And to cap it all yesterday in my frustration I ill-advisedly decided to 're-set' the lap-top to what it was when bought, as one site recommended I do, with infuriating result that I was unsurprisingly shut out of my regular sites, including e-mails - and because the 'at' key doesn't work I can't now get back in most of them as they require the e-mail address which, of course, needs the 'at' sign. For the same reason I'm unable to purchase any download which claims to solve it. [I only got back onto this my blog-site by sheer fluke and now dare not sign out on it]. At any other time I'd have simply carried this laptop down to our local 'Lap-Top Shop' just a mile away, but of course it's now closed until God only knows when.
So, this is an appeal in desperation that one of you just might have some bright idea[s] without my seriously expecting too much - but if anyone can offer some constructive assistance to help me avoid being in Limbo for possibly months to come I'd be eternally grateful. Thanks for reading, even if that's all you can do.
Yeah, Google is our friend but sometimes, even the Big G can't help and solve our compu-issues. Hope you get there, man! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a maddening time for this to happen. The difficulty would be still be bad enough but it would be halved if only the 'at' key would function. Can only keep trying and searching. No alternative. Thanks anyway.
DeleteI'm so sorry. Wish I could help with this but I've got not clue.
ReplyDeleteNot to worry. I only ask from desperation just in the unlikely event that SOMEone out there has a hunch what to do.
Deletenot a tech person here, so I'm no help. question though - is there food/dust/etc. stuck under the keys? that may be preventing you from striking the keys.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't that the keys won't depress, W.Q. the particular hardship is that the 'at' key only produces the apostrophe underneath it on the same key. But like you, I'm also not a computer nerd, as very few are, so it rally needs an expert. We can only continue fighting the battle, but thanks for trying.
DeleteHow frustrating. So sorry that I can't help, not being very technical at all, myself. Just wanted to let you know that I am here and I feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteBad timing, Carol, bad timing. But what can one do [I can't even type the required question mark] Press on, that's the only thing. Thanks for your thoughts but save them for those thousands, MILLIONS in fact, who need them lots more than I do. Stay well yourself.
DeleteTry ASCII code 40 (might be 040). While pressing the ALT key, type the code. I assume you’re using a Windows system.
ReplyDeleteTried this several times now, FJ, taking into account your further comment below. Getting no response. Yes I'm using windows. Can only get capitals by pressing CAPS LOCK every time I want one, which is exasperating. Thanks for your suggestion anyway. At the stage now that I'm so desperate I'll try anything.
DeleteI don't mean to make you more depressed, but I too am not a tech savvy person either, but I am good at knocking my gin and tonics over onto the keyboard. So no more drinking and blogging for me. You'd think I would have learned my lesson the first two times!!!
ReplyDeleteMy question is, do you know of any listings in your fair hamlet for tech services wo do house calls? Here, where I got my lap top, they have a service called Geek Squad. They do house calls. With places closed, your may have a service like this that may be doing drop off, or house calls. Just a thought.
There used to be a guy in the area who'd visit who I used several times. Don't know if he's still available and doing it, though wouldn't want to get him - or me - into trouble. Might give him a go.
DeleteSorry, forgot to mention: press the NUM LOCK key before entering the code, which gives you the @. Alternative: copy & paste.
ReplyDeleteYou might find information on the web if you search for your particular keyboard model. I don’t think it’s the Shift key per se, since you can type capitals.
Tried all this too, including hardware scan for my model. Nothing is solving problem - at least so far.
DeleteIlliterate here.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to help but ... not my thing.Hopefully someone, or something, will get it right for you again.
Stay safe.
Another day ahead of tearing my hair out - or would be if there was enough there. Just one of those things, Bob, though with infernally bad timing.
DeleteYou keep safe and well too. Watching the frightful news coming out of Spain every day still - mighty scary.
Looking at this group, I think your best bet would be to go with FJ. Being nontechnical myself, my solution to these kind of things is to throw said contraption out of a nearby window! That's just me, of course. It is satisfying for a brief moment.
ReplyDeleteHaving tried FJ's idea several times with no success now thinking that your idea may be the best yet, D. But no, I'm going to give it one more day.......
DeleteHey Ray, first question is it both shift keys? There is one on the left normally under the caps lock and the other below the @ sign. I will ask posh boy once we know this
ReplyDeleteIt's both, Sol. I'm really lost on this as for over two full days I'm unable to get help as they all require me to provide an e-mail address which, of course I'm unable to do, all requiring that elusive 'at' sign. Any help at all you can provide I'd be enormously thankful for .
DeleteI'm not very helpful either, but if you have to enter their email address can you not just do a copy and paste. In fact can you go into other emails and just copy and paste the @ symbol in. You could also just write in your email address as say raybeard at yahoo dot com for them to use. If you are explaining the situation they should be able to assist you.
ReplyDeleteI will provide you with a whole lot of @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@ - you may be able to copy and paste them.
julie
Thanks, Poppy, but I've tried that - and for some reason the 'at' or any phrase which contains it just won't copy, probably deliberately. Any attempt to post to an address which doesn't include the 'at' doesn't get past that first page. I'm looking in envy at all your 'at's and would so dearly like to borrow one - just the ONE. Very many thanks for your thought, though. Every single suggestion will be tried. [Glum sign - which I can't type]
DeleteI think you need to press Ctrl button and shift button at same time then check if @ has returned.
ReplyDeleteStill no luck, H. but grateful for your suggestion. So desperate now I'll try ANYTHING.
Delete(Sorry if this has posted multiple times)
ReplyDeleteI can think of a few different possibilities:
- You have accidentally switched the keyboard layout. Search for "How to change keyboard layout on Windows 10" for instructions on how to check this and change it back.
- Your keyboard might actually be defective. In this case Windows has an "On-screen keyboard" which should have all the characters you need. Search for "Use the on-screen keyboard to type" for instructions on how to activate this.
Apologies also for the anonymity and not being able to post links. I realized that I could just copy and paste the relevant information from the help sites I found. I am also assuming you are using Windows 10, but if you are using something else there are equivalents for these.
DeleteFor the on-screen keyboard:
Go to Start , then select Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard, and turn on the toggle under Use the On-Screen Keyboard. A keyboard that can be used to move around the screen and enter text will appear on the screen. The keyboard will remain on the screen until you close it.
For the keyboard layout:
Start -> Settings -> Time and Language -> Language -> Options -> Keyboard
This should show you what you have. You might have something like US (QWERTY) or UK (QWERTY). If you have something else selected then your keys may have been migrated someplace else. (I believe QWERTY is the most common layout in the UK, but I am not certain.)
Whoopee! Managed to break the back of the problem, Anon - and most importantly, I can now get the (LOOK!) @ sign!
DeleteSolution: I tried again on-screen keyboard (which I'd tried several times over last three days) but always before I'd tried the shift and @ keys FIRST before any other typing. However, I've now found that if I type a few 'normal' letters and THEN try shift + @, as you can see it DOES work. So even if using the actual physical keyboard (which still doesn't work as it should - so that could be the faulty part?) in combination with on-screen k/b is a bit wearing, i'm still happy, happy, HAPPY!
And you ask about the on-screen keyboard layout - well the positions of the letter and number keys are identical, it's only the peripheral punctuation and squiggly signs which are a bit different. (And yes, I do use Windows 10)
So, Anon, at long last I can now send e-mails again. Such a shame that I foolishly followed the suggestion that I should 'reset' the laptop back to the beginning, thus wiping the memory of all my previous addresses and bookmarks. But still, I was so exasperated by then and have given myself a problem which only I can deal with.
I'll carry on now in much easier fashion - and as soon as possible, will see if it really is the hardware keyboard which is defective, and possibly have to get a new one. But that's for the future.
I just must thank you and all the others who have offered material suggestions, as well as words of comfort. believe me when I say I am ever so grateful.
VERY many thanks! :-)
So happy that your problem is solved because I was on my way down here to say that I am ignorant about these things!
ReplyDelete