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Old 11-06-2004, 05:13 PM   #11
Cerek
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Join Date: August 27, 2004
Location: North Carolina
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Larry - I've already decided to pursue some computer classes at the local community college. It will really be great since I won't care diddly about what kind of grade I get - I'll just be going to get the knowledge itself. And I really have spent that much money on the system. I've spent about the same amount as the cost of a new system. Then again, all of my components ARE new, so it's basically the same thing. All told, I've spent around $450 on the machine in the last 6 months.

One thing I hope to do is maybe offer my own repair services once I learn enough. All the local business charge at least $25 just to LOOK at the system - whether they do anything or not. I would like to do some "under the table work" for individuals that can't afford to pay that kind of money just to be told what is wrong with their system.

Iron Greasel - Yes, I swapped the keyboard from my other machine and had the same problem. So the problem is in the System Configurations instead of the keyboard itself. I've spent a little over an hour working on the PC today. There is an XP Command for "System Restore" which I think might work...unfortunately, it won't run the program. I choose the option to "Restore System", click "NEXT", and nothing happens. :crying2:

A few other symptoms of my current problem that I forgot to mention in the OP.

When I turn my system on, I get a pop-up screen asking if I want to turn on the "Filter Keys". This is something new that has not shown up before. I've tried turning them on, turning them off, and even going into Accessibility Options and turning on the StickyKeys and Toggle Keys. Nothing works - but whatever the 2yr old did has caused the "Filter Keys" pop-up screen to appear each time the system Restarts.

Also, when I go into My Documents (or any other folder for that matter) and click on a file or folder, the PC will highlight ALL the icons above that particular file/folder and open them ALL. I tried to open 1 Word Document and the machine opened 14 different windows. The same thing happens when I finally get onto the internet. I went into the main menu for IW forums, but couldn't choose just one forum to go into, because the mouse would highlight ALL the forums listed above my choice. That's not so bad if I'm coming to G.D., but it sucks BIG-TIME if I want to go into the C.E. forum.

The thing is, I'm SURE that I can undo whatever my son did, it's just a matter of figuring out how. Like I said before, this is actually the second time he has done this and I managed to bungle around and click on the right thing to get the system to restore it's default settings before, but nothing has worked this time around.

I think the System Restore might work, but I can't get it to initiate. [img]graemlins/verysad.gif[/img] So if anybody can tell me how to access the system configurations and change them, I would appreciate it.
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Old 11-06-2004, 05:39 PM   #12
Variol (Farseer) Elmwood
Jack Burton
 

Join Date: May 16, 2003
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Hey, I just remembered that there's 2 keys you can hit simulatiously a bunch of times to get "sticky keys" menu or fix or something like that. I don't remember the keys but somebody must.
I'll do some checking on it.
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Old 11-06-2004, 05:42 PM   #13
Variol (Farseer) Elmwood
Jack Burton
 

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StickyKeys
A keyboard feature that enables you to press a modifier key (CTRL, ALT, or SHIFT), or the Windows logo key, and have it remain active until a non-modifier key is pressed. This is useful for people who have difficulty pressing two keys simultaneously.

See also: ToggleKeys; FilterKeys; MouseKeys

This was in my windows help.
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Old 11-06-2004, 07:38 PM   #14
Callum
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Join Date: October 21, 2004
Location: Vancouver, BC
Age: 35
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To turn on FilterKeys
FilterKeys is a keyboard feature that instructs the keyboard to ignore brief or repeated keystrokes. Using FilterKeys, you can also slow the rate at which a key repeats when you hold it down.

Open Accessibility Options.
On the Keyboard tab, under FilterKeys, select the Use FilterKeys check box.
To turn off FilterKeys, clear the Use FilterKeys check box.

Notes

To open Accessibility Options, click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Accessibility Options.
If the Use shortcut check box in the Settings for FilterKeys dialog box is selected, you can turn FilterKeys on or off by holding down the right SHIFT key for 8 to 16 seconds (depending on the other settings you have selected in the Accessibility Options dialog box). To open the Settings for FilterKeys dialog box, open Accessibility Options and then, under FilterKeys, click Settings.


Presumably... you can turn it off the same way...
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Old 11-06-2004, 09:29 PM   #15
Animal
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Join Date: March 29, 2002
Location: Canada
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Hardly the computers shop's fault.

Without knowing the exact make/model of the keyboard advice will be generic at best.

Under All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools you will find System Restore. Open it and choose to restore your computer to a previous state and hit next. Pick a restore point prior to the incident but as close to it as possible and follow the prompts.
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Old 11-06-2004, 10:54 PM   #16
Bungleau
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Join Date: October 29, 2001
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I think the key thing for Animal's advice may be to tab to the "Next" button and hit return, rather than clicking on it.

Also, another thought popped up... what about deleting the keyboard from the system manager and letting Windows reinstall it? And when it does, tell it to scrap the current files... keeping them would be counterproductive [img]smile.gif[/img]

On the topic of filter keys and such, I completely deactivate and remove them. That's the *only* way I've found to prevent them from trying to activate all the time... if the window pops up asking you if you want to activate them, you can say "yes" or "cancel"... which is *NOT* the same as "no"

Since I occasionally hold down a shift key while I'm in the middle of programming or something, that eight-second-delayed message is more than a little disruptive.... [img]graemlins/madhell.gif[/img]

*edit* forgot to suggest logging in as a different user or in safe mode to see if it behaves differently... worth a shot [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 11-06-2004, 10:55 PM: Message edited by: Bungleau ]
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Old 11-07-2004, 04:07 AM   #17
Cerek
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Animal - you're right that this issue isn't the fault of the PC Shop, but this is just the latest of several issues I've had with this PC....and the vast majority of my problems have occurred AFTER I took the machine to the PC Shop for a memory upgrade. I really do feel they sold me a POS mobo and I also feel they screwed up some of the internal settings on the machine because the tech admitted he kept doing the re-installation of my O.S. wrong. But when I had my first problems with the machine (after they had worked on it for over 2 weeks), the tech tried to say that I had "f***** up" the machine by changing the settings on it. Thing is, I don't know enough about PC's to be changing the settings. The tech then admitted he had followed the wrong steps when trying to install the O.S. (my version of XP is apparantly an "upgrade version" from 98 instead of a fresh install) and then he said "Geez, I hope I didn't screw it up when I did that." So, yeah, I do think the PC shop is more than a little to blame for the other problems I've had with the machine.

BTW, I TRIED to do the System Restore and the machine won't respond. I choose "Restore System", click "NEXT" and nothing happens.

Bungleau - that's a good idea about tabbing down to the "NEXT" button instead of clicking on it. I'll give that a try. I had also considered just un-installing the keyboard too, but I'm worried the machine won't automatically detect it and re-install the drivers itself. Still, the keyboard files ARE obviously corrupted...so I may just have to take that chance.
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Old 11-07-2004, 05:03 AM   #18
Harkoliar
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Join Date: March 21, 2001
Location: Philippines, but now Harbor City Sydney
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hmm... why dont you do a fresh installation. do you have a win2000 or winxp lying around and not an upgrade. do you have impt files lying about?
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Old 11-07-2004, 06:45 AM   #19
Variol (Farseer) Elmwood
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I would also open up the keyboard, just for fun and see that nothing is damaged under there.
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Old 11-07-2004, 09:43 PM   #20
Bungleau
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If the machine doesn't re-detect the keyboard, how are you worse off than you are now? Other than you'll know that you have to reinstall everything... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Do try logging in as a different user, if you've got one set up. Also, when you tab to NEXT, you may be able to get by with hitting space bar, return, or "N" to activate it.

FWIW, my first forays into fixing computers involved adding memory. Quite simple, really. Then it was adding a hard drive, and I finally decided to build one. It's really quite easy, as long as you can read the instructions and can check with someone else (like, say, the IW boards? ) when you're not completely sure what it means. I've now built my last two from scratch, and rebuilt several others for various reasons. It keeps getting easier...
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