A Puzzle!

[paradigmshift]

Hi, I have a Dell Latitude LS.
It has a repeating Key, but this key changes every now and then. It jumps from the "enter" key to "3", to "m" and so on... I have tried everything.
1) Reinstalling Windows
2) Attaching external keyboard
3) Checking if the keys are stuck
4) Changing hard drives

Well I guess that cover a list of everything, What is the cause of this... it happens randomly, a week I can go on using the laptop and no problems and suddenly one day a random key starts repeating. What are some possible reasons for this?

 

[peterhuang913]

The keyboard is broken, causing a stuck key.

 

[paradigmshift]

What do you mean the keyboard is broken?
I can use it, it types fine just the random annoying repeat key...

and there are no physical stuck keys, I checked...

 

[peterhuang913]

There might be broken connections. It seems to work but its shorting.

 

[paradigmshift]

One question, does a laptop keyboard have its own battery or something? I was wondering that may cause a problem as well.

 

[atomic tofu]

i don't think laptop kbs have their own battery...
you said you attach external kb...does that work fine?

 

[paradigmshift]

no the external keyboard doesn't work either.

 

[Jorsoft]

Laptop keyboards don't have their own batteries, just a short ribbon connection to the motherboard which may be loose. I'd recommend reconnecting that--you can surely find a service manual on Dell's website that will instruct you on how to do so. It's generally very simple and Dell's hardware has always been well documented in my experience.

When you say that the external keyboard doesn't work do you mean that it also randomly repeats keys or it won't work at all?