Vista: Caps lock inverted, no periods, keyboard acting weird.

I'm pretty baffled by this one. I don't know if its malware of some sort, but the symptoms sure seem like it.

I am using a relatively new Toshiba laptop with Vista. Now and then, the caps lock will do the opposite of what its supposed to, i can't type periods (only ">"), I cannot capatalize certain letters (mostly commonly "N"), and when I try to highlight a url...or a file in windows...it highlights all of them. Additionally, when I load up windows, all of my file icons have shrunk. Without me asking, the FILTER KEYS dialog box comes up...so i'll click yes or no...but then it comes up again and again.

Then all of the sudden....the problems go away. The keyboard works perfectly fine...as does windows. Then at some seemingly random time, they come back again.

What really confuses me though, is that I have now scanned the computer with AntiVir, Kapersky Online Scanner, Super-Anti Spyware, and MalwareBytes...and not a thing comes up.

I have read that to stop symptoms sort of like this, you can just shut off filter keys....but I did that...and it doesn't seem to change anything.

If it is not a virus or malware, I wonder if it could be a bug in windows. I installed a number of language packs and updates shortly before this starting happening.

Thank you :major

 

I had a similar problem because my PC was bought in Belgium and came originally with an AZERTY keyboard so i was not able to set the language to English, at a later time i changed to a QWERTY keyboard but had to change language settings.
If you have French or German installed it could be the problem.
Try un-installing the language packs one at a time and see if it stops.

 

My misses had a simliar problem and rang me at work about it.
Filter keys is engaged when you hold the shift button for a certain amount of time, I will stand corrected but I think it is 8 seconds. When this is activated if you then press shift again and then disengage filter keys you end up getting permanent caps lock on the keys. You then have to hold the shift button for 8 seconds again to get the dialogue box back up to disengage this.
The reason it happened to my misses was because the wee spring under the key that sends the key back up once you have pressed it had a load of debris mixed in with it which meant it thought it was being held down when it had only been pressed briefly. Try using some air-in-a-can on the keyboard to see if that helps.

 

Bill-- How do I uninstall language packs?

Nellington- I don't think it is just filter keys, because I've taken all of the steps to turn that off. And I know its not just the keyboard, because of this weird business about the icons shrinking (and the keyboard working just fine 80 percent of the time)

Thanks -J

 

Ah Ok. Here's how to uninstall language packs on Vista.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925471