Keyboard Connundrum

[Kyajae]

Problem is quite simple. User’s keyboard has suddenly developed a ‘delayed response’ – to get a key press to register on screen the user has to hold each key down for about 1 second. This behaviour happens in any text-based software (Outlook email, word, Notepad, etc) and also a DOS command line. The same happens with the keypad part of the keyboard.

Interestingly, when the user holds the key down, the internal PC speaker returns a noticeable ‘click’ noise as the key registers on screen.

The keyboard is a PS2 connection. I’ve swapped it out for a USB keyboard and exactly the same behaviour happens.

I’ve also ran a full AV and adware/spyware scan and nothing has been detected.

My gut feeling is that the keyboard I/O chip on the motherboard has failed and I need to swap out the motherboard and do a rebuild. Can’t think of anything else I might have missed.

Any techs, sys/admins or sys/engs out there come across a similar problem. If not I’m just looking for someone either to say “yes – that’s probably the cause of the problem” or “have you considered this instead”

[MrRobin]

Probably too obvious but have you checked the 'Filter Keys' option in accessability settings?

[Kyajae]

Probably too obvious but have you checked the 'Filter Keys' option in accessability settings?

To be honest, no. I've overlooked that. Thanks. will get back to you on that one.

[JonSmile]

And the other thing you can check is is it only affecting this user - ie if you log on as Admin on the machine, do you get the same issue?

[Paddy]

It does seem like a keylogger, check what's running.

[ilgitano]

Problem is quite simple. User’s keyboard has suddenly developed a ‘delayed response’ – to get a key press to register on screen the user has to hold each key down for about 1 second. This behaviour happens in any text-based software (Outlook email, word, Notepad, etc) and also a DOS command line. The same happens with the keypad part of the keyboard.

Interestingly, when the user holds the key down, the internal PC speaker returns a noticeable ‘click’ noise as the key registers on screen.

The keyboard is a PS2 connection. I’ve swapped it out for a USB keyboard and exactly the same behaviour happens.

I’ve also ran a full AV and adware/spyware scan and nothing has been detected.

My gut feeling is that the keyboard I/O chip on the motherboard has failed and I need to swap out the motherboard and do a rebuild. Can’t think of anything else I might have missed.

Any techs, sys/admins or sys/engs out there come across a similar problem. If not I’m just looking for someone either to say “yes – that’s probably the cause of the problem” or “have you considered this instead”

You've tried USB and PS/2 keyboards. There is NO common hardware there - it is a software issue. My vote goes to a trojan keylogger too.

A way you MIGHT catch it is by bringing up task manager, keep it sorted by CPU percent. Then hit some keys and see if any processes seem to get real busy - if something gets busy, do a google on it and make sure its legit. If not, try killing it and see what happens.

Download http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys...sExplorer.mspx

It displays the company name - and allows you verify signatures on executables. I have caught one virus that declared itself to be 'mircrosoft' but the spelling was inconsistent and no verifiable signature with it.

[fzbucks]

I'd vote for the filter key option in accessibility options as already suggested - i have played around with key loggers (for educational purposes) and in my experience they run pretty much indetectable to most people - certainly no drain on the cpu.

it is a specific accessibilty option that is designed to only accept the key if pressed down a period of time for disabled users or people who may be a little clumsy on the keyboard - more like;y that i'd say than something sinister.