Hello everyone, I'm a bit stumped by this one i have to say.

On my keyboard (A Dell model AT102W) both of the Ctrl keys have stopped working. I've tested the switches and they're fine, as is the encoder so this is a software fault...

How is this possible? It's been fine for literally years, haven't installed any new software or hardware for months and there haven't been any new drivers installed, perhaps a conflict of some kind?

I'd appreciate any hints for this as it's not a major enough problem for me to rip what's left of my hair out, but at the same time makes be look like a lunatic when I fill my emails with Vs instead of hyperlinks...

Thanks in advance, Mike

 

Sounds like you have a corrupted Windows 'dll' file associated with mapping the keyboard. Probably begins something like 'kbd*.dll.'

 

That's slightly worrying, any quick fix other than re-installing Windows? It just seems odd how it went with no warning... Oh well.

 

Have you tried a different keyboard? (maybe borrow your neighbors for a few minutes??)

I've tested the switches and they're fine, as is the encoder so this is a software fault...

The switches maybe fine, but they do connect to a trace, so it could be a bad trace on the keymatrix...

What encoder?

 

Hello, yes I'm currently using a cheapy USB one and all the keys work. However with my old one, it's only the ctrl keys, both the left one and the right hand one I never use. I don't want to rerplace they keyboard really, as it's an old Dell unit that's an updated clone of the IBM model M keyboard, with a real PCB in it and now a flimsy membrane switch. Not sure on the encoders number, it just looks like a generic 40 pin IC with the number sanded off on the top edge of the PCB.

I'll try again with a PS/2 keyboard once I've dug one out. Thanks for the help so far

 

Have you restart your pc or properly check the keyboard wire connected with the CPU.

 

What operating system are you running? From XP and Windows 7, there is an accessibility feature called sticky keys, that can sometimes get turned on by mistake. If you press the shift key 5 times in succession, it will temporarily enable/disable sticky keys. Maybe you did that...

Here is a technical article describing how to permanently disable sticky keys, if that is indeed the issue.