BIOS skips choices, makes options unselectable.

I'm on a Gateway laptop (MT6451). I'm running Windows 7, but am interested in trying Linux. I've installed Ubuntu into a separate partition. When I boot the computer, it asks which OS I'd like to boot into (Win7, or Ubuntu) and to select the desired one with the arrow keys.

When I press the down (or up) arrow key once (regardless of how long I hold it down), the highlighted option goes from Windows 7, to Ubuntu, back to Windows 7. This also happens when I go into the normal BIOS settings. Whenever going through options, the arrow keys skip an option and go to the next one.

Would this be a driver problem, OS problem, or stricly BIOS problem? Are there any steps I could take to figure that out or if any of you already know what the problem is, what can I do to solve this issue?

Thanks for the help.

 

Did ya try another keyboard? Try just tapping the key if you haven't yet. Is it OK when you do get into Windows?

 

How do I use another keyboard in BIOS? I have a USB keyboard, but USB devices aren't recognized in BIOS. Regardless of how fast I tap or how long I hold down the arrow key, the selection always skips one.

Once in Windows, the behavior ceases and the keyboard functions normally.

 

Hello,
Can you select using just the tab key?

 

There's another option on the screen that the tab key takes me to (I believe Memory Diagnostic Tool or something close), but again, pressing the key, takes me to that option, then brings me back to the the "Windows 7" boot selection.