Chirping Keys - Dell Inspiron 9300 Laptop

[Mr.Mike]

I've googled and searched these and other forums about this issue and found nothing. Anyway, each time a key is hit the speakers emit a high-pitched "Chirp". Volume control changes or going to a "No Sounds" scheme makes no difference. The "Fn Key" is however, silent. On other odd think is the fan is running full blast, but there is no significant about of heat coming out or heating up the laptop.

Since the unit came to me with an extremely filthy keyboard (cat hair, dog hair, crumbs, and other junk crammed in between the keys), I suspected a short or stuck key. So I removed the keyboard (Ziff connector was clean and in good shape) inspected the board front and back including the surfaces exposed by the keyboard removed and no spill or debris were found. I carefully and thoroughly cleaned the keyboard and reinstalled it. No joy.

Before ordering another keyboard, I wanted to see if anyone else here has had this issue or can think of a possible fix. Thanks in advance for your response.

 

[JustInspired]

So is the laptop functional apart from the chirping keys?
Do the keys work at all - can you type stuff out?
Have you tried it with an external keyboard?

 

[nightkingdoms]

Accessibility settings, maybe?

 

[ShinyTech]

Sounds like either accessibility options or more then likely they keyboard is shorted out. Ive had laptops before where the keyboard is bad and causes the computer to chirp each time you hit a key. Like the previous post hook an external keyboard in. If it still chirps then its a software issue. If the external keyboard doesnt chirp then its probally a bad keyboard.

 

[Mr.Mike]

So is the laptop functional apart from the chirping keys?
Do the keys work at all - can you type stuff out?
Have you tried it with an external keyboard?

Yes on all counts. External keyboard does not chirp and the unit is fully functional.

 

[Mr.Mike]

Sounds like either accessibility options or more then likely they keyboard is shorted out. Ive had laptops before where the keyboard is bad and causes the computer to chirp each time you hit a key. Like the previous post hook an external keyboard in. If it still chirps then its a software issue. If the external keyboard doesnt chirp then its probally a bad keyboard.

Accessibility option check (windows xp) does not provide a way to silence the keyboard. I'm tending toward bad keyboard.

EDITED:

Something strange: On booting again, a black screen message flashed indicating some sort of "Manufacturers Mode - Test" and that "Fn X" should be pressed. I did that and now the message no longer comes up and the keyboard is Silent! Pass this along if it happens again.

Thank you for your help.

 

[computersnmore]

Churpping Keys

Try to see if Stickey Keys is active. I had the same problem and it ended up being stickey keys. On an XP machine it also had an icon on the task bar...

 

[Rob_NNCC]

Dell Laptop with corrupted/bad BIOS.

Try flashing the BIOS, but in all likely hood this dinosaur is not fixable.

EDIT:

Sounds like the manuf. mode bit was flipped off. I would still reset the CMOS then flash the BIOS.