My backspace key used to delete letters/highlighted blocks, but stopped a few
days ago (does nothing at all now) & I can't figure how to fix it. I'm on
Windows Vista. There is no 'Options' in 'Tools' & I haven't been able to find
any other suggestions.
Advice very much appreciated.

"lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> My backspace key used to delete letters/highlighted blocks, but stopped a
> few
> days ago (does nothing at all now) & I can't figure how to fix it. I'm on
> Windows Vista. There is no 'Options' in 'Tools' & I haven't been able to
> find
> any other suggestions.
> Advice very much appreciated.[/color]

This doesn't sound like a software problem. Try to see if the key makes the
wiring underneath it connect properly.

Charlie42

lizzie wrote:[color=blue]
> My backspace key used to delete letters/highlighted blocks, but stopped a few
> days ago (does nothing at all now) & I can't figure how to fix it. I'm on
> Windows Vista. There is no 'Options' in 'Tools' & I haven't been able to find
> any other suggestions.
> Advice very much appreciated.[/color]


The keyboard may be broken, is it a laptop or one you can can plug a
spare keyboard into? I think a software problem is unlikely.

Hi, lizzie,

The top of the backspace key can be pried off easily to see if there is dirt
or food particles under it.
Try turning the key board upside down and gently slap the keys with your
hand to loosen dirt particles, or use a vacuum hose on it.

Jerry

"lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F0032BE0-AE99-4E51-A77D-77132D9C6E14@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> My backspace key used to delete letters/highlighted blocks, but stopped a
> few
> days ago (does nothing at all now) & I can't figure how to fix it. I'm on
> Windows Vista. There is no 'Options' in 'Tools' & I haven't been able to
> find
> any other suggestions.
> Advice very much appreciated.[/color]

A child does use the computer occasionally & I wondered whether there was a
way that he may have 'disabled' the key? Everything else is working fine.

"JerryM" wrote:
[color=blue]
> Hi, lizzie,
>
> The top of the backspace key can be pried off easily to see if there is dirt
> or food particles under it.
> Try turning the key board upside down and gently slap the keys with your
> hand to loosen dirt particles, or use a vacuum hose on it.
>
> Jerry
>
> "lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F0032BE0-AE99-4E51-A77D-77132D9C6E14@microsoft.com...[color=green]
> > My backspace key used to delete letters/highlighted blocks, but stopped a
> > few
> > days ago (does nothing at all now) & I can't figure how to fix it. I'm on
> > Windows Vista. There is no 'Options' in 'Tools' & I haven't been able to
> > find
> > any other suggestions.
> > Advice very much appreciated.[/color]
>
>[/color]

Don't know the answer,

Sorry,
Jerry

"lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6DF7AA4E-6E7A-45A3-9E9E-F169EBB9586F@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
>A child does use the computer occasionally & I wondered whether there was a
> way that he may have 'disabled' the key? Everything else is working fine.
>
> "JerryM" wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Hi, lizzie,
>>
>> The top of the backspace key can be pried off easily to see if there is
>> dirt
>> or food particles under it.
>> Try turning the key board upside down and gently slap the keys with your
>> hand to loosen dirt particles, or use a vacuum hose on it.
>>
>> Jerry
>>
>> "lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:F0032BE0-AE99-4E51-A77D-77132D9C6E14@microsoft.com...[color=darkred]
>> > My backspace key used to delete letters/highlighted blocks, but stopped
>> > a
>> > few
>> > days ago (does nothing at all now) & I can't figure how to fix it. I'm
>> > on
>> > Windows Vista. There is no 'Options' in 'Tools' & I haven't been able
>> > to
>> > find
>> > any other suggestions.
>> > Advice very much appreciated.[/color]
>>
>>[/color][/color]

Put the cursor at the place you want to use the <Backspace>
key then hold down the <Alt> key and tap <0> (zero) then <8>
on the Numeric pad. When you release <Alt> do you get a
Backspace action?

If 'Yes' then the regular Backspace key has a problem.

"JerryM" <jerrym526@msn.org> wrote in message
news:uiZTIhXSIHA.5160@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
>
> Don't know the answer,
>
> Sorry,
> Jerry
>
> "lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6DF7AA4E-6E7A-45A3-9E9E-F169EBB9586F@microsoft.com...[color=green]
>>A child does use the computer occasionally & I wondered whether there was
>>a
>> way that he may have 'disabled' the key? Everything else is working fine.
>>
>> "JerryM" wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> Hi, lizzie,
>>>
>>> The top of the backspace key can be pried off easily to see if there is
>>> dirt
>>> or food particles under it.
>>> Try turning the key board upside down and gently slap the keys with your
>>> hand to loosen dirt particles, or use a vacuum hose on it.
>>>
>>> Jerry
>>>
>>> "lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> news:F0032BE0-AE99-4E51-A77D-77132D9C6E14@microsoft.com...
>>> > My backspace key used to delete letters/highlighted blocks, but
>>> > stopped a
>>> > few
>>> > days ago (does nothing at all now) & I can't figure how to fix it. I'm
>>> > on
>>> > Windows Vista. There is no 'Options' in 'Tools' & I haven't been able
>>> > to
>>> > find
>>> > any other suggestions.
>>> > Advice very much appreciated.
>>>
>>>[/color][/color]
>[/color]



HTH
--
Graham W. [url]www.gcw.org.uk[/url] Homebuilt Computer cooling. DIY projects
Wimborne. [url]www.wessex-astro.org.uk[/url] Society website, meetings,
Dorset UK. location maps and future programs.

Nothing happened at all. I am using a laptop so only have the numbers at the
top - would this make a difference? (<Del> deletes forwards, is this normal?)

"Graham W" wrote:
[color=blue]
> Put the cursor at the place you want to use the <Backspace>
> key then hold down the <Alt> key and tap <0> (zero) then <8>
> on the Numeric pad. When you release <Alt> do you get a
> Backspace action?
>
> If 'Yes' then the regular Backspace key has a problem.
>
> "JerryM" <jerrym526@msn.org> wrote in message
> news:uiZTIhXSIHA.5160@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...[color=green]
> >
> > Don't know the answer,
> >
> > Sorry,
> > Jerry
> >
> > "lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:6DF7AA4E-6E7A-45A3-9E9E-F169EBB9586F@microsoft.com...[color=darkred]
> >>A child does use the computer occasionally & I wondered whether there was
> >>a
> >> way that he may have 'disabled' the key? Everything else is working fine.
> >>
> >> "JerryM" wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi, lizzie,
> >>>
> >>> The top of the backspace key can be pried off easily to see if there is
> >>> dirt
> >>> or food particles under it.
> >>> Try turning the key board upside down and gently slap the keys with your
> >>> hand to loosen dirt particles, or use a vacuum hose on it.
> >>>
> >>> Jerry
> >>>
> >>> "lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >>> news:F0032BE0-AE99-4E51-A77D-77132D9C6E14@microsoft.com...
> >>> > My backspace key used to delete letters/highlighted blocks, but
> >>> > stopped a
> >>> > few
> >>> > days ago (does nothing at all now) & I can't figure how to fix it. I'm
> >>> > on
> >>> > Windows Vista. There is no 'Options' in 'Tools' & I haven't been able
> >>> > to
> >>> > find
> >>> > any other suggestions.
> >>> > Advice very much appreciated.
> >>>
> >>>[/color]
> >[/color]
>
>
>
> HTH
> --
> Graham W. [url]www.gcw.org.uk[/url] Homebuilt Computer cooling. DIY projects
> Wimborne. [url]www.wessex-astro.org.uk[/url] Society website, meetings,
> Dorset UK. location maps and future programs.
>
>[/color]

Lizzie,
Sorry to hear that. It's the same on a desktop keyboard - no result
using the keys at the top (in fact I get a beep sound when trying).
Looks like you'll need to take it to a laptop repair place if you can't
get the key to work yourself.
Yes the <del> key does work that way.


"lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:129E8391-86C5-42A8-B117-1AFD3CE4547C@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> Nothing happened at all. I am using a laptop so only have the numbers at
> the
> top - would this make a difference? (<Del> deletes forwards, is this
> normal?)
>
> "Graham W" wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Put the cursor at the place you want to use the <Backspace>
>> key then hold down the <Alt> key and tap <0> (zero) then <8>
>> on the Numeric pad. When you release <Alt> do you get a
>> Backspace action?
>>
>> If 'Yes' then the regular Backspace key has a problem.
>>
>> "JerryM" <jerrym526@msn.org> wrote in message
>> news:uiZTIhXSIHA.5160@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...[color=darkred]
>> >
>> > Don't know the answer,
>> >
>> > Sorry,
>> > Jerry
>> >
>> > "lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> > news:6DF7AA4E-6E7A-45A3-9E9E-F169EBB9586F@microsoft.com...
>> >>A child does use the computer occasionally & I wondered whether there
>> >>was
>> >>a
>> >> way that he may have 'disabled' the key? Everything else is working
>> >> fine.
>> >>
>> >> "JerryM" wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> Hi, lizzie,
>> >>>
>> >>> The top of the backspace key can be pried off easily to see if there
>> >>> is
>> >>> dirt
>> >>> or food particles under it.
>> >>> Try turning the key board upside down and gently slap the keys with
>> >>> your
>> >>> hand to loosen dirt particles, or use a vacuum hose on it.
>> >>>
>> >>> Jerry
>> >>>
>> >>> "lizzie" <lizzie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >>> news:F0032BE0-AE99-4E51-A77D-77132D9C6E14@microsoft.com...
>> >>> > My backspace key used to delete letters/highlighted blocks, but
>> >>> > stopped a
>> >>> > few
>> >>> > days ago (does nothing at all now) & I can't figure how to fix it.
>> >>> > I'm
>> >>> > on
>> >>> > Windows Vista. There is no 'Options' in 'Tools' & I haven't been
>> >>> > able
>> >>> > to
>> >>> > find
>> >>> > any other suggestions.
>> >>> > Advice very much appreciated.
>> >>>[/color][/color][/color]




--
Graham W. [url]www.gcw.org.uk[/url] Homebuilt Computer cooling. DIY projects
Wimborne. [url]www.wessex-astro.org.uk[/url] Society website, meetings,
Dorset UK. location maps and future programs.