I’ve seen this happen myself nad it has also been reported to me by others in differing situations from Windows 98 up throuhg Windows 98 SE2.
Windows at some point acts like there is a sticky “Windows” key, in that certain key bring up Windows shortcuts, and it makes these keys unusable as normal text characters.
For example, “e” brings up a new Explorer windows or “f” brings up the Find window.
At the MS site, the only suggestion is that it is indeed a sticky Windows key, yet it has happened on so many different machines of differing ages, etc. it really isn’t possible that this is the only anwer. PLUS, the problem disappears if the system is rebooted.
Most commonly it appears if the system has been left one for a while and several programs have been run. This is especially annoying when the system is a server, where a reboot is definitely inconvenient, rather than just an annoyance.
I am wondering something can confuse the keyboard driver to make it treat the Windows key as a toggle key or somehow make it think it is continually pressed.