Strange Keyboard Error

so on my inspiron 1501 (yes, top of the line, i know), i was noticing problems when using popup windows and such. If i tried to use something that required a popup window (like when u play the sims and u tell ure sim to go somewhere, that little popup window with the face and the options... and no im not kidding), the window would open then close quickly, like Milliseconds!!!

i did some investigative work and with my vast knowledge of computers (ie. googled it) i came to the conclusion that i had something wrong.

Using more investigative work (using every function in my control panel basically), i turned on Filter keys in my Ease of Access panel (vista finally got something right). i did a test and HOLY HELL! there was a button that was slowly pressing, and my computer would make a "blip" sound every second or so showing that a key was being pressed.

After doing MORE investigative work (holding down all the keys to see if they stopped the sound) i came to the conclusion that its my Pause/Break key!!!

so i talked to the people at Dell... they sent me a new keyboard! yay! well 3 days later the problem came right back (at least i got a new keyboard though, mine had a collection of food in it).

i did even more investigative work (google again) and downloaded MapKeyboard, and tried to disable the key itself, but unfortunately that wasnt made for laptops so i couldnt specify the right key to disable (ARGH!).

i've rolled back drivers and reinstalled and updated to no avail.

if anyone out there has any idea of what could possibly be going wrong, ill be checking this thread every 30 seconds until:
1.) the apocalypse
2.) i fix it
3.) i break my inspiron over my head and just build my own computer

 

I first noticed this happening after an upgrade to VMWare Server on my laptop and then thought it might be spyware. I wasn't able to alt-tab unless it was really quick and VNC sessions would register the "delete" key being pushed. After selecting a file on a remote server and be harassed about sending it to the recycle bin I finally decided to deal with this. To confirm it wasn't software I booted to the x86 version of XP I had installed on the drive, tried a Ubuntu 7.10 live CD and even a BartPE disc, all of which showed the same problem.

After swapping keyboards from a compatible model, putting in the original hard drive (doubtful but had to try) and removing the 2-2GB stick of RAM and putting in the original 2-512MB sticks nothing seemed to fix it. Before calling Dell I decided to try upgrading my BIOS.This FIXED IT. I was previously running A14 (2.6.1) and upgraded to A15(2.6.2) and the problem was corrected. At the time of this message, A16(2.6.3) is the newest version but I wasn't paying attention and downloaded the previous version. As I type up this message I'm upgrading to A16(2.6.3) and the problem is fixed in this version as well.

The current version A16(2.6.3) is available at http://ftp.us.dell.com/bios/Win1501263.EXE and the previous A15(2.6.2) is at http://ftp.us.dell.com/bios/Win1501_262.EXE .

It isn't actually the pause/break key being pressed but some programs will report that as being the case. I suspect it has something to do with the high precision timer but can't confirm that. If it continues after a bios update then try disabling that bios setting.

Hopefully this fixes the problem for you before you break it over your head or the end of the world.

--Blaine Fleming
http://www.selfishman.net

 

I'm having the exact same problem, so I have followed your instructions but after trying to execute either file (A16 - A15), I get the following error message:

Cannot load driver C:\Users\Dell\Desktop\PHLASHNT.SYS
Please check your accounts, if you have no administrator privilege, please log in again!
Access is denied.
Error code 5.

Sure I have administrator privileges and I'm on my administrator account.

What can I do???

Any help would be highly appreciated!

 

right click, run as admin?

 

Thank you for your help, yup, I'm new to vista haha; but even after the bios update the problem persists.. I will try disabling that bios setting.

 

Well, the high precision timer setting was off, I turned it on and the problem was gone. Thanks for the help!

 

OK, the problem is back, and it doesn't matter if I turn on/off the timer setting the problem just won't go; anybody with a hammer???