Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianR
Gee, mine is only a year old and already I have a problem that defies my ability to diagnose or fix it.
It's either the ESC key shorted/stuck or some kind of malware. I've run several kinds of malware cleaners and the ESC key functions normally for the first minute or two of operation, then degenerates to nothing,
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Your's (and many of other posted problems) is why better laptops have comprehensive hardware diagnostics. Diagnostics that do not load Windows (or Linux, etc). That test every individual component even for functions you (or Windows) may not use.
No one key goes defective except where the key touched the conductive PC trace. IOW, if it is only one key, then you key the contact material both on the key face and on the PC traces that it touches.
Keyboards are particularly easy to fix. But approach the problem slowly and with care. Little parts can go everywhere.
In one case, the keys that worked intermittently shared an intermittent trace. Found the cracked traces. Got some conductive epoxy from Radio Shack. Using scotch tape, literally painted a new trace over the defect. Entire keyword became reliable again.
How to find defective laptops long before the defect becomes apparent and long before the warranty expires. Operate the computer for hours in a 100 degree plus room. Those without hardware knowledge will quickly identify themselves. They fear heat; foolishly call heat destructive. Heat is how defective hardware is found before that hardware starts making hard failures.
Also have a Dell 8600. Excellent machine. But I had one defect. While doing that 100 degree operation, a display bit would periodically go back. Only one memory bit in one video memory chip would fail intermittently when room temperature was almost 100. Because Dell is one of the few responsible computer manufacturers (diagnostics are provided for free), I quickly identified a defective part and the memory location that was failing. Called Dell. Got a new video controller (where the defective memory bit was located) replaced. Using Dell's exploded diagram, replacing the video controler was easy.
Want to see a nightmare? Gateway (Emachines) provides nothing. No diagnostics. No exploded diagrams. Even telephone techs that foolishly believes a warm room causes hardware damage. How do you know Gateway is a bad machine? They do not provide comprehensive hardware diagnostics. Gateway has them. But you are only a profit center.
All computer manufacturers have comprehensive hardware diagnostics. Every one. But only a few are responsible enough to provide them. That is the benchmark of the better computers. The few superior manufacturers also provide those comprehensive diagnostics so that most everyone above with problems could have solved that problem quickly. Either by executing diagnostics and immediately identify (replace, correct) a defect. Or, because diagnostics were executed, have facts so that the few and better informed can provide help.
Is the ESC failure due to a virus? That and about 30 other possibilities could be eliminated immediately using the manufacturer's comprehensive hardware diagnostic - provided free by every responsible manufacturer. And then combining hardware diagnostics with another diagnostic tool - heat - to further define that defect. Without diagnostic results, every reply can only be “it could be this or might be that”.