Laptop problems

[OwL]

On my SONY viao laptop, sometimes the Num Lk key turns itself on, the cursor will not allow me to type any text at all. This is not a virus as my anti virus software company have checked out my cpu and cant find owt. They suggested it could be a key pad error?

Is this true and how would i stop this happening in future? It only happens randomly and not on every log-in episode.

Thanks

[Tank]

Is the Keypad separate on your Viao, or does it share the same keys as some of the letters?  My old Vaio shared the letters, whereas my new one has a separate part for the numbers - just like a standard Querty keyboard.

When you push the Num Lock, will it allow you to start typing?

[lesmond]

Would you be up to disconnecting the existing keyboard and connecting a USB one to see if the fault is with the keyboard?

[OwL]

Thanks Tank and Lesmond,

Tank the vaio has the same keys for numbers and letters, If i push num lk it wont let me type. I wont push it through fear of triggering off the random problems. When the num lk turns on itself it sometimes starts a help window without prompting.

Lesmond I would be really daunted by doing that. Could you PM details of your firm and what you would charge for a laptop service and investigation into problems I have with it please?

[poliss]

Could be a loose spring under the key.

[lesmond]

The "springs" on these and most laptop keyboards are shaped like a top hat, made out of rubber, the key is held in place by a plastic clip not unlike the legs of an ironing board in miniature. The parts are shown here (from a Dell, but the principle is the same):



If the key had been detached and the mounting damaged or removed, this kind of fault may occur, but in my experience the keyboard is starting to fail. Thankfully replacement is neither expensive or difficult.

[poliss]

I had the rubber thingy fail and also the spring under the space key had come off it's mounting. Swapped the rubber thingy with one from a key that was rarely used.

[lesmond]

Perfect fix - saves all the bother of taking the keyboard off.

[OwL]

Thanks to everyone whom has helped very muchly. 

Topic will now be locked due to all my questions being answered. Thanks