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Question

"|" character when i type shift key

Aug 12, 2012 3:50PM PDT

Tried googling and couldn't find any insight. Everytime i press the shift key on my keyboard i get the following character (without quotation marks): "|"

Suffice it to say, it's getting pretty annoying when typing an email/letter etc. It didn't always do this.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: wrong character
Aug 12, 2012 5:04PM PDT

I'd start with trying another keyboard (I hope it isn't a laptop).
In the mean time, see that Numlock is on and press Alt-032 to get a space (if it's a laptop, I hope it has a numeric keypad).

Kees

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reply
Aug 13, 2012 5:56AM PDT

I just noticed that it's only the left shift key. Haven't had a chance to switch keyboards since the other two keyboards are non-usb and my desk top doesn't have slots for the older style keyboard input.

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Answer
If it just started . . .
Aug 12, 2012 10:17PM PDT

you might try a Windows restore to before this happened.

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Answer
Check for keyboard remapping.
Aug 13, 2012 6:05AM PDT
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Bob, that is the older version ...
Aug 13, 2012 10:28AM PDT
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Hmm. XP for most is 32 bit.
Aug 13, 2012 10:57AM PDT

Thanks for the update none the less.

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Aug 13, 2012 12:24PM PDT

so i have ms keyboard layout creator. what do i do with this program?

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(NT) Use it to look at the mappings.
Aug 14, 2012 1:39AM PDT
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ok
Aug 14, 2012 5:07AM PDT

I didn't know how to load the current mapping? Also it doesn't look like you can map anything to the shift keys??

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Then another tool.
Aug 14, 2012 5:10AM PDT
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Answer
I hate to butt in but a troubleshooting thought
Aug 14, 2012 5:55AM PDT

before we look at the OS. I would wonder if you can reproduce this at the command prompt. Better yet, do you have any sort of boot disk that can bring you to a command prompt. If the shift key gives you the same "I", I'd be more inclined to look at hardware than some key mapping issue.

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Re: command prompt
Aug 14, 2012 6:04AM PDT

Also, a Linux boot disk (or USB-stick) would be fine. Ubuntu comes with LibreOffice, for example. No command prompt ('terminal') needed.
About disks: with the XP setup disk he can boot into the recovery console. Good enough to test the keyboard (but don't type del *.* /s <enter&gtWink.

It's a 5 minute job at most.

Kees

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Aug 15, 2012 1:55PM PDT

yup if i type the shift key in command prompt the character pops up!

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Remember that's proper if the key is remapped
Aug 16, 2012 1:32AM PDT

And you are running the Windows that has it remapped.

That's why the advice about booting some CD (no install!)
Bob