Replacing the motherbord sounds pretty conclusive. Maybe it is time to purchase a new computer. My dearly beloved Compaq has been a faithful and reliable – and extremely loud & noisy like a vacuum cleaner – servant almost seven years now.

Seven years? I guess it’s time to buy a new one. These days you can buy a good laptop for $450-500.

Replacing the motherbord sounds pretty conclusive. Maybe it is time to purchase a new computer. My dearly beloved Compaq has been a faithful and reliable – and extremely loud & noisy like a vacuum cleaner – servant almost seven years now.

Yes, I did try an external keyboard. The problem is that I need to install it first in my admin account. “A new device found. You have to be a member of admin group. Please give your password.” I can’t install the keyboard in my normal user account, even though I have given my admin password. Lucky girl, I don’t have a password in this normal user account too!

I have no idea how to access my admin account because the key 6 is dead. I have tried a Linux live cd, shift+f10 and ctrl+alt+del tricks but both ctrls are those dead keys as well as f8. In safe mode it is possible to remove passwords. I know there are many other tricks too. Need to find the right one.

By the way, the keys n, b and space are occassionally working right now. But upper row 5 and 6 are still completely “out of the game”, as we put it in Finnish.

I ended up on this page while searching an explanation why some keys of keyboard in my Compaq Presario 2516EA stopped reacting just like that. Suddenly I just couldn’t type certain characters or use certain keys. They were and still are completely dead.

It’s either bad keyboard or there is a problem with the keyboard controller on the motherboard.
1. Try replacing the keyboard.
2. Replace the motherboard.

Unfortunately it is impossible to use a usb keyboard before I have hacked my own admin account because it is protected with a password and a vitally important key doesn’t work.

Have you tried using an external USB keyboard? I think it should work.

The unreacting keys are at least f2, f8, §, 5, 6, +del, both ctrls, both alts, -, n, b, space and some of the arrow keys. As you can notice, the problem is symmetrical. I’m, by the way, typing this with Windows OnScreen keyboard.

I removed the problem keys, cleaned them including their base with spray normally used for wiping television and computer screens. My cleaning operation had no effect. The keys don’t react any keystroke.

I’m no expert. But I suppose even though replacing the old keyboard with a new one it would bring no help. The problem is somewhere deeper. I suspect that some connectors between the keys and the circuit are broken. I don’t know the exact terms in English (or in Finnish either).

Unfortunately it is impossible to use a usb keyboard before I have hacked my own admin account because it is protected with a password and a vitally important key doesn’t work. Also, I have no access to safe mode because f8 doesn’t work either.

it acts as if the 8 key is pressed and there is also an audible tone. Per HP tech, I have uninstalled the keyboard, updated the bios, and done a system restore. None of these helped. Any suggestions?

It sounds like you have a stuck key. It’s a hardware related problem and you’ll have to replace the keyboard.