The apostrophy/quote key & the accent/tilde key on my Dell 8400 (XP Pro) do not register unless hit twice or held down. I then have to back up and delete the extra characters. The keyboard is Ok (tried other keyboards).

Worse yet, if a Windows password is set on the machine, ALL alpha-numeric keys as well, fail to register and the PW entry field remains blank.
The only way I could get back into the computer was to hold down each key until it enters the character, then delete the password!

I have been living with this problem ever since I got the machine - Dell tech support could only suggest wiping the hard disc and re-installing everything.

There must be another way! Can anyone please help?

Hi,
Since you have tried other keyboards on your computer, and gotten the same bad results, then the problem is with the software.
Have you tried re-installing the windows operating system WITHOUT completely deleting the system?
Have you tried using your System Recovery CD?
Best wishes,
fredg

Hi fredg,
I don't have the HD backed up and it would probably be more hours than there are in a week to get it all back together again so I am trying to avoid that sort of draconion action.
Do you know how to do it selectivly? Dell support didn't say anything about that option.

I do have an 'Operating System Reinstallation CD', but I was under the impression that it would wipe everything on the Hard Disc.
Remembering back to my old IBM Aptiva - using the system recovery disc wiped everything on drive 'C' and went back to the original new, out of box condition.

I was hoping someone would know if there is a particular file in Windows that might be fixed without affecting the rest of the system. (a .cab file?)
More info would be helpful.