Spacebar, letters N and B, arrow keys occasionally malfunction?
Spacebar, letters N and B, arrow keys occasionally malfunction?
I employ a wired keyboard connected to my laptop, which is linked to two external monitors. Recently, I locked my computer and repeatedly mistyped my Windows pin or password. I had no clue what caused this. After that, I restarted my laptop, but it kept returning to the BitLocker login screen with an incorrect pin. Only when I typed the pin on the physical keyboard did it function properly. Then, at the Windows login screen, the issue persisted even with the keyboard input. Several keys—spacebar, 'n', 'b', and some arrow keys—didn’t respond correctly. The up arrow worked occasionally after repeated attempts. It seems these buttons might be stuck or damaged. My wired keyboard is quite old and appears dirty, with visible dirt and debris inside the keys. Despite this, it remains comfortable to use, which is why I still prefer it. This particular keyboard is from an old Dell XPS 8100 desktop over ten years ago. Currently, the keys operate fine, but if the issue recurs, could it be that the external keyboard itself is faulty? It’s possible the problem isn’t with the driver, but with the physical condition of the device. Cleaning it might help, but accessing the internal components would require more effort.
Many keyboards now allow you to simply lift off the keycaps. Older models sometimes contained metal components, which made reinsertion a real hassle. Today’s designs (like the ones you own) make it much simpler to detach and reattach them. Begin by removing just a few rarely used keys—such as "scroll lock" or "pause/break"—so that mistakes won’t disable your setup entirely. Capture a photo of your keyboard beforehand, noting the position of each keycap. Once you’re ready, thoroughly clean the device to its full potential. If this approach doesn’t work, consider using a screwdriver to fully disassemble it for a deep clean. *Personally, I own a Razer keyboard with RGB lighting. It originally had mechanical clips that made clicking loud. After taking off all keys and those clips, it became a clean mechanical model, allowing me to type without any problems. Removing and reinstalling the keys was effortless, and I can repeat the process anytime for a thorough clean.*
I forgot to note that my girlfriend uses the same keyboard. I made her try the same keyboard modification I did, and shared photos as evidence. She has two hands on one side but still finished the change without problems. Removing keycaps is straightforward. Just double-check with a few keys she doesn’t use first to confirm it’s not some advanced, low-quality keycap.
Take your answer and update your old dirty KB or swap it out...
The Dell keyboard from the old Dell XPS 8100 desktop is still available. The SK 8165 model fits your needs perfectly. You mentioned some issues with the letters, the diagonal keys, and the arrow keys—no damage was done to the original. I’m sharing a photo so you can get expert advice. If you were using this system today, you could easily replace it, but here you’re cautious about risking further damage. Any of these steps might help? Please run DISM and SFC if you haven’t already. Look into Device Manager to see which driver is active—if it’s a Windows driver from 2006, that could be the cause. A typical fix for keyboard or mouse problems is to remove the driver in Device Manager and restart; the device should reinstall itself at boot.
Is this 100% my external keyboard? Possible it is some fn function i turned off or anything like that? Or sticky keys turned off?
Well i can't get an english keyboard here at the moment. Would be able when i am in the US. Just noticed the subtract button on the keyboard keypad doesn't work either. Any reason why that key doesn't work when not around same location as other keys? Anyone know how to find a very similar keyboard like this? Used it for years because its comfortable. There is a small area at the bottom of the keyboard and it isn't overdoing it like if there is a huge palmrest on it. The previous external keyboard i had before this was very uncomfortable. Was from an even older dell desktop where the keyboard is very thin where the keys are like a typewriter? Anyone know what i mean by that? There was also no area below the bottom of the keyboard either. So that is why i used this keyboard for so long because it is comfortable.