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Strange Input Problem on a Laptop

Dwayne

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Joined
Aug 17, 2008
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1,720
Location
Courtenay, BC
Here is an odd one. On a laptop, only in the Windows start menu, Windows system menu, the Windows notification area, and Windows store, it appears as though there is a stuck key. You can't use the mouse to select anything, and I can see the cursor movement and it looks like the tab key, or an arrow key that is stuck. I click on the start icon and the start menu opens, but as soon as I click on any white space the cursor box moves from top left to top right and flickers and nothing can be selected. This happens with the track pad and it happens with a USB mouse plugged in. Just to make sure, I turned off the track pad using the function key. I put in a USB mouse. I pried off some arrow key caps and checked for dirt. But here is the odd thing, none of this happens when a browser is opened.

I tried some searches and can't seem to find anything that looks like this problem. A stuck key would affect any open program, but this seems to only affect the Microsoft OS programs. Any thought, ideas, anything? Thanks.
 

Dwayne

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Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Messages
1,720
Location
Courtenay, BC
Not sure what caused it, but a full shut down, power off, and restart cleared the input. I suspect perhaps a controller pulled out of the USB and somehow the input buffer retained the last input? I saw a couple of posts from people who saw this odd activity in the MS apps with an XBox controller plugged in and turned face down so the joystick was actuating.

Anyhow, "did you turn it off and back on again" fixed it.
 

Lysrin

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Mar 10, 2014
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7,804
Location
Nova Scotia
Glad it got sorted. I was sitting here yesterday going "whaa...?!" with no useful help to provide!
 

Shadowmeph

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Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
6,443
Location
Aldergrove British Columbia
Not sure what caused it, but a full shut down, power off, and restart cleared the input. I suspect perhaps a controller pulled out of the USB and somehow the input buffer retained the last input? I saw a couple of posts from people who saw this odd activity in the MS apps with an XBox controller plugged in and turned face down so the joystick was actuating.

Anyhow, "did you turn it off and back on again" fixed it.
happy for you that it fixed the issue this is one thing I dont like about my mothers acer laptop the battery cannot be removed or at least I cant figure out how to remove it so when odd things happen I can shut down her laptop but I cannot remove the battery then press a key to remove any left over juice to do a full reset . but yes when all else fails on my laptops that is what I do shutdown unplug pull battery hold down any key for a while put everything back then start usually fixed the issues.
my gaming PC has issues with either the USB or my Gigabyte osmium keyboard where it will stop working then start working like turn off then back on and I like the keyboard really dont want to buy another one this one was expensive used but Ithink I might have to
 

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