Could you give an example of what character appears when pressing a certain key?

Possibilites are: num lock is on by default (BIOS option), causing many keys to do odd things on a notebook. Or a modifier key is stuck (fn, alt, strg).

Hi,
I had the same problem on a netbook, due to a cup of tea.
I suggest to open the keyboard and clean it, then try an hairdryer at a safe distance (30-40 cm). Then verify if the problem disappear or evoluate.

On my netbook I saved most of the keys except 5 or 6...they are now all ok ...after 12 months

Yes so for example when I press 2, the string 82q appears - what I have noticed is it seems to work in “clusters” whereby if I press either 8, 2 or q then it types 82q.

Same with w, I and a - if I type any of those it gives iwa. Same with ksz. Also many others. Seems to be in a vague pattern with the keys in a certain shape on the keyboard which to me indicates some sort of hardware issue.

I did have a spare one of these with a cracked screen but lord knows what happened to it as I’ve just moved house 🙁

do you know if the machine was stored in a wet local ?

Sounds to me like the keyboard itself is toast, especially since an external keyboard works just fine.

You could also try reseating the cable that goes form the keyboard to the motherboard, but I really, really doubt that will fix it.

I would probably look for that spare laptop you have. I bet swapping out the keyboard will fix it.

It’s not been stored in the wet as far as I know, no. I was thinking hardware issue too since it works fine with the external board. Thanks for the replies.

I’ll be annoyed if I can’t find my spare one now, it’s a nice laptop, really good condition, battery still lasts about an hour, has CD and floppy drives (simultaneously), just the keyboard problem to sort out.

I would have a go at pulling the existing board apart and cleaning the membranes (as I have done before) but the keyboard has the track point in it so if I destroy it then it’s officialy useless as a laptop (if I can’t find my spare).

Little update, I don’t know where the spare one of these I had has gone, I’ve looked everywhere for it... i do have a spare motherboard I didn’t know I had and a spare video card so I wonder if I stripped it for spares...

Anyway incredibly I’ve found a few parts sellers on eBay with the keyboards in stock so we’ll see what happens with a new one.