Problem With Laptop Keyboard

[joko]

my laptop keyboard - Dell Precision M6800, Win10 - wont let me type a full stop

nothing happens when i press it, the cursor doesn't move along

however >>>> this symbol on the same button works just fine when i press the shift key

what could have caused this?
if it was an issue with the button, surely neither symbol would work?

any ideas?

thanks :)

[Buenchico]

Try running Windows in Safe Mode to see if the problem persists:
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-uk/000124344/how-to-boot-to-safe-mode-in-windows-10

If it disappears in Safe Mode, then it's clearly a software problem. If so, when running Windows normally again, enter Task Manager (via right-clicking on a blank space on the taskbar at the foot of your screen) and look for anything that possibly shouldn't be running and try closing it. Also run a full scan with your anti-virus software AND run a malware scan with AdwCleaner: https://www.malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner

Still assuming that it's a software problem (which disappears in Safe Mode), if all else fails consider resetting your PC. (As long as you choose the correct option, all of your files - such as documents, videos and pictures - will be retained but you'll need to reinstall any software that wasn't pre-loaded on your laptop):
Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Open Recovery Settings > Reset this PC > Get Started.

If the problem doesn't disappear in Safe Mode, then it's either a problem with the keyboard itself or its driver. Try updating or reinstalling the driver:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/update-drivers-in-windows-ec62f46c-ff14-c91d-eead-d7126dc1f7b6

[ToraToraTora]

....also try flipping the keyboard from UK to US, then type something in notepad and then flip it back.

[Hymie]

As a work-around you could use the copy & paste function, or in number lock mode the decimal point. If no fix can be found, you could consider using a mini USB connected keyboard.

[joko]

thanks all, i restarted & it worked again, no idea what caused it, very odd, i ran security tests & all clear

[MonaNon]

Keyboard problems can occur in several ways, and one of them is contamination. To protect my keyboard, I use a macbook pro keyboard protector of this type https://www.keyturepro.com/shop/p/2020-air-13 . The material acts as a sound insulator that dampens various unwanted sounds that a MacBook can make. If you are afraid of others who might be annoyed by noise, or if you have to work in the wee hours of the night with a sleeping roommate, this might be a good reason to get one.