Weird Keyboard Keys problem - HP 110 Mini

Ayman

Good afternoon, I have an HP mini 110 with Ubuntu 9.10 installed, I have it since 6 or 7 months and it was running great and still with ubuntu 9.10 .

One weird problem that started occurring around a week ago was that the 'Y' key on the keyboard was no more typing, the key clicks just like all the other keys do but it doesnt seem giving any input. I thought it would be a problem with ubuntu so I ran other distros in live mode but the problem persisted. Today as I was trying to login I realized the 'N' key was no more functional and that's new as it didn't occur last week when the 'Y' key was not working, so I had to login using the onscreen keyboard.

I tried to change the keyboard layout and other keyboard settings but still no luck. Also took off the defective keys and saw that the buttons were normal in terms of pressing so I returned them. I thought that one possible problem could be from the BIOS so I restarted and tried to access the BIOS but I was so lucky to see that the 'F10' key is no more functional too!

All those keys were completely functional previously, and I didn't install any new software, nor update the BIOS nor cause damage to the laptop's hardware. All what is happening is really unexpected and weird.

If I had a USB Keyoard I would have tried it to test if the keys work on it but unfortunately I don't.

So guys please I need your help, have you ever ran into this problem before? If not, do you have any ideas or suggestions of how to solve this issue? Do you know of a way in which I can access the BIOS Setting without having to use the F10 Key on startup? Please feel free to share your thoughts, thanks in advance :)

P.S. I was thinking of flashing the BIOS, do you think this could solve the problem? Is there anyway to do that under ubuntu 9.10? Thanks.

J4D

Aymanov, it's still under warranty ! no ?

Ayman

Aymanov, it's still under warranty ! no ?

Yup, it has 4 years warranty from Abed Tahan.

xterm

Ayman,

Perhaps you've already tried this but;

1) Did you check if its happening on the terminal (CTRL + F2) or just in X ?
2) Did you try opening the bootloader's custom prompt and typing there?

Joe

Adding to what xterm suggests:

1) Accessing the terminal is CTRL + ALT + F2. Remeber you can shift back to X (graphical environment) with CTRL + ALT + F7.

2) Bootloader's custom prompt is accessed by pressing 'c' when you have to chose Ubuntu at boot time.

Try to determine if the problem is hardware or software.

xterm

Oops yes, CTRL + ALT + F2

J4D

Its surely hardware, the f10 key is gone, and its the key for the boot selection. It's not working when he boots up.

xterm

Apparently. See, Ubuntu messed up your netbook.

So much for running on any hardware!

Ayman

@xterm and rahmu, yup it is not working in both terminal and in X and the boot loader custom prompt.

Apparently. See, Ubuntu messed up your netbook.

So much for running on any hardware!

lol I have been using Ubuntu on this netbook from the day I bought it (around 7 months ago) and I didn't get any problems.

Most probably as Jad is saying it is a hardware problem, but I am still not sure what caused this. Anyways I will take it back to where I bought it from in the coming days and see what they can do for me.

xterm

I hope you don't get some ignorant fool, who will tell you that your warranty was void because you installed Linux.

Ayman

I hope you don't get some ignorant fool, who will tell you that your warranty was void because you installed Linux.

Yeah that's what I am afraid of because it had XP pre-installed, but according to what I remember when I bought it back then I asked the sales man if installing Linux would void the warranty he told me that it doesn't.

Flakk

Ayman maybe your notebook allows access to the bios using f1, f2, f6 or esc keys. Did you try those too ?

Ayman

Ayman maybe your notebook allows access to the bios using f1, f2, f6 or esc keys. Did you try those too ?

Tried that, no luck.

Georges

If it's still under warranty, why bothering yourself with all these solutions...
Simply backup your data, take it to them, و يدبرو راسن

practo

AymanFarhat wrote
I hope you don't get some ignorant fool, who will tell you that your warranty was void because you installed Linux.
Yeah that's what I am afraid of because it had XP pre-installed, but according to what I remember when I bought it back then I asked the sales man if installing Linux would void the warranty he told me that it doesn't.

Not to sound pessimistic, but sales people usually have no idea what they are talking about. :(

I hope you get it fixes. It sounds like a hardware problem to me too.

Ayman

Hey everyone, until today that I passed by Abed Tahan to give them the laptop to fix it as I really needed it the time before that and I was able to do what I wanted by plugging in a small USB keyboard although carrying it all the time is annoying.

So I went to them today and I talked to the support there(a really unfriendly lady) and told he about my problem, check the laptop out and first thing she said is that I have formated the laptop and put another OS and I have a sticker on it(tux) so that may void the warranty but she is not very sure she will have to recheck! I was like WTF!

And then she told me okay we can disregard this issue(ma3 terbi7 jmili as if I have done some sort of crime) and she said that they have to take it to HP in Bsalim and that it will take at least 25 days to get fixed and shipped back also they want me to pay a $35 transportation fees because it is with me for more than 3 months although it has a warranty for 4 years, not logical at all and that is not mentioned on the receipt nor the paper I signed when I bought it.

So I left and got the netbook back with me with hope that I can fix it somewhere else and fast(one week max) because I really need to use it everyday at uni and screw their stupid warranty I don't want it anymore. So my question to you guys, do you know of any laptop repair shops in Beirut that can replace or fix the keyboard for me in around one week? Thank you very much for your help, really appreciated, have a good day :)

Georges

Go to GCC Computers - Sin el Fil Boulevard, Beirut.
He's a computer shop and deals with that same HP repair shop in Bsalim.
He can definitely help you and talk to them to shorten that 25 days they told you about.

You can contact him before heading to his shop...
Phone: 01-515000
Mobile: 03-688993
E-mail: sales@gcc.com.lb

Hope that helps :)

Edit: LooL at that lady. You should have said that the Ubuntu is a theme for windows 7 :P

MrClass

Ayman, Does it have a warranty from HP? I mean an international warranty. If yes, take it to the official HP retailer. Its Computek or something (i dont remember the actual name of the company). Anyway, they check the serial number of the netbook and will repair it. I know that the company is near Antelias, and I have been there. If you want, we can go together someday and show them the netbook.

Georges

MrClass wroteAyman, Does it have a warranty from HP? I mean an international warranty. If yes, take it to the official HP retailer. Its Computek or something (i dont remember the actual name of the company). Anyway, they check the serial number of the netbook and will repair it. I know that the company is near Antelias, and I have been there. If you want, we can go together someday and show them the netbook.

I thought that the official HP retailer is ALCS located in Bsalim (the same company we were talking about)... I fixed my old HP Pavillion there :P and for free.

Please can you confirm your info.