Alt key locking

Probably a silly question, but have you tried to replace the keyboard? Or has someone spilled a soda in the keyboard. Is it more than one user? Have you tried to install the lastest update for the OS you are using? I had some of the same problems with Win98 first release, upgraded and no more problems.

it sounds like there may be a software program with a hot key that is activated at certain times.

If it's not the keyboard, I've found that with 'extremely' fast typists, that when they reach for either of the 'shift' keys, they actually slip and hit the 'ctrl' key instead. Is this just happening when the only key pressed is an 'f' or in conjunction with other keys?

Just cycle both alt keys rapidly and with a little more force that usual. This fixes it for me. I have not had to reboot due to the alt, shift or ctrl keys sticking. They will always free up with a little cyclying. At least for me with different keyboards and on different computers.

These are probably the only keys that you hold down while you strike another key and is the reason why these key exhibit this problem.

I have found that the windows key although physically stuck, is stuck in a pressed position, pressing the windows key a few times will clear your problem.

There is not an issue with Windows doing this as far as I know. Have these machines ever had hot key keyboards installed. Some hot key keyboards come with drivers and software that control the hotkeys. I would run the system configuration utility and try to kill as much as you can here. You might also want to look at HKLM_Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Verison\Run Services and kill whatever you can there as well. Strange behavior indeed.

Could someone have been jacking with the accessiblity options?

Don't get stuck on the software problem just because it happens to multiple keyboards. This is from experience.

The problem could be caused by a low level bios/mobo issue which you have no control over except to change each. I would still try andcycle the alt, ctrl and shift keys multiple time to see is this will save the rebooting anyway. This may be the only "better way".

How about a currupted Keyboard layout . If you are using a standard keyboard , Please go to the Keyboard applet in control panel to check if a United States 101 is used . It could be the Alt key and the Shift key interchanged so when you Caps Lock you actually Lock the Alt Key .

Just a thought ..........????

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