Strange keyboard behavior

[vhunter]

I have a Dell Latitude CPx J with standard configuration. Occasionally, some of the keys on the built-in keyboard will not work. The specific keys are: 8; i; k; ,; and =. Oddly, all of them, except for the equals key, are in a straight diagonal line down the keyboard. I first thought that the problem was due to heat, as my laptop doesn't have the best cooling in the world, but, until recently, you could plug a standard USB keyboard in, type in any one of the faulty keys, and it would work. Then all the previously bad keys would work again. But just today, this technique has stopped working. I've tried finding new drivers, rebooted the system twice, cold started it, everything, but the keys will not work. But if you plug in a USB keyboard, as I'm doing now, I can input the characters just fine. Is the keyboard faulty?

 

[Rik]

Looks like its the keyboard, if its still under warranty then id send it back if i were you.

 

[vhunter]

I got it installed in the laptop 5 years ago. No warranty either.

The weird part is that it doesn't seem to do this until I plug in my Ethernet card to edit settings on a router/etc.

 

[Rik]

Could be down to a bad connection either within the laptop or the keyboard (kbd is generally a plug in unit). Dismantling the laptop to find out would be a pretty big job and you'd probably need a special tool or two. You may end up having to get it professionally repaired.

 

[vhunter]

I'm pretty sure the connection's fine; but I want to know why the keyboard works after using a USB keyboard for a period of time. Bad drivers maybe?