# Solved: Odd hardware problem



## jonny p (Aug 10, 2002)

My HP 1255ea laptop has suddenly developed a weird problem.The asdf and jkl; keys don't work anymore. It seems a bit unlikely that it's spillage or dirt related as its happened all at once. Admittedly my 17 year old son has used it recently, normally when he breaks things there is _evidence_. Tried things such as restoring defaults in BIOS. Tried pulling a couple of keys off to see if muck underneath...clean as a whistle.Tried pulling the battery out and holding down power button etc as recommended elsewhere. Was about to order a new keyboard but just have a feeling it may not be hardware related necessarily...any body experienced similar?


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

Hi *jonny p*,

It's possible it's hardware related, but if the laptop wasn't dropped and nothing was spilled on it, it's likely software related.

Let's try performing a System Restore to put the system in a previous state when the keyboard was working.

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*System Restore*

Press and hold the *Windows key* + *R* on your keyboard.
In the Run box, type *rstrui.exe* and hit *Enter*.
Follow the on-screen instructions to restore your computer to a date before the issue(s) started.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

> My HP 1255ea laptop


I'm guessing you actually have a *HP Pavilion g7-1255ea* 17.3" laptop.

Here is the keyboard troubleshooting section.

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## jonny p (Aug 10, 2002)

Thanks for suggestions flavallee and TheShooter93.I had already tried system restore but not the troubleshooting. Tried reinstalling keyboard as suggested but still same problem. It s a bit strange as even though you uninstall the keyboard it still works to type in the password to windows etc (well part of it works in my case)-which made me wonder if I really had removed it...so anyway I did the whole procedure a few times over with the same result.
I went into the diagnostics routine but in my version there was nothing about testing the keyboard. I wonder if there is a 3rd party keyboard test out there somewhere?


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

If you are able to successfully type in your password, and if that password includes characters that do not work once you are in Windows, that means the problem is software related.

You should ask your son what he did on the computer while he was on it. What software changes did he make?


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

> My HP 1255ea laptop has suddenly developed a weird problem. The asdf and jkl; keys don't work anymore.
> 
> Admittedly my 17 year old son has used it recently, normally when he breaks things there is evidence.


*A-S-D-F* and *J-K-L-;* are the 8 "base keys" that you learn about at the beginning of a typing course.

It's odd that only those keys are having an issue, so I'm also curious what your son did to that laptop. 

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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

I'm wondering if the cable connecting the keyboard to the motherboard has come loose or is not seated properly.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

Connect a usb keyboard to the laptop. That will tell you in seconds whether it is software or hardware related. If the usb keyboard works fine, then you know it is a hardware problem with your laptop. If the keyboard has the same issue, then you know it is software related.

If you do not have a usb keyboard, then boot the system with a linux live disk. This will tell you the same thing; if your keyboard works fine under linux, you know it is a software problem. If it has the same problem under linux, you know your keyboard has problems.


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## jonny p (Aug 10, 2002)

Hi all many thanks
1.No missing letters wont type when loading Window password
2.Missing letters will type with usb keyboard. But I didn't know that would prove it one way or the other. So that being the case I will unseat the keyboard and check connections (its out of warranty anyway). If nothing found there's nothing else but order a new keyboard and hope for the best. Its just I read a post somewhere that someone had the same problem and a new keyboard didn't fix it! Unfortunately he never said what did.....!!


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

> 2.Missing letters will type with usb keyboard


You have your answer; it is not a windows or software issue. It is a problem with the keyboard itself and or connections.


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## jonny p (Aug 10, 2002)

Thanks!


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