Continuous typing of the letter "T"

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

Hi all,

yesterday I paid a visit to my friend Margret again. Mind you, it was the first time since last October.
Anyway, she wanted me to take care of her laptop (MEDION_AKOYA_E3223).
You can find the hardware probe specs I took after the installation of Linux Lite here: HW probe of Medion E3223 #7fd5d80169 .

She wanted me to provide the laptop with the latest updates etc.

But as soon as I turned the device on I was confronted with a serious problem:
It was constantly and incessantly typing the letter “t”, all by itself, thus rendering the laptop completely useless.
I couldn´t provide the user password, because the field was immediately filled with and endless row of "t"s.

As it´s a dual-boot system I tried it with WIN 10. It behaved the same way there.

I even tried using the live (install) medium. Booting from the USB-stick worked, but the live system couldn´t be used at all due to the same error.

It seems to be a hardware issue then.

So we detached the “T” key to see whether there was some sort of dirt under it, which we would have been happy to remove.
But everything was as it´s supposed to be. Nothing out of the ordinary. So we put the key on again and I tried a few other things, but to no avail.
I couldn´t even rescue her personal data.

Margret finally admitted there might have been the case that she once (or even more than once) bumped her laptop against some hard object.
She wouldn´t even rule out the possibility that she might have dropped the device.

All that leads me to the conclusion that it´s a hardware issue, right

Her laptop cost 299 Euros at the time and came with WIN 10 preinstalled. It was utterly useless. Couldn´t cope with WIN in the least.
So I put Linux Lite on it (dual boot with WIN 10) but only Linux was used. It was running smoothly and without any hiccups.

Any views on the matter? What´s to do
Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

Many greetings from Rosika

P.S.:

So, if it´s a hardware thing, I guess she´d need to buy a new one.
But she´s such a miser. It has to be cheap as possible.

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

@Rosika

All that leads me to the conclusion that it´s a hardware issue, right

Hi Rosika,

Right.

Only thing that may work is an alternate keyboard…. usb or bluetooth .

I dont think repair is worthwhile.

Your friend really should buy a better quality device. It is important for her work.

Regards

Neville

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

Have you considered the possibility of a virus?

Does it have auto-repeat setting turned on?

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

Ho Neville,

thanks for your advice.

@nevj

Only thing that may work is an alternate keyboard…. usb or bluetooth .

But the typing issue had to be stopped beforehand. So the built-in keyboard would have to be deactivated somehow.

And what if the issue lies beneath the keybord….

I think it´s best to consider buying a new one.

@nevj

Have you considered the possibility of a virus?

Does it have auto-repeat setting turned on?

No. Last October everything was in perfect working order. She hadn´t switched on the device since then, believe it or not.

Besides: WIN 10 is affected, Linux Lite, and the Live Medium as well.

Also: the status messages (before arriving at GRUB boot menu) are affected with the continuous typing of “T”.

Thanks again and cheers from Rosika

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

@Rosika

WIN 10 is affected, Linux Lite, and the Live Medium as wel

That says it all. Even the boot messages affected, so it is in the vga driver in the bios.

What about cmos battery? Can you get at that and replace it?

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

Hi Neville,

@nevj

Even the boot messages affected, so it is in the vga driver in the bios.

You don´t think it´s a hardware issue then

She might have dropped the device, she admitted.

@nevj

What about cmos battery? Can you get at that and replace it?

Hmm, the device is 2 years old and it was hardly ever used. When not being used it was still connected to mains. I´d be surprised if the cmos battery would be the culprit.

It´s one of those new laptops which make acessing the internals preatty hard. I´d rather not try meddling with that.

Thanks again for yor advice, Neville.

Many greetings from Rosika

[pdecker]

@Rosika

It´s one of those new laptops which make accessing the internals pretty hard. I´d rather not try meddling with that.

That was my thought. Laptops can be hard to work on. If you can get inside maybe it would be as simple as disconnecting a ribbon cable where the keyboard connects to the system board. Then an external USB keyboard could be used.

Since it is unusable the way it is, it should be worth the risk.

Good luck.

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

Hi @pdecker,

thanks for providing your views on the matter.

@pdecker

If you can get inside maybe it would be as simple as disconnecting a ribbon cable where the keyboard connects to the system board.

Yes, maybe.

But then, Margret would need to purchase an external keyboard and mouse all the same. Plus: what if the problems really lies somewhere else, i.e. beneath the keyboard.

I wonder if it might me be a better investment to purchase an M.2 ssd sata adaptor usb instead, so that her personal data could at least be saved. Of course she´d need to buy a new laptop after all…

Thanks for your comments.

Cheers from Rosika

[Daniel_Phillips]

@Rosika

I have ran into, keyboard, issue with a hand-me-down laptop, which had been dropped or stepped on.

I replaced the keyboard and it worked, the keyboard, usually just snaps into place, with a ribbon wire connecting to the mobo, just be very careful with that ribbon wire connector, it can be damaged, very easily!!

[ihasama]

I would also open the laptop (if there’s no warranty any more) and check if the keyboard is bent or anything like that. Also check the connectors from keyboard to motherboard. Before opening the laptop, press T a bit harder and move your finger. Maybe there’s Coke/Fanta there.

[callpaul.eu (Paul)]

If it was just windows effected I would go for virus malware issue but as you suggest the same issue with linux then the only answer is keyboard

If you can disconnect the keyboard and use either USB or Bluetooth keyboard that would be the simple answer.

New keyboards here are around 12 euros.

[Matthew]

I’d have to agree with my colleagues on this - if it isn’t worthwhile to replace the keyboard, or would prove to be difficult/risky, try to save the nvme in it and pick up a newer lappy.

[kovacslt (László Kovács)]

Disassemble the laptop.

Look up youtube or vimeo, or video sites you know:

Search for the keywords thats the type of the laptop, and something like “ram upgrade” or “disassemble” or even “replace keyboard”.

For example, for a similar case with a Lenovo T580 I’d look for the term “lenovo t580 replace keyboard”.

I hope you find a video, where someone opens/disassembles that tyoe of laptop. Watch carefully, where ar the screws, where are those fixing lugs that likely brake when stretching at the wrong place.

I’d just remove the keyboard, and replace it with an external USB one, as it was already suggested

Maybe tell your friend, that this is a sensitive device, and not suitable for hammering a nail into the wall

[callpaul.eu (Paul)]

[quote=“László Kovács, post:13, topic:14667, username:kovacslt”]

hammering a nail into the wall

[/quote]

That made my sunday morning

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

Hi all,

thank you very much for a wealth of new replies.

@Daniel_Phillips :

@Daniel_Phillips

, just be very careful with that ribbon wire connector, it can be damaged, very easily!!

Thanks a lot, Daniel, for the advice.

It´s great that you were able to replace the keyboard of a laptop. I admire all people who can deal with hardware issues like that.

Just out of interest: did you implement some sort of protective mechanism when replacing the keyboard, like antistatic gloves os somethimg like that? Or would I be able to fiddle with such internals with my bare hands?

@ihasama :

@ihasama

check if the keyboard is bent or anything like that.

I see. Well, of course at the moment I can just tell what I was able to see from the outside. By the looks of it nothing seems to be bent or damaged in any other way. Like you say, I´d have to open the laptop first.

Thanks for the suggestion.

@ihasama

Maybe there’s Coke/Fanta there.

We already detached the key and looked under it. Everything seems to be fine.

Plus: I know I didn´t spill any kind of liquid over the device, that´s for sure. And Margret never used her laptop by herself. She wouldn´t know how to switch it on in the first place.

@callpaul.eu :

@callpaul.eu

If it was just windows effected I would go for virus malware issue

In theory, you´re right, Paul. But WIN was never used as the laptop couldn´t cope with it. Linux to the rescue, once more (it´s the 3rd laptop I set up this way for Margret ).

Indeed, it seems to be the keyboard after all.

@callpaul.eu

If you can disconnect the keyboard and use either USB or Bluetooth keyboard that would be the simple answer.

Right. Alas Margret wouldn´t be happy with that. Before leaving her after each visit she urges me to put the laptop away so that she cannot see it on a daily basis. Unfortunately she hates not only her laptop but anything concerning IT. Once she even lost her temper and kicked around a ball lying around in one room. She completely lost control. Not a pretty sight.

So, connecting an external keyboard would be out of the question for her, even if it was attached wirelessly.

For what it´s worth, I just checked the cost of a spare part keyboard for her device:

Medion Akoya E3223 (YS13G) Ersatzteile - ipc-computer.de states: 59 € plus shipping.

Taking into account her laptop cost 299 € I wonder if it would be worth it.

@Matthew :

@Matthew

if it isn’t worthwhile to replace the keyboard, or would prove to be difficult/risky, try to save the nvme in it and pick up a newer lappy.

Thanks for your suggestion. I think it might be best to take that route.

@kovacslt :

Thanks to you as well, László.

@kovacslt

I’d just remove the keyboard, and replace it with an external USB one, as it was already suggested

See my reponse above. Sadly, not suitable for Margret, I suppose.

@kovacslt

Maybe tell your friend, that this is a sensitive device, and not suitable for hammering a nail into the wall

Right. Unfortunately she has been treating all of her own possessions that way for decades. Put anything into her hand - any I mean anything - chances are you won´t get it back in one piece. Stating she has two left hands would be flattering indeed.

Sorry to say such bitter things, but it´s the truth.

@all:

As a follow-up question to what´s already been discussed:

How would I go about disconnecting her SSD so that I could at least save her personal data and put it on a new laptop?

Here´s some information I could collect:

• on the linux-hardware page, the link to which I provided in my post #1 you can take a look at the specs of her device. On HW probe of Medion E3223 #7fd5d80169: hdparm it says:

ATA device, with non-removable media
Model Number: S11-128G-PHISON-SSD-B16
Serial Number: –
Firmware Revision: SBFMBB.3
Transport: Serial, ATA8-AST, SATA 1.0a, SATA II Extensions, SATA Rev 2.5, SATA Rev 2.6, SATA Rev 3.0

• Why does it say: “ATA device, with non-removable media”
• I turned the laptop over to take a look at its rear side and discovered a separate compartment saying “SSD”. I opened the flap on the rear side of the appliance and found the following SSD built-in:
• It´s a “PHISON PS 3111 - S11 - 13 M.2”
• looks like this:

• it´s fastened with one small crosshead screw only. So why should it not be removable

Thanks so much again and many greetings from Rosika

[callpaul.eu (Paul)]

In theory whe working with any electrical system on small scare like a computer you should wear a static band to earth you through the chassie of the device, easy with a tower but laptops are all plastic so not an easy option.

Static is a killer of memory disks, processor etc

I use one like these

How To Use An Anti Static Wrist Strap | Static Solutions.

But not every time, bit overkill.

At the price of the keyboard replacement given the price of the machine I would not invest worth more than the system unless its the only option. Guess using a virtualité keyboard on screen is not easy if she types a lot ?

Yes you can remove the small screw and the ssd should just Slide out, then put it in an external box. That’s what I did on a machine I recovered. Only difficulty is identifying the connection as to which ssd type it is.

Normally when its marked not upgradable, no components to remove, replace etc. Its the memory which is soldered direct on the mother board.

[Manuel_Jordan]

Hello @Rosika

I had a very similar problem before my HD passed away, it was for a classic 2.5 HDD

In your case to gain time send the laptop to a professional to open and do a deep clean in all the laptop. A complete unmount/disassemble work.

Note: perhaps the keyboard’bus was moved internally.

Furthermore I had a very similar problem in other old laptop, even was mandatory reset the BIOS, the problem was with the “space” key. Even after to sent it to clean it. The problem appeared few times after of some weeks, I pressed “hard” 3 times the space key and is gone … in this case I assumed the electrical “contact” was very old and it was fixed in some way.

The ideal is clean key by key in both sides, front (reported in your case) and internal

Best!

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

Deleted by author

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

Hi again,

thanks a lot for your new replies.

@callpaul.eu

@callpaul.eu

In theory whe working with any electrical system on small scare like a computer you should wear a static band to earth you […]

Thanks for the recommendation.

As those antistatic wrist-bands aren´t overly expensive, I think Margret should buy one. Just to be on the safe side.

Thanks a lot for the link. I read it through. It was quite interesting.

@callpaul.eu

At the price of the keyboard replacement given the price of the machine I would not invest worth more than the system unless its the only option.

Yes, my opinion as well.

I found a good refurbished one for Margret on amazon:

Lenovo ThinkPad T440s i5-4300U 1,9 8 250GB SSD 14 Zoll 1600 x 900 HD+ CAM BL WLAN CR Win10 8 GB RAM (Generalüberholt)

145 Euros might not be too much for that, I think.

Of course it comes with WIN 10, which I can easily get rid of (hopefully) and then I´d put some light Linux distro on it.

@callpaul.eu

Yes you can remove the small screw and the ssd should just Slide out, then put it in an external box.

Great. I checked all of the SSD´s specs and this is the adaptor which should do the job, I think:

ADWITS USB 3.0 UASP zu SATA NGFF M.2 2230/2242/2260/2280 Schlüssel B oder B & M SSD SuperSpeed-Adapter, schnurloses externes Gehäuse für M.2 SATA-basierte SSD - Schwarz

Thanks again, Paul.

@Manuel_Jordan :

Thanks for your suggestion, Manuel. We might deal with the affected laptop after all. But Margret seems quite set on getting a new one, it seems, even if it´s a refurbished one (see above).

Seems a well suited-project for later on.

Many greetings to all from Rosika

[callpaul.eu (Paul)]

[quote=“Rosika Schreck, post:19, topic:14667, username:Rosika”]

good refurbished

[/quote]

I always worry about buying reconditioned, refurbished, second hand …. as you have no idea why, if it will not go to 11 for most people thats the end of its life. If you are going to put linux on no problem.

i sell ones I have reclaimed and reworked but at a silly low price (around 40 euros, cost of my time) just to move them on, but offer no cover, if they go wrong then I refund totally within a reasonable period. But not always easy. Also gets people into linux for the cost of a meal.

On your ssd drive.

Its complex as to if the drive is SATA or PCIe as both look the same not easy as B & M in one format work, in another not. Last case I bought I wondered if it would be correct as the ssd was not clear in its marking. Come back SATA hard drives to save confusion.