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computer has gone mad


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What did I do? was replying to an email in Outlook express when the text went mad, typing a mixture of numbers and letters. Shut it all down to let it have a rest, tried again, same result. Even when going in to old documents, it will only type in a mix of letters and numbers. I know there are kindly people on this forum who patiently reply to people like me.  I am using my husband's computer to write this as you would not be able to read it otherwise.can anyone help? lassie
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Its not just in Outlook expresss but in all programmes where I am typing.  The Norton report says everything is clean. The email came from French Property News office so I guess it was OK, but when I hit reply, the funny typing started. Its a laptop and I dont know what catcussed means. What exactly should I do to run a virus check?
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[quote user="Lassie"]What did I do? was replying to an email in Outlook express when the text went mad, typing a mixture of numbers and letters. Shut it all down to let it have a rest, tried again, same result. Even when going in to old documents, it will only type in a mix of letters and numbers. I know there are kindly people on this forum who patiently reply to people like me.  I am using my husband's computer to write this as you would not be able to read it otherwise.can anyone help? lassie[/quote]

IMHO it sounds like you have pressed the Function key and F11; this has the effect of authorising the hidden numeric keypad on a laptop. If this is the case, it is easily reversed - usually - by holding down the Fn key and the F11 key at the same time. 

Sue

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If you can do a scan with Norton using your mouse, it sounds as though it is your keyboard that's causing the problem, but as the others have said....best do a virus check. PC-Pro tested AntiVirus programs in this months issue....Norton scored 68% the highest score was Kaspersky with 98%; Norton was ranked 11th out of 13. Click on this link to get to the Kaspersky site and then select free scan, they will tell you if you have a virus but you will have go for a free trial to remove them. http://kaspersky.com.

Good luck!

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[quote user="Rustic-Rocker"]

If you can do a scan with Norton using your mouse, it sounds as though it is your keyboard that's causing the problem, but as the others have said....best do a virus check. PC-Pro tested AntiVirus programs in this months issue....Norton scored 68% the highest score was Kaspersky with 98%; Norton was ranked 11th out of 13. Click on this link to get to the Kaspersky site and then select free scan, they will tell you if you have a virus but you will have go for a free trial to remove them. http://kaspersky.com.

Good luck!

[/quote]

Here is a link to the results table : http://www.pcpro.co.uk/labs/155/antivirus-software/products.html

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I think spg already hit the button:

try and follow this:

ANSWER!

Here’s yer problem, buddy. Your computer thinks you have the ‘Fn’ key

(otherwise known as the function key) held down right now, even though

you don’t! You can tell that this is the problem if the letters/numbers

which come out on the screen are the ones which are noted on the lower

part of the keys you’re pressing. And you’ll notice that if you

actually hold down the ‘Fn’ key, your computer’s keyboard acts as it

normally does.

So why does the computer think the ‘Fn’ key is being held down, even

when it’s not? Because you have ‘Num Lock’ on! When you have the ‘Num

Lock’ key on, your computer perpetually thinks that the Fn key is held

down.

Here’s how to turn ‘Num Lk’ off if you want your keyboard acting

normal again: hold ‘Fn’ and hit the ‘Num Lk’ button. (You have to hold

Fn while doing this, because otherwise, the computer would think you

were trying to press ‘Scr Lk’, or scroll lock. I don’t know the layout

of every keyboard of every computer sony has ever made, so it might be

different for you.), after that, everything should work normal again.

For some reason, Sony Vaio laptops, on the rare occasion turn their

‘num lock’ on by themselves. It’s easy as it can be to turn it back

off, it’s just that it can be very confusing for someone who doesn’t

understand the problem.

Hope that cures it !

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Yes - it was the number lock which I must have accidentally pressed and stayed down even after the computer was turned off.  So obvious when it is pointed out.  Many, many thanks to everyone who responded.  I have learned a good lesson and hope it will help someone else in the future.Both I and the computer have now returned to sanity.
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