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Tetris

Sun Mar 09 2014, 12:06AM

Registered Member #4016 Joined: Thu Jul 21 2011, 01:52AM
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 660

Some of you (especially Avi) know that I've had endless keyboard issues ever since I first had a computer. As soon as one issue got fixed, another would surface. Right now, for the past year (maybe even more), I've been dealing with a laptop keyboard with several shorted keys. Now let me put this straight: I have tried external keyboards and my warranty ran out. External keyboards simply have the same "broken" keys" as my built-in keyboard does. So don't suggest I "get a new keyboard" or "send it in for repair." The 2 (both numberpad and row), w, s, and x keys are broken. Now for normal typing, I can get by this just fine with the alt-map. In fact, I'm up to my old typing speed with the alt-map, and I am slowed if I type normally. (I get the 2 with alt+50).

It's only a problem when it comes to gaming. I don't care if I have to deal with another one and half years of alt-map typing. I do care, however, when a random game (as in, a random game I download from the Internet that no one has ever heard of, but is amazing nonetheless) does not let me change WASD controls. Certain popular games like Portal have in-built keyboard-configurations (I use TFGH there), and certain others like Antichamber I've hacked to let me use TFGH. However, there are a ton of other games I'm unable to play (or I'm forced to sidestep in, which, albeit, makes certain easy games a thousand times more difficult and disorienting) due to my inability to configure the character map.

Is there a certain file or file type I should look for in the game files that contain the character map? Or is there a good program I can use to temporarily "globally" reconfigure the key input/output (such that, if I 'press "T" my computer outputâ™‚5 a "W" and all) so that I turn the settings on, play the game, then turn the settings off?

Or is the problem solvable altogether? Is it a virus? If you spill something on your keyboard, and keys short out, when you plug in an external keyboard, do the same keys malfunction on it? It's a hardware issue, thus shouldn't the problem be solely with my laptop keyboard if it weren't a virus? If it were a ("curable") virus, I feel like a complete idiot--I dealt with this alt-map fiasco for nothing...

Sulaiman

Sun Mar 09 2014, 07:40AM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140

from memory, 2 w s x are on the same keyboard scan line
why the external keyboard fails I'm not sure,
what I would do is;

1) Disable the inbuilt keyboard in the bios setup screens,
not just disable when external keyboard detected

2) try a usb (not PS/2) external keyboard (don't know if that's what you used)

3) pay for an 'expert' to repair it (I hate laptop repair !)

Ash Small

Mon Mar 10 2014, 02:22PM

Registered Member #3414 Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245

There are various 'hacks' that one can do with gamepads. I bought a PS3 'clone' gamepad and downloaded two programs that enabled me to set up Minecraft to run from the gamepad, and be able to 'program' the functions (Minecraft does not directly support gamepads, but the regulars on the Minecraft forum have devised their own solutions).

This solution may enable you to get around your current problem when gaming.

Tetris

Tue Mar 11 2014, 02:27AM

Registered Member #4016 Joined: Thu Jul 21 2011, 01:52AM
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 660

Ash Small wrote ...

There are various 'hacks' that one can do with gamepads. I bought a PS3 'clone' gamepad and downloaded two programs that enabled me to set up Minecraft to run from the gamepad, and be able to 'program' the functions (Minecraft does not directly support gamepads, but the regulars on the Minecraft forum have devised their own solutions).

This solution may enable you to get around your current problem when gaming.

Do you think I could configure my drawing tablet to move in the different directions as a "gamepad?"

2Spoons

Tue Mar 11 2014, 04:32AM

Registered Member #2939 Joined: Fri Jun 25 2010, 04:25AM
Location:
Posts: 615

The fact that an external keyboard also fails, and that both the row and numpad "2" key fail suggests evil software is to blame. I can't see how this could be a hardware fault. Could be windows "sticky keys" or "filter keys" messing you up. I know in win8 there is some key combo i hit accidentally sometimes which turns half my keyboard into hot keys and all kinds of stupid things happen while i'm trying to play Battlefield.
I assume you run regular virus scans? Got any practical jokers in your house?

Tetris

Wed Mar 12 2014, 02:40AM

Registered Member #4016 Joined: Thu Jul 21 2011, 01:52AM
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 660

2Spoons wrote ...

The fact that an external keyboard also fails, and that both the row and numpad "2" key fail suggests evil software is to blame. I can't see how this could be a hardware fault. Could be windows "sticky keys" or "filter keys" messing you up. I know in win8 there is some key combo i hit accidentally sometimes which turns half my keyboard into hot keys and all kinds of stupid things happen while i'm trying to play Battlefield.
I assume you run regular virus scans? Got any practical jokers in your house?

No, no practical jokers, and this happened after I spilled diluted buttermilk (with a dash of lemon and ginger, heh) on the keyboard. At the time, a ton of keys malfunctioned, but it quickly waned to being only these four keys. (well, and the caps-lock and a few of the function keys, but I never use them) I have windows 7 64 bit. I don't think it's sticky keys--I've triggered that several times and I know how that looks.

My thought is that, either it really is a hardware issue, or maybe (due to my unwillingness to fix this keyboard issue, I wouldn't have noticed if a virus loaded itself).

And no, I never run virus scans (they're more annoying than a virus itself). I don't have a program for it, and I've only ran into virus problems twice in my life. But hmm, let me check filter keys. I never heard of that. *checks it* Nope, it's not activated. Hmm... how would I manually check for a virus? I highly doubt it's a virus, but just in case.

Ash Small

Wed Mar 12 2014, 10:36AM

Registered Member #3414 Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245

ASHPoD wrote ...

And no, I never run virus scans (they're more annoying than a virus itself). I don't have a program for it, and I've only ran into virus problems twice in my life. But hmm, let me check filter keys. I never heard of that. *checks it* Nope, it's not activated. Hmm... how would I manually check for a virus? I highly doubt it's a virus, but just in case.

Conundrum sent me a copy of this

which sorted my PC out. You just put the disc in and run it, you don't need to install anything. It sorts out boot sector viruses as well, which some of the others don't seem to do.

You have to write the disc as a 'bootable image', though.

2Spoons

Thu Mar 13 2014, 12:18AM

Registered Member #2939 Joined: Fri Jun 25 2010, 04:25AM
Location:
Posts: 615

So what did you do after spilling milk into the keyboard? Disassemble, clean and dry? Its not trivial but can be done. But I don't think that explains why an external keyboard wont work.
Virus scanner: you should at least run something giving real-time protection. I use Microsoft Security Essentials : free, and pretty light weight.

Bjørn

Thu Mar 13 2014, 03:46PM

Registered Member #27 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 02:20AM
Location: Hyperborea
Posts: 2058

The keyboard sends key down and key up events. If the internal keyboard is faulty it might cause a problem. Disable the internal keyboard and see if it helps. Either unplug it internally or disable it in the device manager.

Ash Small

Fri Mar 14 2014, 02:25AM

Registered Member #3414 Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245

2Spoons wrote ...

Virus scanner: you should at least run something giving real-time protection. I use Microsoft Security Essentials : free, and pretty light weight.

I use MSE as well, but apparently it doesn't find boot sector viruses, or rootkits, or something. I understand that this is an issue with the 'real time protection' antivirus stuff, but I'm not certain about this.

I use a usb keyboard on my laptop, because the laptop keyboard didn't appreciate having a glass of red wine poured over it. The usb keyboard works fine (I'm running Vista).

I would try disabling the laptop keyboard in this case, though.

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