Windows 11 - Keyboard and mouse behaving strangely?

[dickiefunk]

Hi,

I have a Windows 11 audio pc and my computer keyboard isn’t working correctly. Some keys are intermittent and others work differently to what I’m expecting. When I press the + or - keys, they zoom the screen in or out instead of typing those symbols. Also, the shift keys commands seem to be latching on or off at times instead of only working when holding them down? Also, my mouse is also now behaving strangely by sometimes not scrolling or opening a link in a new window instead of a new tab despite not choosing this. Strangely if I restart my computer it works ok for a while on the same website but then starts randomly opening new tabs as new windows.
I have tried a different computer keyboard in a different on a front USB socket and this also has the same issues as the keyboard plugged into a rear usb socket.

I sometimes get a beeping sound with a window open asking if I want to turn sticky keys on or off despite not pressing any key on the keyboard or mouse.

I have checked all the drivers and they are all up to date.

It is a little odd that both the keyboard and mouse have been working perfectly for years and have both started to develop issues around a similar time!?
Does anyone know what is going on or causing this issue!?

[VladK]

Is there a Windows update on your PC waiting for reboot?

[sjm]

I sometimes get a beeping sound with a window open asking if I want to turn sticky keys on or off despite not pressing any key on the keyboard or mouse.

This is (normally) triggered by pressing Shift etc. (I think) repeatedly over a few seconds. Given that what you describe sounds like you are triggering various keyboard shortcuts and/or accessibility options, I'd investigate there. Holding down the Windows key and +/- triggers the Windows screen magnifier, for example. So maybe either your keyboard is borked (you say it's old) and is triggering various keys intermittently, or you have enabled various accessibility options.

IIRC (having never used them), what sticky keys do is make it easier to use various keyboard shortcuts - like Ctrl/Alt/Shift/Windows + another key - for people with disabilities. Instead of having to press 2 keys at the same time, which can be challenging, you can simply press the shortcut trigger key (e.g. Alt or Shift) and then press the second key in the shortcut. This sounds extremly similar to what you are describing.

[BertKoor]

You tried several keyboards, which makes it unlikely it's the keyboard itself. Yeah, look into accessability options.
And perhaps try this: https://www.passmark.com/products/keytest/

This reminds me of that time I thought my keyboard & touch pad were severely borked. Turned out I had a wireless mouse in my bag which had accidentally switched on and had a button pressed from pressure in the bag.

[BBFG#]

Have you tried removing them completely in the hardware manager and rebooting for Windows to reload them?

[KBSoundSmith]

Check the accessbility options, and look at the on-screen keyboard to see if the modifier keys have been held down.

Also, check any connected devices, such as a mouse or drawing tablet, which may have buttons which control modifier keys -- if one of the buttons on those devices is somehow being held down (either from being worn down, or having say an object placed on them), they could be the problem, it may not be a software issue at all.

[lfm]

Strangely if I restart my computer it works ok for a while on the same website but then starts randomly opening new tabs as new windows.

It is a little odd that both the keyboard and mouse have been working perfectly for years and have both started to develop issues around a similar time!?
Does anyone know what is going on or causing this issue!?

Is this a particular site this is happening?

I come think of some javascript on that site maybe now something on your computer.

Many years ago on a forum, I clicked a link, and got all kinds of strange messageboxes to confirm verious stuff clearly malicious something.
- I just closed browser
- I mentioned to poster of that link
- but he had a virus protection software so he did not get this at all

Some people post stuff unaware stuff is malicious.

Does this happen anywhere else in other software, just simple stuff like Notepad or whatever?

I have a driver to a unit that posts key commands in different software as shortcuts, so getting all these kind of key commands reminds a bit of something going astray in your case.

Just a few thoughts....gut feeling, not a hardware issue....

[dickiefunk]

Hi guys,

It appears to be my Astra2 Logickeyboard causing the issues. When I was troubleshooting I completely forgot that this keyboard has two USB cables (one for the keyboard and one for the built in USB hub). I had only taken one cable out which was the USB hub cable so the keyboard cable was still connected and functioning.
I opened the onscreen keyboard to see if I could find out what is happening. Basically when the Astra 2 keyboard is connected it keeps turning on both shift keys!? I've checked settings for Sticky Keys, Filter Keys and Toggle Keys and they are all turned off so it's not anything to do with these?
When I disconnect the Astra 2 keyboard and connect my 12+ years old Genius keyboard the issue disappears. I've only had the Logickeyboard Astra 2 for around 18-24 months and am surprised this has this issue? The Astra was used in a pretty untidy and dusty environment but the Logickeyboard has been used in an extremely clean and sparse mixing room!?
I will try and clean the Logickeyboard tomorrow to see if that fixes the issue. If not, I will be pretty disappointed that such an expensive computer keyboard has become unusable in such a short time!