Key Sticking Unfixable Without Restart

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Urzu1000

Urzu1000

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Dec 24, 2013
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Ever since a couple weeks ago, I've had this horrible issue where I've been typing a message, when suddenly this awful key stick thing happens. It's as if I'm holding the key down, but I'm certainly not.

I can't type anything while it happens, and no matter what I open, it keeps on pressing the button. Essentially breaking half the programs I swap to. This happens on multiple keys and it started at the same time for all of them, thereby eliminating my original concerns about the physical keyboard keys going bad.

I've tried doing some Google searches, but all I've found is people talking about the drivers.
I'm using an Alienware TactX keyboard, and the driver's for that haven't been updated in a couple years as far as I can tell. The only noticeable difference was that I just reinstalled windows 8, and then upgraded to 8.1. I'm pretty sure this happened once before the reinstall though.

I imagine this is a simple problem that I've just never encountered before with an equally simple fix.
I'm asking for help here because over the years, I've found the Tom's Hardware forums and it's people to be the most helpful tech community out there.

Additionally info: The only way to fix it so far has been restarting my computer, which is very annoying. It's almost impossible to save my work first due to the key being held down.


Thank you in advance. I'll be checking this regularly, so feel free to request any additional information if it could help.
 
Solution
J
there is a pair of chips one in your keyboard and one on your motherboard. Problem there are lot of different types and versions and often a keyboard vendor will just make their own version that they can add extra functions to and program with special software. You can google "keyboard BIOS chipset" to find some of the standard chips but a custom keyboard may not use it and only have to provide the very basic functions. The problem you are having sounds like a device driver programming error. If you remove the custom software driver, window should detect and install the default driver with basic functions. If that fails and you still have the problem, then it will be a bug in one of the two chips (in the keyboard or on the...
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Urzu1000

Urzu1000

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I haven't. I have no other keyboards available since I moved, and even if I did, it would take quite a long time to test the theory. This problem happens once or twice a day. Sometimes not at all.
 
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ahmeday2012

ahmeday2012

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Jan 25, 2014
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If you have found the same situation even when using a different OS, then it may be a hardware problem. Best thing to do is take to the nearest hardware store and let them fix it for you.
Hope that helps
 
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J

johnbl

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Nov 4, 2012
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keyboards have their own chip in them, sometimes they get confused because of programming errors and you can press both control keys at the same time to fix them.

if you can reproduce the problem while you are booted into your BIOS of your machine then it will be the keyboard controller's problem. Otherwise it can be a driver problem with some software you are running for your keyboard.
 
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Urzu1000

Urzu1000

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Ironically, as I was typing a reply about trying your double CTRL idea next time that it occurred, it occurred. I pressed both of them, but to no avail. This "chip" you speak of inside the keyboard, do you have any additional information on it? I can imagine with little difficulty that there would be a chip in the keyboard, but I guess I never considered the possibility of it going bad. I think that learning about it may help me find a solution.

Also, Windows 8 and 8.1 isn't really what I think would count as different a different OS. Despite the heavy changes, it's possible that if the OS is the cause of my issue (which I'm becoming slightly skeptical of - after reading all the responses), that it could be a rare bug that wasn't patched out.
I'm hoping that I don't need a new keyboard just yet.
 
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J

johnbl

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Nov 4, 2012
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there is a pair of chips one in your keyboard and one on your motherboard. Problem there are lot of different types and versions and often a keyboard vendor will just make their own version that they can add extra functions to and program with special software. You can google "keyboard BIOS chipset" to find some of the standard chips but a custom keyboard may not use it and only have to provide the very basic functions. The problem you are having sounds like a device driver programming error. If you remove the custom software driver, window should detect and install the default driver with basic functions. If that fails and you still have the problem, then it will be a bug in one of the two chips (in the keyboard or on the motherboard)



 
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