help with toshiba satellite laptop keyboard problems; shift, cntrl keys aren't workin

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i'm having a problem with my toshiba laptop keyboard. about a week ago i noticed i was no longer able to use the control key to copy and paste, but i rarely use that key for anything else, so i didn't think much of it except that i must've accidently changed some command. now, my shift key isn't working--as you can tell from the lack of capitalization in this. i think this is a different problem than what was addressed in earlier posts about shift key problems in toshiba laptops. in my case, the shift key worked only sporadically. currently, it's not working at all. first the right one stopped working, now the left one isn't working either. there doesn't seem to be any pattern to when they do/don't work, so it seems unlikely that these keys suddenly got stuck or something. i'm checking for viruses now. does anyone have any other ideas? (now it's working...that's so strange, and annoying).
thanks for the info. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to replace the keyboard/
Or, alternatively, is it very difficult to replace the control panel?
Thank you!


Posts: 17,233   +234
I have repaired many laptops and I have changed many keyboards. I have never heard of or seen a laptop keyboard control panel.

Laptop/notebook keyboards are not that hard to replace. You need good skill working with your hands and small tools. Using great care not to break the plastic parts
I just replaced the keyboard, and my computer continues to have the same problem! The same three keys (the two shift keys and the control key) work sporadically. It must be something internal, right? Does anyone have any ideas?
shared shift key trouble

commiserations laurelv10...

...I have a simlar problem, developed about 1pm this afternoon. on an hp omnibook xe4500 running XP (yes quite old) but also same problem when I connect an external keyboard.

the other symptom that developed at the same time is that the overtype functions constantly flickers on and off - so I have no control over whether I insert or overtype in a text editor (or indeed in Word)

I have already tried things like system restore and it makes no difference

any suggestions?
keyboard contacts lead right into KBC chip. very rarely it may fault. in this case you can try to update the KBC internal flash. download appropriate update from laptop vendors web site.
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