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Problems with dashed lines

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jerboa_05   10-29-2008 at 07:25:46 PM

I built a computer for the first time and it has performed great until two days ago.

I have an ASUS P5K-V board with an Intel Core 2 Duo. On boot up I get the ASUS P5K-V window and then I hear a rapid sound almost like very fast drumming. The computer loads windows XP without problem.

When I open either Outlook Calendar or MS Excel. the noise starts again and a dashed line is rapidly drawn within the excel file systematically replacing existing data with dashed lines. When I olen a time window in calendar the dashed line appears again and I can't enter anything.

Sometimes the dashed line appears in the entry window when I open Google.

I updated the BIOS but the problem continues. ZAny suggestions here as to how to solve the problem?

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mentalynuts   10-29-2008 at 07:31:34 PM
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Have you checked to make sure everything is plugged in right the gpu?I had simler problem few years ago now and realised gpu wasent plugged in right.

Reply to mentalynuts
evongugg   10-29-2008 at 07:41:32 PM
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Welcome to the forums!

Have you plugged in the extra power connector on the video card?
Also test the memory with memtest86+.


------------------------------ Google is your friend and Bob's your uncle
 Reply to evongugg
Jim_L9   10-29-2008 at 07:43:52 PM
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Could be a bad keyboard. Is it a USB, PS/2 or wireless keyboard?

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jerboa_05   10-29-2008 at 07:57:06 PM
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The computer has run just fine for three months until yesterday. Seems unlikely something wasn't plugged in right.

The video card is onboard the Intel CPU.

The keyboard is USB. I'll check those connections and look for a stuck dash key.

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jtt283   10-29-2008 at 08:06:01 PM
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Are these dashes appearing as if they are being typed in where the cursor is, or are they screen artifacts that could appear anywhere?

It sounds like the "-" key may be stuck down.


Message edited by jtt283 on 10-29-2008 at 08:10:22 PM
------------------------------ There is ALWAYS a drone. Exactly where, or how many drones you will encounter may vary, but that there will be at least one will not.
 Reply to jtt283
jerboa_05   10-29-2008 at 08:13:25 PM
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The appear as if typed in, centered in the appropriate window. It is as if I am holding down the dash key, but that would not explain the rapid clicking or drumming sound. Imagine one click or drum beat per dash.

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Jim_L9   10-29-2008 at 08:25:28 PM
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Do you hear a click for each of the dashes?

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geofelt   10-29-2008 at 08:29:18 PM
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I have had similar problems twice.
Once the usb cable was ajar.
The other time I had a defective keyboard.

Check all USB connections.
Try a different keyboard. Try cleaning the keyboard if you can.

Reply to geofelt
jtt283   10-29-2008 at 09:10:18 PM
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If the key is stuck down, the clicking is the keyboard buffer overflow signal.

------------------------------ There is ALWAYS a drone. Exactly where, or how many drones you will encounter may vary, but that there will be at least one will not.
 Reply to jtt283
jerboa_05   10-29-2008 at 09:43:54 PM
- 0 +

Just switched the USB connectors around. I get a two tone sound when I unplug a USB connect and another when I plug the connector in. Every time I insert the keyboard connector I get the sound indicating the computer recognizes the device. As a test I rebooted and went first to a blank word document. The cursor came up and there were no dashes printed. I opened IE7, clicked on the window to establish a cursor and the dashes immediately filled the window.

How can the key be stuck down in Google, but not in windows?

Reply to jerboa_05
Jim_L9   10-29-2008 at 09:57:17 PM
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It sounds like some kind of additional keyboard software. Did you load any keyboard related software as part of say Google toolbar?

Reply to Jim_L9
jerboa_05   10-29-2008 at 10:26:30 PM
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Don't believe so. I unplugged the keyboard and booted up. Strange boot noises disappeared and when I used the mouse to access Google, there were no dashed lines. Problem is definitively the keyboard!

Thanks for tall the insight on this forum. You help is appreciated!!

Reply to jerboa_05
jerboa_05   11-04-2008 at 12:11:49 AM
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New keyboard arrived today. Plugged it in and ALL the problems went away. Somehow the old keyboard was sending a dash signal during boot and beyond.

NewEgg replaced the keyboard and didn't even ask me to ship the old one back. I'm so impressed by this company from their prices to customer service! :)

Thanks again for the help here. You helped me isolate the problem. :bounce: :bounce:


jerboa_05, Driftwood, Texas, USA

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