[Vince1]

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?

[fredg]

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

[Vince1]

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.