fn, or other peculiar key, one at a time.

Also avoid turning on the "Sticky Keys" help-for-disability feature
(which may be activated by doing what I just described), which
intentionally lets you press and release shift, then a, to type A,
instead of holding down shift while pressing a.

Look for a language icon in the system tray, such as EN for English.
I think the icon only appears if a choice of keyboard language is
installed.

Listen for odd noises made by the computer's sound system when the
problem starts. Come and hum to us any tune that is played and
we'll try to identify it

Robert Carnegie explained :
> On Thursday, 14 February 2013 05:16:00 UTC, GS wrote:
>> Does anyone know why my keyboard suddenly starts typing strange
>> characters after some time has lapsed since bootup?
>
> Is this while you are trying to type non-strange characters,

Yes. After I've been doing a lot of typing!

> or does the computer do this when no one's touching it?
>
> Let's assume that you aren't being hacked by Russians after leaving
> Windows Remote Desktop Assistant Thing open for people to log in
> from the Internet :-O
>
> You may indeed be accidentally hitting Fn or some other key in a
> way that leaves it switched on.

This is what I suspect is happening because I had a similar problem on
an Acer Aspire One netbook. I was able to hold down the Fn key and
switch back sometimes, other times no!
>
> Or, you may have an alternate keyboard language installed. Then you
> can hit the wrong button and suddenly you're typing Spanish or
> something.
>
> When it happens, try carefully pressing and releasing each shift,
> control, fn, or other peculiar key, one at a time.
>
> Also avoid turning on the "Sticky Keys" help-for-disability feature
> (which may be activated by doing what I just described), which
> intentionally lets you press and release shift, then a, to type A,
> instead of holding down shift while pressing a.
>
> Look for a language icon in the system tray, such as EN for English.
> I think the icon only appears if a choice of keyboard language is
> installed.
>
> Listen for odd noises made by the computer's sound system when the
> problem starts. Come and hum to us any tune that is played and
> we'll try to identify it

I'll look at these last 3 suggestions carefully...
Thanks for your input!

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion

<FWIW>
I have 4 laptops. 2 are XP Pro, 2 are Win7 x64 (HomePremium &
Professional). The keyboards are nearly identical (exception: Acer One
netbook). The misbehavior only happens on the Win7 machines!

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion

GS laid this down on his screen :
> Does anyone know why my keyboard suddenly starts typing strange characters
> after some time has lapsed since bootup?
>
> The subject machine is an Acer TravelMate laptop, model TimelineX 8372T-6453.
> The characters seem to be those colored the same as th 'Fn' key.
>
> The problem has existed since I got the machine. (I suspect it's due to some
> keyboard combo being inadvertently pressed) Any help toward a fix would be
> greatly appreciated.

I may have found the cause and so have a possible solution that only
time will reveal as being good!

I went to Control Panel/Region and Language/Keyboards and Languages
tab/Change keyboards... and reconfigured my keyboard as...

English (Canada)
Keyboard
.US

...so the French/multi-lingual options were not enabled. So far the
problem hasn't resurfaced!

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion

[tomslack34]

I got the machine. (I suspect it's due to
some keyboard combo being inadvertently pressed)